Need mommy help...baby with eczema!

[MLC2002]

Our youngest son also has eczema. He is currently 18 months, but has had eczema almost since birth. Initially our pediatrician prescribed a higher dose hydrocortisone cream. When that didn't work, she referred us to a dermatologist. The dermatologist has prescribed the following (many of which have been stated by previous posters)...

-Give him a bath daily using Dove for Sensitive Skin or the Aveeno Body Wash for babies... pat dry & heavily moisturize immediately following bath

-Avoid any products with dyes and fragrances... including laundry detergent, fabric softener, sunscreen, insect repellent, etc. We use the following products: Tide Free, Bounce Free, Banana Boat's baby sunscreen that is fragrance free, and Off's fragrance free spray repellent.

-Lather him in Aquaphor or Eucerin Cream (the kind that comes in the little tub) daily after bathing him

-Prescription ointments-- we have tried a couple, both of which have steroids. We are not thrilled about using steroid ointments, but they are said to be safe in small doses... and I've just had to remind myself that its better than keeping our son in misery.

-Add 1/8 cup of household bleach to the bathtub water twice a week. I looked at the dermatologist like he was crazy for suggesting this... but, he said it will help kill the bacteria on the worst areas and will help prevent infections (as you have to be very diligent in keeping the affected areas clean).

-We have also used Children's Benadryl on a couple of occasions when our son had a major flare. It really helped to control the itching.

We just saw our dermatologist for a follow-up yesterday and he recommended we have our son tested for allergies. We had talked about this before as I am eager to identify his triggers so that we can decrease (and hopefully alleviate) the use of the steroid ointment. Our pediatrician and dermatologist both felt it was best to wait until our son was over a year old to do the allergy testing.

I have also contacted a natural health practitioner who can test for food and other sensitivities. After the allergy testing, we will see the natural health person if the eczema doesn't greatly improve... in fact, we'll probably see her anyway, as I'd prefer to treat this more naturally (by avoiding certain foods and environmental triggers) as much as possible.

Good luck to you... and thanks to the other posters for sharing what has worked for you!

 

[toesmom]

My ds now almost 5 has completely outgrown his eczema. From the time he was close to 1 year up to 4 years old, the tops of his feet were like raw skin from scratching.

This is the solution that I found would really help his eczema and scratching.

Sea salt in bath water. You can buy the crystals for cheap any grocery store (like $1 for a big bag) and dissolve in bath water. We used to give my son baths all the time.

No baths made little difference in his eczema.

Anyhow... dissolve the crystals, give baby bath, and then once out of the tub, towel pat to dry and use a good cream (I swear by Renew by Melaleuca).

This really helped the scratching. It never completely went away, but I didn't want to use all the steroid creams from the doctors since he was so young.

Anyhow, you may hear it could be allergies or something else. We did stop using laundry sheets in the dryer and I did a second rinse on all his laundry.

But now at 5, I think he has outgrown in.

And nothing in his diet has changed from the time he was little.

Some children are prone to eczema.

Oh, for probably about 1 year, almost every single night I had to give him 1 tsp of benadryl so he would be able to sleep without scratching.

And sometimes I had to wake up at night to put cream on him because he would wake up scratching.

The only thing that would distract him from scratching was nursing, so he did it for a while.

Eczema is a really tough condition for kids and moms. My son would wake up all the time because of the itching.

It could just be a phase, and you should try what worked for us. But I don't think it ever really goes away until they actually outgrow it.

And my son's eczema was worse in the summer, but I've always heard it is usually worse in the winter. So who knows? Good luck.

 

[fluffernutter]

I think all of us that have dealt with this really can empathize with you.

My daughter was born with it and it was really bad till she was about 1 1/2,she is now 2 1/2 and she has flare-ups but nowhere half as bad as it was. her skin literally would turn black and flake off.she was up all night scratching herself ,itchy and making herself bleed,it really was awful and our pediatrician was no help,kept saying "oh she will outgrow it..blah.blah blah and put her another steroid cream "which might burn her and make her scream" for it..and kept telling me how it wasnt allergy related"

as a mom,I felt it was allergy related,took her to a specialist..and yes,it is related..it is also hereditary to some extent,but so are food allergies and I have lots of them as do all the members of my family..and I also have asthma,which is related to eczema....
anyway
she tested postive to sooo many airborne elements,and you know what I cant keep her inside all the time,so we never know what will set her off but we do the best to keep her cool,and in loose comfy cotton clothes and to keep her skin slathered in aquaphor which has been a godsend for us
we give her tepid baths for no more than 5 min at a time and after a pool rinse her off immed. with fresh water.

we use NO fragrances or dyes in anything,we use baking soda in her bathtub..no soaps or conditioners..all free all clear for her clothes..and we use blue lizard sunscreen which has also been great.

im sure I will think of more
oh we also give her benadryl every night when she was younger to help with the itching and we still do a couple nights each week

summers have been much harder on us,due to the heat and her sweating,etc so we like the cool weather but in the really,really cold weather it acts up as well due to the drying out of her skin which means more aquaphor

aaggh its a constant issue but you learn to do all of these things like its second nature just to give your child some relief

i hope you all find some solutions and i hope i didnt ramble too much but wanted to just put it all out there so maybe some of it could help

 

[disneymarie]

We've been through the eczema bouts as infants, children and adults. Also, we have Asthma, seems to come together. Now, the eczema when they were infants was a wet, in the folds of skin, in the thiner areas of skin. Under the chin, arm folds, behind the knees. Were moisture lays. Also the scalp. My dd has had to have me sit and use the comb on the scalp like when she was an infant. that flare we figured was from drinking chocolate milk at school, and or icecream. When I pointed that out and changed her to juice and water it went away.

My kids and I are Lactose intolerant. It also came up as slightly allergic to milk, it is not the milk but the lactose enzyme that cause all of us the eczema problems. There are also hidden lactose in foods. Hotdogs is one, my medications generic have a succrose covering of some kind and no outer covering like brand medication does.

People who are very sensitive to lactose should be aware that lactose is widely used as an ingredient in many ready-made meals and other food products. Such individuals are advised to check the food labels for ingredients and to look for other ingredients that might contain lactose as a component, such as whey powder and dried skimmed milk. Choose lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk. Take a lactase enzyme supplement (such as Lactaid) just before you eat dairy products. These can be taken in drops or tablets and even added directly to milk (they tend to make milk taste a bit sweeter if left for a long time). When you do drink milk or eat lactose-containing foods, eat other non-lactose foods at the same meal to slow digestion and avoid problems. (For example, if you are going to have a milkshake, don't drink it by itself. Have something else with it - like a healthy sandwich.) Drink juices that are fortified with calcium. Eat a variety of dairy-free foods that are rich in calcium, such as leafy greens (like spinach, brussels sprouts, or broccoli). Consider hard (aged) cheeses such as cheddar, which are lower in lactose. Try tofu or soy milk. These foods are high in calcium and can be prepared in dozens of different ways. Yogurts that contain active cultures are easier to digest and much less likely to cause lactose problems. Eliminating dairy can also reduce a person's intake of vitamin D. But several minutes in the sun two or three times a week should allow your body to produce enough vitamin D on its own.

There is other information about this to search for too....
Dianne

 

[Erin1700]

We've been through the eczema bouts as infants, children and adults. Also, we have Asthma, seems to come together. Now, the eczema when they were infants was a wet, in the folds of skin, in the thiner areas of skin. Under the chin, arm folds, behind the knees. Were moisture lays. Also the scalp. My dd has had to have me sit and use the comb on the scalp like when she was an infant. that flare we figured was from drinking chocolate milk at school, and or icecream. When I pointed that out and changed her to juice and water it went away.

My kids and I are Lactose intolerant. It also came up as slightly allergic to milk, it is not the milk but the lactose enzyme that cause all of us the eczema problems. There are also hidden lactose in foods. Hotdogs is one, my medications generic have a succrose covering of some kind and no outer covering like brand medication does.

People who are very sensitive to lactose should be aware that lactose is widely used as an ingredient in many ready-made meals and other food products. Such individuals are advised to check the food labels for ingredients and to look for other ingredients that might contain lactose as a component, such as whey powder and dried skimmed milk. Choose lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk. Take a lactase enzyme supplement (such as Lactaid) just before you eat dairy products. These can be taken in drops or tablets and even added directly to milk (they tend to make milk taste a bit sweeter if left for a long time). When you do drink milk or eat lactose-containing foods, eat other non-lactose foods at the same meal to slow digestion and avoid problems. (For example, if you are going to have a milkshake, don't drink it by itself. Have something else with it - like a healthy sandwich.) Drink juices that are fortified with calcium. Eat a variety of dairy-free foods that are rich in calcium, such as leafy greens (like spinach, brussels sprouts, or broccoli). Consider hard (aged) cheeses such as cheddar, which are lower in lactose. Try tofu or soy milk. These foods are high in calcium and can be prepared in dozens of different ways. Yogurts that contain active cultures are easier to digest and much less likely to cause lactose problems. Eliminating dairy can also reduce a person's intake of vitamin D. But several minutes in the sun two or three times a week should allow your body to produce enough vitamin D on its own.

There is other information about this to search for too....
Dianne

OP here, thanks for all the replies and suggestions!
About hot dogs...we don't give them to him often, but sometimes after he has onem, he has what we call a random act of puke! I wonder if it is the milk or lactose thing? It isn't always after hot dogs, but it is mostly! So we have stopped letting him have them and he hasn't had a random act of puke in a while!

Also, the dr now wants him to go to a dermatologist. I keep thinking we should go to an allergist first. Why treat with creams and meds when we may be able to eliminate it with avoiding things??

 

[BLAMBKY]

UGH! I have been there/ done that! It's TERRIBLE! Finally much better, my DS is 9. The pool and salt water (Ocean) both helped. I kept him out of the ocean for so long thinking that it would hurt but it actually helped clear it up. I have NO idea why? IHave you switched to an allergen free laundry detergent? I have used the same kind ever since he was one. When we would go to In laws (they used a different kind), he would break out terribly. My MIL started (so sweet) to use our kind on the sheets before we would arrive. It helped! Keep trying; it is all just trial and error.

Yes we have been to the doctor! But I still need help!

My 19 month old DS has bad eczema. I thought it was coming from a possible food allergy so the dr. had him tested. Seems he was ever so slightly positive for milk (drank soy till age 1 but eczema started before that). They don't feel it is coming from that. He also tested positive for peanuts . He has never had PB or peanuts before. They don't think it is coming from that either.

Dr. said he should not be in the tub long or the pool. Well, until he told us that, DS was a water rat! Thankfully the pools are closed now so we don't swim now. I limit bath time. NO improvement!

What could possibly be causing this? Sometimes it is manageable with cream but sometimes it is soooo bad he cries and scratches! I feel the dr is kind of not concerned but I would like some relief for him! Any ideas?
Oh, this kid eats almost nothing but fruit ALL day long! I thought it was from citrus and dr said no. Seriously, he eats mostly fruit! Any ideas or remedies?

 

[BLAMBKY]

This could be me describing what I went through with my DS. UGH!!!!! It is awful.

My ds now almost 5 has completely outgrown his eczema. From the time he was close to 1 year up to 4 years old, the tops of his feet were like raw skin from scratching.

This is the solution that I found would really help his eczema and scratching.

Sea salt in bath water. You can buy the crystals for cheap any grocery store (like $1 for a big bag) and dissolve in bath water. We used to give my son baths all the time.

No baths made little difference in his eczema.

Anyhow... dissolve the crystals, give baby bath, and then once out of the tub, towel pat to dry and use a good cream (I swear by Renew by Melaleuca).

This really helped the scratching. It never completely went away, but I didn't want to use all the steroid creams from the doctors since he was so young.

Anyhow, you may hear it could be allergies or something else. We did stop using laundry sheets in the dryer and I did a second rinse on all his laundry.

But now at 5, I think he has outgrown in.

And nothing in his diet has changed from the time he was little.

Some children are prone to eczema.

Oh, for probably about 1 year, almost every single night I had to give him 1 tsp of benadryl so he would be able to sleep without scratching.

And sometimes I had to wake up at night to put cream on him because he would wake up scratching.

The only thing that would distract him from scratching was nursing, so he did it for a while.

Eczema is a really tough condition for kids and moms. My son would wake up all the time because of the itching.

It could just be a phase, and you should try what worked for us. But I don't think it ever really goes away until they actually outgrow it.

And my son's eczema was worse in the summer, but I've always heard it is usually worse in the winter. So who knows? Good luck.

 

[BLAMBKY]

Nutragena original bar is great too! (Stinks but not overwhelming)

I wanted to add one thing I forgot...when bathing be careful what you use for soap or body wash. We use Cetaphil because it's good for dry sensitive skin and doesn't have the perfumes that other soaps have. This has helped us a lot too.

 

[toesmom]

Whenever any talks about the eczema, I try to post my solution hoping someone can use it.

Ugggh, I remember driving in the car when he was 19 months and he was scratching the tops of his feet and ripping his skin off. I had to put socks, shoes and then big dose of benadryl before I could continue driving.

Terrible memories. But he was obviously born with this since it's gone now and we didn't change anything in his diet.

I hope that my experiences can at least make it easier for another mom out there. Unless your child has eczema it's hard to understand the sleepless nights and how child suffers.

And those steroid creams are not healthy.

Actually I remember being prescribed for him some cream that when I read the warning, would never put close to him. It's called Elidel. It's supposed to suppress immune system to take away the exzema. Some kind of warning about cancer causing or something. Well... it's still sealed in my cupboard. And he was only 2 when prescribed that one. Ugggh, I'm still cringing.

The sea salt and Renew cream with benadryl occasionally is what worked best for us.

 

[workinmomof2]

I have had eczema my whole life. It is terrible, however, it is manageable. I use some of the products people have listed. What works for one might not work for another. I strongly recommend that you get your child to either a dermatologist or an allergist. My allergist helps control my allergies. The dermatologist I went to when I was in my teens got the eczema under control. It was terrible. He also gave me tips and suggestions that has helped me to keep it under control to the point of not having to see the dermatologist again. You might need to get a prescription to get it under control. After that point, the items suggested could help from it getting out of hand. I must look for items that are fragrance free because fragrance makes me scratch even more. Get an experts advice. And good luck. Oh, hydrocortisone cream or ointment should help with the scratching until you find out more.

 

[BLAMBKY]

??? Huh ??? I hope my post have not come across wrong. I DID/STILL DO have a child with Eczema. It was awful. Yes, I remember going into his room, while he was sleeping and seeing him turning his head back and forth because it was itching. UGH. I was trying to post to give support and what worked for my family. Am I misunderstanding your post? Truely confused?

I hope that my experiences can at least make it easier for another mom out there. Unless your child has eczema it's hard to understand the sleepless nights and how child suffers.

And those steroid creams are not healthy.

Actually I remember being prescribed for him some cream that when I read the warning, would never put close to him. It's called Elidel. It's supposed to suppress immune system to take away the exzema. Some kind of warning about cancer causing or something. Well... it's still sealed in my cupboard. And he was only 2 when prescribed that one. Ugggh, I'm still cringing.

The sea salt and Renew cream with benadryl occasionally is what worked best for us.[/QUOTE]

 

[rachelanne]

Hi,Im from the U.k and my son has had eczema since he was 8 weeks old.We have tried many ,many products,steroid creams ,soy milk ,antibiotics,all kinds of lotions, he is now 17 and after seeing a programme on t.v about a lady who had severe skin problem on her legs,we thought we would try this for badly infected skin,Iwas just at my wits end and the results have been brilliant.This is a bit messy but once you've tried it and seen good skin come back, its worth it. first you need olive oil, MANUKA HONEY active rating 15 or above,cling film and tubigrip bandage for arms and legs sizes! Do one arm at a time grease up the arm with olive oil, then take a spoonful of MANUKA HONEY and moisturise this over infected skin, wrap the arm or leg in the cling film not too tightly, just so it doesn't leak out, then put tubigrip over top.Buy cotton gloves and go to bed in them Next morning wash it off and moisturise.Do this every night and within a week you will see improvement.Even the hospital has been surprised at this honey remedy.My son says thanks mum,Iknow a lot of mum's wouldn't do what you have done to help me, and we have a good laugh putting it on.Im sorry this is long but I hope this helps someone elses child.I have 2 sons ,the other had open heart surgery when he was small and has made a great recovery,although not as dramatic a condition, my sons eczema has given him years of misery.Dont give up, as I tell my son there is always someone who is worse off than yourself ,sorry this was long!

 

[GoofyFairie]

i am dealing with this with both of my kids. I have found that AVEENO with the green lid and label has made a huge difference in thier skin. I also use Neutrogena unscented face soap for baths and AQUAPHOR when it gets really bad. We saw the biggest change with the AVEENO lotion. In 2 days it looked and felt a lot better. I also apply it 3 times a day, in the morning when getting dressed, right after bath, and again at bedtime. It really helps. Good luck. I know thw itching and scrathing can be hard. I am thinking of you and your little one.

 

[bookmama]

my ds 11 has ezcema. he had it since he was 2. I use avon's skin so soft it hydrates the skin and it stops some of the itching. i also use lancane anti itch cream.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

My youngest 2 kids (DD10 and DS1) have different types of eczema. What has worked the best to minimize flareups is to use Tide Free on their clothing and Aquaphor on any itcy areas.

I actually read in Baby Talk magazine today that taking a Probiotic daily will reduce eczema outbreaks because it boosts the immune system by putting back the good bacteria into the digestive tract (70% of our immune system is in our digestive tract). DD10 had been having some tummy issues the past few months so she has been taking a probiotic (Culterelle which is over the counter) and hasn't had any eczema outbreaks since then.

Probiotics are safe for use - our Pediatrician actually recommended it when DS was having issues with diarrhea while taking antibiotics.

Might be worth trying. Good luck!

 

[disneymarie]

Has anyone used vinegar or Arm and Hammer Washing soda in the laundry?
I stopped using dryer sheets, but need some kind of natural softener. Not baking soda, although I do buy that at SAMs in the huge bag.

My oldest son has a dermitis from too much histime in his body, If yoiu press pr things touch him, he has marks that are like raised red welts, almost looking like hives....from the histimine.
Anyone else have this in their family. Like you trace along the arm with a finger tip and it will raise right up, you can write your name and watch it appear.

Another thing when salt was mentioned, would Epsom salts be the same and help?

The hotdogs I mentioned, it is the filler that has the lactose in them. I think the better the brand, less filler, maybe Kosher; Hebrew National, or Nathans would be OK for him????? Hate to see him puke though.

Eggs, can trigger, gosh I wish I remember some of the things I had to watch for...I know a lot of processed things or coated items can have the additive.

dianne

 

[PrincessMama605]

My dd has had eczema since she was about 4 mos. I tried everything, crazy homemade remedies, took her to a dermatologist. Nothing helped. She was miserable and so was I. Hers is hereditary, although the doctors at one point did tell us it was caused by a milk allergy (it wasn't).

What worked for us was, giving her less frequent baths with cool water, I used just Johnson's wash and a little baby oil in the water. After, I covered her in lotion head to toe, and used gentle detergents for her laundry. I also only put her in 100% cotton clothes.
I used hydrocortisone(Aveeno brand) when it flared up, but only one or two days and then took a break for one or two days, because steroids can be harsh for babies, even in small doses. Never put it on their face. I also kept her nails very short so she couldn't hurt herself too much when she scratched. When it would be really bad and get bloody, I used Calmoseptine (you can get it at the pharmacy, just ask the pharmacist). I also found some stuff called Pure Potions, it's expensive but it works very well.

http://www.purepotions.co.uk/#1X0

My dd was also prescribed Elidel for her eczema when she was very young. I was freaked out by the warnings too, and I never used it on her.

Mostly she did outgrow it but it still flares up now and then, not as bad as when she was a baby.

 

[princessmom29]

Here is your clue. Most peds don't know a lot about this kind of stuff. You can be ever so slightly sensitive and it can effect you. Soy breaks down the same way that cows milk does so yes, it can effect you as well. Eczema is the result of some kind of allergy. Our dd has it. It flairs up when she has dairy or food with dairy in them. Auphor works great in soothing it. Put it on thick before bedtime and it will help. Good luck.

Eczema is not necessarily always allergy related it CAN be heriditary. MY DD has heriditary eczema. Her dad has it, her grandma had it, and she started with it as an infant who was on completely hypoallergenic formula( I could not nurse for medical reasons). I used nothing on her that was not dye and fragrence free. Only natural fibers for clothing. Free and clear soap. She still had and has eczema. Nothing she eats makes any difference in the severity, and the whole family uses hypoallergenic bath products and landury soap b/c my husband has eczema as well so it is easier to keep everything the same. Some lotion ect can worsen the eczema, but it is never completely gone, no matter what we eliminate or avoid.

 

[disneymarie]

I just remembered something about nursing if you baby is allergic and you are nursing and eating foods they are allergic to, as milk products this does pass into the milk too.
Dianne

 

[princessmom29]

??? Huh ??? I hope my post have not come across wrong. I DID/STILL DO have a child with Eczema. It was awful. Yes, I remember going into his room, while he was sleeping and seeing him turning his head back and forth because it was itching. UGH. I was trying to post to give support and what worked for my family. Am I misunderstanding your post? Truely confused?

I hope that my experiences can at least make it easier for another mom out there. Unless your child has eczema it's hard to understand the sleepless nights and how child suffers.

And those steroid creams are not healthy.

Actually I remember being prescribed for him some cream that when I read the warning, would never put close to him. It's called Elidel. It's supposed to suppress immune system to take away the exzema. Some kind of warning about cancer causing or something. Well... it's still sealed in my cupboard. And he was only 2 when prescribed that one. Ugggh, I'm still cringing.

The sea salt and Renew cream with benadryl occasionally is what worked best for us.

[/QUOTE]

We use elidel with wonderful results on severe eczema only. It is asteroid hormone that the body produces naturally. It is just concentrated in the effected area by the cream. Ours has a warning about overuse, but no cancer warning?? Steroids are natural hormones already produced by the human body and when topical steroids are used properly they are NOT harmful. Steriods are also present in many medications used to treat lots of other conditions b/c they jumpstart the body's natural response to invaders like viruses and bacteria. Those packs where you thake 7 pills the first day, 5 the next ect are steroid treatments. benedryl is also a steroid derivitave that is why in curbs allergic reaction.