Bad Eczema

Sandi - posted on 03/20/2009

I found helpful information on the Mayo Clinic website.  Additionally, I agree with those that say to seek out a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor or Nautropath.  I have found conflicting information on the breastfeeding connection and think it is beneficial (not protective) only with some longevity. 

Angela - posted on 03/20/2009

You should try Melaleuca all natural products they are great!  www.livetotalwellness.com/grohgreen

Doreen - posted on 03/20/2009

You can also use hemp seed oil. There's a thread about that on here. One mom said she tried it on her baby's eczema and it worked!

Angela - posted on 03/20/2009

There is something all natural you can do, look at this website and give me some feedback! www.livetotalwellness.com/grohgreen

Doreen - posted on 03/04/2009

hi ! i just read today that Colloidal Silver sprayed on the eczema could help. Google it if you need more info.

Donna - posted on 03/03/2009

Hi - our 3 year old has had bad eczema since she was 1 year old. We tried hydrocortisone at first but it didn't really help and like you, I didn't want to use it long term. We've tried Red Clover ointment, as well as a Chickweed cream. Finally we have her on omega fatty acids through a child's fish oil supplement. It's natural and orange-flavoured so it goes down quite easily. Our naturopath also put her on a homeopathic sulpher pellet that seems to help as well.

Catherine - posted on 02/26/2009

talking to doctors and nurses regarding allergy tests, they dont usually get them done at an early age due to the fact that even though they may be allergic to one or more of the tests they may not show a reaction. i think this may be the case with your son. i would look at asking to have it done again when he is a little older. i think it is safe to assume that in your sons case he is reacting to egg. i would look at why the doctor wants you to eat eggs and see if there is another type of food that you could replace that need with. if not, have a talk to a local health shop, they may be able to find you a supplement that is safe for you both.

have a read of this site i have found it particularly helpful http://www.allergy.org.nz/about+allergie...

i have also been given a small amount of the melalauca cream that was talked about in this thread. i tried a little last night and some this morning. i will keep you posted on the results.

we went to the beach for a few days over the new year and my sons ezcema cleared completely but a few days after we were back home, back it came. apparently the sea air does wonders. temporary relief.

i have always thought, doctors are trained, they know what they are talking about, they are there to help you and they would never stare you wrong. to some degree this is true, but i think you have to go with your gut instinct sometimes too. one doctor gave me one type of hydrocoutisone which i reluctantly used, then another doctor said that the one i had been prescribed was too strong and gave me another type. so i felt completely terrible for putting the stronger stuff on my babes face. i didnt want to use it, i knew better, yet i still did. i havent used it since.

its hard to do sometimes but i think you need to go with your gut instincts.

Christine - posted on 02/25/2009

Hi catherine, thanks for your post, I am also from NZ the egg thing is interesting, my six month old had a food allergy test which came up with nothing but that was before he went on solids. When his eczema started I was eating a few eggs but then stopped as I heard it may be the cause. His eczema cleared up quite well on his face and has been good for the last few months, just recently I have started eating a lot of eggs again as my doctor recommended them for my diet and his eczema has flared up again quite bad on his face, I just have no idea what to do now, please help!!!

Catherine - posted on 02/25/2009

hi there, im from nz and have a 10 1/2 month old boy. he has had eczema since he was 8 weeks. i have tried a lot of oils and lotions and hydrocortisone. hydrocortisone is supposed to target the top scaly skin, but you do need to be careful not to get it anywhere else. i did use it, but wish i hadnt, it didnt make a difference and i think my son is slightly scarred, im not sure if its due to the cream or just the ezcema. i tried adding flaxseed oil to my food and adding olive oil to my sons food. i have changed to eco store wash powder and dont use any scented lotions on his skin. i also tried bamboo clothing but that didnt work for me either. i tried cutting out dairy but it made no difference. i have recently had a food allergy test done which showed my son is allergic to egg. i have since found out this is common in babes that have eczema. this test cant be done until they have been on solids for a while for results to be effective. keep with creams like aqueous and emulsifying ointment which keep the skin well moisturised. it is heart breaking, i went into my sons room many times to find blood everywhere from him scratching. i felt like i failed as a mum. their nails grow so fast and they can cause a lot of damage. you just need to keep trying different things to see if there is something that works for you. my sons ezcema has cleared now on his face but still has it on one shoulder. i am still breast feeding with the aim to make it to a year. im still looking for the miracle cure for my sons ezcema but with the recent discovery im hoping that it will soon disappear completely. all the best with your search.

Kristen - posted on 02/23/2009

When I clicked on the group I was going to ask the same question, and here I am with all these answers!  Thank you so much for posting!  My daughter is 21 months old and she has been terribly afflicted by eczema since she was about 6 months old.  She was pretty well cleared up before this winter, but when it got cold outside she became horribly dry and itchy and has found no relief all winter.   I am going to try many of these suggestions.  I am also looking for a Doctor of Osteopathy.  I pray that she isn't allergic to animals, I have a cat that I am very close to, and it will break my heart.  I am relieved and sad to know that I am not alone in watching a child suffer from eczema.  It is so sad to see a child in such misery.  I will let you know what works for me, Christine.

Dawn - posted on 02/20/2009

So much of what is wrong wtih our bodies is caused by a compromised immune system.  As nutirtion goes, even eating correctly is not going to give us the nutrients we need for optimal nutrition.  The answer is high quality supplementation.  I have a friend in Atlanta whose son had eczema covering his entire body.  It was horrible.  She found out about this product and started him on it.  His results were nothing short of miraculous.  The body knows what to do with good nutrition when it gets it. Would you like to talk to her and hear her son's story of recovery?  These products are safe for everyone young and old  and are formulated to absorb within 20 -30 minutes.  

Alisabeth - posted on 02/18/2009

They can do a blood test for the allergy testing instead of the typical scratch test.  Make sure you ask for the blood test.  That way if she does have an intense allergy, it won't affect her little body.  Also, what works for my 3 year old that has constant eczema...it's going to sound funny...is to dampen her skin, put a little olive oil on it, then wrap her arms and legs in plastic wrap.  She can play or sit for about 30-45 minutes to help it soak in, then remove the plastic wrap and gently massage the oil in...it helps the symptoms...good luck

Hannah - posted on 02/11/2009

Quoting Christine:

Hi everyone thanks for your replies on helping my baby boy with eczema. We went and got allergie tests the other day and he appears to have no food allergies, we are still waiting on the results from the inhalant tests - these are the ones we are most concerned about as my husband gets bad hayfever. We also have two dogs and a cat and are concerned that they may be a factor. Does anyone know any information on this?

hello,

my son has eczema too and we got a blood test to confirm that he was allergic to my dog.  I was really sad, but eventually decided to give her up.  We steam cleaned the carpets and washed everything in hot water.  He is much better!!

Also... vaseline/petroleum jelly works best for my son.  We slather it on him after his bath, while he is still wet.  And we use it as a regular moisturizer.  SO much better than all those expensive creams.  i've tried many!

Good luck!

Hannah - posted on 02/11/2009

Quoting Christine:

Hi everyone thanks for your replies on helping my baby boy with eczema. We went and got allergie tests the other day and he appears to have no food allergies, we are still waiting on the results from the inhalant tests - these are the ones we are most concerned about as my husband gets bad hayfever. We also have two dogs and a cat and are concerned that they may be a factor. Does anyone know any information on this?

Tarah - posted on 02/06/2009

I have found lotion with tea tree oil in it has been helpful.

Christine - posted on 02/04/2009

Hi Holly,

thanks for all your help!

I will have a look at that site and see what i can come up with.

Lindsay - posted on 02/03/2009

Quoting Christine:

Hi everyone thanks for your replies on helping my baby boy with eczema. We went and got allergie tests the other day and he appears to have no food allergies, we are still waiting on the results from the inhalant tests - these are the ones we are most concerned about as my husband gets bad hayfever. We also have two dogs and a cat and are concerned that they may be a factor. Does anyone know any information on this?

Hi,

If you are exclusively breastfeeding your son then there won't be any food allergies that show up. Babies don't develop their sensitivities until after they've been introduced to all the foods themselves. Often when breastfeeding moms say that taking dairy or wheat out of their diet helped the baby with eczema, it's because the dairy or wheat was their food intolerance, not their child's. If you have a naturopath in your area I would really suggest going to them and getting yourself tested for food sensitivies.

I second the flax oil - it can make a huge difference in children with eczema. Take it yourself if you're exclusively breastfeeding or add it to some of his solid food.

Someone had also given some information about Chinese medicine and eczema - if his eczema is weepy, oozy and red it's often a "damp heat" condition in Chinese medicine and taking spicy and phlegm producing (think dairy, bananas, ice cream) foods out of your diet (if exclusively breastfeeding) can help.

Hope he starts to do better soon!!

Holly - posted on 02/02/2009

Christine,
I did some research and found out that the company I get my things from has a distribution center in New Zealand. I don't know if you are interested in just topical eczema relief of if you are open to homeopathy and nutritional supplementation for nourish the skin from within. If you're interested in both internal and external treatments, you can check out http://www.natsun.co.nz/lifetrends.htm That is the site for the distribution center in NZ.

I also looked up a regimen for eczema relief and found a few things that wold be safe for a child to use. You can search these items on the site and decide what you think would be right for him.

Ultimate Green Zone is a powder that you could either mix in his food or make a drink from. It's got all the leafy greens and high fiber plants and things that cleanse the body. Oregon Grape is liquid drops that you would give him 3X daily to relieve skin issues due to toxins. Skin Detox is a homeopathic remedy that works similarly. Then there's eczema/psoriasis remedy in a base of alcohol. I give it to my kids because it's only about 1/8 of a teaspoon that they actually ingest but the package says "not recommended for kids under 12 years without physicians consent." Mine are 3 and 6. Thai-go is an antioxidant drink that helps the body fight toxins and allergies. It suggests an oatmeal bath of 1 c. oatmeal 3 X a week. Also for aromatherapy, it suggests adding chamomile, lavender, and bergamot oils to a product called Golden Salve and applying directly to the skin. You wouldn't have to do everything, just pick 2-3 things that work for him.

My kids are old enough to do chewable stuff now so I don't use as much of the liquid stuff unless it's my only choice or if they really don't like it, I hide it in juice.

If you are interested and decide to order any of that, it's going to ask you for a sponsor number, meaning who you want as your natural health consultant. You can put me if you want, but if you'd rather be matched up with someone in NZ, that's ok. I do this to help people, not make money. I struggled so much my sons first 3 years, so I just don't others dealing with the same things. My sponsor # is 2235026-5 and perks for picking me is that I send out monthly health related newsletters and I keep my folks updated on when free health seminars are going to be happening online, which is about monthly. I am also available 24/7 to help with anything that may come up healthwise for your whole family.

I hope that helps. I was going to offer to send you some stuff for free, but shipping was about $25! That's when I saw NZ had a distribution center. I'm not sure how it works there, but here, I live 20 minutes from our Texas warehouse and I just pick my stuff up and have no shipping and handling charges. So that might be something to look into also.

Christine - posted on 01/31/2009

I live in NewZealand, and I've never hreard of anyone being involved with Melaleuca, which makes buying from ebay very difficult as well!

Holly - posted on 01/31/2009

You can find the renew oil and lotion on ebay. You could even find people willing to make an order for you and have you pay them through pay pal. Some people aren't into the business end and would rather just help someone out by hooking them up. I have a friend at church who has been with Melaleuca 16 years and she said if I quit (bc I couldn't make the commitments) she would let me purchase on her account. That's not how the system is designed but it helps people meet their commitments. When I was doing melaleuca for 9 years I charged full product price and no shipping and handling and it worked out to cover my costs of shipping and gas money to deliver it to them. If you have a church family, play date group, etc. you might ask around if someone would like to split the membership with you. Or just get it on ebay when you need it.

Christine - posted on 01/31/2009

I was wondering about that, I went to their website and it looks a bit like multi level marketing. Are you just able to purchase single products from them without having to go through signing up for anything?

Holly - posted on 01/30/2009

I can't be for sure, but it looked like Gen was talking about Melaleuca's Renew Lotion. They also have a Renew Bath Oil and children's bath products. It's not actually natural though. When I was a member of Melaleuca, the training we went to was very specific in telling us that we could not call it "natural" because it had man-made chemicals in it. We had to call it "safer" and mention that the chemicals were food grade or time-tested to be safe compared to newly developed chemicals. I don't say that to scare you away though, just to let you know Renew is not natural, so she may have been talking about something else. The Renew does work miracles on eczema though! Absolute miracles and it is safe enough to use as diaper rash, on chapped lips, etc.

Christine - posted on 01/26/2009

Hi Gen,

I would love to know what this lotion is!

Thanks

Christine

Gen - posted on 01/26/2009

My son is 3 yr old and has had eczema since he was about 6 months old. It can be allergies but it can also be the bad chemicals that are put into all these baby lotions and shampoos etc...

Formalehyde is iabeled as Quaterium-15 and is found in most baby/kid products. That is a known carcinogen.

I use a natural lotion on him that is absolutely amazing. He was on steriods until I found this.I lotion him up 2 times a day and no more eczema! They also have shampoos and bath oils and so much more!

If you are interested in what it all is-  let me know!

Lisa - posted on 01/26/2009

Try removing wheat from your diet as well as dairy. It make take a few weeks to see a difference. Adding flax seed oil may help too. I used to add a few drops of xtra virgin olive oil to my baby's bath to moisturize his skin. Don't use Johnson & Johnson products. Hope this helps.

Lisa - posted on 01/25/2009

I have found a great natural product for excema. I have suffered w/ excema since I was 14 (now 37) I tried everything, including prescription creams. nothing worked. I found Renew in March of 06 and am in my 3rd winter with NO excema!!!!! I can't tell you how this has improved my quality of life. you can check out the company that makes it at www.melaleuca.com. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Lisa - posted on 01/18/2009

Eczema is usually an indicator of allergies. Remove wheat from your diet as well. Try using Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil on his skin. Good Luck...I know what your going through.

Holly - posted on 01/18/2009

He was 3 years when we started using it full strength topically. Before then, we just added like 10 drops to his bottle of baby wash. We have a product that is like neosporin with tea tree oil in it. Some products are called "salve" or "balm." I think anything of that nature works great because it seals the skin from having contact with other things while it locks in moisture and nourishes the skin.

Christine - posted on 01/17/2009

Quoting Holly:

You can also just put regular oatmeal in the bath, something like quaker instant oats, then add 3 drops each chamomile, lavender and bergamot oils to the bath.  Stir it up real well and then soak!  You'll have to rinse the oatmeal off, but it'll work wonders while it's on.  Tea tree oil really helped my son as well, applied directly to the patches of eczema.

I have a fabulous Medical Herbalist, and I asked him about tea tree oil and he said it was far too strong for a baby's skin, how old was your son when you applied it?

Christine - posted on 01/17/2009

Hi everyone thanks for your replies on helping my baby boy with eczema. We went and got allergie tests the other day and he appears to have no food allergies, we are still waiting on the results from the inhalant tests - these are the ones we are most concerned about as my husband gets bad hayfever. We also have two dogs and a cat and are concerned that they may be a factor. Does anyone know any information on this?

Julie - posted on 01/17/2009

Thanks for all the info. I've tried that California Baby and it didn't work. She is allergic to perfumes and dyes so we can't use anything scented like lavender, etc. We have to use Rx for everything right now. Amazing how many of the things you think would work have fragrance in them.
Just in the past day she is flared up all over her little body. Think we are going to try to get the allergy test done b/c we just can't figure this thing out.
Haven't done an oatmeal bath lately so maybe we'll try that. Thanks!

Deborah - posted on 01/16/2009

i agree with the flax oil or meal. You can rub it right on the skin too.

User - posted on 01/14/2009

Hi. My long-time best friend has had extremely bad eczema his whole life (40 years).

he says the only thing that works for him is grape seed oil internally.

i think eczema is one of those things that can have various triggers so you'd have to find those and delete them!...but maybe looking into grape seed oil would be very helpful. you could put it in everything your children eat.

also some people are affected by natural, intense sunlight, either bad or good.

Holly - posted on 01/13/2009

Quoting Michelle:

When my son had bad eczema all over his body I did some research and tried California Baby (a little pricey) sensitive lotion with Calendula cream in it. I also got their sensitive shampoo and conditioner. It worked really well fro my son. Also, aveeno makes a nice baby bath oatmeal. It also helped my son through the eczema. And I always put a packet in  the bath after he has been in the pool. Good luck to you!

You can also just put regular oatmeal in the bath, something like quaker instant oats, then add 3 drops each chamomile, lavender and bergamot oils to the bath.  Stir it up real well and then soak!  You'll have to rinse the oatmeal off, but it'll work wonders while it's on.  Tea tree oil really helped my son as well, applied directly to the patches of eczema.

Michelle - posted on 01/13/2009

When my son had bad eczema all over his body I did some research and tried California Baby (a little pricey) sensitive lotion with Calendula cream in it. I also got their sensitive shampoo and conditioner. It worked really well fro my son. Also, aveeno makes a nice baby bath oatmeal. It also helped my son through the eczema. And I always put a packet in  the bath after he has been in the pool. Good luck to you!

Holly - posted on 01/13/2009

My son was born with eczema. They sent us home from the hospital with cream and it just seemed to get worse. Covered his whole body! I felt horrible and removed everything but chicken, rice and broccoli from my diet! It was awful!! When he was 2 years old we got a new pediatrician. He said the eczema was not food allergies as our first 2 drs said. He said it was something touching his skin, most likely shampoo, baby wash, detergent, lotion, etc. So we switched all that and he was better immediately! It was amazing! We use liquid organic cleaners now and I just add essential oils for the desired effect, lavender/chamomile for the bath, an oil called guardian for our clothes. Might try that. I get mine at www.allnatural4life.com. The cleaner is called Sunshine Concentrated Cleaner and it's about $10. The oils are all about $10 also.

Julie - posted on 01/12/2009

My little girl is 2 1/2 and has extremely bad eczema since a few months old. She was a preemie and is petite for her age. She just hit 20 lbs at 2yrs so the drs have been cautious to test her for allergies. They say b/c she is small and they are I guess worried about her reaction if allergic to something. This is frustrating b/c we have been to dermatologist and are right now using Vanicream products after a laundry list of other meds. Dermatologist said she is allergic to an ingredient in the no perfume/ no dye products. We use no perfumes or dyes in anything, I even try to use only natural products when cleaning so she doesn't touch something that she might react to. She seems to have a reaction to chalk, maybe one of the dyes (?) but that is the only thing I have been able to narrow down. And this is more of an allergic reaction than eczema flairup. She has so many spots so often she calls them her booboos. I really hate for her to be scarred from these booboos. You can tell when the spots heal they are a lighter in color. She is continuously "flaired up" so that term makes no sense to me.
I think I will try the flax seed oil. Should I really push the allergy testing? I don't want her to be hurt by this test but I do want her get better. We've done all the creams and the possibility of them causing cancer or some illness after prolonged use bothers me. The drs seem to have the attitude that she is just going to have flair ups and I need to learn to deal with it and just keep giving her these creams and liquid meds to help with the itchiness. Any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks from a frustrated mommy!

Amy - posted on 01/12/2009

Red Clover may help, as I mentioned to Kendra, but can't be sure.  Ask a Dr who is not against herbal remedies.... or search it yourself online...

Amy

Christine - posted on 01/10/2009

Thanks everyone for your help! Still having issues with the eczema, but we are booked in to have him tested for food allergies so hopefully that will come up with something.

Ellie - posted on 01/05/2009

Oatmeal baths and lots of calendula lotion. And in cold dry months fewer baths. Also you might want to look into food allergies. This works for my son who has had it since birth, not bad but flares up in winter and when he eats alot of white flour and processed foods.

Liz - posted on 01/03/2009

My son has occasional flare ups of eczema and I try to increase his intake of probiotics -- just powdered acidophilus on my fingers for him -- which boosts his immune system. I have a friend whose son has had more severe problems and she took him to see a Doctor of Chinese medicine, who prescribed herbal poultices that have worked well. I think the general idea behind the Chinese medicine is that eczema is an indicator of too much "heat" in the body; you can google what that may mean, but basically stick to well-cooked, non-spicy and easier to digest foods. Hope this helps!

Brandy - posted on 01/01/2009

Flax seed is GREAT for eczema. My nephew had eczema so bad they told my sister he was at a higher risk for childhood asthma! She started putting flax oil in everything he ate as well as in her diet and it took care of the skin problems (he was on solids and still BF at the time). If she skipped one day she could see the eczema flair back up. Flax seed is great for boosting immune system too. Just remember you need to ingest it ground or in oil form and do not cook. I have a 2 year old and he has gotten ground since he started eating solids, I put it in everything from scrambled eggs (after cooked) to yogurt/cottage cheese to oatmeal... anything that stirs basically. I hope this helps...

Rachel - posted on 12/11/2008

Would calendula cream help?

Joann - posted on 12/08/2008

You can try using Nioxin shampoo(you can find it at a salon) as a body wash. It is an all natural product I used on my daughter from head to toe. It promotes healthy scalp-skin. Then you can follow it with you choice of body moisturizer.

Maia - posted on 12/04/2008

The same thing happened with my oldest son at about that age. I went off wheat and dairy for about a year and took him to a homeopath to "detox" from the vaccines he had gotten. We haven't done any vaccines since then and he can tolerate wheat and dairy on his own now (he's almost 5). Skin problems can be persistent, but it should be easy to beat with the right homeopath or naturopath. Just remember that the cream only covers up the problem, whatever is causing it is still there. Also, the cream my pediatrician prescribed had a black box warning that it may cause cancer that she didn't bother to tell us about. Definitely research the prescription before using it.

Jaynie - posted on 12/03/2008

Well done for still feeding I gave up at 3 months,our eldest Nephew got shocking eczema as a little one my sister bathed him in this stuff call Pinatarsol it's a bit smelly but it seemed to help not sure if you can still get it though