Dealing with Eczema

As strange as thismay sound, it does work. Put apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball and wipe the affected area. Do this several times a day. This is according to the vinegar book. There is something in the apple cider vinegar that helps with the Ph in the skin. I had a neighbor that suffered from eczema and she tried the vinegar and said it helped better than the Rx meds she had. I have also used the vinegar with the pets when they get "hot spots" from chewing n themselves for various reasons, including flea outbreaks. Yes, the area smells of "pickle" but it does work and it is enexpensive.

All 3 of my kids have it. We buy Vitamin E gel caps. You just poke a hole in it and apply the vitamin E directly to the spots. It will clear up quickly.

there is some great stuff called robathol-the pharmacy keeps it, but its not prescription. Works great, esp. paired with kerofoam emmolient (you do need a prescription for this). i tried everything, and this combo also healed my chronically dry heels!!!

triamcimalone (prescription) for itching...get the cream, not ointment.

My 2 year old has eczema. We have tried many of the things recommended here. We also had blood drawn at 8 months old to only discover peanut allergy. I breasfed her till 17 months and her skin never got better avoiding peanuts or using all sorts of creams. We ended up getting her body scanned at a natural doctor and discovered food sensitivities to several foods. Since we have eliminated them she is much better. During a major flareup before the scan we did use a prescription cream. I hated to but it helped me get it under control so we didn't have to see her suffer. We had many sleepless nights of scratching. The place we got the scan done was at Whole Body Healing Center with Dr. Shawn in Lewisville. Here is the link http://www.wholebodyhealingcenter.com/SCIO.shtml
I feel your pain and hope you find something to help you soon.

R.- I feel your pain! My little girl is 2, and we have battled eczema since she was 3 months. I tried the convential route first...steroid creams, antihistamines, etc. But I have to tell you, the holistic approach is the only way I have found to treat the cause instead of reactively treating the symptoms. A couple of things that made a huge difference at our house- dustmite proof your house, at the very least, your son's mattress. Wash his bedding in dye free detergent and use a mite-killing laundry additive (nationalallergy.com). Put a shower filter in the bathrooom where you bathe him. It removes the chlorine and other irrigtants in the water. Big help! If those measures seem too extreme or out of budget, then at the very least, I would suggest giving him 2 supplements--A daily probiotic powder (Whole Foods or Sprouts) you can mix in his milk or yogurt, and Flax Seed Oil that we mix in our daughter's yogurt at breakfast. Do a google search on flax oil and eczema. And on probiotocs/immune system. I PROMISE that if you start putting good bacteria in his tummy and the Omega 3-6-9s that are in the Flax (amazing skin moisturizer and anti-inflammatory), you WILL BE AMAZED! Remember to educate yourself! Doctors are simply NOT taught enough about natural approaches in school. It's unfortunate. Good luck to you!

I have used non-prescription "Gold Bond" cream for itchy skin. It does not have any steroids, has natural ingredients. I would ask his doctor to see if it is okay for a child as young as yours, though, before using. Not sure if it can be used for large areas of outbreak.

R.,

Try Gentle Natural's Baby Eczema cream. My daughter also suffered from eczema when she was a baby and this cleared it right up. I have been able to find this at Target, Walmart and most drugstores.

Good Luck

http://www.gentlenaturals.com/products/eczema_cream.cfm

R.,

My son also had eczema and we use flax oil in his bath. We
also have him take it orally. Cottage cheese it believed to make the oil even more effective. It worked so well my son will ask for his oil with the cottage cheese. Google the cottage cheese and flax or fish oil and it will list many benifits to from brain, nerve and skin health. In fact the oil is good for your heart and vascular system.

____@____.com

My 6 year old daughter has excema on her bottom, so does her cousin. The best thing I have found is a lotion called Renew, you can find it at Meleleuca.com. It is all natural ingredients. It only took a couple of days for her excema to clear up, also her cousin tried it after trying everything our pediatrician gave them or suggested to them and Kristen (his mother) was amazed, he had a staph infection and it cleared everything right up, they are sold. I hope this works for you! They also have a bath oil that you can put in his bath water, just a drop goes a long way. Good luck!!
L. Wilson

I have found that the detergent I use greatly affects the skin in my house. My family has hereditarily had exzema. My dad has it, I have it, and my children all have it to some degree. We use Melaleuca products with alot of success. You can google that. It is a company that sells "wellness" products. I do not "sell" the products nor consult. I have a friend who does. If interested, you can email me, off-site. We use several of the products. Mainly the laundry and cleaning supplies, skin lotions. Not so much the food and vitamin supplements, but truthfully have tried most everything.
I would recommend cutting down on hot water baths. Using the aquaphor is great. As far as steroid cream, we use Elidel. It is not steroid based and the side effects are less. It can even be used on the face. Which is where mine breaks out, on my entire upper lip and bottom of nostrils and on my left eyelid currently. If you are concerned about the side effects of the steroid use over the long term, I would also recommend the over-the-counter strength. Try to avoid the face as much as possible. I have also found that when I am on naprosyn for my foot pain and take it regularly, ie: daily, the anitinflammatory effects take care of all of my eczema. I know that is not a good choice for a baby, but perhaps keep it in your mind for when he is older.
I have also found that when I am in the sun, the exposure helps the patches on my face. And seems to help my kids as well. I have not noticed them to have outbreaks so much with food as to laundry detergent and soap. I rarely change products for them. You are welcome to contact me then I will give you email address for off-line chatting.
Good luck,
L. S.

my son is almost 3. We realized he had food allergies at about 10 months. Same issues as you described bleeding from scratching so much. Our allerist, Dr. Bob Lanier ###-###-####
of fort worth recommeded nightly a dose of an antihistimine. Because they do scratch so much at night. My son was waking up due to the itchies. Also our pedi dermatologist) Dr Ghali ###-###-#### 1325 W. Northwest Hwy Grapevine, Tx) recommeded wet/dry jammies. After your babies bath, get a pair of jammies wet and put them on. Then put a dry pair of jammies on top. (footed jammies work best on top) Let your son play around for about 30 minutes. After you take of the jammies cream him up with the aquaphor. Dr. Ghali recommended Cetaphil, we also use Eucerin. And a reminded, clip and file your son's nails to reduce the scratched up skin. Short baths or even skip a bath, to reduce dry skin. Dr. Lanier recommeded Probiotics. You can google it, but it's usually used for bowel health but has some possible benefits for eczema. It's not RX, I buy it at the sunflower shoppe in Fort Worth. They properlly sell it at Central Market/ WHole Foods. Dr. Lanier also said that ?% of allergy/eszema kis will out grow it, but they get asthma. Yuck!! My prayer is that my son will not get asthma. Keeping a food diary is helpful while trying to elimate some things. My son's list was derived from the allergy test we did and from our own experience. I'm going to give you his list as maybe something to look out for....PEANUTS, all tree NUTS, Soy, egg whites, strawberries, Raspberries,peas, GARLIC, ONION, tomatos, sweet potatoes, mac n cheese, beans, chocolate, watermelon, pineapple, cantalupe,corn, CORN SYRUP, pears, most preprocessed junk,& mcdonalds chicken nuggets.
I think it's something to do with red coloring natural and artifical.
My son eats alot of dairy. Thank goodness he is not allergic to that. He like yobaby yogart. My pediatrician was minimally helpful, sounds like your is also minimally helpful. I would recommed you guys see specialist.
You'll properlly get a ton of emails like mine, but if you want any additional info email me back.

B.
____@____.com

My 6 yr old boy had eczema from the time he was 6 months until he was about 4 yrs. It's horrible...I sympathize. We were finally able to overcome it about the time I went totally organic on the skin care products. We used Burt's Bees shampoo, Dr. Bronner's "baby mild" soap, and "Alba un-petroleum jelly" (instead of Aquaphor which was recommended by my pediatrician). You can find all of these at Whole Foods and similar stores. Of course my husband thinks it is a total coincidence and he just outgrew the eczema but I think it was because of the skin care products. In my son's case, I don't think it was related to food at all because he was tested negative for all food allergies. But all kids are different and you have to be your kid's "mommy scientist" to determine what works for them. Good luck!!

My hubby has eczema and it drives him nuts. He went through a case so bad that it looked like 3rd degree burns. He was using the prescription cream which helped some but like your son, the itching was almost unbearable. Then about a year ago, one of the old inmates at the jail where hubby works, told him about an old remedy. He told him to put Head and Shoulders on his outbreaks, let it set for a while then shower off. Every time since then that he starts to flake and itch, he just doses it with H & S and it doesn't erupt, it goes away. It has stayed away for over a year now. I just told my niece and she used it on her baby and his went away also. So this might be a good alternate besides a cream with a lot of side effects. Good Luck!!

My sis-n-law, Judy G, told you about the Renew lotion in her post.

I can tell you so many ways that you are hendering your child's eczema from healing up and staying healed. CHEMICALS are in every thing we use in our homes to clean, bathe, and wash our clothes. You HAVE to rid your home environment of ALL the CHEMICALS in order to make a difference. I know this for a fact, because I have done it. I have been with a company that manufactures non-toxic products for 3 yrs now. The company is 24 yrs old, and has over 350 products! You will never have a good handle on the eczema as long as you still use the chemically enhanced products in your home. Even if you just use the Renew lotion...the chemicals in your other products are still going to make it flare up.

Even the TIDE FREE....is chemically enhanced. The chemical names are masked by other "non-chemical" sounding names. Believe me....I've done a ton of research on this! As my husband has (had) eczema extremely bad....the dermatologist wanted to put him on a steriod, and my husband said NO WAY. Then we found this company I'm talking about, and the results are fabulous!!

Please contact me asap, and I will get you all the info you need. My email is ____@____.com

Thanks & good luck to ya,
S. P.

Take a look at a book called "healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. Here's the URL: http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Child/dp... In the book he talks about many things that effect our little ones and one area is sleep and it's connection to eczema. I know you have to take from sources what pertains to you, but this applied routine helped us through the difficult sleep habits of our small children. I hope it will bring you some new insight as well.

I have dealt with eczema for many years, and my now 2 year old son has had it since he was about three months old. Although there is no cure for eczema I have found something that works better than even the steroids did. I have eliminated all of the harmful chemicals out of the home, and started using a bath oil and lotion called Renew! I have been using this for 1 1/2 and my son and I have been out break free for that time period! I would love to visit with you more. I don't distribute these products. I simply show you how inexpensive it is and where you can buy it. The company also offers a 100% money back guarantee! I look forward to talking with you soon. You can respond to this email or give me a call at ###-###-####. I can't tell you how much these products have made a difference in my families life! And they are very economical!
H. M.

I shop with a wellness company called Melaleuca. They have a product called Renew Intensive Skin Therapy. It is excellent for eczema! I can get you more information if you want it. You can also check out my website. www.livetotalwellness.com/maxwell

I have eczema and have recently tried extra virgin coconut oil rubbing it on 2x a day morning and night. It has done wonders taking the itching away and my eczema has almost disappeared. This is all natural and I would have tried it on my children if I had known about it when they were young. You can try the vitamin or health food stores. I ordered some online thru puritan's pride. I've been thru the steriod creams and I agree with you I would not use it on a baby.

please check out www.naet.com!!!! it is a life changer! C.

I would take him to an alergist. You never know... Second, get a tube of Boudreaux's Butt Paste at Wal-mart. I think it'll solve almost any itch.

I'm sure others have said this, but try Arbonne's ABC line. Use the wash for hair and body, followed by the body oil (no mineral oil) and then the lotion. Stay with it and you will see improvements. Find a rep in your area so you can pay wholesale price. It's all I will use on my kids! Good luck.

My son is 10 months old and he dealt with ezema really bad from 2 months to 8 months old, then I took him to Dr.Gali, a pedi dermatoligist in Grapevine, he determined he was allergic to his carseat material. Once we changed his car seat, he has been fine ever since. So, I totally recommend going to him. WE tried diet, formula change, soap change, ect...nothing worked until we changed the car seat.
Good luck!

My 2yr old daughter has had eczema for about a yr now and we have tried the steriod cream. I am like you and want to limit the number of times we use it. Thankfully i havent had to use it in a while since we began our new regimen. I take my daughter a bath in warm water... not too hot and i use DOVE soap. After I towel her off i use shea butter from the palmer's brand and mix it with sarna sensitive lotion. She hadn't had any occurences in a while. I was told that stress, heat and porr diets can make eczema worse. Let me know if this helps you.

Hi i have had excezma since i was four and i am now 16 i go to a doctors office caled dr.moore she is wonderful with excezma and skin diseases! clobetasol is what i use it is a steriod but it will take the rash and itching away to were it is just like regular skin! I also get steriod shots beacause when the season changes it gets really bad so u have to keep it underconrol. but if u need the number for her office or more info just let me know please ! i would love to help because i know how annoying and painful it could be at times !

My now 5.5 month old daughter had baby eczema when she was about 3 months old...I switched over all detergents to free & clear, use cetaphil liquid soap for bath, and the cetaphil cream for moisturizing. It seems to have helped greatly (the doctor did tell me to apply hydrocortisone cream on the patches that were real bad, which I did sparingly). You might already be doing all the stuff I mentioned, but I thought I would try and help...it seemed to help clear up my daughter's skin quite a bit.

My son had it as a toddler, and they didn't have everything that they have now, but they had Domeboro bath powder. I don't think it was a prescription, but it was a fine oatmeal like (if not actual) powder... almost like baby powder, that you put in the bath water and let him soak. It stopped the itching right away.

I did not give him regular baths with soap and water when he was really having a bad outbreak. I'd do the Domeboro or just wipe him down.

Use the steroid cream. I know it says awful stuff but eczema is like a rash... it spreads if you don't stop it. So use the steroid cream as soon as he breaks out so he doesn't have an extreme event.

Heat was horrible for eczema, so keep him in and dressed in cool cotton as much as possible.

If Renew is the latest and greatest I would try that.

R.,
poor baby i remember the days i would want to cry seeing my son scratch you could actually hear it and finding the flakes of skin on his bed sheets it was horrible as he had it everywhere except the diaper area and the bottom of his feet.try to avoid the steroid creams they actually will make them have more severe flare ups i am sure you will know most of this stuff only cotton clothing preferably white it has less dye ,extra rinse cycle with perfume free detergent as well as lotions perfume free.i used to lather my son in yes this sounds gross but its actually a loion it was called utter cream (like for cows)and with the fragrance free eucerin in the jar vaseline will also help some not much with the cracking open also becareful for secondary infections as he will have lots of open areas on his skin which are prone to staph,herpes,etc...and finally after 10 doctors and lots of money i went to gnc and found out you can put a little tea tree oil in the bath water it worked pretty well my son the specialist said had one of the worst cases he had ever seen he pretty much out grew it by the age of 4-5 still has dry elbows but try and avoid milk products some times that alone is the prob, and acidic fruits and veggies especially tomato sauce and eggs thats the worst keep a journal and becareful with peanut butter children who have eczema tend to have asthma and other allergies my son ate peanut butter and almost died hope this helps some would love to know if you give the tea tree oil a shot it does help good luck and my thoughts are with you :)

My grandson always had a terrible time with eczema until we tried the Arbonne baby care line. I worked wonderfully. I have a copy of a letter from a pediatrician that says Arbonne is the first thing she recommends to her patients now for eczema. I would love to get you a sample to try if you would like. Just e-mail me at ____@____.com and let me know, and I can also forward you the letter.
L. C

Try Arbonne skin care -- they have wonderful products to deal with eczema, let me know if I can help. I would start with the skin conditioning oil, and the rejuvenating cream -- or look at their baby line -- super products.
A. Evans - mom of 2, grandmother of 2

My 2 yr old daughter has suffered with eczema since she was born. We only use fragrance free bath soap and lotion (Aveeno), laudry detergent and fabric softner. This has helped to the point of clearing it up entirely. Of course if she uses any product with any kind of fragrance in it, or wears clothes washed in laundry detergent with fragrance, it returns for a short time. But we love the Aveeno lotion and 1 day of use clears it up. Hope we can help!

My 8 month old has patches of eczema too. My pedi said to put cortisone cream so we got some cortisone 10 and it goes away within days. Its been a life saver! Nothing else has worked for us and I am really not sure why he gets it because he started getting it when he was only formula fed. He had not had any baby foods yet. I was just happy to finally find something that did work! Good Luck!

Hi R.,
I don't want to seem like I am tooting my own horn, but I have an all natural soap that helps a lot of my customers with this type of problem. I would be happy to send you a bar if you would like to try it, free of charge. You can read about the soap, Bella Bar's, on my web site www.naturalgourmetcandles.com. Just let me know if you would like to try it. D. P...My biz is listed on Mommasource. Blessings to a sweet baby boy...

R., My husband and I are raising my 2 year old grand daughter. She has had Eczema since she was born. We have been through the aqua phore, Locoid, and Topicort. It gets better and then it comes back. You also need to be aware that sometimes when you take him outside, if the wind is blowing really hard, he might break out all over. For some reason, the wind will make you have a sudden out break of eczema. On one occasion, my grand daughter was oveer at my mom and dad's and she broke out suddenly. My mother knew someone that their grand son had eczema really bad. He had gone to a Dermatologist, and this is what he said to do. When they are really itching, put them in the bath tub, wash them with Dove Soap only. After they get out of the Bath Tub, geto some crisco and cover their body with it, while their little body is still wet. It seals in the moisture. After you put on the Crisco, just kinda pat them dry. Don't rub it off. And, then, put their Cortisone on them, and they won't itch. I can tell such a difference. Yes, I know, it sounds crazy, but i'm telling you, it works.

A little about me: I'm 45 and looking for a job right now. My Husband and I have full custody of our 2 year old grand daughter. Yes, she keeps us on our toes!!!

We had eczema with both of our children, but we have it under control now.

Doctors advised using no soap when bathing except gentle, Dove soap, on diaper area. We also slathered them in Lubriderm or Eucerine. Diaper area - Bag Balm or vaseline.

Eczema was better, but it was completely under control when we stopped using dryer sheets and fabric softeners. We still use Dreft for laundry, with no dryer sheets or softeners.

I have a 3 year old that had a bad spot on his face and his head for several years. It also seemed to be somewhat of a fungus. Especially the part on his scalp and legs. We tried different things because I did not want to use the steroids either. I took him to a private health food store and they looked at the different spots and suggested a cream, supplements and diet change. There is a whole body healing center in Lewisville that works specifically on natural healing through diet change and supplements. I understand they have a high success rate were medicine fails. I did not have much luck with the expensive Aquaphor. Aloe Vera is available in the gel form as well.

I have to agree with Janet...renew is the best!! Give it a try!!

Good luck!!
T.

Hi my name is Na'Tasha and I live in the Hurst area. I actually created some oragnic/natural lotion for my son who suffers from severe eczema.

When first diagnosed, the pediatrician gave him some topical steriods to treat his condition. Once we received it I read the warning label and it said that if used to much it can thin out the skin! Isn't that crazy?! Why would I want to use that on my baby?

Anyway....I would love to give you a sample just to see if it would work for your little one. It has greatly helped my 3 kids. If it works then great!! If not, then at least you tried and you didn't loose anything right? ((((smile)))

Please email me and let me know. I'm available after 5:30pm during the week and on the weeekend of course.

____@____.com

I hope to hear you soon!

Na'Tasha

All 3 of my boys have severe eczema and asthma. They suffered greatly until we finally figured out what was triggering their symptoms. We thought for sure it was a food or environmental (pet, pollen, etc) issue. It wasn't! Theirs was a chemical issue! They are sensitive to chemicals like formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, and ammonia. Once we stopped using things with those chemicals, they got so much better within just a couple of weeks.

As my boys' allergist told me, it is important that you stop the itch-scratch cycle. First, you need to find a good moisturizing lotion. We've tried so many and hands down the best one we've ever used is Renew. Second, you need to figure out what is triggering their symptoms. Keeping a food journal is a good idea but don't discount the possibility that things in the air or on surfaces are, at minimum, secondary triggers for your little one.

My boys were on the maximum recommended dosage for a topical steroid when they were just 18 months old and they were just getting worse. Now my twins are 4 1/2 and they haven't had an eczema outbreak or asthma attack in over a year and a half. I would be happy to tell you precisely what we use. Just PM me!

D.

My 4 1/2 year old daughter has had eczema since she was around 6 months old. We also tried the creams with steroids in them, but after reading the label, felt very uncomfortable giving them to her. I found an eczema cream put out by Gentle Naturals called "Baby Eczema Cream". It works wonderfully. My daughter has always always been one to itch and not tell me until she was nearly to the point of bleeding. I use this cream on her and it soothes it and is very effective in the eczema going away...sadly it always seems to come back! But as I said, this helps her not to itch and can be applied as often as you like. The company also has an "Eczema Baby Wash" that works well. These products can be found at Wal-Mart in the baby department, at Target in the health & beauty section and at Walgreens in the baby product isle as well.

I also recently tried Dermarest for Eczema and I honestly can't tell that it helps as much as the Baby Naturals brand...it certainly doesn't help her to stop itching as quickly.

I also found that when she is having an eczema outbreak if I use even baby lotion on her - it makes it so much worse so we finally began just using the eczema cream in the areas where she has breakouts.

Good luck!! I hope it helps!!

L. F.

Not sure where you live but there is a great dermatoglogist for pediatrics allergy guy. His name is Dr. Leone. He is at the Texas institiute of ashthma and allergy in southlake. My son has it too and we found out he was allergic to dogs, eggs, milk and soy. We had no idea and it did not clear up after we stopped milk but it got alot better, alot better. Benedryl anti itch cream sometimes works but it may burn a little in the front of it then it calms. Mine is four so it is kind of different since I can tell him it only lasts like a minute but with yours it may be more difficult. Also aveno creams work well too and are gentle. Be careful on the the bathing, mine takes a shower every morning and then a bath every night, they just love the water and it is part of our routine but during the summer when we swim alot I have to nix the nighttime bath! Good Luck I know it is misserable.

Stop the cow's milk or milk-based formula. You may need Similac Alimentum or Enfamil Nutrimigen. If you use regular milk, maybe try soy or rice milk for a while. Don't put him in a tub of water for a bath for a week. Use a skin cleanser like the Cetaphil cleanser instead of putting him in water. Massage the cleanser into baby's skin (all over) and wipe it off with a towel. His skin will feel just as clean as using soap. Use the prescribed lotion for the elbow/knee areas that get really dry. Good luck! Oh and you can use Cetaphil lotion or Eucerin as a daily moisturizer.

I feel your pain. My 4 year old has had eczema since he was a couple of months old. I've taken him to a pediatric dermatologist, my dermatologist, an allergist, everywhere! Fruit juice definitely inflames it. When he turned 1 I started giving him Gatorade and Propel water (the Propel with calcium has less sodium than the Gatorade). These were the only two flavored drinks that wouldn't bother his skin. Still to this day that's all he usually drinks. I also use Aquaphor (or Vaseline) and steroid creams (along with some milder creams - to use when the breakouts aren't as bad). He also takes Zyrtec every night before going to bed. If he wakes up scratching really bad I'll put him in a luke warm bath for a few minutes and then reapply the creams. He sleeps with a humidifier in his room to keep moisture in the air. If his feet are really bothering him you can apply alot of Aquaphor to his feet and then socks. When my little boy got a little older we would put his feet in plastic baggies first and then socks (so the cream wouldn't absorb into the socks - just his feet). Also, I changed our laundry detergent and dryer sheets to fragrance free / dye free. This past fall some of his open sores got infected (with pus)which also caused him to have a fever- it was awful! My pedi kept telling to apply steroid cream 3 times a day - this did not work at all. In desperation I took him to my dermatologist. He prescribed an antibiotic and within hours I noticed an improvement. And in 2 days he was almost 100%. I'm telling you this because that was the scariest time for me dealing with the eczema. The infection is so painful and spreads so fast. But the antibiotic was awesome. Another thing that causes flare-ups is certain trees. I haven't figured out which ones they are yet. But eveytime he comes home from my mother-in-laws house (from playing outside) his skin is really inflamed. I hope some of this helps. I know it can be frustrating. Good luck!

I have 3 kids and they all have eczema. Our first born had it the worst. We tried every lotion made for ezcema. Nothing really seemed to help. We did notice that whenever she had any kind of acidic fruit baby food or juice it really seemed to flair up. We also have 2 small dogs in the house and if they ever licked her in the face(she has dog and cat allergies) it always caused it to flair up also. The saliva from the dog causes it, so they say. We also noticed that her ezcema seemed to flair up after being out in the sun. For her the best lotion we found was that really thick cream that comes in a jar(I forgot the name of it but I buy it at Walmart and get the Walmart Equate brand which costs a lot less. It's really really thick, white and looks and feels like lard. I wasn't very fond of putting it on her but it seemed to hold in the most moisture. Her ezcema is easily controlled now that she's older as long as we put lotion on her on a daily basis. The doctors told me that it is very common for children with ezcema to have allergies as well.

First, cortaid plus (I think it has aloe vera in it?) my hubby lives on the stuff, he too will not use the RX unless in really bad cases. Second, my mother finally narrowed my brothers down to apples. and they put apples in almost all of the baby foods, so that could be a big problem, he is in his thirty's now and still can't eat an apple without an outbreak. I know he hydracortison cream sounds harsh, but he one with skin conditioners works better than anything my hubby has ever useed. Hope this helps!

My daughter has had eczema for most of her life but we have found that Omega 3 really helps; she is older and can take a gel cap but Royal Pantry Health Food Store in Duncanville has things for babies also. Joyce is the certified nutritionalist and can help you. I heard her suggesting things to another mom of a baby who had severe eczema. Also, humidity helps my daughter; when she lived in Mississippi, she had NO eczema. Now that she is in Colorado, she suffers all the time. So try putting a humidifier in the baby's room and a pot of water on the stove.

I just read in this months 'Parents' magazine that there is a strong link with eczema and food allergies. Try an eliminiation diet starting with the 'big 8' fish, shellfish, milk, egg, soy, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts such as walnuts, cashews, etc. Add them back in after 10 days at the rate of one food each week. If you are nursing you should do the diet too.

Also consider trying to reduce dust mites- no stuffed animals in his room, vaccuum the mattress weekly or even get one of those high-frequency machines.

Switch to all natural wipes, diapers and shampoo. I recommend Seventh Generation diapers and wipes (pretty cheap on Amazon.com) and California Baby Shampoo.

Have you been running the A/C now that it is warmer? That can dry the air just like winter. Try a humidifier in his room.

R.,
My best friend has a little boy with the same problem. He is alomost 2 know and has had since he was born. She had tied everything for him. Then one day the lady down the street came over to bring me a book and samples from Airborn. I asked her is they carried anything for eczema. She told me they did and it works very good. My friend bought some because like you she didnt want to have to use the cream, and it seemed like she was going to have to all the time. What she got from my neighbor has worked. He still has out breaks bad, but she places him in a cool bath with oatmeal to help with it. If you want to e-mail me off site I can get you in touch with her. My e-mail is ____@____.com
Hope this helps
P. - Arlington

Hi there....I feel your pain....and from what I've been told when they have eczema they usually will have allergies also. My son, who is now a wild 4 y/o has been dealing with it since he was born. We have tried all kinds of stuff. I know about all these holistic remedies sound great but they don't get to the underlying problem.....My doctor presribed 2 creams, one for the face and none serious outbreaks- Protopic...which worked great and it is like vaseline almost. and The other was I think a steroid and we don't use it but when he needs it...but it has worked wonders- it is called locoid and if you don't have insurance it will cost you a pretty penny. it was a lot but it worked and that's what counts....anyway, also the Aquaphor is a life saver and you can use that as many times a day as you like....anyway good luck with everything...

As the mom to a 2 yo with severe atopic dermatitis and dyshydrotic eczema (on her feet) I can emphasize with how overwhelmed you feel with all the information! :) My dtr was 7 months old when we had her allergy tested the first time. She was constantly red and miserable with an upset stomach. She was allergic to casein and whey, the 2 main components of breast milk, along with wheat, egg, and nuts.

14 months later we had her retested (Jan 08) and she is still allergic to milk, casein, egg, tree nuts, cod (fish), carrots, garlic, tuna, pork, beef, and mildly to chicken.

Even avoiding these foods, we still deal with her outbreaks (which are more histamine related) and dry skin. I have begun taking a more naturalistic approach with probiotics, MSM supplements, Flaxseed oil, and using Bragg's organic apple cider vinegar in her diet. She is bathed (daily, despite the contradiction) for 10 minutes with either 1/4 cup of bleach or I use RoBathol which is a cottonsee oil you can purchase online (I have yet to find any pharmacy/drugstore/wholefood or central market that carries it)

We have taken her off of Protopic with the blessing of her pedi (who is WONDERFUL and aggresive with her care) due to having MRSA now, and hospitilized once for lesions on her fingers. Now, eczema suffer's carry more Staph on their skin, but the immunosuppresent property of Protopic was not safe for her anymore. We use only Aquaphor excessively and triamcinolon for her red areas. Mineral oil works very good for very dry patches. We have to watch what we put ON her since she will react to lotions containing nut oil or dairy. www.circleoffriends.com has a great line of allergen free lotions and wash if your son can tolerate them. My drt also eats a few snacks from www.enjoylife.com

She takes Atarax for her puritis and Zyrtec for hives but we are hoping to wean her from the medications if we can treat her from the inside out :)

Read all you can (www.eczema.net), and watch for your son's triggers. Keep a journal of clothing, food, soaps and the liking for a month or so so you can try to pinpoint his flareups or reactions. If there is a family history of allergies, skin problems or asthma it might behoove you to talk with your pedi about allergy testing. Good luck, and as I'm always told...It will get better :)

My 8 year old sons eczema was so bad it ran from his elbows where it was large red welps that itched and bled, up his arms across his back and chest, up his neck and had begun to show behind his knees and on his eyelids. We tried everything. We began to give him NAET treatments(usually a chiropractor or acupunturist will do this) after 6 weeks he was completely free and we haven't had any problems since March. There's a webiste where you can find a practioner I know there are several in DFW.

Hi,

I have a 3 1/2 year old and a 15month old. Both of my kiddos have had bouts with eczema and both times we went straight to the allergist. My oldest was 1 1/2 when we went and they did the skin prick test to determine he was allergic to eggs and wheat, my littlest was too small for the skin prick so we did a blood draw and found a milk allergy. Once the known culprits were alleviated from the diet the eczema all but disappeared. I would suggest going to an allergy specialist for a blood draw and mention the fruit seems to make it worse so they can test for all fruits. In the meantime, use an oatmeal based soap instead of baby soaps (we use Aveeno) and discontinue all lotions as they don't really do anything except dry out baby skin anyway. Also, we used hydrocortisone twice a day and "sealed" it in with Aquaphor. Hope that helps!

R.-
My son and a friend's child had similar issues. Our pediatriians (in different states) recommended Eucerin Original Creme. It's the sister brand to Aquaphor, but more mild. Eucerin's website even has the creme listed under baby products specifically to help dry eczema skin.
TRY IT!!!!

P.S. It's also great for the heels of MY feet ;)

I have dealt with dermatitis since I was 10 months old and I am no 43. I have a 5 year old daughter that started having the same problems when she was about 2. I researched on the internet because I didn't want her to go through all the things I had to go through. I found a product called Freederm. This was invented by a woman who was having the same problem with her child. I just happened to find this by accident when I was researching what to use for mosquito bites. It is only around $30.00 a jar and it has a money back guarantee. I ordered this on a Wednesday received it by Friday and my skin and my daughter's skin was cleared up by Monday. If you will long on to their website at Freederm.com you will see my testimonial. I think it is the longest one on there and there is also a picture of my daughter. She is wearing blue and has the blonde hair. When I first ordered the product it had the tiniest amount of cortisone in it but my daughter's pediatrician said it was the smallest amount you could have in a product. Since then they have developed an all natural product. They sent me the new product and right away I knew they had changed it and I sent them an email. The newer product didn't work as well for us and it seemed to burn when you put it on your skin which the old product does just a tiny bit but on my daughter I just blow on it while I apply it. They still make both the medicated and natural product you just have to specify which you prefer. Just get on their website and read all the testimonials. I was crying because I know what they were going through and then seeing your child go through the same thing is unbearable. I hope this helps you and if you try the product I hope you won't have to search anymore!

Our little boy who will be six in July suffered with this for four and a half years. It was so bad that at times, he had it everywhere on his body. We along with his pedi tried everything. He also has asthma. They finally put him on singular to help with the asthma and this seemed to do the trick for both. He toook this for one year straight and now he only has mild break outs when the weather starts to warm up and the trees are in bloom. For that, we use hydroxia or something like that, ask your pedi they should know, doctors use this for their own skin due to having to wash their hands so much. It is a prescription clear lotion that has no alcohol or perfumes and hydrates the skin better than anything we tried. Your son is too young for singular but they make a liquid that keeps them from itching at night, it is hydroxzine. We used that also but only at night. We found that any acidic fruits and tomatoes were keep to flairing up his exema but he loved tomatoes and pineapple and would sneek to get them, so we had to just keep trying different remedies. I thought this would never get better but it did so, keep hope, it does get somewhat better with age.

My daughter had eczema and I didn't want to use the steroids either. I started using Arbonne baby products. I mixed the body oil with the lotion and applied 2-3 times a day. I also used the bodywash and sunscreen. Her skin was better about a week later and when she would have breakouts I just made sure to aplly the lotion and oil. Hope this helps.

R.- I'm sure you are, but make sure you are using a laundry detergent that is "free and clear". Also, you might want to try CeraVe lotion and cleanser. I buy it at CVS. My daughter was the same way and this is what helped her. You should not be bathing him with soap, but rather with a cleanser. Soap dies out the skin, so no bubble baths of any sort either. I hope that helps! -K.

Hi - I've had eczema on and off since I was small. First, forget the pedi and get him to a dermatologist, if you haven't already. If he is scratching till he bleeds, this could cause an infection and then its onto antibiotics. Keep the area open and as dry as you can; spend some time outside and let the sun help. Swimming helps; the coolness of the water seems to help me. He should take tepid showers, not hot and I'm sure you've learned about Aveeno products by now (oatmeal baths, itch creams, etc.). The steroid creams are not as strong as the clear gel types but steroid do cause skin atrophy (thin skin) when used a log time. You might also want to see an allergist; typically kids with eczema have other allergies as well. Above all, keep those nails cut short; they are like razors on his tender skin. I don't know about diet causing it; I guess it's worth a try. Good luck and pray that he grows out of it.

In addition to using a water filter for his bath water and using minimal soap on his skin, have you tried Gentle Naturals Baby Eczema Cream? It worked wonders for both of my fair skinned, eczema prone kiddos. I wanted to avoid steroids and this worked for us.

I know your pain all to well I am the mommie of 2 out of 3 with eczema ages 8 and 18 months. One of the main triggers of eczema is citrus fruits it is very BAD! Keep him moisturized and I know you may not want to use the steroid creams but they are a must have for both of my eczema suffers. Also if he has a milk allergy that will trigger it as well, and you cannot bathe or keep him in water for long periods of time becasue as we all know water dries out the skin. Hope I was able to help................oh also try the aveeno line I use it one the 18 month old and the oatmeal baths help as well!!!

You are on the right track with diet. I highly recommend going to Healthy Approach in Colleyville. It's a health store that I consult first for all our family ailments or once I have a diagnosis from the Dr. I see what they recommend before using a prescription like a steroid cream. to date, they have never steered me wrong. My son had psoriosis for the first time this year. Doc prescribed steroid cream. Went to Healthy Approach and followed what they said, most was diet related and it was gone within two weeks and hasn't come back in months. Good luck!

I have a product that has helped many children with eczema that I would love to tell you about. It is through a company by the name of Arbonne International. They do not use animal by-products, mineral oil, chemicals, dyes or fragrances in their products. They have a great baby line that has helped with eczema. You can reach me at ###-###-####.

I have recently (last 2 years) had an extreme problem with something like this, although I believe, as do the doctors, that is has to do with a hormonal imbalance from my last pregnancy. Having said that, though, no one seems to be able to help with what I call my "flesh eating disease." So, I have been researching like a fiend.

I, like you, believe that diet has a lot to do with it. The research says that people with eczema should consume more vitamin A, lay off the gluten, and eat the yellow fruits and veggies. There is an eczema site...like the eczema foundation...and there is a wealth of information there.

In your baby's case, most doctors agree that eczema in childhood is temporary and they usually outgrow it. I, too, have been given the cream to use and am not one to use medications, etc...but in this case, I use the cream. People like me, and your kiddo, face higher risk of infections from the lesions or thin skin associated with eczema. So, I guess weigh the risks of each. Eczema has been linked with auto-immune disorders and infection is not a good thing for us.

It sounds like you are doing a great thing with the journaling. I would have recommended that you do that as well. Make sure he is well hydrated.

I found these sites last night, in fact, while I was researching for myself. I hope they help in some way

http://www.rusticgirls.com/health/eczema-help-guide.html
http://www.allergyclinic.co.nz/guides/13.html
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/eczema_a...
http://www.nationaleczema.org/home.html

I think research is the key for anyone. I have read many of the responses and if you havent already, once you start reading the research, you will quickly realize that some people have eczema from contact with an allergen...usually a detergent or cleaning solution. Some people have an allergy to food. Some people have a hormonal imbalance...there really are many types and it certainly behooves you to start narrowing down and ruling out types so you can address the issue. We did the detergent thing - using mild, fragrance free, etc - to no avail. We have done the vitamin E, fish oil, I have had an enormous battery of allergy tests, etc to no avail.

I guess the point is that while we all have something to offer by way of advice, it seems that each person's case is very individual. Research, research, research. Just dont try more than one "remedy" at once or you wont know what really works.

Ok, I have been long winded enough. Good luck!

My son is 11 and we have struggled with severe eczema all his life. It has gotten progressively worse. We just started seeing a dermatologist after being treated with many many things by the pediatrician and the allergist. I will not give you the huge run down of treatment we do, because I don't know what is appropriate for an infant. (My son was a little older before he had outbreaks) But here are some of the basic facts about eczema, straight from the dermatologist: Ecz feeds on itself, if you have spots that are not in remission, they will grow and spread. Itching is absolutely the ENEMY. My son was just switched from his regular antihistimine to an older, cheaper one that I know comes in liquid form, Hydroxizine. It is better for itching. Ask your pedi about it, again, the infant thing, I am not a doctor! The derm STRESSED that ecz skin is *weak, sensitive* skin. He said that it was NOT allergy, but my son does have severe allergies and (Allergies, eczema and asthma are often seen together in patients) the derm has tweaked antihistimine and ordered nasal rinsing, so....

What has worked best for us to get it cleared up, are daily baths. There is a product "Robathol" you can get it at Fort Worth Pharmacy on Oakmont, or probably any other "compounding" pharmacy. It is cottonseed oil and is extremely light(it can penetrate the skin, doesn't just sit on top like other oils). Allergist gave this regimen that worked at the time, (but derm has added many ingredients, that you likely don't want to start with.)
Allergist has son in daily bath (not too hot) soak 10 min, add Robathol (1 tbsp), soak 10 more. (dermatologist ordered daily baths, but said to put all ingredients in at start and soak 10 min, so tweak for what your baby will handle time-wise) PAT dry, never rub...scratching and rubbing send a trigger to the body that says "injury response! trauma! make this patch of skin really thick like a scab" not what you want. Immediately after the bath, put on cream (we've used Aquafor, the allergist recommended "Vanicream"), or a good lotion (use the steroid cream on the hot spots, under the cream - do it as recommended by doctor, for at least a week, unless the doc said fewer days, I am hesitant about steroids too, but sometimes nothing else will touch it!) put the cream all over.

You will be amazed at how well this works. If you will be agressive and consistent with the treatment. My son was cleared up in '05, but got incrementally back to bad and then worse (he's older and covers it up, so it was harder for me to keep tabs...) The dermatologist started him on twice daily baths for 5 days then daily for 3 weeks, now 3-5 baths a week, in the bath we have to put 5 ingredients, then 3 products after the bath, along with oral hydroxizine for itching, fishoil, viogen C, and nasal rinsing and he added a shampoo and scalp treatment. It's exhausting and expensive, so get on top of it and stay on top of it! Your baby will be more likely to outgrow it if you keep it under control, I think.

Sorry to be so long, please feel free to email me directly if you have any questions, and I'd be happy to give you my number. Best of luck with the cure!

My son has eczema and I use Arbonne's baby care line. It clears it right up. Two of my nephews had it as bad as you are describing your son's and after using the ABC (Arbonne Baby Care) they haven't had an outbreak since (it's been 2 yrs). The wash, lotion, and oil are safe for the most sensitive skin types. The oil helps with scarring too. If you would like a free sample, or further information please contact me directly. ____@____.com or ###-###-####. Good Luck! I hope he gets some relief for the summer!

Warm Regards,
C.

R.,
I would reccommend using a product called Skinlogics for Sensitive Skin. It is - FRAGRANCE FREE
OIL FREE
GLUTEN FREE &
NON-COMEDOGENIC

A friend of mine uses it for her entire family! It can be ordered online at; www.beautipage.com/ktaylor76

The cleanser will NOT irritate the baby and the moisturizer will help the itching! And it is SAFE to use!

Good Luck,
K.

Hello :)
My daughter who is now 2 1/2 had previously been struggling with eczema as well. We tried prescription lotions etc and everything seemed to just aggitate it and she was uncomfortable , baths would burn etc. I was advised to switch laudry detergent to All Free and Clear and to wash all of our households laundry in the same detergent - for holding her , she using our rags when bathing etc would still be there to aggrivate her skin because of transfer to transfer . Then we bath her with Aveeno - baby so it is as sensitive as it gets. Also light clothing - cotton so the skin can breathe. So far these steps have helped us tremendously and keeps the going to the doctor / prescription visits down. I felt like the pharmacy should be part of my family or something as much as I saw them. Also we have recently had food allergy testing and received the results back today. Deborah Bain , MD, FAAP. Her facility is Healthy Pediatrics # ###-###-####. She has been on channel 11 news a couple of times. I was totally shocked of the results. Soy , wheat gluten , cows milk ... Soy is what we have been informed by her ped to feed her due to her reflux . And eliminating wheat to help autism / sensory issues she also battles. So she is now on gluten free diet and has to switch to rice or goats milk. Everything will work out for you. Just keep positive :)

My 9 month old son also has eczema though not as severe a case as your son. We were told by a mom with a son with severe eczema to use the Cetaphil cream (not lotion), and that has been working really well. We haven't had to use the steroid cream for a while.

Hi R., My son, who is now four, used to get it so bad his skin felt rough like sandpaper and he would have patches and areas that would really get raw and bleed. I tried so many different creams and lotions to get it under control. I finally found one that actually made his skin clear up and even get soft again. BUT you have to be SUPER faithful and put it on every night right after his bath. It is the "Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion" It is in a white tube/container and it has a gold and navy stripe on it. It says "7 intensive moisturizers". You can buy it at walmart for like $8. I would give him a bath everynight before bed and right after his bath I would slather it on all over his body. It is a little bit thick but it REALLY took it all completely away. BUT I had to put it on EVERY night. If I missed a day or two it would really start to get rough again. I hope it helps...it really changed his skin. At first it will be hard because it may sting if his skin is raw but the change will be worth it. Just put it on EVERY night. Good Luck! Let me know if their is a change after at least 2 weeks of faithful use. Hope he gets better!!!

N.

i have the same problem, but im the mom and i have it on my arms. its not real bad, but what i do is take cooler baths or showers cuz the heat it what irratates it. i use baby oil gel, and aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. it cleared it up in days.

HI R.
I have read up on eczema some, and from what I've read it seems that eczema is one outward sign of a milk allergy or sensitivity. another outward sign is ear infections. So I agree with what another mom said about the cow milk stuff... take him off the milk-based formula, do not give him cow-milk products like cheese or yogurt or pudding, and also do wash him with only gentle products like Cetaphil. Yes, baby soap is gentle but still has chemicals in it. Give these things a try for 2 weeks and see if he improves. You are such a great caregiver for taking time to investigate different options instead of just blindly medicating. Good Luck!!

R.,
There are many natural ways to deal with eczema. Please try not to give the baby steriods! There is a homeopath in Dallas. His name is Dr. Dan Cook. ###-###-####.
He can help with eczema and anything else for your child. Try to stretch out his vaccine schedule. There could be too many too soon for him. If your doc says you can't, find a new one. Its unbelieveable hoe thery prescribe steriods for a little 6 month old! You were right to read and keep being proactive for him!!
L.

I don't know how bad he has it, but I have it in my ears, and a couple of other places. I used bag balm (made for cow udders). I would rub it on two or three times a day, for about a week or so. It went away for several years, but is now starting to come back again. My case was not very bad, but like I said, it went away for YEARS!! You can find bag balm at most feed stores. Good luck.

My son had this problem as a baby and toddler. We saw a dermatologist that told us to use Selson Blue shampoo which worked really well on his scalp, we realized accidentally that if we also rubbed it on his body during the bath that the spots went away very quickly - so that's what we would do each time. Worked great and no side effects!
Good Luck

My niece is 13 and still deals with it. As she got old enough to tell us things, she said Aquaphor was hands down the best relief. When she was a baby, the pedi did not catch that the eczema had turned into a staph infection for a bit. You might ask just in case. It's apparently hard to detect. Once they got that fixed, the eczema was a lot easier to deal with. J. D

I would highly recommend having him tested for allergies. My nephew had horrible outbreaks from the time he was about 2 months old till he was 2. His mom and I tried everything (I babysat him for years) and nothing worked including the steroid cream the doctor gave her. I went to the doctor with her one day and suggested to the doctor that it might be allergies and he said it was worth looking into since he was so miserable. My sister had work the next day so I took him to the appointment with the allergist. I have to admit the testing was horrible. I cried he cried we even made the nurse start crying. He was allergic to so many things that his whole back was red from were they had tested him for the numerous allergens. They started him on allergy shots when he was 3 and gave him Zyrtec in for the time being. He is allergic to numerous foods and since he has been off those foods the eczema has completely gone away. Now he hates the allergy shots but he knows that if he doesn't take them he will get very sick again and so he does it every week. I would talk to your doctor about allergies it really could be just that.

I dealt with this same issue with my son. Eczema is actually an allergy. We finally went to Fort Worth Allergy Clinic to Dr. Tanna. He is wonderful!!! All they did was draw blood from my sons arm and tested it for all kinds of allergies. It turns out he is allergic to Tree Nuts, especially Pecans and Pistacchios. He was eating things that had traces of tree nuts in them every day! You would be surprised how many things are produced on equipment that processes tree nuts. You might talk to your pedi and see if that is worth looking into. Good Luck!!

R.

My oldest had a terrible time with eczema when he was a baby. Even though steriod cream is not the ideal solution, I used it. It was better than watching him suffer. He is now a healthy 4 year old and has outgrown the condition. Aquaphor is great, but if my child was still bothered, I would call the doctor until he gave me something that worked. If he couldn't then I would check with a dermatologist for some advice. Good luck to your son and you!

Hi R.,

I saw your post and I am feeling your same frustration with the battle of eczema. My pediatrican diagnosed my son at 8 weeks with a milk protein allergy. This allergy really onset the whole eczema "flare ups". We ended up changing his formula and have tried a few creams. But I was really not happy with the results and decided to step outside the box and see help from a Holistic doctor. The good news our peditrican was right on and she totally supported his diagnois and treatment. But at the same time she also wanted to support our needs to move onto more natural alternatives. We are going to flax seed oil, and will eventually be switching him over to goats milk. I was really nervous to move in non tradtional direction but the success with his health and the elimination of steroid creams is making all the difference. Good Luck!

Our son's allergist suggested a wet approach using Cetaphil lotion and dove soap. This appoach includes a daily bath and head to toe coating of lotion a minimum of twice a day. We also found that he was allergic to some foods. Once this was in practice,his skin showed improvement within a week or two.
He's 2 now and he still gets lotion twice a day.

In between, on the really bad areas we used hydrocortisone cream. This works well in a day or so, just keep application area to a minimum & don't apply to the same areas frequently.

R., my name is L. and I'm a yoga instructor in the area, mom to 3 beautiful girls, and wife of wonderful hubby. i've recently added nutritional supplements to my business and one in particular is showing great benefits in the areas of allergies and eczema. It's just a juice so it's all natural and no side effects. contact me if you want more ____@____.com.

I haven't researched it, but perhaps you could look into the excessive chlorine in the water if you are in the Mckinney/Frisco area. There was something on TV recently about our drinking water bleaching clothes in the wash without using bleach.(too much chlorine) I have heard that the showers and baths we take in water with too much chlorine can cause a ton of skin conditions. Perhaps look into it and see about a filter for your little boy's bath???
I don't know if it would help, but just a thought!

Good Luck!

R.,
I totally understand. My daughter also had eczema really bad and none of the RX lotions worked. I actually am using a lotion called Renew now. It is made with natural ingredients so you do not have worry about anything that may be in it. In 2 weeks, it totally cleared up her elbows. I even love using it on my extremely dry legs. I hope that helps.
Good luck,
J.

I am sure you have already gotten this a dozen times...but Arbonne Baby Care line is great for kids with excema. My daughter and I both had battled excema and I was on Elidel which was later taken off the market. I have had to take steroids in the past. Anyway, a daily regimin of the baby wash and the lotion keeps it at bay, and for outbreaks, oddly enough, we spot treat with the Arbonne Diaper Cream. Rashes and outbreaks clear up within 24 hours for us. I know many moms who have been able to take their children off steroids because of it. Happy to give you any additional info or loan you some to try out :-)

Sincerely,
A. Wheeler
###-###-####
____@____.com

Two of my three children had bad eczema has infants/toddlers. Several things you can do that do not involve medicines.....stop using dryer sheets for every load not just theirs. Dryer sheets have a lot of very irritating chemicals and it coats the inside of the dryer barrel so you reallly do need to not use in all the load. Switch to a color and fragrance free laundry detergent...all stores carry these.

Dust is a very common allergen....encase your baby's crib mattress in a dust mite cover. Dust mites are a major offense with ezcema....you can find these on line. There are several allergy stores around the metroplex..Target may even have one.

Wash stuffed animals and curtains in his room frequently and with HOT water.

When we started to control the dust and removed perfumes/dyes in our house, it improved their skin a lot. My youngest happened to also be allergic to milk which caused severe (bleeding and oozing) eczema.

I hope this helps!

Dr Elliot Ginchansky at Medical City is a GREAT allergist if you need one. Also...Robin Carder is a good pediatric dermatolgist in Dallas at Walnut Hill/75 area. There are very few pedatric derm's around.

Hi R.,

I have horrible eczema as well. Mine is mostly caused from food allergies, but is aggrevated by chemicals. I found a fantastic company that manufactures nearly 400 products that we use every day and they make them without harsh chemicals. I love it. Also, they have an outstanding lotion called "Renew." It works better than my prescriptions (that would only clear up my eczema for a bit and then it would be back with a vengence). I would love to talk with you more about these great products and how I believe they would help your little one's eczema tremendously if not even completely. Mine is caused by food allergies (and I eat some of what I shouldn't anyway) so mine will never go away, but it is so much better and definitely managable now.

visit www.freedomtohaveitall.com for more information.

Hi R.!

My name is K. and I am mommy to 3 little ones- and all 3 of them suffer with skin allergies and eczema! Here's what works for me: after the birth of our first child I began changing all our household products over to eco-friendly, "green" cleaners, shampoos, soaps, detergents, etc. The products we buy in the stores are full of chemicals and additives that irritate skin and cause reactions. None of my children have had any trouble with eczema or any other skin problems as long as I have stayed with my "green" products!

There are lots of good health prodcuts out there, but the company I've discovered and LOVE is called Melaleuca (www.melaleuca.com). All their products are toxic-free and are wonderful for skin disorders! They're also very diluted so I end up saving $$ in the long run because they last so long!

Another tip: try buying a bottle of Evening Primrose oil from Wal-mart pharmacy. It comes in a gel capsule, similar to vitamin E oil. Prick the top of the capsule and rub the oil on your nephew's rashes. This has cleared up a lot of skin trouble for my children!

Blessings,

K. Howard
http://www.homemakerscottage.com
http://www.workathomeunited.com/homemaker

The journal is a great start. You might get something that has zinc in it. That is what they just gave my dad for his itchy head and mom says it works great. Might add zinc to the diet also.
Check with your local health food store. They usually can answer most of your questions, or have books that you cna look things up in. They probably have the answer to your aloe vera question. Aloe is awesome stuff. BUt I am not sure for this issue.
Good luck.
Char

I have dealt with excema my whole life, thankfully it hasn't been as bad as your little one. When I started using Arbonne baby products on my little ones, I found that my skin felt so good after their baths that I started using it myself. Within two weeks it was completely gone! My children have not had the rash, thankfully, but I do have several clients who have seen a tremendous difference in their childrens skin with this product. I know its a horrible thing to deal with as an adult and I can't imagine how your little one must be suffering. If you need more information, please let me know anf I'd be happy to send you some more details and samples if you'd like to try it.
http://arbonne.com/products/baby/index.asp

R.,
ARBONNE ABC baby care line is your answer! Arbonne offers a 45 money back guarantee & the baby line works WONDERS on eczema..just give it a try. I would be more than glad to get you a free sample that lasts about 1 week.
____@____.com
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My son also has eczema,though a mild case. And it has gotten better since he was a baby. He's now three. You have got to try the RENEW skin lotion from Meleluca. It will help so much. I put it on my son 2 to 3 times a day especially right afte he gets out of the tub. Don't even completely dry him off. I only bathe my son every other day or every two days unless he's really dirty. The water is so drying. I also see it worse in Summer. You may want to keep light weight pants on your baby instead of shorts. I noticed the rubbing on the carpet,while crawling and playing made it worse. Irritated it,since my son had a lot on his legs. Another thing to look out for this summer. I would limit time in swimming pools. I think all the chemicals were really rough on my sons skin. It always got worse after swimming in the pool.
One more thing,Make sure your sons nails are VERY short!
I hope this helps. Please try the renew lotion. I swear by it. It works so much better than the prescript creams and the goopy aquaphor. Have any quesions just send me a message.
J. G

try vitamin E...and God bless you for stepping in

R.,

Have you thought it could possibly be the detergent you are washing his clothes in? My son & husband had this problem & we changed to Tide (free of perfumes & dyes) & problem solved. I would think the acid in fruits might make it worse. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Good luck. C.

R.,
I have a baby line of products that are exceptional - Arbonne's ABC line. You can go to the Arbonne website (www.arbonne.com) and click on Testimonials to see what people have said about the baby line and eczema. I have two girls with eczema and this line has made a tremendous difference in their skin. I would love to send you a gift of a sample packet of this product line to try on your little boy. Our products are formulated to be pure, safe and beneficial. THe ABC line is Pediatrician Tested, based on botanicals, no animal products or by-products, no mineral oil, hyproallergenic and no dyes or chemical fragrances.
Good luck!
T.
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Hi my daughter had eczema really bad at that age and I started only giving her a bath every 2 days only and using Baby Oh Baby bodywash and lotion by rainbow brand and using superkid's salve by herbal kids on the outbreaks. when a more rounded diet is introduced later, that will also help! you can get those products at natural stores like the vitamin cottage or wild oats, etc. good luck!

My son started with a bad outbreak of the eczema when he was almost 2 (now 3 ). We had to start with an antibiotic because he had infected the cheeks because of all the scratching. After this we used the steriod cream twice a day and I made sure his nails were always very short (to avoid bacteria spread). I also gave him Benadryl at night when the outbreak was very uncomfortable. he did not break out this year like he did last(actually he had no signs of the eczema on his face at all). He does still get occassional break outs on his elbows or bottom. I use Dove sensitive skin body wash instead of soap and I use Gold Bond powder as well. Using Neosporin helps under the steriod cream if the break out has open wounds.

Hope this helps!

If this means anything, supposedly kids will grow out of this.

R.,

I have a great product that would help with your son's eczema. I am a National Vice President with Arbonne International and I would be more than happy to send you some samples to see if they work for you. Here is my contact information. You can email me personally or call me and I would be more than happy to help you.
C. Ezzell, NVP
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____@____.com

i have heard that arbonne baby care products permanently heal eczema - they have a baby wash, baby oil, baby lotion, diaper rash cream and baby sunscreen - my family has never had any problems with eczema but i am an arbonne consultant and have heard many people talk about the way it heals excema - we use only arbonne products in our home as they are all organic, natural skin care & nutritional products with no animal-by-prodocts, frangrance, chemical or petrolium based ingredients - you can check out their 'ABC' (baby care) line at www.arbonne.com - i would be happy to mail you a sample if you give want to e-mail me you address (____@____.com) or if you would like to order the full size products from the website, i could order it for you with my 35% discount (you have to be a consultant to purchase their products) and then have it shipped directly to you - hope this helps!!

First of all, my sons eczema totally cleared up when we got his allergies under control with zyrtec. I suggest asking the pedi about some allergy medicine, he could be suffering from allergies even with no other outward symptoms such as runny nose or itchy eyes.

Secondly, we were instructed to give my son a bath no more than every other day with plain water ONLY. It sounds strange, but it gets them clean and you can make them smell fresh when you thickly apply lotion after the bath. My son also used aquaphor lotion which I mixed with baby lotion just to make him smell like a baby.

You may be onto something with the food idea, he could be allergic or sensitive to something he's eating, it could also be a laundry detergent or fabric softener. I also couldn't wear any perfume or body spray around my son, it would flare up allergies and in return the eczema.

Keep your head up R., most kids outgrow the sensitivities and eczema by 3 or 4 yrs of age, it's not usually a life long issue.

My husband and 7 year old daughter as well as my one year old nephew all have eczema really really bad and we use something that we found in the baby section of Wal-Mart. I think its by Aveeno. It says right on it for eczema and the bottle has a little teddy bear. Also for my daughter we had to use Johnson's and Johnson's baby shampoo it says it has no saop.
we used to have tons of breakouts and had to go to the docter all the time to get different creams. But since we changed the soaps we have less breakouts. Also if you use any lottions make sure to get one with no dye and no fragrance.
We use Lubriderm sensitive skin therapy (for sensitive dry skin)
hope this helps

My 14 month old daughter has eczema too. She seems to be allergic to cow's milk. Cultured milk products like yogurt don't seem to bother her as much. We have stumbled upon 3 things that seem to really, really help. First is giving her 1/2 tsp. of omega 3 fish oil each day. This is probably th biggest help- I could tell a huge difference in 3 days. Second, she gets a dose of probiotics, either in the form of yogurt, kefir, or just mixed into her drink (I bought a powdered form at the health food store). Third is putting lotion on her each night while her skin is wet then putting on her pjs over the lotion. We use either Aveeno baby, pure shea butter or Extra virgin coconut oil. Good luck!

I have posted in the past in the same position you are in. At the time my baby girl was red all over with eczema. We had to put socks on her hands most of the time to keep her from scratching herself bloody. She is almost two now. The bad eczema seemed to just go away when she was around one. We used and still use Cetaphil lotion and cleanser, and Hydrocortizone cream for the worse spots. I wash our laundry in All Free and Clear. She wears all cotton. In her first year no one could hold her without a blanket between them and her because of their detergants and perfumes. I tried a lot of different things her first year, but always went back to the Cetaphil and cortizone when needed. My doctor even told me to stop breastfeeding because of my diet. That didn't make it any better. Now that it is Spring/Fall she has a little eczema in the creases of her ankles, wrists etc...She is soooo much better now though. I think the main key is TIME. Yes, you want to avoid triggers, but that can be really hard to figure out especially if they say it is a food. There are many things that can irritate their skin, especially infants. Do your best to make him comfortable, but remember that he will not always be that bad. There are many people out there too wanting to make money off of it as well. We were scamed with some "miracle" creams. One more note I want to tell you is that you said you are using "Aquaphor". Check the label and make sure it does not have lanolin in it. That is a known trigger for eczema. I know that Eucerin has it. It is beyond me that docotors recommend those when they have lanolin in them. That is why we use Cetaphil lotion.

I could go on and on. Feel free to email me personally if you feel like it.

M.

Hi I have the exact same problem with my 10 year old and have since his birth. At the drug store (the only place I have been able to find it is Walgreens) and get the lotioncall exzene it's in a white bottle and works wonderful. I coat my son down with it a couple times a week and it really seems to help with outbreaks as well as controlling the small ones. They also make bathe soap that has stopped most of his problems before they occure. It works 10 times better than the baby soap's. It's easier now than it will be latter, but keep his nails and hands as clean as possible so that when he does scratch he is not doing it with long nails to scratch. My son will scream if he has scratched and has it irritated before I apply the medicine to it. Also I use over the counter cortizone cream for the little outbreaks before I have to pull out the prescription stuff (it scares me a little, but we do have to occasionally use it)
K.

Okay, R. - I will solve your poor little guy's problem. Take him to a pediatric dermatologist ASAP! This area is NOT a pediatrician's specialty - it is a dermatologist's specialty. My 4 year old recently had eczema, and I took him to a pediatric dermatologist. She prescribed a cream for me to rub on him twice a day, and then followed with Aquaphor (but first the prescription cream, THEN the Aquaphor), and his eczema cleared up in a week. Shame on your pediatrician for not suggesting you see a dermatologist. Good luck!

Hi R.,
I know that you are getting a lot of responses, but I wanted to tell you about my seven month old son who's eczema was caused by an allergy. He is allergic to corn. He was allergy tested about six weeks after his first really bad bout with eczema. I'm sure that your doctor could do the same testing for your little guy. A corn allergy is more common than it used to be and eliminating corn can be difficult (because he reacts to any corn that he eats or any corn product applied to his skin). I switched to Nature's One formula (they have a dairy and soy version). I also started using almond oil instead of lotion because I could not find a lotion without corn products (including some of the ones that were recommended below). At the advice of my pediatrician (Dr. Bain in Frisco), I apply the oil from an evening of primrose capsule to his skin at night, and also add flax seed oil to one bottle a day. All of these techniques have cleared up his eczema and his skin looks great. I just wanted to mention the need for allergy testing before you change to soy or bathe your baby in cornstarch! When you do figure out the culprit, your baby's skin should seem a little better after only a few days. Email me if I can help!

When my Son was two years old he broke out
with allergies all over his body. The doctor
at the time told us to bathe him in cornstarch
water to ease the itching. Sometimes the soap
you are using can be aggitating the itching.
Hope this info will help you. B. Willis

Keep his nails clipped!, put socks over his hands if needed, and keep the house cool so he won't get hot.
For my little one, I have found that Aveeno Baby CREAM, not lotion, works great. Keep his skin hydrated with it. Eczema is just dry skin. I wouldn't use the prescription after I read the warnings. I kept using over the counter cortizone on the rash part and put triple antibiotic also on the scratches and cover with a bandaid. Do not let him in the sun with the cortizone cream, it will spot him, cover it up. Although sun is supposed to be good for it, mil says. If she was really itching, I gave her benadryl type medicine and/or rubbed it myself. Be sure you get the correct dose for babies! I kept mine in footed pj's so she couldn't pull off her socks and scratch right on her skin.
I now use liquid sensitive skin dove in her baths, and slather her with the Aveeno Baby Cream afterwards. All free and clear for her clothes with unscented fabric softener.
I have found that polyblend does not soak up the cream as much as cotton when you need it to stay there to hydrate,(socks and pj bottoms) think of hydrating gloves
the aquaphor stings my dd and any of the others. Cetaphil cream is also good but, I like the aveeno baby better for her. I also put cotton quilts down on my floor to keep her from crawling on the nylon? carpet and making it worse when she crawled in case that was causing it from friction or such. Soft cotton clothes to wear when you don't have to hydrate it or if you can use a bandaid. I used to try and limit baths as water is drying, but, I also found out that with the dove, I could bath her more often and not for too long and then slather her with the cream fresh out of the bath and lock in that moisture.
good luck

I have a 10 yr. old daughter that has eczema. When she was little I bathed her in cetaphil soap when she was two. The dermatologist recommended it. We now still use Cetaphil lotion which helps with the itching and another lotion we use recommended by the doctor is Amonia lotion you can buy over the counter. Not to be used on the face though. These have seemed to help. We have even used Destin to help with the itching. I hope this will help.

I have dealt with eczema with my daughter and one of her friends that I used to care for. There can be so many factors and it's very hard to identify what the allergy is and if it is an allergy at all. In our experience, my daughter was allergic to the little silver buttons that are on baby clothes such as onesies (spelling?) and little shirts, etc. She was also allergic to most diapers.There is a fragrance added to all the brand named diapers such as Pampers, Huggies, etc. Our pediatrician suggested trying the no-name brands with no added fragrance. I also used Tide Free detergent. I rarely used the steroid cream. I just wasn't comfortable with that. We did use Aquaphor, though. Another thing that worked so well is oatmeal baths. We did not use soap at all. The oatmeal cleanses as well. We used baby shampoo on the hair, but only a drop; to this day (she is now 10) she only uses Aveeno to cleanse her skin with so as not to take chances. We didn't use baby lotions either due to the added fragrance. It's amazing how well it worked on the little girl that I used to watch. A little trick that I learned in nursing school was to take a pair of knee high panty hose, fill it with whole oats such as Quaker Oats, and place that in the bath water. You can use it rub all over there skin. It's WONDERFUL! What a great idea because the Oatmeal Bath products can be very expensive and less effective. You also may want to ask your pediatrician about antihistamines. The good news is that my daughter grew out of this by Kindergarten. Most kids do. Good luck!

My son and I both have eczema. I have started using all green products in my home. Walmart has a line of Green Works products. Also, we have to wash everything before wearing..no wearing new clothes unless they are washed first. We also have a steroid cream for bad outbreaks. Hope this helps.

my almost 7yr old has eczema. we cutout all dairy except and orange juice. we use tide free & clear detergent and use a 2nd rinse on his clothes. i also use benadryl at night sometimes when he is having itch fits and cannot comtrol the itching. then i help him take a shower then i put aveeno daily moisturizing lotion on him. aveeno also sells a eczema care body wash. i also carry a lotion that cool you down when he gets hot and sweaty and start itching.

Please give me a call later today after 12:00, I have several ideas and I have to run this morning. My home # is ###-###-#### and my cell is ###-###-####.

Sally

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