Severe Eczema! HELP!

my son also had eczema when he was little. the dr told me to do the hydrocortisone. but it didn't help. the only thing that i found that helped was A&D ointment. the diaper rash stuff. doesn't smell so great, but i put it on him after his bath and the signs of eczema would show a difference by morning. now he no longer has it. don't know if he just grew out of it or if it was the creme.

my son didnt have it severly.. but my pedi told me to use DOVE BODY SOAP and it cleared it up. i even used just the bar soap...nothing special. i still use it! maybe give that a try. sometimes the cheep and easy stuff are the best!

First, I would be careful with the Prednisalone! It causes horrible side affects (behavioral and emotional)!!! Have you tried Cetaphil or Eucarin (sp)? That is what I used for my son and it was wonderful!

I'm sure your dr already told you that Eczema is usually caused by an allergy to dairy, my son had eczema too and his dr told us about a reseach study that UF was doing for eczema and it used kefir and raw milk and it cleared it up. My son and all of us drink raw milk which has good probiotics and enzimes to help his body digest and the kefir does the same and my son is eczema free!! You can by raw milk (not paturized or homoginized) at BM Organics in Fort Lauderdale. It is so good for him and your entire family!

A lot of people with eczema have a food allergy to something such as dairy foods.

I feel your pain. My son began getting eczema at 3 months old. We were at the dr monthly with rashes that would not go away. Finally at a year old a new dr had him tested for food allergies! He is allergic to numerous foods. At the same time, we were sent to a pediatric dermatologist who specializes in eczema. She gave us numerous levels of cream medications dependant upon the severity of his outbreak. She also contradicted the regular dermatologist and told us to bathe him DAILY and to add 1/4 cup of bleach to his full bath tub. Yes, I said bleach and she knew we thought she was crazy. This was 2 years ago. Last spring this same info (bleach in baths) came out in the journal of the Academy of Pediatrics (google bleach baths for eczema). After getting my son's food allergies under control and doing the bleach baths daily his skin is beautiful! We still have outbreaks (mostly from environmental allergies like grass), but overall the bleach baths and diet have cleared his skin up. He still takes bleach baths daily and I can actually notice a difference when we skip it.
You may notice as your son gets older pale spots on his skin and spots where hair is not growing. This is from the steroid creams you are currently using - not bleach baths. Make sure you don't use those steroid creams on his eyelids or behind his ears. We live in Florida and my son is always in the sun so I notice the spots that don't tan very well.
Good luck, and try to get your son allergy tested and to a dermatologist who specializes in pediatric eczema.
S.

I'm copying in an excerpt from a Pharmacy Journal. I hope this might be helpful.
Kristen, R.Ph.
Mon, Apr 27, 2009 (HealthDay News) -- Diluted bleach baths offer a safe, simple and inexpensive way of treating children with eczema, U.S. researchers report.
The skin disease, which affects 17 percent of school-aged children, can affect youngsters' appearance, sleep and their ability to concentrate in school.
Eczema-related itching can be so bad that children sometimes break the skin and get chronic skin infections that can be difficult to treat, the researchers noted.
The study, by a team at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, included 31 patients, aged 6 months to 17 years old, with moderate or severe eczema plus a staph infection. All the children were treated with oral antibiotics for 14 days, and they were also told to put a topical antibiotic ointment or placebo control into their nose for five sequential days of each month.
Half of the children took diluted bleach baths (half a cup of bleach per full standard tub), while the others had a placebo mixed into their bath water. The children were told to soak in the baths for five to 10 minutes at a time, two times a week.
Because the amount of bleach used was so small, the diluted bleach baths were nearly odor-free, the study noted.
Over one to three months, the children who took the diluted bleach baths had a reduction in eczema severity that was five times greater than those in the placebo group. In fact, the children taking the baths showed such rapid improvement in eczema and infection symptoms that the researchers stopped the study early, so that children in the placebo group could get the same amount of relief.
"The eczema kept getting better and better with the bleach bath, and these baths prevented it from flaring again, which is an ongoing problem for these kids," Dr. Amy S. Paller, chair of dermatology and a professor of pediatrics, said in a Northwestern University news release. "We presume the bleach has antibacterial properties and decreased the number of bacteria on the skin, which is one of the drivers of flares."
The study was published in the April 28 issue of Pediatrics.

C.,
My heart goes out to your son and to you as a mother who wants nothing more than to see her child well. I suffered with psoriasis, although similar to exzema, they are still quite different. I found that diet plays a big part in either healing or irritaing psoriasis / exzema. I found a little book for $6.99 that helped me tremendously.

The book is called: The Bible Cure for Skin Disorders by: Don Colbert MD. Although it has some biblical teaching, it has alot of good info on treating exzema. I found the book at a Christian book Store, but I believe they have it at Wal-Mart as well.

In the back of the book he mentions a Dr. Pagano who has written on hundreds of case studies of his patients who were completely cleared up. He is a Chiropractor and being adjusted by a Chiropractor helps as well. I also ordered Dr. Pagano's book. Him and Dr. Colbert have recipes too.

Tips I found that help:
1. Drink plenty of water (minimum of 1/2 his weight in ounces per day)
2. Avoid all processed foods and sugars - starchy foods also turn to sugar such as white bread, potato chips, candy, soda, etc.
3. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
4. Mix 1/2 peanut oil and 1/2 olive oil as a topical. It has not stained my clothes nor keeps an odor, and helps alot. The prednisone is not good for him. It actually absorbs the skin and puts toxins in his liver. When the liver gets toxic overload, then eventually his case can become even more severe.

From what I have studied, what causes the problem has to do with toxins releasing from the body. There are 2 places they can release, either through the lungs or through the skin. The body needs cleansing to help. I have never found anything medically that has helped me, in fact the opposite has been true. I have suffered many bad side effects from medications, even the topical creams. Doing things naturally has been an answered prayer.

A good health food store can help you, but everything you need to know is in both books. I wish your son well and i will keep him in my prayers. Let me know how he is doing.
Blessings
L.

Try the California Baby line or the Aveeno Baby line. You can find them at Target.

Both my daughters have eczema but not servere. one product that I used was for psoriasis calles dermarest. there is a lotion soap and shampoo. it can be hard to find but it does work for eczema. hope this helps.

Check with your pediatrician first, but I used over the counter hydrocortizone cream for my daughter since about 3 months old. It's not made for infants or toddlers, but it was what my pediatrican suggested. We just had to put a light layer on the affected area. Cleared it up and stopped the itch. My daughter is 3 now, and I still have to apply it regularly, or else she will dig her belly and bottom raw. Looks like she was attacked by a cat. Also some over the counter eczema cream (can't think of the name but it has Winnie the Pooh on it) and unscented lotions like Lotrimin help. If I lotion her up after every bath, then I don't have to use the hydrocortizone that much. Good luck!

My daughter is 23 months and has eczema since she was born. We tried alot of over the counter and prescription creams. None of them has helped her. We found Mustela products made specifically for eczema prone skin. Mustela is used every day. I apply the cream on her body and face twice daily and when I bath her there is a special body wash we use, but do not use washclothes which will irritate the skin. You can look up Mutela online on there website. I buy the products at Babies R US or BuyBuy Baby. Good luck!! I know it is frustrating but something that you have to keep up with. I hope this helps!!

P.

You might want to ask your pediatrician for a referral to a dermatologist. A specialist would be better equiped to help with such an uncomfortable problem. Best of luck. I'm sure its beyond frustrating to see your son so uncomfortable.

Hello C.,

I was looking for information on this for someone else I met. The amazing thing is that it seemed to be connected to a challenge digesting sugars.

The company I work with has amazing products and they have digestive enzymes that would be worth a try. It is probably going to be a matter of trying something to see if it works.

I would certainly start by cutting out sugar. That might even include fruits. I am not sure about things like potatoes and rice, which convert to sugar. You are the one who will have to experiment to see what works. If you are interested in trying the enzymes (which are in capsules that can be broken apart and sprinkled on food), you can give me a call at ###-###-####, or send me an email at ____@____.com home is in Pinellas Park, but I am in Washington state at the moment. I have an enzyme book that you can borrow and read. My best friend in Florida would be willing to go to my house and get it for you. Are you in the Tampa Bay area?

I am sorry for how miserable your boy is. That means you are miserable, too. Just keep trying till you find what helps him. Drugs are really not the answer, especially for one so young.

I wish you much luck in finding what works. (The doctor who wrote the book had a severe eczema problem in her childhood till she got on these enzymes.)

Good luck!
C.

What about going to a dermatologist? I would think they would have better knowledge as to what would work on the eczema.

Hi C.,

Prednisone is a steroid and will do awful damage in other areas. It will break down his bone density just to name one side effect, causing bone breakage. Steroids should ONLY be used in life threatening instances. Prednisone will also affect his behavior. As a steroid it is just like a young girl on her menses. Terrible mood swings and you can not just take him off of it cold turkey, it has to be weaned. Google it and look at the side effects. (I was on it as a child and it took years to reverse the damage done. My mother thought she was doing the right thing because the doctor recommended it.)

Eczema is simply a nutritional deficiency. Either he is not getting the proper nutrition or his body does not know how to absorb it. He definitely needs an absorbable multivitamin(I only know of one good one on the market)if it's gotten to the severe point, but there are other things you can do as well. If you want to go this route please get back to me and I can go over specifics. I hate to see a little one this miserable. My 91 year old Dad that had it ALL his life has now been comfortable for the past five years with NO outbreaks at all. It can be cured!

God bless,

M.

My mother cured both my sister and I of eczema with Black Strap Molasses. A couple of teaspoonfuls a day mixed in with soymilk or whatever and we were fine in a short period of time.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Dry-Skin-Rash---How-I-Cured-My-...

first off, you really need to have him tested for allergies. eczema is an allergic response. also, golden salve and silver gel are great for eczema. they are all natural and nontoxic and took care of my daughters. also upping your sons omega 3 will help. i am a distributor of these products, but i found them because we needed them. i'm here if you have any questions. :)
Peace & Love,
E. M. Pisieczko
____@____.com
www.mynsp.com/healthykidshappymommy

It is his diet, see WestonPrice.com that will help you, also consulting with Dr. Bruce WEst will give you aplace to start with whole food supplements.
Drugs for a nutritional lack doesn't work.
And get him off any food additves, any food dyes, for the tiem being anyway get him off wheat soy and cow dairy, maybe not long term.
What is going on where you can see it is also going on inside- so hury.
k

C., I know exactly what you are going through! My daughter who is almost 4 has the same problem. It will seem like you go from Doctor to doctor and it is always the same. My daughters problem is she is highly allergic to dogs. This is what we do. She sees a wonderful Dermatologist, and she has been to an allergist to get get tested. I read in other responses about lotions, but if he is anything like my daughter everytime she sees a lotion bottle she screams. There is something in the lotions that burn her like crazy. What works really well is Aquaphor by Eucerin. It is ointment based and it does lock in the moisture. 5 minute showers only. I know it is hard because they love to play in the water, but water will dry him out. Also we found that putting her in 100% cotton cloths also helps. We do use a ointment steriod when she gets really bad, but we try not to use it unless we have to.
Good luck I know you will need it! It is so hard to see them go through this!!!

As I have posted many times before, your child is severly allergic/sensitive to foods. Vaccines exacerbate the situation and that's why they get flared up. You can go through the elimination diets with him taking away all dairy (casein), gluten (wheat), and egg, and soy but that is SO not practical in today's world so look into NAET treatment. It gently eliminates the allergens that are bothering his mind and body. No needles no meds. If you live in Dade or Broward I can refer the dr we go to. She has a free consultation. You cannot leave him like that because it will cause learning disabilities later on from brain fog. Creams, steroids and meds will NEVER clear the real reason he is reacting. Also put him on I-flora for kids probiotic. It will help get his gut back into balance. Research the biomedical treatments for autism like on the TACA site and you will find a wealth of information about diet. Read Healing the New Childhood Epidemics by Dr. Bock and The UNhealthy Truth by Robyn O'Brien. Educate yourself. Your drs can't and won't help you. You must help yourself and your child. Contact me for further info.

Hello,

For years our ped. dr. has put my daughter on many harsh percriptions for her eczema. Then I got feed up with it, because they were changing the color of her skin and they were not working for her.

I took my daughter to the dermatologist and he told us to try

CeraVe -- It really really helps my daughter.

It is an over the counter Skin Hydrating cleanser.

Go to this site and see what it looks like. They have a blue bottle and a green bottle.

WE USE THE GREEN ONE.
http://www.cerave.com/cleanser.htm

It is hard to find, call around at pharmacies before you hit the road.

If you get it, the person using it needs to get warm/hot water and rub the water on the rash so that you can open up the pores and then apply, this. It really works for us and we are very happy.

I wish you the best with this.

God bless and take care.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I have 2 children both that had eczema from when they were @ younger age. Instead of the oral Prednesolone (this is a steriod), ask about ELOCON cream. This is a cream that you can put with a small amount on areas that needed it. It has worked well for both my kids.

Also what my pediatrician did to my daughter's severe eczema is for her to take Benadryl oral (but this is to be prescribed dosage by the doctor).

Eczema can be caused by different things, such as the detergent you use, the food your son may be eating that he might be allergic to, pet hair. One thing also that they can do an allergy test by drawing blood and sending to the lab to test for any type of substance that he might be allergic to.

Also try lotions for him that has no perfume on it, there's some products that you can get over the counter in the baby aisle, one is like lotion with oatmeal, this helps soothe the irritation along with the ELOCON cream this will help.

Below is something you can read, a topic about eczema from WEBMD.COM.
Hope this will give some type of info that hopefully can help.

Babies and Eczema
(continued)
How Can I Treat My Baby’s Eczema?

Taking care of baby's skin is the first step to managing infant eczema, especially when the condition is mild. Try:

* Moisturizers. A good moisturizing ointment like petroleum jelly or fragrance-free creams, when used daily, will help baby's skin retain its natural moisture. Apply immediately after a bath.
* A lukewarm bath. This helps hydrate and cool the skin, and may reduce itching. Speak with your about using a an antihistamine to help relieve your baby's itchy skin.
* Topical steroids. Over-the-counter steroids like hydrocortisone creams and ointments can help reduce the redness and inflammation of baby's eczema, when used as directed. Though these creams are safe, they can lead to thinned skin and other issues if applied for too many days to the same part of the body.
* Other topical treatments are available by prescription to ease inflammation. Speak with your pediatrician.

In severe cases of eczema in children, skin care can be complemented with:

* Ultraviolet light therapy
* Antibiotics for rashes that become infected.

How Can I Help My Baby’s Eczema at Home?

One of the keys to treating infant eczema is to prevent baby from scratching. Scratching can make the rash worse, lead to infection, and cause the irritated skin to get thicker and more leathery.

Be sure baby's nails are trimmed often, and then take the edge off of them with a file if you can. Some parents also slip "scratch mittens" onto their little one's hands. Others try long socks, tucked in under a long-sleeved shirt, so they're harder for baby to remove.

Other things you can do to treat baby's eczema at home include:

* Bathe baby for no more than ten minutes in warm water. Hot water can strip skin of its natural, protective oils.
* Use mild, unscented body and laundry soaps. Perfumed, deodorant, and anti-bacterial soaps can be rough on baby's sensitive skin.
* Use soap only where baby may be dirty, such as the genitals, and hands and feet. Simply rinse off the rest of baby's body.
* Pat baby's skin dry; don't rub.
* Apply a moisturizer while baby's skin is wet.
* Oatmeal soaking products added to baby's tub may make your little one's skin less itchy. Talk to your doctor.
* To minimize the irritation of clothing rubbing on the skin, dress baby in loose clothes made of cotton. Always wash new clothes before putting them on baby.
* Avoid putting too many blankets on baby or overdressing your little one. This can make baby hot and sweaty, triggering an eczema flare.

When Should I See a Doctor About Baby Eczema?

Don't just assume your baby has eczema -- get a medical diagnosis first. This not only eases your mind, it can help you treat baby's eczema more effectively.

Once you know infant eczema is what you're dealing with, keep an eye on baby's condition and call your doctor if:

* Baby doesn't respond to treatment within a week of starting over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams. Prescription treatment may be necessary.
* A yellow or light brown crust or pus-filled blisters appear on top of the eczema. This could be the sign of a bacterial infection that needs antibiotics.
* Baby is exposed to anyone with cold sores or genital herpes, both of which baby is more likely to contract.

C.,
My little boy is 3 1/2 and has had eczema all his life. We've gone to numerous doctors had every cream under the sun antibiotics and steroids. Finally he was sent to an allergist. Best thing to ever happen. We found out that most of the foods he was eating, he's allergic to. Since we've been told what not to give him his skin is beautiful. My suggestion is...get your baby to an allergist. They test the young ones by blood. It's worth it. I found out my baby was allergic to almost everything I was feeding him, even something as simple as peas.
Good Luck,

I am so sorry to hear that and I had a small spot of eczema on my elbow for years and tried everything under the sun and have found Nothing to get rid of it. Until... :) I started shopping with a health and wellness company about a year ago. They have this lotion that believe it or not is not oily or no side effects and has totally cleared up that spot on my arm and I only use it when I want too. If you are interested in hearing more and learning how you can make a change in your life contact me at - ____@____.com

Ask to be seen by a dermetologist. My son has it. He was given an oral antibiodic and it went away totally. That is about the only thing the helps. He still has really bad flare ups and we use Mometezone and Protopic and they help. THe dermetologist told me sometimes when they have it this young, it may just go away. I'm hoping that day will come sooner than later.
Dermetologist says don't use ANYTHING with chemicals, fragrances, etc...it's a lot easier said than done!
Also we let him pick out his own bandaids! HE loves that!

Hi C.,
If I was you I would try natural alternatives to the meds.
i'm not a health care proff. but I'm convinced that all the pollution in the air fillers and substitutes, colors and artificial staff in our food and drinks is a torture to our bodies.It's just that the "reaction" has different ways to show up: some has allergies some has eczema, others have IBS,Crohns,Arthritis, ADD and the list goes on and on.
I give the best antioxidant and multivitamin( kids)for my kids to protect them.Its called Might-a-Min Spectrum.If you like to try them or one of them write me at ____@____.com and I can actually give you a sample too to see if it help with his skin.
Best of luck!!

My 2 yr old has mild eczema, nothing close to what you mentioned but I have learned a few things. The doctor prescribed creams before but also an oil that helps the blotchiness and the bumps. I was also told to hydrate the skin well with Aquafor or Eucerine lotions or even vaseline. Keeping the areas well hydrated is important. Also beware of other lotions, soaps and shampoos. Look at the ingredients list and if it has EDTA stay away from it, that causes eczema. So far Baby Aveeno seems safe but still check it. Pool water and some sunscreens (excluding neutrogena) can harm rather than benefit and daily baths are not necessary. Every couple days is better to maintain skin's natural oils and maybe just wash off with a damps cloth on other days. Be vigilant about detergents used, colognes, wipes... anything touching the skin (even sheets and stuffed animals). Some diets have made a difference too. Google diets for eczema.

Good luck and I hope things improve quickly.

Here is a link to get info regarding iching, hope it helps,

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/dermatologytopics/a/06_itc...

D.

It's a lotion called Renew. You won't find it in any store. If interested contact me through my website and I will be able to tell you how to get it.

www.workathomeunited.com/sassymom

Here is my magical formula for curing my son's eczema:

Remove eggs from his diet. Foods do not cause eczema, but eggs have been shown to be linked to eczema flares. It is a sensitivity, not a true allergic reaction.

Do not use ANY products (Aveeno and Johnson's included) that contain SLS, SLES, EDTA, fragrances or alocohols, on his skin. California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and body wash is the only completely natural one I have found. I bought a gallon online and it has lasted a looong time. Well with the investment.

To moisturize, use a natural OIL, not anything with a petroleum or mineral base. I use coconut oil I buy at the health food store. Olive oil could work as well. Oil is easy to rub and moisturizes incredibly well. Eurcerin is very stiff and hard to rub in and others contain chemicals mentioned above. A natural oil is best.

Bathe him daily with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of bleach in a normal sized tub (depending on how much water you use). Contrary to what some say, daily bathing is not bad for eczema. Be sure to use only the California Baby wash and moisturize with oil afterward.

Use the oral steroids and steroid creams very sparingly, only to treat an acute outbreak. The one we used was Derma Smooth oil, but we don't need it anymore. Even OTC hydrocortisone is a steroid and should be used as infrequently as possible. Sometimes they are absolutely necessary to get an outbreak under control, but should not be used long term.

We use Eucerin cream on our daughter's eczema. You can get it at any drugstore and it is not a drug, just a really greasy cream. If you put it on his trouble spots before he goes to bed at night it could moisturize and alleviate the dryness and itching. Good luck!

Our son had eczema too and what we found that worked was a cream called vanicream, we ordere d it online and also found that our target pharmacy could order it too and it was no shipping cost that way. It is non prescription. We apllied it several times daily and especially when he got out of the tub we barely dried him off and then applied it generously. Also we recognized certain foods that would increase or flair up the eczema like strawberries. I hope this helps, he was in daycare and we made sure they put it on him too at least once or twice when he was there. My friend recommended the cream to me because it cleared up her daughters eczema.

You'll want to find some natural therapies. The child may have an allergy or sensitivity to things in his environment and/or to things he eats. Eczema is also related to stress, so be aware of any stressful circumstances you and your family are experiencing.

http://eczema-natural-healing.com/eczema-remedies.html
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/eczema.htm

Good luck,
J.
phinsights.com

My 3 year old had very severe eczema until recently when we seem to have it under control for now anyway. Go to a dermatologist, not your pediatrician. Keep trying everything until you find the magic bullet for your son since every child with eczema has a different treatment that works for them. My son takes Zyrtec and has since he was 6 months old. It really helped clear things up. Plus we have a nightly ritual of wiping him down with cetaphil cleanser and lubing him immmediately with his cortizone on the flare-ups and then aquaphor everywhere to keep his skin moist. We also use the baby eczema cream you can get with Winnie the Pooh on it to treat him throughout the day if he gets an itchy spot we put lotion on right away. Keeping him moist really seems to help. Read the book Eczema Free For Life, it explains so much that your doctor won't and really helped me feel like I could do something to help my son. Hang in there. I know it is tough. Good Luck! You are not alone!!!!

Try a product by Clinique called Comfort on Call. I have two friends that have used for their eczema and they say it worked after trying everything else. I think it is around $34 for a jar. Good Luck!

The only thing that worked for my son's eczema around his mouth area is Mometasone Furoate Topical Solution USP, 0.1%. It's a clear liquid steroid, I believe, and it's the only thing that worked! You just put a few drips on the affected area, and repeat each day...but it goes away fast! And now I don't need to put it on my son nearly as much as in the beginning.

My 2 boys have it too. Take raw oats (oatmeal) and blend it in the blender to a powder and bathe him in it. For a while it may be the only thing he can bathe in. When my oldest son had a really bad outbreak of excema, I had to bathe him in pure oatmeal for 1 week. Aveeno worked well too for at night when he got really itchy in his sleep. I also had to change detergents and go to a very mild one. Now I make my own, and it's much cheaper and better.
It's sad to see them so uncomfortable, but try not to use any steroid creams if you can avoid it. I know everynow and then if it gets too bad, I have to put it on, but I try to limit it to just one time and it usually does the job.
Hope this helps!! Take care,
V.

My little guy is 5 and still suffers but we have strategy now. I never give a bath only shower, with tepid water and with gentle mild soap for excema (Aveeno) Always moisturize with moisturizer like Eucerne. As soon as a little patch appears I use the cream from the doc. I have seen a dermatologist and that was helpful with mahagement without so much medication and come to find out after food allergy testing by the gastro for reflux, he is allergic to milk and soy. (Not severe) So when the excema acts up I switch to rice milk for a few days. Hope this helps. I know it is awful. My little guy had excema really bad at about the same age as yours and from scratching he got a staph infection. It was awful.

C.
My son had eczema although not as severe as your so and I know its hard. especially when they are so little so they can't help but scratch. Have you thought about food allergies? Look food allergies and eczema on the intnet and you will see thee is a link. try changing your sons diet and see how his eczema reacts. You have to do this very methodically but I bet it will help. Good luck!

Hi does your child have asthma? because prednisalone is usually prescribed for asthma or severe allergies. take out all types of rugs, dust frequently. i give my daugther 4 year old transfer factor daily and rio vida in gel form. check it out wwww.4life.com its an awesome product.

Don't use any soap on him. Oatmeal bathes only. Also use a non allergic laundry soap with no softner. This helped my nephew.