I have a 15 month old who recently developed small scaly spots behind his knees, in the creases on his elbows and on the outside of his elbows. Could this be eczema? I read up and it says that eczema is normally hereditary but no one in my immediate family ever had eczema. Also, it says it normally starts in the head and neck region but he hasn't had that. He also has a couple of these rash like spots around the border of where his diaper is. He has had an itchy diaper rash for a few days. Could the two be connected?
Might be a reaction to soap, detergent, etc. Might try using Dove unscented soap and Eucerin lotion.
A.,
This couldl be a number of things of which I do not think is serious. The best thing for you to do is let a doctor look at it as none of us here can possibly know without having seen this before or seeing it ourselves. It could be some kind of rash and since it seems to be around the waist line it coudl be measles if the little red spots have a scale because he scratched them. Still my advice is to get him in to see his pediatrician. God Bless,D.
Hi A.. Eczema is typically a reaction to something, an allergy, per se. 2 of my kids have an eczema reaction to foods (for one it is cows milk, for the other, milk and soy.) I think it's time you visited an allergist for a test. He might have a food allergy. 15 months is about the time I discovered it too. It's no big deal, just a little pad with the allergens placed on the tips and pressed onto the skin....no needles, my kids didn't cry a tear. But, it's important to find out. The eczema can be treated with topical steroid and the allergist can prescribe some that are better than over the counter types. But, you may be looking at a few years of avoiding a certain food. I have mastered it. The good news is, if it is a food allergy, the eczema reaction is the best one to have. It's not life threatening and it typically goes away around age 5. My 5 year old outgrew his a few months ago. Let me know if you need any suggestions for allergists. I live in Tampa.
Sounds like a problem my nephew had when he was little. It was not eczema but an allergic reaction to soaps and laundry detergents. My sister in law had to buy a special oatmeal soap without any chemicals and wash all his laundry in special soap. Also the doctor gave her a special lotion to use on the spots. He is now 33 and has out grown all of it. Get a medical opinion.
Hi, A.,
I am not a doctor but from what you are describing, it does sound like eczema. I also discovered redness in the inside of my daughter's elbows and creases of her knees at 12 months. I asked her pediatrician about it and he referred her for allergy testing. As another mom mentioned, the skin testing is not painful and did not involve needles. I have friends whose children have undergone blood tests, but our allergist said that the skin test is more accurate. In our case, the eczema was a response to food allergies and other things such as pet dander and dust. No one in my family has had eczema, either. I also recommend you talk to your child's doctor about the symptoms and have him see an allergist. Another thing we did was to switch to more natural bath and body products, such as Burt's Bees or California Baby, which you can find at Target or Publix. These types of products do not have a lot of the chemicals and irritants that can exacerbate the problem. Best of luck to you.
