I was wondering if any moms out there have dealt with Eczema? My daughter has it and was given some steroid cream about two weeks ago. The doctor instructed me to change the soap I was using to take her a bath, as well as the soap I was using to wash her clothes. I did what was asked applied the cream for the five days I was instructed to, but nothing has changed. It looks awful and she is always trying to scratch. Does anyone have any suggestions on this matter? I am willing to do anything and/or buy anthing that might help. Thanks in advance for any help that is provided.
Hi Norma,
I am a mom of a 3-yr old, who had newborn eczema. I myself have eczema, which I will have for the rest of my life. My child probably has it still, it's a hierditary condition, but the steps I take to keep mine under control also affect him, and we are both doing ok. So here is what I do, which can be challenging to manage day in and day out when you are busy:
1) all products from body soap to shampoo, laundry detergent, frabic softener sheets, and dishsoap are perfume free dye-free products. Sometimes they cost more. We use Arm&Hammer sensitive skin for laundry, Dove sensitive skin for body and shampoo.
2) My dermatologist advised me to buy Euceryn hand cream in the big tub (not the hand lotion in the tube). The stuff in the tub is a thicker cream. Apply everyday, everywhere, after each handwashing.
3) Wash hands less frequently with lukewarm water - too cold or too hot can affect sensitive skin. Be sure to dry completely, then apply the hand cream.
4) Use vinyl gloves to do chores or anything that would cause skin to be in contact with any kind of chemical. This includes even applying hair gel, folding clothes, washing dishes. They only time I don't is when I give the baby a bath because there is no way to keep the water out of the gloves.
5) Carry little bottles of your soap with you. Everywhere you go there is perfumed products, so keep yours with you.
It's been an inconvenient adjustment having to think about this all the time, but it's under control. Hope this helps. Your daughter will probably have this condition for the rest of her life, so the sooner getting her used to making adjustments, the sooner will be become 2nd nature.
BTW, before mine was under control my dermatologist prescribed a steriod ointment. I used it for 2 weeks before seeing results. Then after that I went to the Euceryn cream that you can buy at any corner drug store.
If you can , get an appointment with an allergist. Eczema can be a sign of a food allergy. My son is allergic to citrus and chocolate. When we eliminated those from his diet his skin cleared up. To test for allergies, she may have to be a bit older. Ask you doctor.
Hi Norma! I am very blessed that I don't have to deal with eczema, just allergies. However, i do know a few people that have and here is what they've done. They have changed all of their products to more natural, safe products. I'm talking cleaning, laundry, personal, etc. After a few days they saw an improvement and after a few weeks, it was gone and after a few months, no more outbreaks. I would love to help you and your daughter...you can contact me if you're interested!
Either way, GOOD LUCK!!
Tracy
[email protected]
Dear Norma:
I have psoriasis which is slightly different, but steroids are not good in the long run for either disease. Against itching, I use the Benadryl spray (works wonders) or Cortizone-10 (again, not long run). Over night you can try zinc oxide, calomine (sp?) or plain Vaseline. Both are messy, so bandages or towels come in handy. You should stop Vaseline after a few days because it would also be a good breeding ground for bacteria.
From what I heard, Eczema comes and goes in waves. Like the other posters said, you may need to find the source of the irritation. With any skin disease, I recommend natural clothing (cotton, linen, wool) over artifical fibers (polyester, nylon, acrylic).
BTW, too much washing and scrubbing can make it worse. Lots of sleep helps to a degree to restore some rest.
Regards,
Wolfgang
I switched my house over to natural cleaning products from Melaleuca and started using Renew lotion. In a few days, the hives my son and I had for months were gone. About two weeks later, I noticed no more asthma attacks or sinus headaches.
hey, Norma... funny you ask about excema, I just received a "So Whata Happened" section from mamasource and it was about excema and it contains alot of advice, actually 44 responses... so I am going to check a few of the ideas out b/c my son has excema as well... But if you like I can send you an email with the info..
I've had excema (or skin allergies) since I was young and still deal with it today at 40. The steroid creams can only be used sparingly. Excema is tied to allergies so I would get her tested for what it is that she reacts to. (Dust, molds, food, are some of the most common).
no perfumes - especially any chemicals in cleaning products in your house - go all natural - use vinegar and water if you can't purchase the all natural things.
I found out I am allergic to "down" or feathers so any down pillows or comforter cause my rashes.
Aveeno bath (oatmeal) is good.
Best to you - I know its hard to see this little one go through this.
Norma,
I have suffered with Eczema as a child also with steroid creams always being the only answer and with no results. My oldest son has had eczema until 2 years ago when I found the cure!! He had always been given a steroid also and no results. I went to the health food store and did lots of research what worked for us and we have not had a any issues with a patch in the area where we could not get healed for 10 years. Was a colodial silver gel with aloe vera. We applied morning and night for several weeks each day we saw the results. The spot got better and better and in a few weeks it was completely gone and we have not had to apply anymore colodial silver to the area and it has not come back not even during the winter months. We do us all natural organic soaps as well and shampoos so that may help with keeping irritants to a minimum.
Hope that helps
LB with 2 boys ages 10 and 12
Now let me start with THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. I'm a pediatric nurse and I sepcialize in wounds and skin care. I have had tremendous success with a cream that has no steroids(steroids have terrible long term side effects)and you can buy it over the counter - REAL CHEAP! (approx $6)Also because its classified as a medical product you can use your Flexible spending $ and there is no tax. Its called "Remedy Skin Repair Cream" made by Medline Inc. Find a Medical Supply Store or an Ostomy Supply Store in the yellow pages call and see if they carry it. It smells like vanilla and oranges. Added bonus use it yourself as a night cream and it will smooth fine lines and take years away. For $6 its worth a try. PS I dont have any affiliation with the company! I dont work anymore Im a stay at home mom of two.
I am a stay at home mom of 4. Two of the 4 have eczema real bad. I have found what the docs give you sometimes work and sometimes don't. You have to just try all the creams out there to see what works best for your daughters skin. What works for one of my sons does not work for the other. I will say "Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion" works really well for them. Cetaphil also makes a product when the skin is real bad instead of a bath you apply the lotion and just wipe it off and the skin is left soft. If she is itching have her sit in a bath with the "Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment" or the "Oatmeal Bath". Not for more than 20-30 minutes and dont forget to put the lotion on right after she dries off. We have gone through a lot of prescriptions. This seems to have a handle on it. For the hair if she gets the scaly scalp use "Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo". It smells real minty but it works.
I hope this helps. This is what works in our household.
Baths dry it out so you don't want to wash it too much. My children has it as a baby and I only bathed them once a week unless otherwise needed. Babies don't usually need to be bathed more often then that. There are some other creams out there, oatmeal seems to be a popular treatment (Aveno has a lot of products.)
My daughter has eczema also. Our doctor told us to apply a cream called vanicream in addition to the medicated creams. It is over the counter, but you have to ask the pharmasist for it. You need to keep them moisterized. We have to apply it 3 or 4 times a day when she is really bad, but at least every night. We also switched to a glycerine soap. Anything to keep the skin from drying out. Also, short baths or showers,luke warm water. No bubble baths.
Norma,
My son and myself both suffer from Eczema. It took me many years of searching before I found something that works. When your doctor had you change the soap and laundry detergent did he recommend all natural, or did he suggest dye free and fragrance free. There is still a big difference. I have converted my house over to all natural products! We are on a budget and I used to shop at Walmart, but now I have found a company that has everything we need to keep our Eczema from breaking out, and I actually spend less than I was before. The lotion I use for our Eczema I also use on my son when he gets a diaper rash! The bath oil is amazing. You put in a drop and it goes to work. I am on a mission to help as many suffers of Eczema as I can. I know how miserable it can be when it is not under control. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Holly M
We have a lot of personal experience in my house with eczema and asthma. Eczema is a symptom of an allergy or sensitivity to something. For some people the cause is a food and/or something in their environment. I would highly recommend asking for a referral to an allergist and a pediatric dermatologist. We saw Dr. Fred Ghali (dermatologist) and Dr. Bob Lanier (allergist). That way, at the very least, you will be able to rule out what isn't causing your baby's issues.
My boys were officially diagnosed with eczema when they were about 6 months old and asthma when they were about a year and a half old. Over the next two years, my twins saw their pediatrician, a pediatric dermatologist, and an allergist several times each. They had blood tests and skin prick allergy tests done. Nothing showed up on either test. No food or environmental allergen. They were prescribed various medications (OTC hydrocortisone, elidel, protopic, triamincinclone (sp?)) to help control their symptoms. Nothing helped. We tried just about every lotion we could find (Aveeno, Jergens, Huggies, Johnson & Johnson, Cetaphil, Aquaphor, Eucerin, store brands, & probably more). None of them helped to any great degree.
About 2 years into our journey a good friend whose son had very severe asthma and eczema suggested really taking a look at the kinds of things we were using in and around the house (cleaning, laundry, bath & body, etc). What kinds of chemicals do they contain? Her son's symptoms all but disappeared when she converted her home to things without formaldehyde (a MAJOR indoor allergen), chlorine bleach, ammonia, and phosphates. We decided to do the same. About three weeks after we switched over, my boys were virtually symptom free. They haven't had a major eczema flare-up or asthma attack in a year and a half.
So....what we found is that our boys are sensitive to the chemicals in the products we were using. What I know now is that this is at least a contributing factor for many people's eczema, asthma, and allergy symptoms. Doctor's don't generally suggest this so people don't think about it. I know how much my boys' have improved & I'd love to help you do the same for your sweet baby. Feel free to email me at [email protected] and I'll share all of the info about what we use. :)
We have eczema and other skin issues and we started using Arbonne's baby skin care line and it has worked amazingly. All their products are botanically based, so there are no chemicals, fragrances, mineral oils, etc. in the products. They are truly pure, safe and beneficial. My husband is a physician so we have tried every cream, ointment, steriod, etc out there with no relief! I was so impressed with the products that I started a home based business with Arbonne. If you would like to try the products, let me know. I'd be happy to help. You can also check out my website at www.foravibrantlife.myarbonne.com.
Hi Norma, There was a question about this just the other day and I bookmarked it because my daughter has eczema http://www.mamasource.com/request/8257704397916602369
Good luck!
I use Aquaphor for my son. It's very greasy (like Vaseline) but I put a lot of it on before he goes to bed and it definitely helps.
I have two friends who each had children with severe eczema. Nothing (steroids,etc.) seemed to work for them either. They both used an Arbonne cream (sorry, I don't know which one it was), but their children's eczema went away almost immediately. They both swear by it. If you don't know anyone affiliated with Arbonne, I think if you go to arbonne.com they can help you. Good luck!
Norma, I have a son who is now 16. He had Eczema so bad when he was 2. I finally took him to a homiopathic doctor to find the souce. I was tired of treating the symptoms of the rash. We boosted his immune system and tried different foods. For him it ended up being red food coloring and perservatives. The skin is a giant organ that releases all the toxins in your body. You just have to find what your daughter's body does not like. There is not be a quick solution. Start by eliminating all processed sugar and perservatives, the most common thinkgs kids are allergic to are eggs apples, wheat, perservatives, and processed sugar. give it a couple of weeks and start adding things back. There are multiple resources at the library or the book store. or find a good homeopathic doctor that will treat the problem not just the symptom. I found that oatmeal baths and soap eases the itching. Remember that if she has an open sore from scratching that the steroid cream will make it worse and not let it heal. Good luck