Son Has Re-occuring Rash from Elbows to Wrist

After a ton of research I finally discovered my daughter's (same location on her body) was from the cleanser her school uses to clean her desk. Since that part of her arm rests on the desk - that was mostly where she rashed... Stress also triggers it.

Hi there!
I don't know, but since it usually starts in the afternoon, could it be something that he uses or touches at the school that isn't agreeing with him.

HI S.,
I have lots of experience with eczema. I have 7 kids and everyother one has eczema it varying degrees. Since this rash comes and goes. Keep track of what he has eaten when it comes and see what is frequent. Even note what is in prepared foods. Do you know how much corn and corn syrup is in prepared foods? I didn't until I had a daughter allergic to it. Also look at his stress level. Stress you ask? Well if he didn't sleep well, is nervous about school that day, (nothing personal) overheard an arguement the night before all this can flare up eczema. My daughter who is really bad can get much worse without sleep and over school work. It is a visciuos cycle. Good luck.

One of my granddaughters (she's 2)also has eczema which only breaks out in patches on her arms and very occasionally with a small patch on one shoulder. We noticed that being around animals (cat & dog) seemed to cause an outbreak. She also has problems with milk. My daughter took her off all milk products (switching to soy) and has kept her away from the animals and she hasn't had very many outbreaks since.

Does he shower in the morning? If so, putting lotion on after the shower should help w/ the eczema. Also gently drying his skin w/ the towel and not rubbing.

my 6 year old son suffers from what his dermatologist labels moderate to severe eczema. We have been dealing with this for years and have tried everthing (soaps, lotions, creams, presscription and over the counter meds, homeopathics, diet, and various other things). These are what we founf most helpful. Finding a new home for our cats anf washing everything including shoes that goes into a cat owners home. Washing all bedding in hot water once a week with a dye-free, phosphate-free detergent. Absolutely no fabric softener. Getting a water filter for our shower to remove chlorine from the water. And the biggest non prescription help came from taking a fish oil supplement. There are kids ones that are chewable and taste good at Whole Foods. You could use Flax oil for the same effect but my son says it is yucky. We have had moderate success with food elimination but he tested positive fro every food they tested him for (about 20 different things ands could not eliminate them all). We have also found some benefit in using organic produce and peanut butter (he reacts to regular pb but not organic). The prescription creams all clear him up for a time until he builds up a tolerance to them but considering the side effects of higher doses of steriods and elidel and protopic are theoretically linked with skin cancer we try to avoid them unless he is extremely miserable.

Could it possibly be the cleansers used at school? It could be where he is resting his arms on the table. That is what I would guess since he is fine in the morning.

Good Luck!

Hi, S.- please remember that not all allergies start right when something is introduced! Sometimes allergies are built up over time, so it's impossible to look strictly at the newly introduced things. It's best to start removing foods one at a time (maybe one a week?) and switch the laundry detergent just to rule them out. I know it's a pain, but I certainly have been there! I didn't show an allergy to milk until I was 6, an allergy to grass until I was in 6th grade, and an allergy to Advil until I was an adult! Fortunately, I've outgrown all of it now (thank, God!), but sometimes it takes time. Good luck!

Aquaphor, Aquaphor, Aquaphor - this stuff is absolutely amazing when it comes to skin disorders. You can purchase it over the counter at your local Walmart. Apply it generously to the area before he goes to bed and have him wear a long-sleeved shirt to keep the moisture in, and I guarantee that you will see amazing results. I love this stuff! All of us in our family use it from Daddy to Mommy to kids! Good luck!!

My eczema is related to chemicals. ie--cleaning chemicals
or sanitizers. Maybe you have not changed detergents in years, or softeners, but the company may have changed something, or your son has developed an allergy to it, possibly. Did he go somewhere different when he had the
outbreaks, were there pets involved? Also, my kids have a
break out everytime they swim, I guess it is the chlorine in the pool. They have to shower with soap as soon as we get home, or it gets worse, and won't clear up.

i recently gave my baby aquaphor and it has gone away in that same area. hope that helps :)

You may wish to read the book by Natasha Campbell-McBride called GUT AND PSYCHOLOGY SYNDROME. It is available from www.bodyecology.com, I think. It explains the underlying issues of eczema. Immune system dysfunction could have its root cause in lack of adequate beneficial gut bacteria. When babies are born they acquire their colonic bacteria via the colony in mom's vagina. If mom has used birth control pills, taken any other drugs including antibiotics (who hasn't?), been vaccinated, eaten a lot of refined foods, then she will influence the balance of flora (bacterial colony) her child acquires. The flora play an enormously important role in the immune function of the child.

That's her theory in short. Given that, Natren and Culterelle are two brands of probiotics that can be helpful in these cases. Further, the diet needs to be without refined foods as they fuel pathogenic bacterial growth. The common allergenic foods are gluten (wheat, rye, barley, contaminated oats, triticale, kamut and spelt), casein (all dairy), soy, egg white, and citrus. Very tough in our culture. But it is easier in the Bay Area to manage than elsewhere. Testing for gluten enteropathy, by the way, is available on line from www.enterolab.com. It is simple: a stool sample. They also include casein for an extra fee.

Try www.dionissoap.com, goats milk lotion , the goats milk works for many that medications and moisturizer have failed , you will be amazed $9.50 a 8 oz bottle or order by phone 1-800-566-7627 the old fashion way, they appreciate the old fashion way. the only thing you have to loose is the itch, I like the Blue ridge wildflower scent but when you talk to them they will tell you the other scents most have vanilla, my husband uses it for eczema and it works for psoriasis too...Melinda S.

Hi S. - My daughter, 15, had a spell of eczema this past year (which she has never had before). It appeared only on her legs, not anywhere else. We found that eliminating soy milk - she had been drinking quite a bit - made a lot of difference... the medicines weren't doing anything. Toward the "end", we started using Arbonne's Baby Care Body Wash on her and it's completely disappeared. So,for us, she isn't drinking soy milk and she continues to use the Baby Care; let me know if you would like to know how to get it.

Hope this helps, R.

we use anti itch creme, or calimine (sp?) lotion on our kids. I have 3 of them with eczema, and I have issues with it as well at times.
Also giving fewer baths helps, along with using DOVE soap with lotion in it rather than one that dries out the skin.
We also use eucerin lotion (dermotologist recommended it).

Hi - I had a friend in school (many moons ago) that had an allergic reaction to the desk surface. Had to wear long sleeves and wash hands often. That cleared it up for him. Its worth a try.

Hi S.,

I have had friends and clients with this same issue. We have a few products that would help with this. Arbonne's products are pure,safe and beneficial. While the ointments and lotions seem to help from the store, most all of them have lanolin or mineral oil, which are very occlusive and do not let the lotion truly soak in and penetrate, then lanolin is an animal by-product. Arbonne has an amazing baby line and is used also with people with extremely sensitive and troublsome skin conditions. I can send you some samples if you'd like. Arbonne's products are backed with a 45 day money back guarantee! Hope this helps.

P.
www.pbailey.myarbonne.com

Have a great weekend!

If your sono only gets the rash on his arms then it's probably environmental. Does he play on the grass, get a ball out of the bushes, etc. Does he wash his hands/arms after he plays with a certain soap? Is he getting into lotion? Do you put lotion on your hands and then old his hand/arm? If you suspect any of the above, try putting whatever you think might be cause the problem on a small area of his leg. See if he gets the same raction.

I would guess an allergy. I am allergic to everything under the sun, but only a few things give me a rash. Direct contact with an animal (or their dander) and grass. My son is the same way with grass, and as a younger child, would have to come in for a bath after rolling in the grass. sometimes I just put him in jeans during summer so his legs wouldn't be bothered so greatly.
You might watch to see what he is coming into contact with on his arms and then deliberately expose him to those things onw at a time until you have them ruled out. Also, you could try giving him an antihistimine at the sign of a rash. If it is allergic, it should help some. but I don't think excema responds to that, does it? Oh, and for topical creams, I think there is none better than Ivarest for stopping the itch. good luck.

I have a 3 year old that has had eczema starting at age 6months. His triggers are foods. We had an allergy test done to him at age 2 and that's when we discovered the common foods he had always been eating were the triggers. Also he overheats very easily so we dress in light cotton material only!!, I just discovered an all natural eczema salve by Wise Ways. You can find it on line at wiseways.com it is wonderful it doesn't burn him when the wounds are torn open from scratching all night lone (that's when his bothers him). To quickly cool him off we go outside everynight. Also wash everyone's clothes in hypoallergic soaps, also for baths I use all natural Castle soap for babies. You can find generally at any all natural store like Whole Foods. This soap can be used for everything. I hope this info helps your little one. Also keep him well moisturized, I use "Udderly Smooth Udder cream" I know it sounds weird however it is a great cream to keep skin supple and especially when the skin is cracked it helps it to heal faster and skin is soft. If he says it burns I rub it in my hands and then pat it on the skin especially when he's sleeping. You can find the cream at Walmart I've tried just about everything. Good Luck -V.

hi there-my kids all struggle with various skin problems too! i was wondering if maybe it was due to some kind of hand soap he is using at school..or some cleaner that he may rest his arms/hands in? but i also know that with my kids they have "become allergic" to detergents i use all of a sudden. it doesn't make any sense, i know, but as soon as i switch brands the rashes go away. Now, i strictly use laundry detergent free and clear of anything and it really helps. i like all and downy because my clothes still come out smelling fresh even w/o the scent in there. also i have a two yr old who couldn't shake a rash(we would get it to go away for 3-4days and then it would popo up) and the doc told me that it was probably a virus(they come with some colds, apparently) and to give her childrens claritin for 7 days. worked great!!!

Hi S.! Have some wonderful advice for you! First off it's always nice to hear someone else running there own business! I do the same! We carry a wonderful product--actaully a few, that have NEVER NOT HELPED someone that is going through what your little one is! Let me know how close to the area you are, as I would be willing to give you some samples, or feel free to get back with me if you would be more interested in the products, and we could have you try one. They really work wonders, all natural--again, I have heard so many story's like yours, and it's been amazing what our products have done and helped people with! Love, A. Toft

It could be contact dermatitis. You could take him to a specialist (dermatologist) and find out. It took us about 2 years to get my sons problem fixed. He is fine now, but she gave us some medicine when it flares up. Before then we couldn't figure it out and everyone else said it was eczema and just use bactraban but it wouldn't really ever go away.

Everyone in my family, from early childhood and into adulthood, have reoccurring eczema breakouts that seem to have no rhyme or reason. People get eczema for any of the millions of reasons one can have a breakout - it is VERY difficult to pinpoint the exact catalyst for an eczema flare up. My sister and I have been tested for every allergy under the sun by a pediatric allergist, and neither of us have had any definitive allergies after 3 or 4 rounds of testing during our lives (i am 26, and she is 18). Eczema runs in families - and since you say you've had it, he probably acquired sensitivity from your sensitivity. As an eczema sufferer,you know that everyone has their spots on their body where their own personal rash shows up (my sister gets it on and in between her toes, behind her knees, and in the bends of her arms and I get mine in patches on my upper arms) and your sons place seems to be his arms!
Have the ped refer you to a dermatologist - they are much better equipped with the specialized knowledge to treat skin diseases. We have ALWAYS gone to the dermatologist since we were children to deal with our eczema. He/she will have several types of different ointments to try until you find one that deals with your sons eczema the best - you may also want to be referred to an allergist and have him tested just once to see if, by some off chance, you might be able to identify his allergy that way.

Hello - My daughter also has eczema. What I find odd is that her spots/rash are different all over her body. A spot on her arm may look like the spot on her leg, but the rash on her belly is like the one on her face. I have found that eczema comes in many forms. I too had used the same detergent for years but now I only use Dreft for all of us. This way if she happens to lay in my bed, the sheets are safe for her. Or if she's cuddling with me on the couch, my clothes are safe for her.

I did take my daughter to a dermatologist who has better knowledge of eczema and skin conditions and he prescribed Elidel. It helps on heavy breakouts but for her constant rashes, I use Vaseline ointment.

Not much help, but I've found that no matter what we do, she still has the eczema. We've just learned to help her be more comfortable.

One last thing... have you had blood tests to rule out an sort of infection? Sometimes they only show on a certain part of the body. My daughter had a virus when she was 5 and it presented this odd rash on just her belly and right arm. Strange, but it was a virus and lasted about 3 weeks.

Hi Shelly,
He's 7?..so in school? Maybe its some harsh chemical that they are cleaning his desk off with, or a new soap they have in the bathrooms? Go check out the school. Maybe there is a new candy they are giving out as treats as well?...Go check out his school. Good luck! :)

S., Try CeraVe lotion. Get it at Longs, or Walgreen's for about $12 a bottle but it helped us. My 10 year son has gotten rashes and dry patches since he was little. The medicines and creams the Dr gave didn't work. This helped us. A couple of times a day on the area and I'm sure it will help clear it up. Good Luck.

Just wanted to note that your body changes every 7 or so years. So it could be a food allergy. I started having food allergies as an adult and never had it before. I would have him keep a diary of what he's eating for breakfast. It could very well be milk, since he's probably drinking that every morning. I used baby bees skin creme and aveeno daily moisturizing lotion for my eczema and now it's gone. I no longer eat the stuff that makes me break out and I have healed completely. Hope this helps! Take care!

Just yesterday I took our 7 yr old to his ped cuz he gets this re-occurring scabby, itchy rash on his elbows. This was the first I've taken him to the dr. about it as it has really been bothering him. She suggesting washing w/Cetaphil soap, which is for sensative skin, then Cetaphil lotion & also using 1% hydrocortizone on it. I got all of this at Target. The bar soap was feasible (aounrd $3) but I wasn't going to spend over $11 for the Cetaphil lotion (I spend less on my own lotion!) so luckily, Target had the lotion in their own store brand. It smells just like the real stuff. We washed & lathered up last night for the first time & I could see that w/in a very short period of time, it was less irritated. Maybe give this a try. Good luck!

2 of my children have had problems with this- my son finally grew out of if at age 5, and now my 14 month old has it. I found that washing their clothes with dye/fragrance free detergent and no softener at all helped...also no soap at bathtime and using baby shampoo only when I wash their hair. My son was especially sensitive to products with red dye. In the summer sunscreen was an issue too, but I tried to use the most gentle products I could find. Each one of them only get the rashes on "spots" of their bodies- not all over. I tried just about everything over the counter to treat it and nothing really worked.
Hope this helps!

Hi, my name is M. and I also suffer from eczema and the worst part about having this is that it really never goes away. I would take him to a dermatologist to get a cream, my friend gave some of hers and it helps but I can't remember the name. Keeping it dry helps to prevent alot of the itching. NO hot water because it inflamtes it.

Hi S.,

Our daughter has eczema & it was much worse when she was very young but we still deal with it. Preschool years is when we determined that chlorine based products were not our friend, as her entire backside would flare up in the shape of the toddler toilet seat. Even the water from the shower (our county chlorinates water) caused her skin to turn red & itch. If your son is fine in the am, but by the afternoon is flaring up, you might want to consider what could be flaring up his rash. Contact Dermatitis, if that's what he truly has, flares up when the skin comes in contact with an irritant, doesnt always have to be a true allergy.

I would recommend you try a petroleum free (meaning a product that does NOT contain any mineral oil or petrolatum/petroleum jelly) moisturizer. Something heavier than aloe, like cocoa butter or a good shea butter. If you get a good one it will soak in (no lanolin either, it's a major irritant for sensitive skin). That will offer his skin extra protection from the element & possible irritants that his skin comes in contact with. You might want to avoid using soap on his arms in the shower, using water that's not too hot (if he's a hot shower kind of guy) & also shorter baths/showers as they can be very drying.

I teach classes thru Borders & in my community on this subject & would be happy to talk if you have any specific questions. Feel free to call me at ###-###-#### or email me thru this site.

Hi Shelly,
I read your post and I wanted to let you know that my 3 year old and 1 year old had the same problem. They only had patches of the dry skin on their elbow and arms. The doctor told me to use dove soap and Cetaphil body lotion for them. (Very mild products) She had also prescribed anti itch medicine, but I didn't need it once I switched to the dove and the Cetaphil. Just small suggestions for you, hope it works. Good Luck.
S.

This does sound like an allergy to me. I have gotten the wrist to elbow rash several times. At first I thought it was my egg allergy, but then realized it was from gardening. We don't have poison oak in our yard, but I'm pretty sure I am allergic to the wisteria or ivy on our fence. Does he play outside a lot in short sleaves? Might he have been exposed to poison oak?

Dairy, eggs and soy are common food triggers, but he probably eats those somewhat regularly. What about fish or shrimp or something else that he doesn't eat that often?

Good luck finding the trigger!

Hi,
You might try a deep cleaning of your house, including washing all upholstery and rugs. A friend of mine had a baby with a recurring rash. After a friend's baby had scabies, she washed all upholstery/rugs/bedding in the house and the baby hasn't had a problem since.
Good luck!

Have you ruled out allergies to grass, animals &/or food? My daughter is allergic to peanut and egg. I avoid all peanut product because of it's severity but sometimes if she has a product with a small amount of egg her eczema can really get bad on her wrists, behind her knees, neck and ankles - she also has grass and animal allergies as well. So I'm always trying to figure out what happened that day?? Benadryl helps with the itching. The doctors have some great creams that can help control it if it continues. I hope this helps. :) J. Kelly

Every once in a while I get the same kind of rash and mine comes from being exposed to the sunshine for the first time in a while. It is almost like an allergy to the sun. It blisters, itches, burns, and stays red and blotchy for a couple of days. I have only ever had them on my arms and not on my face or legs. This is not a sunburn sunscreen sometimes helps as does light clothes to prevent exposure. But it can come with just a very little amount of exposure or when it is very warm for the first time after being cold. It occurances are very unpredictable as to what will cause the rash today may not cause same cercumstances to result next time. I just thought I would share my experience and maybe it is what you are dealing with or not.

I've had food & environmental allergies with eczema since age 2. I've been told the body changes approximately every seven years. I've noticed my allergies changing over the years. I have recently realized I am once again allergic to peanuts after being able to eat them for 35 years. Last bout was with wheat. I break out from the peanuts about 4-6 hours after I eat them, or anything with peanut oil in it. It used to take 3 days for me to break out. I would consider looking at his diet, any soaps cleansers or other things contacting his skin. The stress of school combined with another external factor could trigger it too. Good Luck, J.