Infant with Exzema

My friend's son had bleeding eczema head to toe! She started shopping with a wellness company, buying products that are really safe, no chemicals, etc. (They have a lotion that beat Eucerin in 2 studies!) His skin looks great! Happy to share more with you. Good luck!

Has she tried removing dairy and gluten from her diet? Especially oats? I recommend Special Diets Special Kids by Dr. Lisa Lewis.

Anika,

As we found out w/ my now 15 mo old son, children with exzema at an early age typically have food allergies. Mine started w/ the exzema at about 3 1/2 months. You need to get him to a pediatric allergist as soon as possible and have him tested at least for the top eight food allergens....dairy, egg, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish.

L. M.
Reston, VA

Try using non-soap based cleansing bar like Cetaphil. Once the baby is out of the bath tub, while he is still damp rub Cetaphil cream (not lotion) all over his body or you can use baby oil and then the cream on top. You can add vinegar to the bath water to help ease any itching. I would recommend an allergist. I had to stop eating everything except meat, fruit, and veggies for a few months - this really helped with clearing my sons skin. Then I slowly added in things I had stopped eating to see if he was allergic to something. Also, make sure to use Dreft detergent or All Clear in One. No bubble baths at all. My allergist also recommended Vanicream and Dove fragrance free, dye free bar. Good luck

Here a the tricks that helped me- make sure his clothes and his moms are rinsing thoroughly in the wash to remove all laundry detergent residue( even with Dreft and ivory snow for babies). Then, NO fabric softener or dryer sheets unless they are perfume and fragrance free (bounce makes a good one).

The other thing that cleared my son's skin within 5 days was Optomega oil from USANA. It is organic and made from pumpkin seeds and such. Here's my site- http://www.joinsherri.usana.com

He was 7 months old when I tried the oil and has been on it ever since. He is now 3 and 1/2

S.
SAHWM of four

Hi Anika, I have found this wonderful lotion that helps with eczema. It's non greasy and great for the whole family to use everyday. I would love to get you and your brother the details.
-L.

I would ask the pediatrician for an allergist recommendation. See if they would be willing to test him for allergies so that you know if he has food allergies (or others) that are causing the excema. my son had excema as a baby and we ultimately found out that he is allergic to milk and eggs (and cat; and recently with pollen season upon us-- pollen). The excema is mostly brought on by the food allergies in my son and as soon as that was eliminated from his diet then the excema was GREATLY reduced! In the meantime.. give him a bath everynight (little or no soap) and then without overdrying him, "oil" or lotion him up to trap the moisture from the bath to his body so that his skin can absorb it. We use aquafor.. and we love it. We used to have to use alot of the hydrocortizone cream, but once we eliminated the trigger foods we mostly just use the aquafor everynight and his skin is amazingly better! Excema is usually triggered by an allergy. I myself have it, and though it skipped my first two kids, my son now has it.
I wish we had tested my son sooner so that he wouldn't have suffered it as long as he did.. so I would recommend seeing an allergist.
Good luck

Sure, stay away from sugar, 2 TBS can lower the immune system for up to 6 hours. And add DanActive Immunity drinks, it does have sugar, but it will helps and most of all get a good Omega 3 supplement for children, highest dose you can find. Nursing is good, if the baby isn't eating food yet have the mom get a billions strain probiotic and it will reach the baby through the milk as well as fish oil for mom with a label that says NO MERCURY!!
God Bless

Anika,

There is absolutely nothing better to use on eczema and infants than Melalueca's Renew Moisture Therapy Lotion. Forget the steroid cremes $$$. Don't ever let your doctor prescribe Eladel (sp?) because it has been linked to childhood leukemia--even if he/she says the risks are low. I am a Melaleuca customer and I love it all. No harsh chemicals, no formaldehyde--like in my previous baby shampoo! If yours/his has Quaternium-15 in it, throw it away! Eczema can also be linked to an allergy or sensitivity to formaldehyde which is a bunch of our everyday products. Anyway, enough ranting. Sometimes I get carried away. Renew is the best thing going for eczema. If you want to try it and any other of their stuff, send me an ____@____.com. Anything you get from them is totally 100% guaranteed so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying the lotion on your precious nephew. Good luck.
M.

Only wash him every three days in luke warm water with Aveeno moisturizing soothing wash, then put Aquaphor all over him face too. Also we had to get a steroid cream perscibed and it went away right away. Eventually my little one outgrew it by about one.
Aquaphor is not overpriced vaseline and you can get a big tub of it for $15.00. Trust me, spend the extra couple bucks -it's worth it.

My son, who is now 15 months old, has really bad eczema and food allergies, but the eczema has been pretty much under control for a couple of months now. A couple of things that have helped us:

1. 1% hydrocortisone creme for the bad spots or when he's really itchy. You don't want to use it all the time, because it's very strong, but we used it for 2 weeks straight initially when he was around 7 months to help heal up his skin, and now I use it whenever I see him scratching or he has a particularly dry patch.

2. A good moisterizing routine. We used Aquafor for a while, but it's basically overpriced vaseline. So, now we do eucerin creme in the morning and vaseline at night before he goes to bed.

3. Managing the bath routine. My son only takes a bath 2x/week (although we may have to up it this summer). We make sure that the water is luke warm, blot him dry (don't rub), and moisterize while his skin is still damp.

4. The diet is key while breast feeding. My son has a dairy allergy that we didn't identify until he started eating solid foods. But I now suspect that part of why he was so itchy during his early months was because of the dairy I was consuming.

Hope that's helpful!

My daughter (also breastfed)had exzema as well and her dermatologist recommended that I cut out dairy for a month in addition to bathing her daily and using Cetaphil lotion in the morning and after her nightly bath. For a while she was on a steroid foam for her rash but only when it got really bad. The lotion twice a day has helped. Also trying to keep her skin for repeatedly getting wet and then dry (ie: frequent diaper changes, keeping her cool, changing drooly shirts quickly, etc.) really helped. Good luck!

We're struggling with my son's eczema (my daughter has had it, but not as bad). Here's what I've learned (so far!):

- Vaseline often works great on the dry or dotty patches (two times a day, make it a ritual).
- Sometimes allergies are a cause of eczema, but not always. There are different causes.
- An infection can cause eczema to flare up or get worse (this is something we're just dealing with now with my son--a patchy part of his skin got infected). If this is the case, he needs to go to the dr. to help clear up the infection.
- Don't use dryer sheets (try liquid fabric softener instead).
- Don't bathe daily - we bathe the kids only about 2x per week. Lotion (or vaseline) immediately following bath.
- Use a moisturizing soap like Dove bar soap.

I'm sure there's more, but that's what I've learned so far as I've been dealing with eczema with my own kids. Hope it's somehow helpful!
B.

My son had really bad exzema when he was a baby also. Have her try changing her laundry detergent and things that come in contact with his skin in addition to her diet. If he has contact dermititis, then soaps and fabric softeners could be causing the exzema also. Have her change what she's bathing him in too.

I know a lot of people have replied with really good comments but I wanted to offer my services. I am a chiropractor and my focus is natural means to obtain (or keep) health. There are ways to naturally help eczema from the inside out, not just from the outside (lotions etc while they help don't really get at the root of the problem). I have a procedure to test patients and (and their moms if they are still breast feeding) that is very accurate and effective ( and it doesn't require things such as blood tests, etc). My youngest patient (other than my daughter who I test to keep her healthy) was 7 months old like your nephew.

I would be willing to do a free exam and consultation for the little guy with of course no obligation for anything. My goal is to get the world healthier through natural means so if you just have questions you want to ask, feel free to do that as well. ____@____.com ###-###-####

Good luck with whatever you choose to do. Take care!

PS My husband is in the military as well and I feel the same as you do (married to the military)!

Has he been tested for food allergies and/or sensitivities. Most children I know with eczema have a food allergies/sensitivity. It might not be something obvious like milk, egg, etc.. For my youngest son it is garlic! Keep a food journal (for mom & son) and note skin conditions. It could be something he is eating or something in the breast milk.
With both my sons eczema we use only cetaphil to wash them with. We use vaseline creamy lotion. For laundry only use All free & clear and bounce free. Perfumes & scented stuff also flare their eczema up. Once you find products that work DON'T change them. Good luck.

Good morning. Both of my girls have eczema and the oldest is pretty bad. Being that it is an auto immune disease, I would suggest seeing a dermatologist. I also use hydracortizone cream and ensure that their skin stays well hydrated. I know they are expensive, but the two I have found that work the best are Eucerin or Aveeno. Both are fragrance and dye free. I pray this helps you.

Both of my children had/have eczema. My son out grew his around 3-4 years old and my daughter (now 3) seems to be following that pattern as well, her episodes are getting farther apart. I was never able to pin it to foods, but I do also use the clear laundry soaps and the extra rinse and I only use vinegar as a softner (it does not leave a smell on your laundry). For flare ups, I use a cream compound that the Dr. had the pharmacy prepare, it is Eucerin mixed with Clobetasol 0.05. I had eczema as a child until I hit puberty and it flared again when I had both of my children.Just this last year it finally cleared up. It was all over my face and terribly itchy. I break out easily so I did not want to use heavy creams on my face, my saving grace was a bottle of Emu oil from my local healthfood store. Surprisingly it took away the itch and helped get rid of the red patches (even on my eyelids). Animal based oils absorb much better than plant based/petroleum based oils. It is expensive but take only a few drops. My mother and 2 of my siblings have had eczema as well so we have had many years dealing with this and trying differnet things. You just have to keep trying everything until you find what works for you. I also try to steer clear of completely depending on steroid creams, they are not good for you.

Best luck to your brother and the baby.

K.

My son was 7 months old when he developed eczema too! I also breastfed exclusively, and the Dr. never told me that what I was eating would effect it. His was triggered when I switched to Gain detergent! We tried everything over the counter that the doc recommended, and switched to dreft or all free and clear. We used the steriod creams and nothing was making any difference. He was AWFUL looking. Then I remembered a company my friend had told me about that has a lotion. He was almost completely clear in 2 weeks, and believe me his body was almost raw. I have pictures if you want to see, and email me if you are interested in the pics or the company. Its called Melaleuca, and the lotion is Renew. I also use all their products...laundry detergent, and even softener and dryer sheets! baby shampoo/body wash, etc. I also used the Renew bath oil and he is clear all the time unless I forget to use his lotion after his bath, and he will be 3 this month! Even if I do forget the lotion, his skin just feels a bit rough, it doesn't get all broken out and red like before! I even have a recipe and make my own wipes w/their products, because the wipes were making him break out so bad! Again, if you want pictures to see how it works, I took progress pics! And that goes for anyone that might read this! ____@____.com

My daughter, who is now almost 1 year, also has exzema. When she was around 3 months old we started seeing it - she developed one spot of it on her face that is just now starting to clear up! She would also get patches of it on her back but only very mild. The Dr said that the spot on her face was not clearing up because it was on her cheek near her mouth and her drool would irritate it. He recommended a cortizone cream, but I wanted to try everything else before I used a steroid cream on her.
During the recent heat wave she broke out in patches all over - her elbows, back of her neck and all over her butt. Her small patches had never bothered her before but this recent flare up really itched her. I had been using Aveeno and Vaseline to control it but had to find something else for the flare up. I found a product called Triple Paste at Babies R Us and as soon as we started using it we saw immediate results! It cleared up the large sore (and some bleeding) patches that had appeared and has almost cleared up the long-term spot on her cheek! We apply it every morning when we get her out of bed and IMMEDIATELY after her evening bath. We also check on it during every diaper change and apply more as needed.
As some of the other Moms have commented, we use Tide Free and no dryer sheets, we do a second rinse on all her clothes, and we only use soap in her bath about once a week, otherwise it is just a bath in water no soap. The Triple Paste lotion is free of all dyes, perfumes, etc.
I have never been able to tie her flare ups to food products - I think her excema develops when her skin can't breathe properly - hence the recent problem after the 90 degree weather! We had put her in an umbrella stroller that did not allow her skin to breathe well.

Hi Anika, I see that you have gotten a lot of responses on this issue so forgive me if I duplicated someone else's response. First I have to say that your nephew needs to see a dermatologist. Since he is being breastfed there may be something that his mom is eating that is triggering his eczema. For now she should use either dove or cetaphil soap and either cetaphil or eucerin cream or lotion. You didn't say if his he scratches his skin till it bleeds. But if it is that bad then he will need medication. Which is usually a topical steroid that the dermatologist will prescribe. You may have to watch the detergent that is being used for his clothes and any other soaps in the house. As someone with eczema and godmother to children with eczema I found that the parents have to make a conscious effort otherwise their children's skin will not get better. If these simple steps are taken by the time he is two his skin will make a drastic improvement. I hope this helps.

my daughter had exzema as an infant too. i use Cetaphilsoap and cream and a dab of hydrocortizone for hot spots. she eventually grew out of it around 10 months but we're still careful to avoid strong lotions or detergents.

LOTION!!!, Every other diaper change. My daughter was the same way. Exzema is chronic dry skin. The skin needs alot ofd moisture.
T.

Hi Anika,
My pediatrician recommended that I use Aquafor on my daughter. Her face would break out so bad, and it would help. She of course still has some outbreaks of her eczema, but not nearly as bad as when she was an infant. This stuff was in the lotion section of the drug store. It was kind of like using Vaseline, but a lot thinner and no where near as sticky on her face.

Hi! I didn't read through all of the responses so forgive me if this has been mentioned. I wanted to add to make sure that they are washing EVERYthing in "Free" detergent and Bounce has "Free" dryer sheets too. My younger daughter started with it when she was a breastfed baby too so I had to be carefull of everything she came in contact with, even my own skin and ANYone wearing something not washed in "Free" detergent. She did/does uses Dove soap and I did too when she was young. My sheets/blankets are also washed in "Free" detergent so she could/can lay on it. We can't even have her try on clothes at a store without her arms breaking out but as soon as I wash it (I do use All Free)she's good to go.

Hello Anika,

I have eczema and my daughter has had it since she her first bath. First thing, I would not advise using any topical treatments for it like hydrocotrizone cream etc. They are steriods which are addictive and the baby's skin is to thin and fragile for them. My daughter's dermatologist advised me to only use dreft detergent and not fabric softner, rinse her clothes thoroughly, and use Cetaphil Cleanser to bath my daughter. He told me not to use a wash cloth but to use my hands only because the wash cloth can aggravate the eczema so on the baby's delicate skin. Also, my dermatologist said that eczema is an outward expression of something not right on the inside. We had my daughter tested for food allergies and found she was allergic to milk, eggs, and nuts and when she consumed milk and eggs her eczema would flare up. While I nursed, I cut out all of the things she was allergic to and anything containing the allergens. I know it's drastic but it's worth it.

Good luck!

Hello Anika,
My son had eczema when he was younger and now my daughter gets very dry cheeks and I use a cream you can get at any store like Wal-Mart. It is called Baby Eczema Cream by Gentle Naturals. It comes in a tube with a light green cap. It is found with the baby products like soap and things. She may want to check with her Dr to make sure it is ok, but it works for my kids.
Good-Luck, G.

Anika,

The only thing that has helped my middle son's eczema is Renew lotion from Melaleuca. It beat Eucerin in blind testing, and it does not leave the oily feeling of other lotions. You can e-mail me @ ____@____.com or you can check out Melaleuca's website at www.melaleuca.com. I hope this helps

My kids are allergic to certain foods and Johnson's baby products.The following did wonders for us.
Aveeno Body Wash or Avon Sensitive Skin Bubble Bath
Aveeno Baby skin calming lotion (worked within 2 days).

M.

Your nephew needs to see an allergist. Eczema is an allergic reaction so obivously his mother is still eating something that is causing his eczema. I am in the same boat right now and am making an appointment for my baby with the allergist that my older son sees. To help sooth the skin and keep it moist they can do daily, warm, baths. Then just pat dry the skin and put on Eucerin calming cream first and then vaseline (yes, it's gross) to lock in the moisutre. Keep him in warm but not too warm clothes and keep him away from the pool and being in the sun too much (which you should do anyways with a young baby).
When they do see an allergist, they need to insist on skin testing and not just the blood test. A good allergist would do that anyways. The blood test only detects the allergens they are in the body in the last 24 hours. The skin tests are much better

My daughter got exzema from soap. We had to switch to non-perfumed dove soap and then the problem went away. AF

My daughter developed exzema out of the blue when she was about that age. We took her to the doctor and they told us to use a 1% steroid cream for 7 days on the affected areas. This worked great, but as soon as we stopped it came back. So we treated again with the steroid cream. Once we finished that, we started using all Aveeno products. Creamy wash, and lotion after every bath. She hasn't had so much as a bump since then. There is something in the Aveeno products that has completely cleared it up...so much so that I'm terrified to stop using it ; )

Good luck!

I always blend cortizone cream with Aveno Baby after every bath & every night (if he lets me).

My daughter is almost 2 and has a little exzema on arms and legs. I was using Eucerin cream which is expensive, but it didn't seem to help. Someone suggested using lavendar and it seems to be helping. I use Johnson's baby oil with lavendar and a lotion with lavendar on the exzema patches. When it's really bad and she scratching and breaking skin, I put cortizone cream on her. Good luck!