Eczema on 9 Month Old's Face - What Can Help?

If it is actually eczema, we use the Aveeno Baby Lotion specifically for eczema. It works great.

However, I agree with others that it kind of sounds like a reaction to something. Kids with eczema often have allergies as well.

Hi, eczema is SO frustrating for little ones. My son got it at for months and his face was so bad it looked raw. It wasn't until we went his one year check up that a new doctor suggested allergies. We did a blood test for dairy, eggs, wheat, peanuts and gluten. Wheat and peanuts were positive and the eczema went away almost instantly. I would get an allergy test done right away. It sounds scary but it's just a quick blood draw. The good news is we just did another allergy test(2 years later) and the wheat allergy is gone.

We avoided the steroid creme, too. We tried EVERY lotion, soap and ointment under the sun. The ONLY things that have helped with itching and redness are Aveeno Soothing Creamy Wash (baby isle) and Eucerin Caliming Creme (lotion isle). Avoid anything with fragrances or dyes. That goes for laundry detergent, too. We also did the nylon with quick oats in the tub to relief itching.

My sons eczema led to some warts on his legs (molluscum contagiousum) that were misdiagnosed as eczema. We were prescribed a steroid cream that made them spread. Our pediatrician gave him a couple of shots that made the bumps finally go away. I guess I'm just adding that in as a precaution for you.

Sorry this is so lengthy, I just have a lot to say about this because we've been dealing with it for years. Good Luck!

My 10 months daughter is also plagued by eczema on her face. When she's sick or getting teeth it gets really bad. Eucerin lotion helps alot otherwise Gentle Care Eczema cream (the winnie the pooh bottle)works great too. (Its sortof expensive, but it works).

To stop the itching if it spreads to her body we give her an epsom salt bath to soothe it.

Good luck!

MY little boy had the same thing except it was when he was a little younger. It seems to pop up in the Spring. We tried every cream, lotion you can think of but what ended up actually workings was Cortaid for his face to heal the redness and itching and then Aquaphor for moisture. My son had it a bit on his legs, arms and back so our doctor prescribed a strong "Cortaid" with Hydrocortizone. Initially I was worried about putting something like this on him but it worked and it gave him and us relief which is the most important.
As for daycare, well, not that the daycares are bad but they are hard to keep really clean when they are part of a large group and they have many more places to rub their little faces. My son would come home with red face sometimes too. its hard to clean the face clean and dry for too long but it is easier when they are at home because you are watching them and them only. I brought the cortaid and hydrocortizone to daycare for them to apply if he got red and they were fine with putting it on.

They say eczema stems from a possible allergy of some sort. I always lean towards a possible milk allergy but time will tell.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Finn's Mom

Children with eczema usually have an allergy to peanuts. I would also ask about the wipes on her face. Vanicream is what we use on my grandson, but his was so severe that is dermatologist had it mixed with 1% hydrocortizone. I asked about using it on his face and her reply was that children with exzema do not produce enough hydrocortizone that is why they have the exzema. Vanicream was developed for children with eczema by the Rohchester peidatric dermatology dept. It's wonderful. Light, not greasy, it is now available at all drugstores. You can ask your dermatologist for the prescription kind, it's been a miricle for us.

If the doctor said that it is eczema, then it is eczema. She is probably scratching it during the day, making it flare.

In eczema there is an imbalance of the essential fatty acids. I took a corrective approach myself, and was able to throw out all lotions- just don't need them or allergy medicine anymore. Yay!!!

Now you will find out whether your doctor can work with a natural approach. Leave a message asking about supplementation with Omega 3 fatty acids, and a Mediterranean diet for the eczema. If this doctor was not trained in basic nutrition, you may need to find one that was. Generally, I have found that D.O.s tend to have this training, more often than M.D.s in my area. This is very much a matter of individual practice, though, so ask questions and research.

Hi C.,

My daughter (20 mos) also has eczema as do I. Like your daughter she gets it on her face just around her mouth. At times I think it flares up more when she's teething but I would ask your daycare provider if they are using wipes (diaper wipes) to clean her face after snack/meals. My provider had been doing this (with all the kids) and since I know my daughter's skin is sensitive I asked them to just use paper towel on her. Those wipes can be so drying, imagine putting alcohol on sensitive skin, ouch.

As for lotion, we use an over the counter product (buy it at Target or Babies R Us) called Gentle Nature's Eczema Cream and it works really well. It has Winnie the Pooh on the bottle.

I also noticed a lot of your responses suggested allergies which I've considered with my daughter as well but have not had her tested. Keeping track of any new foods she has right now would probably be helpful.

Good luck!

Are you sure it is eczema? I have eczema as do two of my children and it doesn't usually act like this. It sounds more like an allergy to me. If it is eczema, I highly recommend the Eucerin cream. It comes in a tub and is a little pricey, but SOOO worth it. It's best to put it on when the skin is a little wet, like after bath to trap the moisture in. If it is really bad I have used an unscented lotion on my daughter (like an Aveeno) and then the Eucerin on top of that. I am with you, I have avoided the steroid cream if at all possible. Good luck!

Our doctor recommended anti-itch cream, Hydrocortizone 1%, but I don't know about on her face. Our son has it on his back & arms in spots. I would ask the doctor first if it's okay to apply on her face. Good luck!

Food allergies is a major role in eczema. Milk, eggs and peanuts are the
most common offenders, but soy, wheat, citrus and chocolate are also common.
Elimination diets can be helpful in identifying which
foods to avoid.

There are nutritional supplements that I would also recommend if you are interested.

L. L
Certified Nutrition Consultant
http://www.livegreeneveryday.com

I would talk to the daycare about what kind of soap they are using. I know when my daughter was around 1 they started using soap to wash her face after eating and it caused her to break out in rashes. They started to just use warm water whenever possible and that helped alot.

Hi C.!

Poor little thing, the itching just has to be unbearable for her! Please check out the following website, it is www.mymangosteen.com/fruitsolution This juice is from the mangosteen fruit grown in South East Asia. You can also check out Pubmed.gov and type in XANTHONES. There are 200 xanthones in nature and this fruit has over 40! Thousands of people have had results.
Eczema is due to inflammation (that is the root of most diseases). There are many testimonials that come from people drinking this juice. It has helped me tremendously.I am a leukemia survivor!
Because it works at the cellular level, (mitochrondria) it is able to help so many diffferent ailments. If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to e-mail me at ____@____.com

God Bless you and your little one!

Tracey

Gentle Naturals Eczema lotion with Winne the pooh on the label. I bought mine at Target, but should be available every where. It helped my daughter's eczema on her legs.

Renew from Melaleuca will take care of it. It got me off a prescription cream after 40 years of using one. I can help you get it and explain wy it works.
S.

I hate to say it - but it doesn't sound like eczema. If it goes away and comes back, then it is a rash, and probably something environmental at daycare (possibly glycerin or cleaner?). I noticed your in WI, but check out these two websites: www.naet.org and www.heartland-healing.com. The second one is a natural practitioner in the TC south metro, and the first describes natural remedies in treating allergies and such. Good luck!

My 3 year old went from having eczema to atopic dermatitis. Literally the ONLY thing that helps is coconut oil. We buy it in the natural food secion of the grocery store, but you can also find it sometimes near vitamins at Walmart, and of course on line. I love it because is smells sooo good, is meant to be eaten and therefore safe for my kid to put in her mouth! We go by the 'if you can't put it in your mouth, why put it on your body?' philosophy. I also suggest Vanicream but ONLY if you use it after bathing in robathol oil. Straight up vanicream did nothing for us. Hope that helps! :-)

I went to see the pediatric dermatologist at our local children's hospital for my son when he had eczema (and another skin issue) at the same age as your daughter. She explained to me that because of the amount of drooling and baby food that is all over their face at this age, it is the worst age for flare ups. She prescribed to us a hydrocortisone/cetaphil mixed cream that is safe for the face. It is the only thing that has worked, and we use it all over his body. We tried the steroid cream (alone) at first prescribed by our pediatrician, and it was thinning his skin, so we discontinued it. Good luck.

The first thing that came to mind were the toys (soap and disinfectant) or the crib sheets (reaction to the detergent especially if they use Dreft). At what point in the day does the daycare start to notice it getting worse? Is she crying when you leave and then it flares up? (could be stress related) Does it flare up after she chews on a few toys or after snack time or after naptime? You should enlist their help in trying to figure out the trigger.

My daughter, who is now 15 months, has battled eczema since she was a newborn. For us the absolute best stuff is California Baby Calming Cream, you can get it at Whole Foods or some co-ops carry it. It is truly amazing stuff, hydrates and soothes the skin with all natural ingredients and it is non-greasy. I can't say enough good things about it!

Do they let your daughter have her pacifier a lot when she's at daycare? The salivation will definitely cause an outbreak.

My son also had eczema on his fact at that age. It only lasted 4-5 months. I tried everything - Eucerin, Aquaphor, Gentle Naturals. However, I found that Gentle Naturals Baby Eczema Cream (with Winnie the Pooh on the front) worked the best. I do NOT recommend Hydrocortisone Cream on the face. That thins the skin, and you aren't supposed to use it too often.

My son is now 2 years old, and I still use Gentle Naturals cream on his cheeks b/c they get really dry and irritated while at daycare.

I would recommend bringing the cream to her daycare and have your provider apply it throughout the day. It may be getting irritated while at her house. Also - like others have commented, it may be allergies. Does your provider have any pets? Or, she may be getting teeth, which I believe was the cause of my son's eczema. I wouldn't worry too much, it will probably go away soon. In the meantime, I would try Gentle Naturals.

Thing about eczema - until you get it cleared up, it's going to keep flaring up. Until you sooth the irritation, any little thing is going to continue to irritate it. I've found time to be the best healer of eczema in my boys. Eucerin/Aquaphor helped some, as did a little hydrocortisone (as someone else said, it's not good to use every day, and I share your hesitancy to put it on your baby's face.) Lansinoh (the purified lanolin you use for nipple soreness) works great - even though its a little messy. Perfect for nightime (works great on chapped lips, too!) You might think about putting some on her right before daycare - it'll provide a barrier between her skin and whatever might be irritating it, for awhile at least. We've also had luck with an olive-oil based nipple balm, that has shea butter and calendula and some other soothing stuff in it. (I figured that anything they could breastfeed through and basically eat was OK to put anywhere on their faces, where they are basically going to eat it.) California Baby also makes a calendula cream that's very nice. And a little hydrocortisone every few days can give them they boost they need to really clear it up. Try a humidifier in her room, too - the extra humidity is good for the skin as well as the respiratory system, when it's been so dry. Also - although this sounds like it's not the case w/your daughter now, since the rash comes and goes daily - skin infections can develop with eczema, especially on a baby's face (not known for their hygiene, babies) - if it ever becomes persistent and you can't make any progress over a week or so, go see your ped and you'll probably be prescribed an antibiotic. That's also helped put my boys over the edge sometimes, so they can really heal. Try lots of stuff, and you'll find the thing that works for your daughter. (Spring's arrival will actually make a huge difference - both the moist air and the sunshine!) Good luck!

It sounds like maybe daycare isn't wiping her mouth good enough and the food staying on her face might be irritating it. I'd ask daycare to wash it better because the doctor said that is causing her to get a rash. Good luck!

My youngest son has it really bad on his legs still, his belly, arms and cheeks aren't as bad as they use to be. I would give him a quick bath and bearly pat him down, so he was still damp and coat him with vaseline. It worked really good. When he would have the bad break outs we would have to use a steroid cream but usually after a day or two we could use the vaseline on him again.

If its only happening at daycare the worst I would check into if she is allergic to something there. Is she on carpet there and not at home, the cleaning supplies used on the toys.. maybe a pet that is in the home or only in the home when the kids aren't there? They could all be triggers also.

Stay away from soaps and lotions that have scents to it, they always dried my son out so bad! For soap and shampoo we use Johnson & Johnson and it works the best for us. We would also use an oatmeal bath once a month to every other week when it was bad and flared up. Keep her nails clipped as short as possible so she can't scratch herself and make it worse.

I use Melaleuca brand products. I love them - they have no harsh chemicals or allergens in them. The Renew lotion is wonderful on eczema and just plain dry skin. I've even used it for diaper rash, and it worked better than anything else I had tried. I also use their laundry detergent and cleaning products. Most laundry detergent has chemicals that could irritate the skin, and the Melaleuca stuff does not. They also make soaps that are gentle on the skin, and lots of other products. Let me know if you'd like more information.

are they giving her a pacifier at daycare? that may be irritating her skin if she is teething and drooling and the pacifier is keeping the moisture and friction irritating her skin. my son had similar issue around his mouth, but his doc called it dermatitis. he also had eczema on his back and it could have been that... went away at home without a pacifier and applying bacitracin at night, but it took a few months to really stop it from coming back. for eczema, Aveeno makes a good lotion 'soothing relief' in a tube in baby aisle at target, says for eczema on the bottle. good luck, hope it clears up soon.

My 11 month old baby boy has eczema on his legs, arms and tummy and it looks awful and feels so rough when you touch him. The advice I got from his doctor is to use udder balm or something very similar to it. It is used for cow's udders. I know it seems weird, but it works wonderfully!!! And it is perfectly healthy for people. You just rub it on like a lotion. My ped recommened using the stuff that is not the lotion form, so it is clear because that works better, but I haven't had any problems with the lotion. (She (my ped) also uses it for herself)It still works wonderfully. You can get it at like Farm & Fleet or Nasco in Fort Atkinson (I'm not sure where you live, I didn't check on that) Otherwise, any farming type store. I hope this helps, I know it helps my son and it doesn't have steroids or anything in it.

I second putting purified lanolin. I used Purlan. Since its just around her mouth area, sounds like it's due to moisture and it's irritated by some foods. This helped my son's patch next to his mouth.

While I wouldn't discount the allergy option, I would suggest that perhaps it's stress or even something she does when stressed that causes her eczema to flare up. My son is prone to mild patches of eczema, but last winter, whenever we had family visiting, he put his fingers in his mouth and his eczema would flare up. My parents don't have a picture from him in his 4th year that doesn't have a huge ring around his lips. The dryness turned to eczema quickly and spread, so we go in the habit of vaseline-ing his face nightly before bed. Anyway--I'm not suggesting that she is stressed in a way that is bad--obviously, we did not discontinue seeing extended family--but rather maybe she's hitting the age of separation anxiety and it's showing up in her body. (Oh--my extended family is NOT a stressful situation--it was simply the change in routine that affected him.)

Hi, I didn't read all the responses, but it looks like there wasn't much discussion about food allergies. Have her tested for allergies - she's not too young. Eczema is often brought on (or brought out) by food. Turns out both my sons had food allergies (one to milk and nuts, the other to eggs). Certain foods definately worsten their eczema. I would never have figured it out on my own.
Good luck
I also didn't notice anyone mention oatmeal baths. Put oatmeal in a nylon or nylon knee hi and but it with the bath water. It's calming to the skin - providing she's not allergic to oats :)
Good luck

My son has this on his legs and arms and what we used after the perbscribed med lotion was Eurcin and it works great. Even the doc said he recs this lotion over any other lotion out there. We had to use the med one first to get the bumps and reddnes to go down first.

Poor little girl :( There could be a few different factors causing the rash/breakout. Start with the foods being eaten (could be an allergy) Then we need to look at what she is coming in contact with (laundry detergent on her skin all day, disinfectants used at daycare, what the carpet is cleaned with, if they use bleach anywhere at daycare this has huge effects on young bodies including eczema) then we need to look at what is on her skin ( soaps and lotions)
Did you start using anything differently? Did the daycare?
As far as a solution, it took our family getting the toxins out of our home (bleach, caustic bathroom cleaners, irritating detergents) and then we started using Renew lotion. The combination of these two things cleared up our dermatitis issues completely in 2 weeks and haven't had any issues in 8 months! Renew was tested along with Eucerin (the most recommended lotion for eczema) and was found to be 7 times more effective! We apply it morning and night. It is safe for babies and on their faces. Made from natural ingredients without the risks of steroidal creams. It has been a complete godsend to us.
Prayers for you and your little miracle :)
S.
oh yeah, I live in WI too :)

Have your daycare keep a food log for a week on your daughter.

I had a little daycare girl who would get the same kind of rash shortly after eating canned peaches. (She loved them...) but she would break out like that too.

It sure sounds like some kind of allergic reaction. Especially if she's only getting it in one place. Good luck!

Hi C.,

We were recommended Vanicream by our allergist and it works well on our 14 month old boy. He has eczema behind his knees due to food allergies.

There obviously has to be something at her daycare that is making her break-out so badly. Is it only on her face near her mouth?? Does she put things in her mouth a lot?--If so it could be what they are using to clean their toys with. I know some daycares use bleech (diluted with water) to disinfect their toys which could really cause irritation esp. in an infant. It could also be the type of soap they use to clean the toys. If she is not one to put things in her mouth very often I have no ideas....I do though, agree that you should always look for an alternative to the steroid cream that a Dr. would give you. My daughter and son both have eczema when they were only a few months old. My daughter had it really bad. All over her legs, arms, stomach and face were bright red splotches. I never used any steroid cream--what I used was Calendula gel and Almond oil. I would give her a quick bath with unscented all natural baby wash then put the Calendula gel on first and then srpead Almond oil on after and put her pj's on right away so that nothing would rub off. It took about a month and a half but everything started clearing up and she had maybe 2 or 3 break outs after that but they were not near as bad and we used the same method to treat it and it cleared right up and I have to say that she has not had a break-out since and it has been over 2 years. My son also started getting it when he was a few months old and it was much more persistant so we got this stuff at the Hudson Fresh and Natural-the brand is Natralia-we got the combo pack of Eczema wash and lotion. It is a homeopathic solution that does have a few ingredients that I did not like, but was MUCH better than a steroid cream and it also took a while but worked and have not had a problem with his Eczema since. I do not know how much you are into alternative medicine-if at all, but there are also homeopathic remedies (you would need to dissolve in water before you give to your child). If you go to Hudson Fresh and Natural Foods, they have quite a few different options that you could try that are all natural and SAFE for your child. Someone there may be able to help you with your specific needs. Best of luck to you and your daughter!!

My 3.3 yr olds eczema is dramatically better with the addition of an omega 3 (fish oil) supplement to her daily diet.

I'm going through this with my 6mo.old on her face and scalp. I have TRIED everything! Olive oil works the best for home remedy's but it'd be back every morning. I got fed up and wanted to do my daughter's 6mo.portraits and so I used her older sisters prescription eczema cream a big no no from our pediatrician adn well she hasn't had a eczema rash in 2 weeks now and her portraits turned out awesome. Our prescription stuff is elcon I believe. If I have to I'll use it sparingly again so far the only product to work.

As for my older daughter DRY SKIN CREME generic from Walmart works the best for her but she's 7 and out of the baby stage and drooling. I do remember when she was a year old or so her chin and mouth area was always red and rashy.

HI C.,
I also use the Melaleuca products and they WORK!!! The Renew lotion would be your best friend! Also by removing all of the other harmful chemical from your home, it reduces allergins and can help with irritating the skin. Your daycare provider would love it too!! No more chemicals and safe for the kiddos. Maybe there is something there that your daughter is reacting to and setting off the eczema. I wuld love to help you out. Drop me a line or call. ###-###-#### ____@____.com