Eczema & Allergies (RAST results back-- EGG allergy, pg 5)

[vettechick99]

DD2 has always had eczema. I give her daily baths and then coat her in vaseline. When she has a breakout, I give her Rx topical steroids. They are starting to lighten her skin (is this permanent? ) and I don't like using them, especially since she has frequent flare-ups.

Anyway, we are on vacation and we are in the pool several hours a day. As soon as we get out, she gets a bath and vaseline, and that helps, but not enough. She has redness in all the usual spots, and even some blisters. We are only on day 3 and I foresee a rough week for her.

Will giving her Allegra help? Or Benadryl at night? What other things can I do to help her out? TIA!

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I dont have any advice, but I feel your pain!! We found out on vacation that Chlorine and my sons eczema are a BAD combonation!! Our doctor said coat with lotion or vaseline right after... but we are trying to steer clear of chlorine as much as possible!!

 

[MizTink]

my friend's 1 year old has it too. aveeno baths help her. and benadryl. i know you're not home now, but for future reference she has also been given a shot of something when it was really bad. sorry, i don't know what the shot was, but it sure did get it under control quickly.

 

[Christine]

Zyrtec has been a lifesaver for my son's eczema; however, it cannot combat sand at the beach and chlorine from the pool. They are both extremely irritating to him.

The fading from the steroid cream is not permanent. Right now my son has not had a flare up (because he hasn't been to the pool or beach) but he has a slight tan and no "fading" however, the minute he gets a flare up in the creases of the elbow and then happens to be outside and gets some sun--when the eczema fades then he will be splotchy there. It's weird but not permanent.

 

[vettechick99]

We do Aveno baths and that does seem to work. I think I will give her some Allegra tomorrow and see if that helps at all. I think the flare-up is due to being in pool water, and sweating a lot, but maybe it's also food related (she has egg and nut allergies - that we know of, could be others out there.). Thanks for the advice - I'm willing to try anything!

 

[4greatboys]

I'm a little surprised you bathe her daily. My dr used to advise against that with my son that had because it just dry's the skin out so much. We did the Aveeno baths but they didn't really help a lot in keeping the skin mosturized. Really not much helped his legs.
He finally outgrew it around the age of 12. Occasionally he gets a red spot on his foot that looks like the start of it but it doesn't get bad.

 

[mikki'smom]

Our grandson's dermatoligist told them to use a cream called Aquaphor. You can buy it over the counter. The chlorine is the culprit here.

 

[vettechick99]

I'm a little surprised you bathe her daily. My dr used to advise against that with my son that had because it just dry's the skin out so much. We did the Aveeno baths but they didn't really help a lot in keeping the skin mosturized. Really not much helped his legs.
He finally outgrew it around the age of 12. Occasionally he gets a red spot on his foot that looks like the start of it but it doesn't get bad.

You are right, daily baths are bad IF you don't super moisturize afterwards. In fact, just one bath without lotion or vaseline is so damaging to DDs skin, you will see welts and redness within a few hours. So her ped recommended daily baths, and that she sit in them for as long as she wants. When she gets out, I pat her dry and immediately coat her in vaseline (the point is trapping the moisture in). This routine is our only lifesaver!

Mikki'smom, we have used Aquaphor in the past. I found it good, but not much better than vaseline (but I was also being really picky because I can go through an $8 tube of Aquaphor in a few days ).

 

[bekkiz]

A couple of thoughts (my two suffer from this as well)

1) Try lotioning her up just before getting in the pool, it might help provide a barrier. Maybe sunscreen 30 min before, then a coating of your regular lotion right before.

2) We just started using Curel (fragrance free) and it has made a HUGE difference in their overall quality of skin. They still get some patchy flare ups, but their skin as a whole is 100x better. We had been using Aquaphor (and about 100 other $$$ things) for a while, but someone suggested the Curel and it's helping a lot.

 

[Christine]

You are right, daily baths are bad IF you don't super moisturize afterwards. In fact, just one bath without lotion or vaseline is so damaging to DDs skin, you will see whelps and redness within a few hours. So her ped recommended daily baths, and that she sit in them for as long as she wants. When she gets out, I pat her dry and immediately coat her in vaseline (the point is trapping the moisture in). This routine is our only lifesaver!

Mikki'smom, we have used Aquaphor in the past. I found it good, but not much better than vaseline (but I was also being really picky because I can go through an $8 tube of Aquaphor in a few days ).

We did the same things with the baths. Bathing every other day or every few days wasn't helping and he did better with a daily bath with TONS of moisturizer. Our doc said that some people have such dry skin that no amount of waiting for the "natural" oils to work helps. It just never happens. Sitting in water and then sealing it in with a heavy cream seems to be the only way my son could get moisture in his skin.

 

[CathrynRose]

My son is now 18, and I'll be honest - I cant remember what we used to used on his. I'm sorry. It was so bad, though... the crooks of his knees and elbow were the worst.

That being said - I popped in to tell you (at least in his case) he did out grow it. Something to look forward to.

 

[SaraJayne]

Instead of Vaseline (which must get really icky ) try Cetaphil lotion. I believe it's actually supposed to be face lotion, but it works great on the body.

It's in a big white tub with a blue lid on it...I found it by the face stuff, but it may also be by the lotions.

That's what we use on my son's eczema and it helps keep flare-ups at bay.

 

[cepmom]

A couple of thoughts (my two suffer from this as well)

1) Try lotioning her up just before getting in the pool, it might help provide a barrier. Maybe sunscreen 30 min before, then a coating of your regular lotion right before.

2) We just started using Curel (fragrance free) and it has made a HUGE difference in their overall quality of skin. They still get some patchy flare ups, but their skin as a whole is 100x better. We had been using Aquaphor (and about 100 other $$$ things) for a while, but someone suggested the Curel and it's helping a lot.

we use Curel too and found that it works best for DD, along with her allergy meds. I try to only use the hydrocortisone for really bad flare ups

 

[laughinplace199]

My DD10 has had eczema off and on since infancy. The only thing that works for her is hydrocortisone cream and Aquaphor. Swimming and sunblock both seem to make it a bit worse for her, so after bathing, we apply the hydrocortisone cream and then the Aquaphor. It works pretty fast.

Good luck! I hope your DD's eczema clears up soon.

 

[Cindyluwho]

I found that the hotel sheets are just as bad for my DH's eczema as the pool is. I think it must be the detergent they launder with

I finally broke down and bought bamboo travel sheets and they are AMAZING!! They cost some $$ but they are antimicrobial and antibacterial and they really help with eczema and allergies. There's something about the "bamboo kun" ?? I'm not expert but I know that it really works!!

 

[HenDuck]

I think since your DD is having a flare up now, use the prescription cortisone ointment if you have it. Moisturize immediately after that and stay on that course twice a day until it starts to subside.

Once you're out of the pool everyday, you do have to be diligent about moisturizing every day with a heavy cream. Several PPs have suggested some great products. We use Cetaphil - the one for extremely dry skin.

With eczema, you have stay on top of it. The minute we slack off, we regret it.

Good luck and don't let it ruin your vaca!

 

[OhMari]

I found that the hotel sheets are just as bad for my DH's eczema as the pool is. I think it must be the detergent they launder with

I finally broke down and bought bamboo travel sheets and they are AMAZING!! They cost some $$ but they are antimicrobial and antibacterial and they really help with eczema and allergies. There's something about the "bamboo kun" ?? I'm not expert but I know that it really works!!

I was going to say this too, strip the bedding she is sleeping on. I'm sure you brought her favorite blanket, hopefully if you brought your car down, do you have any extra blankets? Or lay some of your dh t-shirts down on the bed for her to sleep on. I know what you are going through 2 of my kids have eczema. If you give her zyrtec, make sure she takes it at nite, she will be really groggy if she is not used to the meds. I'm not even sure if she is old enough to take it.

I would use the vaseline when she swims, but don't use it after a bath, go get the dye-free cetaphil someone suggested. My 19 yr old dd is using it, and she puts it on right after her shower, and then her eczema cream.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I'm getting great advice from this thread for my sons eczema...even though it's not my thread...LOL

I've been slack on lotioning directly after a bath...I hadn't thought about it. I just put his Aveeno lotion or vaseline on when I notice it bad... so thanks for all the tips!!!

 

[golfgal]

Are you using Elidel on her for the flair ups? There were links to that increasing the incidence of skin cancer and most dr's around here stopped prescribing that. Eczema is VERY commonly linked to asthma so keep an eye out with that, especially since she has allergies. We used Head and Shoulder's shampoo, use it like lotion, on our boys when they would have flair-ups and it works better then anything we have tried, including the Elidel.

 

[mckryan]

Welts, not whelps.

whelp (hwělp, wělp)
n.

1. A young offspring of a mammal, such as a dog or wolf.
2.
1. A child; a youth.
2. An impudent young fellow.
3. A tooth of a sprocket wheel.
4. Nautical Any of the ridges on the barrel of a windlass or capstan.
3.
1. A tooth of a sprocket wheel.
2. Nautical Any of the ridges on the barrel of a windlass or capstan.

v. whelped, whelp·ing, whelps

v. intr.
To give birth to whelps or a whelp.
v. tr.
To give birth to (whelps or a whelp).