Eczema

I have a 6 year old daughte who has suffered with severe eczema since she was months old also. I tried lots of different products to try and clear it up. Last year we changed doctors and she recommended Aquaphor. It is a cream that you but over the counter and it has worked wonderfully!!! I've applied it after every bath for the last year and her eczema is almost gone completley!!! You can find it at any drug store. Best Wishes!!!
W. E.

Colette-

My little one had eczema as well and I found that eliminating dairy really helped. Also my doctor advised eliminating soap from her bath or using it sparingly. Slathering vaseline on her skin multiple times a day also worked very well for us. Best of luck.

-K

Hi Collette,
I used a product from Arbonne on my son's eczema. It was a miracle for him. It is the Arbonne ABC baby line. I would often put the diaper rash cream on really bad areas and it would clear up in a day or 2. I am a consultant so if you'd like a sample, I'd be happy to mail you out one to try.

Good luck, my son had it really bad and I know what you are going through.

J. S.

my son is 3 and we have battled eczema since birth. we have tried so many different approaches. we have seen all sorts of doctors, had allergy testing, tried medications, homeopathic remedies, etc. these are the things that have helped the most, although we do continue to battle with it.
-a humid room, a/c creates a very dry room so you need to offset that with some humidity
-a bath with pure coconut oil (found at health food stores + it smells great) and then immediately slathering aquaphor lotion on and covering skin with pure cotton pjs (long)
-a tablespoon of flax seed oil given by mouth, followed by a swig of juice (it doesn't taste so good!)
-no carpets, rooms free of dust/dander, dust mite protection on mattress/pillows, etc. anything that harbors dust/dust mites is a sure trigger!
-washing sheets everyday! (yikes, this is so hard... but he literally sheds skin every night in bed!)
we have tried the steroid cream and you are right, it just comes right back which means MORE steroid cream and this stuff is absorbed into the bloodstream... even the doctors say use it sparingly! it's not so good. we have noticed that dog hair & grass tend to upset his skin. we went completely gluten free for awhile, eliminated dairy, etc. none of it seemed to necessarily "trigger" the episodes. it's so hard to find the cause. there is a eczema clinic in san diego if you want to google that and check that out. i wish you all the best. it is definitely heartbreaking to see your little one go through this. let me know if you find something that works!

Gosh! So many responses. That is great...and why I love Mamasource!

First of all, a friend of mine is a practitioner in pediatric accupuncture & Chinese Medicine. She recommends this article. Secondly, I met a woman whose daughter had severe eczema & discovered that she was allergic to oatmeal, so no Aveeno or California Baby. She uses Aubrey Organics. In addition, a friend of mine uses Melaleuca the GOLD BAR and the applies RENEW INTENSIVE SKIN THERAPY. It is 7xs more effective than Eucerin. Apparently, one application Renew= 4 to 6 of Eucerin.

Finally, the Chinese, as you will read from the article link I included, call eczema "skin asthma." Chemical agents in your home (household cleaners like Clorox products, Pledge, Tylex, Soft Scrub, Mr. Clean, etc) could also be a contributing factor to this skin outbreak. I would recommend to check out the Ecosense line. They are environmentally sensitive, non-caustic, and safer for your home. You'll see some astounding info & statistics at
http://saferisbetter.com/kimcales.

Click on the link below to read the Chinese perspective on Eczema. This could explain why it is spreading instead of healing...steroid creams just supress the body's attempt to eliminate toxins. Take a look.
"Acupuncture Today: Treating Childhood Eczema"

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2005/mar/03glick....

You may also want to take a look at this 2 minute preview "Are You Exposing Your Children to a TOXIC BREW In Your Home?" http://www.rmbarry.com/audio_video/media /TBWM_preview_dsl.html

This video explains how exposure to common household cleaners may be making your children sick. "Were conducting an enormous experiment on our children" Kathy Cooper, Environmental Law Researcher.

Hope this research fills you up with knowledge and wisdom as to what is best for you!

Take care!

I used Emu Oil for my daughter's eczema and it worked well. I was told to elimate dairy, wheat, soy, and corn from my diet for two weeks and then add one back into my diet at a time waiting a couple of days between. I tried the elimination diet to see if anything I was eating was causing the eczema, but it had nothing to do with what I ate.
I hope this helps and hope that you are able to use a natural alternative for your daughter!

My son has terrible eczema.... We use Cetaphil liquid soap and lather him up with Aquafor often. It works pretty well. He's 5 now so he knows that itching makes it worse. His started out on the backs of his legs. Now he gets little bits of it everywhere.

We use distilled water in a humidifier just about every night, that seems to help him a lot too. We have tried just about every cream on the market and have found Aquafor to be the best. We also only bathe him every other day (unless of course he needs it every day!)

The Aquafor is very greasy so don't put it on with any clothes you don't mind getting "ruined." I used elidel when it first came out but don't use any steroid creams anymore.

I would say consistency is the key. Don't let her "soak" in the tub for too long and put the Aquafor on her while she is still damp.

Good Luck with your daughter!

Avoid strawberries, oranges, other citrus fruits, tomatoes, nuts, and chocolate as they are common allergens just to see if that helps.

Gentle Naturals has a great baby wash and eczema cream-- my dh even uses it on his hands and it works better than the steroid creams.

Melaleuca has an awesome lotion called Renew that has been clinically tested and found to be better for eczema and other dry skin issues than the one (Eucerin)recommended by most Drs. IT provides more moisture for the skin and it also contains tea tree oil that actually helps the skin heal. Melaleuca's cleaning products also would be helpful also as they do not comtain any harsh chemicals that would futher irritate her skin or cause her any harm if she were to get into any of them when she gets older and starts exploring her home.
If you would like more infon please let me know.

R..

My daughters and I both suffer from eczema as well -- try rubbing a thin layer of Burt's Bees Diaper Rash Cream on the eczema (it helps relieve the itchiness as well as soothes the skin).

Colette, Hello, I have had Eczema since birth and am 51 years of age. I have out grown it and during the hot summer and humid wheather I do have problems. The problem is the scratching, I know. Tepid water for baths work. Try using Shaklee products, I found out they work wonders,and rinse twice when doing the laundry. No fabric softeners at all. Use lotions that are fragrant free, no urea base since this will sting. But please have her tested for her allergies. This will help. God Bless

Colette,

I know exactly where your coming from. You have great adv but heres what I did and I know for sure it worked on my boys. Below is what was dermatologist recommended to me:

1. Bathe at least every other day if not every day( water is good it adds moisture to the skin)DR recommend using Cetaphil pump soap for the body( I used walmart generic)
2. Use the Cetaphil Cream in the tub not the pump. It works 10x's better. It's a little expensive but worth it.
2A. Use the prescription steriod cream if the eczema is really bad--combine a small amount with the cream. You probably wont need to use the steriod cream for more than a couple days. I think I used it 2-3x's in a week, which the DR's don't recommend using steriod cream on babies for more than 7-14 days. After that its just for extreme flare ups only.
3. This is OPTIONAL- Use aquafor or vaseline over the cetaphil.( I like to bathe, lotion, and vaseline at night so that I can put on P.J's and let them go to sleep.
4. I also put a thin layer of cream on them when they woke up in the morning.
5. Chaning the soap and all that is good.
6. I also used the Probiotics. Any natural food store should have some you can add to food or milk.

Hope this helps.
J.
P.S. I haven't had to use the steriod cream but once since my 9 month was diagnosed at 3 months and it was because it was hot out and caused a huge flare up on his legs.

Hi Colette,

I've read 81% of childhood eczema cases are related to food allergies. Mostly to eggs, dairy, and peanuts. Avoid these products fory your daughter and absoltely add omega-3 fish oils or flax seed oil to her diet/supplementation. I'm not sure if at 10 months if she's ready to eat salmon and halibut, but she should be able to take an infant/child supplement with Omega-3s and DHA. Nordic Naturals make a great product. My girlfriens daugther suffers from this and when she misses her fish oils for a few days, the eczema appears again. check with your local nutrition/health food store for more help. Or copy this website into your browser for more info on the product with Nordic naturals. Good luck!

http://www.nordicnaturals.com/en/Products/Product_Details...#

Dear Colette,

My son gets eczema from time to time. Sometimes it has been quite bad, and we have had to resort to anti-itch creams and steriod creams. I have two referals for you in OC. Both are excellent. Pediatric Allergist Drs. Gillman, or Ellis at ###-###-####. Their practice is affiliated with CHOC. My husband has been a patient for almost 40 years, and both my boys who have asthma and allergies are patients, and so am I. Try them 1st. An excellant dermatologist is Dr. Cotliar in Tustin,
###-###-####. He does not take insurance. He is a professor of dermatology at UCLA. My son had bad skin problem, and he was the one who knew how to fix it.
As a home remedy I put the following into a tepid bath of about 4 inches of water: camomile tea - 2 teabags prepared cooled. 1 cup pulverized oatmeal, 1/8 cup good olive oil, and 1/4 cup honey. I let my boy roll around in the bath for no more then 10 minutes and then blot him dry. It seems to help providing that your child is not allergic to the ingreadiants. Good luck.

P.

Hi. I haven't read your responses so you may have already read this somewhere but I SWEAR by fish oil and flax seed oil. This was suggested by my NY doctor for my son who had terrible eczema. He is still on the 2 oils because they are so good for brain and body development but they were wonderful for eczema because they help to moisturize from the inside out. Steroids are no good for little ones and topical creams can only treat the symptoms. Oil taken internally was the best think, I though. My doc also suggested I take the oil while breast feeding and I didn't like the fish oil but the flax seed oil is easy to put in everything - even OJ. Try the company Nordic Naturals for the fish oil - it is strawberry flavored and my kids love it. It's at Whole Foods.
Good luck.

Colette,

My 23 month old has eczema and his doctor said the important thing to remember is that eczema is an itch that rashes not a rash that itches so it is really important to control the itching so they don't scratch. What works for us: avoiding all dairy and soy, using "pure" sunscreens without a bunch of chemicals (I use the california baby stuff and love it), minimizing chemical exposure (I have an HE washer and it works so much better than the one I had before), oatmeal baths (look in the pharmacy section, it is called colloidal oatmeal and is basically finely ground oatmeal you add to the bath water), and lots of creams (lotions are mainly water and don't help at all). I use aquaphor, cetaphil or eucerin cream on my son. When he's really itchy, I'll bathe him frequently (which my doctor told me to do and other parents told me not to do but really works - it is hot here and if he's sweaty, he's itchy) like 2-3 times a day and let him soak as long as he will then I absolutely slather him in some type of cream.

You can definitely see an allergist but it is usually dairy so if it were me, I'd lay off the yogurt and cut the dairy out of your diet before I did anything more extensive. My son is so sensitive to both dairy and soy I had to be totally dairy and soy free while I was nursing and he's still completely dairy and soy free (even of those items hidden in other foods).

The steroid cream burns (stings) and it can weaken the skin and make the eczema worse so I'd avoid it if at all possible.

:-)T.

one thing that worked for my son was aveeno oatmeal bath packets (you dissolve the powder in warm bath water and soak
them in it, and then pat them dry.) if her skin is dry and scaly, we've had luck with 'resoration hardware no crack creme'
(unscented) the texture is like crisco, but it seems to keep my son's skin soft. my son also had trouble sleeping (i remember how hard that was!) we put little socks (with holes cut out for his thumbs on his hands to prevent scratching) they seemed to stay on better than than the cotton mittens.
it's difficult to test for food allergies until they're older,
but we eventually found out that my son was allergic to dairy.
hope this helps. good luck!

Anything but steroid cream!! That stuff is so dangerous and harmful to adults, let alone babies!

Try some 100% pure shea butter (with NO additives whatsoever - that means even tocopherol, fragrance or anything else). Shea butter works magic on skin.

And please, don't give your baby steroids.

Hi Colette, My son had problems with eczema from the time he was just a few weeks old....the only lotion, etc that helped him was Gentle Naturals. I, too, used (and still use) California Baby body wash/shampoo and then I put the Gentle Naturals Eczema creme on him after. Also, I found that his skin was better if I only bathed him every 2 or 3 days and when the problem areas were especially bad, I would apply the lotion a few times a day. I hope this helps. My son is now 2 1/2 and like I said, we still use the California Baby wash because he is prone to rashes, etc. We also still use the Gentle Naturals creme. By the way, I tried EVERYTHING I could find to help him. NONE of the other products I tried worked for him as well as these have. Best wishes and good luck. R.
P.S. I don't know if it will help or not, but since you are nursing, it is always a good idea to get probiotics in the form of yogurt of acidophollis. Try to get the ones that are in the "billions" to balance your flora. If your yeast is in good balance, taking the probiotics will not hurt you but I found my son benefitted from my taking it while I was breastfeeding. Take care.

Hello Colette ...

I'm a single mom with four daughters and I've been a healthcare professional for the past 36 years.

I'd like to recommend a fragrance-free product called "AmLactin" for your daughter's eczema. You can purchase it over-the-counter. A couple of the physicians I work with told me about it and it has worked beautifully for my twin's eczema.

The key is to use the product "daily and consistently".

Hang in there -- she'll be graduating from high school before you know it!

~M.
http://www.squidoo.com/backtoworkafterbaby

My daughter had a terrible eczema when she was a baby and I took her to a really good homeopath who managed to get rid of it for good. She was diagnosed with a "constitutional" remedy based on her whole personality type rather than what they call an " acute" remedy which would be the kind you get when you just go in to the pharmacy and say you need something for eczema.

My son had it too and although the homeopathic remedy prescribed for him really helped a lot it did not clear it like it did for my daughter. We did however find that by keeping a food diary we were able to pin point the things that triggered it. For him it is oranges or orange juice. Within two days of having any the eczema is back. Other major triggers are dairy (the yo baby?), pork, caffeine (obviously not applicable!) and believe it or not broccoli. I have two friends who have children that break out every time they have broccoli. It really is worth playing detective and figuring out what triggers it for your baby.

Best of luck!

Good for you for being such a staunch advocate for your little girl, Colette!

Personally I would stay away from antibiotics, for myself and especially for my daughter. I always try to search for the real root cause (what is our body trying to tell us?). Sounds like you are on the same wavelength.

One product I have used on a couple spots I have, and so has my girlfriend who's daughter has terrible eczema, who swears by it, is a product called Emily's Cream. http://www.emilyskinsoothers.com/testimonials.html

It was created by an acupuncturist dad whose daughter suffered from eczema. He uses a proprietary blend of, if I recall, Chinese herbs. Also good for dry skin.

Of course I would also search the nutrition and environmental causes or triggers as you've been doing as well, and I would look into homeopathy, and poss chiropractic treatment just to make sure her body is in optimal alignment to let the body do what it needs to do to run efficiently.

Also, before using any products, check them out on EWG.org --the Skin Deep cosmetic data base-- to see the carcinogenic factors that are so rampant in so many of our products, so you are not adding to the fire. So much to tackle, no?

Good luck!

I didn't have this problem but had a frind who did. She said that she bathed the baby less and used Baby Arbonne for the bath, and lotion. You can get it through an Arbonne rep. (My guess is that there is one listed on this site somewhere.) Good luck!

Hello Colette,

My two younger boys have eczema. I have been through it at it's worst and understand your agony. What I use to bathe my boys is Cetaphil Cleanser or the Cetaphil bar soap. I usually don't let them do any tub baths since short showers are better so the skin does not dry out and cause more itching/eczema. I wash their laundry with Free and Clear laundry soap products (i.e. All Free and Clear). The cream I use is called Mimyx Cream. This cream has been prescribed by their dermatologist. It has been a wonder in clearing up and preventing the eczema. Mimyx Cream is gentler than steroid creams, yet still very effective. I used it since my youngest son was just a few months old. I understand each case of eczema is different and each person responds to the medication differently. Though, I hope this information helps. I pray your daughter will get some relief soon and you will get some much needed sleep and peace of mind.

Sincerely,
J.

My son (now 5 years) had eczema when he was young. Lots of babies have it. I used Neosporin rather than the steroid cream when the outbreaks weren't that bad. The eczema in my son's condition is diet and stress related. I took him off milk products (replaced with soy milk) and he got better. I also learned later he was allergic to wheat. I also changed detergents and am careful about soaps and lotions, using only those without perfumes. Your allergist is a good idea. I think you will see that slight changes in her diet combined with just growing up will lessen and/or heal the eczema. It eventually goes away, with an occasional recurrence caused by allergic reactions to foods or stress. Neosporin doesn't sting his skin and heals the little occasional rashes well. Petroleum jelly works too.

We've been dealing with the same issues with one of my daycare kids. Eucerin Calming Cream applied at every diaper change and within 3 minutes after a bath has really helped.

you might want to try calendula cream from california baby it helped my son. maybe also avoid all dairy until you get your daughter the blood test for food allergies. best of luck. hope you get some sleep.

My son had eczema as a baby when we lived in Reno, NV. It can be a sign of allergies, but I was not conviced it was as it went away when we moved to Indiana when he was almost a 1 year old. And, now that we're back in Nevada 6 years later, he has it again. Anyway, I found some awesome wash to use at Walgreens in the baby section. It kept his eczema at bay, and I also used Eucerin Cream (Most lotions have alcohol in them and that can make skin itchy). I believe that Eucerin does too, but it doesn't seem as iritating. I changed our routine to bathing every other day, put the cream on twice a day and he was happy. Now he puts it on 3 times a day - morning, before swim practice, and bedtime.

Hi Colette,
We live in Orange County and unfortunately my 2 yr old has suffered from eczema since birth. It got so much better this summer because we were living in Nashville, TN and it is very humid there and therefore keeps the skin hydrated. However, now that we're back we've gone back to our daily routing. When I give my daughter a bath I use a gentle wash called Aquaphor (Eucerin is the manufacturer). I've only been able to find this gentle wash at CVS Drugs. Target doesn't carry it. Throughout the day I use a prescribed cream called Mimyx. The indications from our dermatologist is that I should apply it twice a day. It seems to keep the eczema under control and her pretty happy because she doesn't have the need to scratch the itch.

I've also moved away from using Dreft baby detergent and this has also helped. I've been washing both my girls clothes with regular Tide and this may have contributed to the reduction in eczema outbreaks. Hope this helps.
V.

I have 2 kids and a husband w/ eczema. Nothing works omn all 3 of them. 1% hydrocortisone works on my daughet, nothing works on my son. And my husband uses some sort of prescription. I dont know if this is safe for infants, but benadryl makes a spray for itching it is FANTASTIC!!!!

Hi Colette,

We just came from the east coast where the cold weather would worsen my daughter's eczema on limbs. We used Aderma Exomega Face & Body cream which is totally natural and helped a lot. Here's the link. Unfrotunatly it is not available in the states. Search online see some reviews, maybe it's what could help your poor kid. Tips: when we used it as prevention it did wonders. Right before the "bad" season starts we would use it on her legs until the summer and then the exema was under control.
Hope this helps.

http://www.celebrityskincare.co.uk/aderma-exomega.htm


Take care
S.

Hi Colette!
As far as something topical for your little one - Arbonne has a baby line that is wonderful. I used to sell it, and had 3 different clients that had SEVERE eczema...as long as they used the oil and lotion EVERY day, they had a major improvement in their skin. I dont sell it anymore, but if you dont know anyone who does let me know and I will get it for you. I maintained my status with them because I still use the products for my family. Good luck!

H.

Aquaphor has always worked great for my kids. You should put it on after the bath to keep moisture in and probably do it twice a day. You can rub her down with a washcloth instead of a bath twice a day. My doctor also told me that baby wash isn't moisturizing enough for their skin so you should use Dove soap. I buy the liquid kind and have great results with my kids. Good Luck!!

I don't know if this will help or not but I suffered greatly with adult eczema about 10 years ago. I had access to every doctor and specialist at the time and nothing worked. They all recommended steroid creams and shots. The steroid would work for about a week and the eczema would come back worse than before. I went to an acupuncturist and it is the only thing that has worked for me. I had acupuncture and herbs for several months and I am happy to say it has not returned. I don't know if this would work on babies but I know if my son suffered from it I would take him to my acupuncturist immediately. Let me know if you want the name and number to a really good acupuncturist. Good luck and sending loads of good thoughts to you and your baby!

My daughter has the same problem. We use a combination of 3/4 regular baby lotion and 1/4 hydrocortisone cream. Mix it together and rub it in gently. All her clothes are 100% cotton, as are her sheets. My daughter is allergic to latex and so many foods containing latex oils make her break out. You may want to check into that as well.

Hey Colette,

I have heard lots of sad stories on children suffering with this skin condition. I represent a company that has cream that will diminish eczema. You can email me and I will tell you all about it. ____@____.com

looking forward to hearing from you

J.

i didnt like the steroid cream either, i had eczema on my legs as well, though i did eventually grow out of it. i used several different things, but nothing really helped. i found that bathing often would help it, and not to bathe with soap every time, even if the soap is completely natural. also if you use any chemical cleaning products ,they tend to irritate as well. bleach was the worst for me i still cant stand to be in a room thats been cleaned with bleach. i hope that helps some...

All of the advice you have gotten so far is great. One of the MOST important things you can do is, every time you get her out of the bath or get any part of her wet you must apply a cream/lotion to her eczema. I have eczema and if I don't apply lotion right after I wash my hands they itch so bad. Also, I have tried every lotion there is out there for eczema and AVEENO is the best. Buy the one that is unscented.
I hope she is feeling better soon.

Keep a food journal for a couple of weeks for both of you. See if there are any correlations to certain foods that either of you eat that could be causing the flare ups.

Colette,

My son had the same problem, also behind the knees. Please try fresh aloe. By that I mean go and cut a leaf off the plant, peel it and rub it on. Keep re-appling. I think you will be amazed!!! It's wonderful and so easy. It doesn't get more natural. I keep a plant in my backyard and use it for so many things. Give it a try. I think you'll be pleased you did.

Good Luck

I use Aveeno Baby along w/ the ointments. Is she still on a crib bed? Because it has that plastic fabric on it, it doesn't breath well. I put my big floor cushion on his bed so his skin could breath better. I also keep a fan in their room to keep the air cool and moving. Good luck!!

Hi:

My suggestion is you consult with an NAET certified doctor. NAET stands for Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Techniques, and in this manner allergies are cured. I go to Dr. David Karaba in Fullerton (with East West Medical Group) and think the world of him. One of my grand daughter's has been cured of her eczema by this process.

Dr. Karaba is willing to do a free consultation so that you will have information about the techniques (non-invasive by the way), be able to ask questions, and decide if this is something you want to pursue.

Best wishes,

M.

Hi Colette,
I recently learned that Cheerios have chemicals.........who would have thought. I guess the pestides from the fields can be pretty bad, but I now give my little man a safer alternative.
And I second the advice about the things you are using. Her skin is touching her sheets and her clothes, so of course laundry detergents are a major impact, but also the body wash and lotions like you mentioned.
All the products you have for personal use around your home can impact, so I'd recommend just doing a clean sweep if you can.
I represent a wellness company and they have very reasonably priced, concentrated products, that are all earth friendly and safer for your health and your home.
If you'd like to hear about exclusive membership benefits and how you can save time and money with them, let me know.
S.
____@____.com

Colette- When you have a minute give me a call, ###-###-####. I have some information that will definatly help you with your babies situation and you are going to be very glad you took the time to call me. NOTE: I dont sell anything I just have some great tips for eczema. CALL ME ASAP and I will share with you what works for my family!

T. H.

You can always use Cortizone that you can buy over the counter if it is cheaper than the creams. Also Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief moisture cream and baby wash both work wonders for Ezema. Hope that helps! It's never fun for babies or parents either.

Arbonne is the best for eczema. You can buy through an Arbonne Rep - I am one. And you can get a 35% discount. If you are interested take a look at the web site arbonne.com and email me. The baby line and also the Parents can feel as good as baby with Arbonne’s ABC line of products that are:
• Botanically-based and pH correct - not just balenced
• Pediatrician and dermatologist tested
• Non-sensitizing, non-irritating
• Formulated without nut oils
• Tear-free hair and body wash
• Not tested on animals
• Sunscreen provides broad-spectrum protection

____@____.com will ship out and you get the products fairly quickly.

my little guy of almost three years old battled eczema for a long time esp the first two years. it's cleared up some now but flares again with heat and moisture, especially when sweaty. we lotion him up after baths and in the morning and before he goes to bed again.

we found that certain food triggered his eczema when he was younger and avoided those foods. introducing new foods was tricky since we didn't know how he would react to them. even foods i ate affected him since it passed to him while i was breastfeeding. you may want to see if any new food may be causing her eczema to flare up too.

My son has mild eczema and his doctor prescribed a desonide cream and it worked well. His eczema isn't as bad as when he was an infant, so I've started using the Aveeno moisturizing (baby) lotion (with the baby blue pump) which you can get anywhere. You should try it. It's been working great on my son. Hope that helps!

you could try aveeno baby cream and aveeno oatmeal bath soak, it helps alot for my son's allergic reactions and sometimes when it itches alot I will put on benadryl cream

Hi Colette,

My son used to had eczema on his face and on his arm since a month old and now he is 16 month. And it seem to get worse when weather changes. We put Aquaphor from Eucerin (oririnal ointment) all over his body. You can get it at any durg store. So far we find (target) is the cheapest.
Lucky for us, he since out grow it for almost 6 months now.
Wish you all the best.

My niece had a mild case of Eczema and still struggles with it off and on. There are a few things that help her and might help your daughter too. They put her in the sun each day...the sun helps rashes in some way to help heal them. I've heard of other people doing this for other skin conditions. They also use a lotion called Cetaphil (no fragrances, etc in it)...it is expensive, but it works really well. You can get it at Wal-Mart or Target. She also has to stay away from anything that has had Chlorine Bleach...including swimming pools, laundry that has been bleached etc. Also check to see if you have changed anything in your diet or her diet in the last few days. Check to see if you have changed soaps, laundry detergent, or anything else that gets near her. Hope this might help.

Hi Colette,
I have dishidrotic eczema and get outbreaks all over my hands (especially around my fingers) and it gets worse when the weather gets warmer. I develop some nasty blisters that can be quite painful and take forever to go away. My doctor prescribed a topical steroid, but it didn't do anything. However, my husband and I own a Kangen machine (Japanese advanced water technology) and I put the water on my hands. The blisters were gone by the evening and not one of them popped. If you want to check it out, it has amazing health benefits http://www.waterforhealthonline.com

Colette,
Here is a response I sent to someone else, but this was our cure for eczema. I would use the steroid creams to get rid of the rash, but then use this lotion to maintain healthy skin. Hopefully you will not ever have to go back to using the steroid creams once you begin using this lotion. Good luck:

I just read about your son and his eczema. I wanted to plead with you to try the SHIKAI BORAGE DRY SKIN THERAPY - CHILDREN'S FORMULA. You can find it a ShiKai.com. Like you, I was having to watch the hydration of my son's skin and constantly worrying about his itching. He was so bad off that he was almost hospitalized with skin infections. This lotion was our cure. I haven't had to give him ANY medications or use ANY prescription creams or ointments since we started using it almost two years ago. I put the lotion on morning and night and sometimes during the day if it's really dry out. I have no reason to try and sell you on this other than it has been our miracle and, like you said, it's aweful for children to deal with the pain and awkward stares. I would just hate to see your son taking antihistamines if they weren't needed. I wish you the best.

heres what i use with my 17 month old for eczema. i use aveeno baby cream (creams are better then lotions), aquafor for her worst parts, and 3/4 tspn of childrens benadryl (okayed by her dr) (i would say just over a 1/4 tspn for your daughter). i put the cream on her 3 times a day morning noon and night, i would use the aquafor only 2 times a day noon and night, the benadryl i usually give 2 times a day morning and night (sometimes a 1/2 dose with lunch if bad). also try not to bathe her everyday because it drys the skin out worse. it could also be a food allergy thats making her eczema spike up (you could be eating something that may bother her or it could be in her solids). i would keep up with the steroid cream if other ideas dont help. also have her get allergy tested that may clear up a lot that could cause it. good luck!

Hi colette, my name is S. I'm 30 yrs old and I've had eczema pretty much my whole life so I know a lot about this skin problem!! First try to avoid any greasy lotions in the summer time. And try to soak her in lotion in the winter.

Humidity makes things worse so try to keep the baby in cool clothes! If she sweats put babay powder! Putting medicine right before bedtime and bathtime works better!!

I was allergic to milk,chocolate,tomatoes,eggs,strawberries,peaches and of course anything that had too much perfume!!

This is not contagious but you do get where ever there is moisture(arms,behind knees,neck,around eyes and mouth).

The good thing is that it does start getting better almost goes away once you hit puberty!!

A big mistake some people do is moisturize too much(nothing greasy no vaseline) or not enough! Its all about the weather!!
Hope I helped you and I hope your baby gets better!!

P.S. The medicine your doc gave you is good and it does help but its about avoiding all the other things!! Cool bathes work!! Because this rash feels like a sunburn when it flares!! So it calms it down!!

Use a nail brush when you wash her hands, because it'll remove stuff under her nails that can infect the skin. Keep her nails trimmed.
All of my kids have excema, and 2 have asthma as well. Asthma, allergies, and excema are related somehow. Elidel is a topical cream that is not steroid based, I believe, and over the counter cortisone is not as strong as prescription based.
It could be caused by a food allergy. Short showers are better than baths. Use keri, lubriderm or cetaphil. The cetaphil can be used also as a lotion. Use lotion regularly.
I would suggest using steroid cream until it is remedied, then regularly apply the lotions. This is actually a very reasonable chronic issue. It will reappear probably always, yet treating it is simple.
K.

There is a great substitute for the steroid creams you are using - Renew Lotion from Melaleuca. I would love to talk to you about all the great products that Melaleuca has that helps us all make our families and homes safer and healthier. You can check them out http://www.saferisbetter.com/sharons and then let me know if I can help you.

http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/pediatricks/dairy.asp

Hope this helps!

Also, you might want to double rinse her clothes -- I have found that even the healthier detergents leave residue. Smell the clothes -- if they have even a hint of fragrance, then the detergent did not get completely rinsed off.

Hello, Colette,

Find a good probiotic at your health food store. You will both benefit from this. (I order a very effective one for my family and clients as a food coach.) Yo Baby and other yogurts here in America have no real value because of the high sugar content. Yeast loves sugar. Eczema is a yeast issue. Sugars, processed foods, breads, etc. feed yeast. Work toward more green, living foods. Steroid creams just give her little body another problem in the long run.

I have a great collection called, "88 Recipes That Heal". If you would like me to email you a copy, let me know.

My very best,

T.

This was something both my kids suffered from until I converted my home to all safe, non-toxic, chemical free household (cleaners), laundry detergents, soaps, and personal care products (lotions and oils for excema prone skin). Please email with your phone and I can tell you all about it at ____@____.com. There is just too much info to put in a email, I'd love to tell you personally. There is an answer!!!!!!

Good job on looking into all the reasons why this is happening. And for trying to use products that do not contain harsh chemicals. My son has ezcema as well and I have tried the Renew by Melaleuca and it really has helped. Not only does it relieve the itching the patches disapear with in a few days. Their Renew lotion has been tested against Eucerin and Renew is 7X more affective. If you would like to try some or talk about what I have done to help my son who is now 7. Please feel free to contact me!
T.

With my daughter I used our Corticure comfort cream, can email you info on it and call or email me if you want to try it. I got results on her instantly, she had it on her back and on the back of her legs....
D.
____@____.com

my 5 year old has eczema. At the age of your daughter, it was difficult...I did find out that dairy flares it up. Yep, and what do they drink??? Well, I switched him to soy formula & limited the dairy and he did fine. I never nursed him, though, and I am not sure if breast milk constitutes as "dairy"...I don't know. Just fyi...the bash & laundry soap you are using sounds great-still a different combo may be helpful. I used cetaphil body wash & lotion. I used BABY ALL. But, California Baby has worked too...good luck.

My son gets it right behind the back of his knees when it's hot. I had to use a steriod cream on a couple of occasions as well. Now, I definitely sleep him in pants at night and I slap a ton of cream on his legs before bed every day at night and in the morning. Cetaphil is a good one, my doctor has also recommended Aquaphor and that usually keeps it in check. Also, be sure to keep her nails nice and tidy and clean so she doesn't infect herself if she scratches.
Hope that helps.

Hi Colette, I am a mother of two (a 3 year old and a 6 month old). I can understand your concern and using steroids on such a little body even though it is in a cream and medically "ok" causes concern. Two women I've recently met, suggest a regimen of L'Bri Pure n' Natural Body Wash and Hand and Body Lotion with the use of the Intense Moisturizer on the eczema. I'd love to give you the exact specifics but I felt posting it here would make a rather long read. Feel free to email me and I'll pass along the wisdom they shared with me.

Good luck and blessings!

Rai

My son had mild eczema and my doctor suggested Cetaphil cream, best buy at Costco to put on him every day, as he told us healthy, moisterized skin responds better to disease than dry skin. When he would get break outs he had us put on hydracortizone cream. Just the over the counter strength like for bug bites, etc for a couple days until the spots went away. It has worked for us. I have a friend whose son has eczema and has been diagnosed with food allergies, peanuts, garlic, etc and she has had to eliminate them from his diet. His eczema has improved but will react if he eats something with these ingredients in them. She saw an allergist and had him skin tested. If the creams don't seem to work, this might be a good route for you and your daughter. Oh, one last thing, the doctor told me to NOT bathe my son every night but rather every other or 2 days and keep the water cool to luke warm, not hot baths as this can make it worse. Good luck.

Mix turmeric powder with coconut oil. Make a paste and put on skin. Very HEALING and SOOTHING. It is antifungal,, antiseptic and antibacterial. Will temporarly turn skin yellow. It works.

I have excema on my hand and at times it drives me crazy! I would look into foods that may cause irritation, but in the mean time this is my two cents. When the outbreak is bad (cracked and irritated, I haven't found anything that works except to not itch... which is impossible to tell a 10 month old to stop). I have found that I NEED to keep my skin hydrated with lotion. I put hand lotion on about three or four times a day. I tried many lotions from the doctors, online, etc. I was estatic when I found that Aveeno works wonders for me! I feel so sad for your daughter. Best of luck!

my son has eczema bad on his face and the ONLY non medication that has effectively worked is Chinese ointment. He put it on and in 5 minutes it was completely gone. The place is in WLA but I am not sure if you need to see someone first but it is worth all the money which can be pricey but well worth it. if you need more info you can email me directly at ____@____.com

I myself now 26 had terrrible eczema as a child. Back then the Dr. prescriped 1% cortizone cream. I have many allergies and asthma to this day and sometimes still get flair ups of the eczema. Usually there is nothing you can do about it and it is genetic. I wouldn't worry about limiting food unless there is a real allergy, which could be potentially fatal. My daughter now 9 mo also as eczema. Poor thing. The Dr. also prescribed a steroid cream, but I don't like to use it unless it is bad. I use the 1% cortizone cream, which is now over the counter. I buy it at Costco as I use so much. Twice a day I lube her up on any red spots and it really seams to help. The heat always makes her eczema worst so just keep her cool and watch the creases they are the worst spots. She may also have a slight form of heat rash too.

When it is humid, the condition is at its worst. Try an ice pack to take down the inflamation. At least at her age she can't scratch it. When she is older, teach her to slap at it instead of scratching. It will relieve the need to scratch without breaking them open. Poor baby. Good luck.