Mom of 2 - Abington,PA

Cetaphil to wash, ped just gave it to my nephew for that too... and this lady I met swears by Mary Kay's Intense Moist Cream in a jar (its the pink one) for babies, even rashes!

Love the Aveeno. They make a baby Aveeno lotion...works well. They do make Aveeno bath products, never used it on a baby so small..might want to check with your ped before using that or read instructions.

Both my kids had eczema as infants and creams helped, but I wanted it to go away. Someone told me to try and eliminate allergens in our daily life, so I changed laundry soap to the clear ALL & I stopped all chemical cleaners in my home except toilet cleaners. I use lemon juice, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. I save loads of money too and my house is just as clean if not better than. Both my kids eczema cleared up and has not returned. So, for what it is worth, that is my solution....

1. Don't wash him everyday - it's very drying
2. We love Aveeno products. They have a no fragrance lotion and an oatmeal "bath" pouch we use when skin is esp dry and irritated
3. You can use vaseline, aquaphor or anything like that before bed too. It really helps seal the skin to hold in moisture after a bath. It can be a little greasy tho, so we only use it when they are in PJs for the night
4. Keep a food journal for him. It may be an allergic reaction to foods you are eating if you're nursing or something he's eating. My kids were definitely more sensitive when they were infants and "grew out of it". I guess babies loose moisture faster.
5. In the winter, use vaseline on his cheeks, lips, etc before you go out. It helps prevent wind burn.

I just bought this product at BBRU for our son's diaper rash. It seems really good. And the company put a pamphlet inside that says they have a whole slew of other products for dry skin conditions too...www.triderma.com. I definitely like their cream and plan to use other products.

Best wishes

my little guy had it until we found out he was allergic to milk. I would take your baby to a specialist. Hydrolatum is the best its otc but you usually have to ask the pharamcist for it. Aquaphor will help and so won't eucerin. We use hydrocortisone when he flares up really bad but I don't know if you can use that on a 4 month old. We use dye free detergants and softeners and aveeno bath products including the oatmeal bath/soak.

My son had a lot more breakouts before I started making laundry soap (or using a dye/perfume free version), unscented dryer sheets, Aveeno bath wash, and moisturizing with Vaseline or petroleum jelly. He is 2 now and still gets patches if he wears something washed in scented detergent. Depending on your son's condition (a lot of babies are more sensitive--my older son was but outgrew it) you might need to be a bit more aggressive. I was never even able to use Johnson's baby wash on my younger one (the one with the more sensitive skin).

My friend used an oatmeal lotion on her son. She got this lotion through Avon. She says that it really helped.

Are you sure it's eczema? I would think your doctore would have reffered him to a dermotologist.

When my daughter was an infant and her eczema would flair up ,hydrocortizone cream would help.

Hi, J.:
Look on line for
Jeanne Rose aromatherapy blends.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
D.

You need to take him to a pediatric specialist. My granddaughter started going to a pediatric dermatologist and allergist while she was still a baby. First they tested her for allergies and she had several including to milk. She drank formula and so that meant an immediate change.

The dermatologist said to bathe her everyday in warm, not hot, water and to immediately slather her with a highly emollient cream. Not a lotion. He recommended Vaseline because it seals in the moisture very well. Vaseline makes a creamy petroleum jelly that really helped.

The allergist prescribed an ointment to use to get the eczema under control which then made it more possible to keep it under control.

If you don't want to use petroleum jelly, look for creams in a tub. Aquaphor is one. There is a generic brand that is less expensive. Walmart and those types of stores carry generic products.

We had to smear cream on my granddaughter a couple to three times/day until her skin got better. When she was a toddler she was so used to having a cream on her that she'd try to put it on herself and smeared foot stool and her dolls too. lol Had to put the jar out of her reach.

It's important to find out to what he's allergic. All the treatment of his skin won't help if he's still exposed to an allergen. It's important to use products with no scent or perfume. This includes your soap and detergent. No dryer sheets. We had to use cotton clothing. Synthetics made the rash worse.

My granddaughter is now 10 and still has rough patches to her skin, especially around her elbows and knees. She's very independent and doesn't keep her skin moisturized as it's needed but she's willing to live with the rough skin that does break out from time to time.

I've read that skin with eczema has a different make up and that has been my experience. My granddaughter's healthy skin is just a little rough even tho it's not broken out and hasn't been for years. I am concerned that the skin on her elbows and knees will always be unhealthy because she won't take care of it. It's important to be as consistent as you can with keeping the skin hydrated and soft.

PS The difficulty with Mary Kay's Cream is that it's scented and tho it does work well for normal skin it's not good for eczema.

prescription hydrocortisone is what worked for us

Every child will react differently to the treatments out there. Unfortunately you'll have to go through many to get to the one that works for your child. For one of my triplets who are now 6, the best thing that worked for him was Aveeno Baby Eczema Lotion in a standing tube. We tried Eucerin which is just really greasy and other things. The oatmeal baths didn't seem to help my son but does help other kids. Try the over the counter stuff that people offer first and then go to the doc and try the prescription stuff that a doc can offer. Good luck! It takes time to find something that works.

The best time to put on lotion is fresh out of their bath when their pores are open. We put it on first thing in the morning, mid day and at bed time. At first, you may want to put it on first thing in the morning and bed time and every diaper change in between until you can start getting it under control. You'll learn how often it'll keep it at bay. Try using very mild soap and rinse thorough and pat day after baths. Use "free" baby wipes, the kind with no alcohol, no frangrance, no anything. I bought the newborn wipes at Walmart. They were very soft and gentle. Keep the nails trimmed down to limit scratching. We had to use the lotion for a couple years. It got milder as time went on and was worse in winter.

Good luck!

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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