Eczema

Sarah - posted on 03/29/2009

My poor little girl is broken out all the time! Nothing clears her up except oral steroids(which I hate) and every time she is weaned off, she flares up again! We have tried everything. The only things that help her are cerave soap and lotion, body essence tea tree oil with olive oil and protein, benedryl, and a lot of vasoline! You need to find a good allergist and get some allergy test done to find the underlying problem. I'm here if ya need support!

Sarah - posted on 03/06/2009

Quoting Daven:

we had my son tested for allergies shortly after he turned one. i have heard theories about waiting but it was worth it to get it done for him. it's like he doesn't even have it anymore!

hello!

who tested your son for allergies? My daughter has never been

offered anything like that just creams and more creams that dont

work!!     thank you

Kalpana - posted on 02/23/2009

our now 41/2 yr old has exzema since she was 3 months old. after trying every prescription steroid meds her doc suggested, after having her tested number of times for food and other kinds of allergies, we came across a wonderful doctor and he totally changed everything what we were doing .
he told this to us:
1. first let the kid soak in bathtub in luke warm water for 20 mts (when we were told not to make them have long baths, this new doc said their skins are water deprived so let them soak) use vanicream soap.and wash it off.
2. he asked to apply thing coat of tropicort cream(generic name is Desoximetasone) on exzema site
3. on top of that apply Atopiclair nonsteroidal cream.
4. finsh by applying Vani cream to all other parts of body.

first we did these steps for every day, then after one month we did every other day and then after 3 months we are doing once a week. her skin is smooth and she is not getting up scratching from her sleep.

vanicream is available in CVS pharmacy dept ( if they dont have they ca get it for you)
i am using venicream lite lotion and vanicream soap.
it is free of dyes, fragrance and masking fragrance, lanolin, parabens and formaldehyde which are there even in other creams like eucerin, cerave, .
i did not want to use steroid creams. we also realized that there are other alternatives we just have to find the right docs. she was seen by local universities doctors and they had also prescribed steroid creams but exzema always came back once we stopped using the steroid cream.

Cheryl - posted on 02/11/2009

I know this approach seems strange, but it might be worth looking into. Diet and intestinal health may be a factor. As others have stated, eczema is often related to allergies. It is also an immune response. My child has several allergies and is small for his size. We have seen an allergist for years and a gastrointerologist also. They weren't very helpful but some of the test results have led me down this path. I have removed glutin and dairy from his diet and started him on a number of supliments, a probiotic, digestive enzyme, fish oil, detox agents, and a quality multivitamin/mineral suppliment. I have seen real improvement in his skin over the last month. I tried to add dairy back in, and his face broke out. I removed it and it cleared. Seems I may have found part of the problem. I also use sea salt (softens the water and is a natural detoxifier) in the bath water and a really good balm and lotion.

"The growing evidence of the association between skin disorders and intestinal diseases suggests that the skin could be considered the 'mirror of the gut'."

"Now a new study, from Lund University in Sweden, shows that children with only a limited variety of bacteria in their feces one week after birth more often developed atopical eczema by the age of 18 months." - Science Daily

I also read a report that stated a high percentage of people with chronic eczema were lacking a specific enzyme in their small intestine that was responsible for breaking down certain fatty acids. This seems to fit with what is going on with my son. He had evidence of inflamation in the duodenum but didn't test positive for celiac or any food sensitivities except peanut. So even though he didn't get any positive test results, I did get results from removing certain foods from his diet. You can get the help of a nutritionist and your doctor to get advice on diet and suppliments to make sure you are using them correctly. Here is a link with some info on suppliments for skin health.

http://www.chiroweb.com/mpacms/dc/articl...

That said, every person is different and what works for one might not for the next. Finding and treating the cause of his eczema is the ticket not just treating the symptoms. Good hunting!

Teresa - posted on 02/07/2009

My daughter had the same problem! We put fragrance free lotion on her very thinck without rubbing in. Wrap her arms, torso, and legs in plastic wrap then put on tight pjs. after 2-3 hours the lotion completely soaks in and she is very smooth! Her dr told us to try it after trying numerous medications! Hope this helps!

Lesley - posted on 01/22/2009

We do several different things.  My son has had it since he was 8wks old covering his body.  He takes Dallergy everyday but this is what his allergist had us do.  Bathe using mild, fragrance free soap, use Cutivate on tough patches that are bad, then slather him in vasoline and again in the morning with Eucerine Calming Cream.  It has helped.  In bad cases he told us to do a "wet wrap".  You take a pair of thin cotton PJ's and wet them-ring out and put on babe, leave them on for 3-4 hours and remove use vaseline and repeat everyday for a week.  He said if it's cold you can put a sweat suit or something loose over the damp garment.  It works but is a pain.  For us, staying on top of it all the time is the best thing.  It never goes away completely but missing 1 morning or evening of moisturizing makes it worse.  Good luck!

Lesley

Daven - posted on 01/22/2009

we had my son tested for allergies shortly after he turned one. i have heard theories about waiting but it was worth it to get it done for him. it's like he doesn't even have it anymore!

Avery - posted on 01/22/2009

Doctors that I have consulted say they like to wait until the child is at least 2yrs old.If you are going to to an allergy test I highly recommend the skin test.They dont actually scratch the kids with needles or pricks.My daughter had it done when she was 6yrs old.They dip the ends (of what looks like plastic pipettes) into the allergen liquid and then press the pipette onto the childs back for a few seconds.They can group the pipettes together into grids, which means the testing goes very quickly.You have to wait around for 20-30 mins to see what the childs reactions were to each allergen spot. My allergist & pediatrician say the skin test is much more reliable than a blood test. My daughter had a blood test done at 2 1\2 and was allergic to many foods,then was re-tested again at 6yrs and was allergic to absolutely everything! Thats when we decided to have to skin test done and we found that she was not allergic to many of the prev things.It was not as tramatic as I had envisioned it would be,and in the end it was worth the discomfort my daughter felt b/c it has ultimately helped her health & well being. Thanks-

Deena - posted on 01/21/2009

It is so encouraging to hear that  avoiding the foods they are allergic to keeps it controled.  We think he has an environmental allergy because he was put on an oral allergy medication and his skin improved greatly.  I wonder how young we can test for allergy.

Brandie - posted on 01/21/2009

Are you sure it's eczema? Ask about psoriasis as well. The cortizone thing is the only thing that has worked for us... but, only use it until the redness & scaling are gone and then use aquaphor 2-3 times a day. Of course, follow what your dermatologist suggested as well. I had my kids tested for allergies... turns out they had all sorts of food allergies & we just stay away from those foods & now the eczema is gone...

Deena - posted on 01/21/2009

How often do you apply Renew?  I have been applying Eucerin creame 1-2x per day and Aquaphor at every diaper change.  I am wondering how large of a bottle to order.

Leslie - posted on 01/21/2009

Renew lotion will take it all away!

Stephanie - posted on 01/20/2009

Hi Ruth, my sisters kids have eczema and my son also, not severe, but they still have it. I work for a Health & Wellness company that has RENEW lotion, you can't get it anywhere but Melaleuca. It is light enough for daily use, but powerful enough to relieve deverely dry skin. It has healed up our kids. I have moms in my organization that saw a difference in the 1st few days of using the lotion on their kids. I mean tehy looked like they had alligator skin and it healed it! this lotion is amazing. It is safe for newborns and up. It wons hands down vs. Eucerin. Melaleuca also has a great kids line that is natural and other household products that are green and save you money.  This lotion has changed the lives of so many people I know. It is free to try your 1st month of being a customer. Everything is RISK FREE, even if the bottle is empty. I hope that helps! feel free to check out www.melaleuca.com let me know if you have any questions, i'd be happy to answer!

Avery - posted on 01/19/2009

I have two girls,but only my oldest,almost 7yrs,has eczema.She's had it since we brought her home.She has never outgrown it,its actually gotten worse the older she gets.Her flare ups are triggered by seasonal allergies & food allergies.As a baby we used aquaphor,cortizone ointment & neosporine. But this year everything except Vaseline makes her break out in a horrible contagious looking rash.Her allergists says the best remedy for eczema is to wet the affected area then rub generous amounts of Vaseline in with the water.Putting Vaseline on w\out water will actually make them itch more.I will say that on her good days this works really well.If you need something more strong we have been using a prescp.ointment called Fluocinonide,its works great!! I am generally against meds,especially steroids as we eat & live organics.However I just couldnt watch her cry anymore b\c of the rashes,patches & constant need for "creaming".The patches dry up w\in a day or two. Her eczema is pretty severe,as are her allergies. She gets weekly allergy shots which we are hoping will help w\the upcoming allergy season in April. The worst thing about eczema is that it actually changes the pigment of the skin,it will cause white patches.My daughter is covered in white patches!! My heart breaks for her & Im hoping in a few years she is not teased b\c of it.The pigment doesnt come back,you have to use another cream that actually brings the pigment back up to the surface of the skin.We use California Baby for shampoo & Trader Joes Honey & Oatmeal veg-based soap.No fragrances,no chemicals,no fab softener,no dryer sheets. The best advise you can get is to definitely see an allergist!! You cant control something you dont understand. Hope this is helpful,thanks for letting me share...

Kyra - posted on 01/14/2009

my daughter is almost 6 now and she,s had severe eczema since she was a few weeks old ive taken her to a few diferent doctors and she has been allergy tested and she,s allergic to alot of things but all the creams they give me seem to make her worse the only thing that seems to calm her skin down is when she has a bath we put rolled oats in a sock and let it soak in the bath it turns the water a milky coluor but it seems to make her skin feel alot smother

Deena - posted on 01/14/2009

I have to agree wtih Joni Tate and suggest seeing a good pediatric allergist.  My 4mo old has severe eczema that was out of control untill..... we were given an oral allergy medication.  It was amazing how it cleared up in 12 hours.  He is obvoisly allergic to something(s).  He still has flare ups and I can't find what the triggers are but at least he now has days where it is all but gone. 

Pamela - posted on 01/09/2009

My little girl is now 9 and what we've done is to eliminate using any shampoo, soap, or laundry soap with perfumes in them.  Now all she has i a little behind her ears. 

Hope this helps!

Olive - posted on 01/09/2009

I come from a family of eczema suffers and I too get it from time to time. I haven't tried this for my baby because his eczema is not tooo bad and I can keep it under control but any of my family members who have had bad eczema have had acupuncture and it got rid of it.



Acupuncture can also be done on chrildren and it is painless. I think it's worth looking into. Being a sufferer myself I know how it can drag you down and it can take years to go away (only to come bck again).



Also, apart from the physical discomfort children can get bullied at school because of eczema (other children think it's catching etc..)

Yulanda - posted on 01/08/2009

Hi My neice has eczema bad her face legs arms.I read somewhere to give her a raw potato.my sister could not get her to eat it.But i did she had 4 slices the one day.we have been experiementing on how nmuch she will take daily.I'm finding the more potato the better.Nevaeh's legs are so rough.\it was amazing that this could work as no cream did.I also tried sunrider tea it's a herb.You buy through me or sunrider. give it to her daily 1- cup daily.I wouldn't of beleived that a raw potato would work !!!?? I wish you lots of luck if i come up with anything else i'll let you know.Try the potatoe for a couple weeks and see what happens write down your findings best of luck yulanda

Michelle - posted on 01/08/2009

I understand completely. My son is 6mos old and we have been battling it since he was 3mos old. We have tried everything. Right now we are waiting to get tubes in his ears because of consistent ear infections for almost 4mos now. The pediatrician thinks that he has an internal infection not an allergy and once the ear infection can be completely healed he will not have the eczema. We have tried everything just like everybody else, soaps, lotions, detergents, organics, expensive formula, benedryl am and pm, and nothing seems to totally clear it up. We have found two things that really help the inflammation Purpose by J&J for redness and the Disney Eczema Cream. We have really seen some relief from him scratching his face. The Disney cream has worked well when we have him at home and put it on 3-6 times a day. Good Luck!!

Katie - posted on 01/02/2009

It sounds like you've gotten plenty of suggestions but I'm going to add my 2 cents anyway! ;) My 2-year old son has had eczema since he was 2 or 3 months old and it used to be fairly bad but has calmed down a ton. A couple things I found to be really helpful are Aquaphor right after a bath and also Disney Eczema Wash/ Soap and Cream are awesome. The only place I've ever been able to find it is Target but I think it's definitely worth a special trip. The cream is kind of greasy but whenever my son has any flare ups, I use it 3 or 4 times a day and the flare up is much better if not gone the next day. Anyway, those are the only suggestions I have, besides ones that have already been offered (such as steriod cream). I really hope you find something that works quick because I know how horrible you feel when there's nothing you can do to help your child.

Joni - posted on 01/02/2009

I totally can feel your pain! My 3 yr old has HORRIBLE eczema too! We have tried everything too! We got a steriod cream that helps wonders for him! Im so sorry it doesnt work for your son.

We recently went to an allergist too and she said that she my sons eczema was flared up on his back, that she couldnt do the prick test but she did draw blood and she told us to try "wet pajamas". Its where you wet some PJs and put it on the child and then put a dry pair over top of them and put the child to bed at night.

She said that it is almost soothing to most children. My son said it felt good. We have only done it once though. Maybe you could atleast try it! Good luck!!

Kim - posted on 01/01/2009

my son has eczema really bad too and we keep it under control by using elidel cream. it works wonders. we also use the hydrocortizone cream and moisturize daily. hope it gets better i know the feeling.

Trina - posted on 01/01/2009

My son is allergic to citric acid (OJ, tomatoes etc.) when he has these foods he gets eczema. When he breaks out I use Neutrogena Norwegian Formula, Fragrance Free it doesn't burn their skin cause it has no alcohols in it and is a super good protector from the dry air, especially in winter and after baths. I also use the Arbonne line of baby products for bath time, lotions and sunscreen.

Daven - posted on 12/27/2008

hi...i know how it feels to think you have tried everything! been there...we tried everything from crisco to old lady face cream, bleach baths to almost no baths, anything we would try at least once; usually for at least a week! lol some of it was pretty cooky! the biggest help we found was an amazing allergist. not that all eczema is caused by allergies, but alot of it is. what isn't is just made worse by allergies. i was amazed at how helpful it was to have a list in hand of the things that would make him flare! we originally went because my son is allergic to milk and soy...not fun with a baby! the allergist said taht most children with eczema benefit more from allergy treatments that steriod therapy or perscription lotions. not that that stuff doesn't help sometimes!

we dress him in only 100% cotton, use a heavy cream type lotion (no colors or perfumes), a free and clear type laundry detergent, soap with proteins and tea tree oil in it, and he takes daily medicines. i'm not incredibly excited about my two year old being on constant medication, but it has made a world of difference! i will have to look into getting a before and after picture of him on here.