ezcema and what works?

[renae3]

Hey everyone. My 8 month old daughter has terrible ezcema all over her legs....not pretty for the upcoming summer! Anyway she is constantly trying to itch it...I have tried aquaphor and other creams but nothing has worked. Anyone have any suggestions that may have worked for you? Thanks so much!

 

[SassyCat]

I have had eczema since I was a baby. I have found that Cetaphil cream works rather well (bought in the cream aisle at the drug store). It is kinda expensive, but you can find it cheaper at Sams or Costco in a huge tub. It also comes in a tube.

I have also used Cortizone (again from aisles at the drug store) and it works really well. I'm not sure if it is safe to use on a baby, but I know you want to try not to use it on large areas if possible. Anyway, it works pretty quickly in my experience.

I hope this helps!

 

[lawone]

The only thing that worked for us was a prescription from our doc. I can't remember the exact spelling... but ask for flucatizone.... (?) Your doc should know the name.

 

[EthansMom]

Aquaphor works best for my DD. It's in a tube... avail. in the lotions aisle at Walmart and Target, etc.. It's a petroleum-based product but works a ton better than just vaseline. Warning: it isn't cheap.

If you need a prescription, Elidel worked well when DD was a baby and had a diaper-rash reaction... it's also for irritated skin.

 

[seeking pixie dust]

Aquafor doesn't restore moisture to the skin...which is what Eczema needs. We've been battling this, too since my son was an infant. First, use Cerave or Cetaphil body wash (can get both at a drug store - Cetaphil is more readily available at Walmart). Second, you need a prescription from a pediatric dermatologist (Triamcinolone) seems to work best). Put this on the spots. Then slather the child with the Cerave/Cetaphil moisture cream (in a jar). Aveeno tends to work for some people (it did my daughter, not my son). You could try that. Make sure you are using a free and clear detergent and hand soaps (just touching my son after using certainly soaps caused him to break out). I had to stop using dryer sheets - nothing was safe.

I know it's not easy...I'm constantly a worry-wart mess, but it's treatable. Turns out my son has several food allergies - peanuts and fish. There's a slight chance he can grow out of those if he grows out of the eczema.

Good luck.

 

[Tosie]

My daughter SUFFERED with eczema for much of her infanthood. It was so bad that at one point we had a prescription steroid cream that actually stopped her growth for 2 months.

Has your baby been tested for food allergies? Once we had my daughter tested we found the culprits (milk, eggs, pears, berries, peanuts, tree nuts, and rice) and removed all of that from her diet (and MY diet - I was breastfeeding) her skin cleared up - no more eczema!

My dd is 8 now and has outgrown everything except milk, peanuts and tree nuts.

Good luck!

 

[princessmom29]

DD has had allergic excema since birth. She reacts to dyes, purfumes, ect in anything that touches her skin. Eucerin creme is the best OTC we have found, but please don't be afraid to ask for and use a perscription if necessary. Lots of people are afraid of steroid cremes, but when it was really bad they were the only thing that would give her some relief. WE have used both elecon and elidel at different times and I have never noticed and side effects. They both helped tremedously.

 

[poohfriend77]

I use A&D ointment (in a tube with the diaper rash creams at the store) on my DDs flare-ups. It's kind of messy and sticky, as you can't fully rub it in like a cream, so we only put in on before bed unless her skin looks really bad. I buy the generic version at Wal-mart for about $1.50 for a large tube.

I also had to eliminate scented soap/bubble bath, which seems to help prevent the breakouts.

 

[left210]

We tried everything possible (short of prescription) and the only thing that helps DS 10 months is Cerave cream (the one in the tub not pump). It is time released and keeps moisture in longer. We put hydrocortisone cream .5%on the spots when they are really red and blistered but just moisturize with Cerave cream daily to keep it at bay. If we miss a day or two of cream it comes back quickly. Good luck with it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Most of my kids had/have it, and the only thing that really worked were prescription steroids. Now I have it, and protopic can keep it at bay if I'm religious about using it daily.

 

[GoofyFairie]

Try usig Aveenno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It has the green top. Apply it every morning when you dress her, every night after bath and mid day if it is really bad. You should notice a difference in just a couple of days. My DS has bad breakouts and it is the only thing that he has responded to. The skin needs extra moisture so extra applications each day work well. Also just get in the habbit of applying lotion each after bath once the ezcema is gone. You really should try to avoid using hydrocortisone and scripts. Prolonged use can cause disfiguring to the skin and I know Elidel has a black box warning. HTH!

 

[dis-happy]

I'm beginning to think nothing works. My baby is 18 months old---at least his skin is quite a bit better during the warmer months.

At my last appt. the ped mentioned a "new" remedy that has made a comeback...a little bleach in the bath water. Haven't tried it yet but it does make sense, have read other things that say the eczema kind of feeds on itself.

As for scratching: my baby HAS to be covered head to toe. He is usually in lightweight, one piece, body suits with feet (he's bad around his ankles and if it isn't footed he finds a way to scratch). I can still stuff his feet into his shoes while he is wearing it so it works for us. You might want to do what I do: go to Once Upon A Child where they have these one piece things hanging together, that way it's easy to find them, and in the right size (plus you can find the all cotton ones). Beats spending all day walking the mall and not finding anything to wear (BTDT), especially in the bigger sizes (after size 12 months it gets really difficult).

Good luck.

 

[dawminatrix]

both of my little ones had it all over their legs and backs.....been an issue here for the past 3 years!!! My 2 year old just had a flair up this week

the only thing i've found that works is Gold Bond Ultimate Healing skin therapy lotion.

 

[princessesx2]

Ezcema.....my dd has it bad. She actually has vitaligo spots from the rx that "bleached" her skin. SHe also has true vitaligo in 2 spost that have never had ezcema spots that we are treating with Protopic to being back the pigment to her skin....poor kiddo...

But at 11 mo we found out she was allergic to milk...no more milk her skin (on her face and bottom) got better.

She still has ezcema on her legs (really bad at times) 2-3x a day she get slathered with baby aveno calming cream (dark blue) as many of the others (eucerin, aquaphor) did nothing and she has really sensitive skin many things irritate her skin. When it is really bad she has a rx for desoinde 1-2 weeks 2x a day it clears right up.

One other thing that works really well is sun! If I let her play outside and get a little sunshine her skin gets better (dermatolgist suggested it!)

 

[Mickeyorbust]

DD7 has had eczema since she was a newborn. Turns out hers was also food related...she was protien sensitive. Switching her formula helped get rid of most of it. I would suggest taking your child to the pediatrician for it. The flare ups DD7 has had since she was a baby have all had different treatments. Sometimes she's given a prescription, sometimes a certain lotion. The one constant piece of advice the Ped. has been giving me is to make sure the lotions I use on her do not contain perfume. I hope you find something to control it soon.

 

[EthansMom]

Also, a head's up, many children who suffer from eczema also suffer from childhood asthma and/or allergies.

It's worth keeping an eye out for asthma symptoms (slow to recover from colds, RSV, croup, sinus viruses; coughing, coughing, coughing) and get appropriate asthma medications as soon as possible, if she develops asthma.

 

[TakeMe2Disney]

We use Aveeno daily and have been given the ok to use Zyrtec. When he was younger they had him take an oral medication for allergies and use perscribed topicort for the red patches. The topicort was the only thing that really worked for him, but since we've been able to keep him on the Zyrtec the flare ups are much better.

 

[dis-happy]

OP, one more thing: when you have a baby with eczema you're supposed to hold off feeding them peanut butter (and peanut products) as well as eggs until 2 years, not 1 year of age. They can be more sensitive with allergies.

I didn't know any better and fed my ds a peanut butter cracker at 12 months and really regretted it!!! He had a reaction to it.

 

[kirasmom]

DD had eczema as a baby and we used hydrocortisone (recommended by pediatrician). Cleared right up, and one application would make skin stay clear for several days at a time... so no need to worry about "overuse."

 

[tinkerlisa]

With my kids, I found this stuff in the baby section of walmart. Its Gentle Naturals Eczema cream. Its in a green bottle with Winnie the Pooh on it. It worked real good for them. We would put it on once a day. Eventually they grew out of the problem but both still have real dry skin so now we just use St Ives 24 hour moisture on them and that helps.