[rastachris]

Are there any parents out there with wee ones suffering from eczema?

My little angel, pictured at left, has it over most of her body. She will be six months old on the 28th and has had it since 2.5 months of age (right after her first vaccinations - any possible correlation?). The palms of her hands, her feet and her diaper area are the only places she doesn't have it. She wears a double layer of socks on her hands to keep her from clawing at herself, especially at night. I keep her fingernails and toenails VERY short. She has figured out how to scratch her legs with the toes of the other foot. And when she's getting changed and laying on her changing pad (it has a terry cloth cover), she'll do this little wiggle-dance so that she can scratch her back, shoulders, scalp and arms. It's a funny little dance but it breaks my heart that she's so uncomfortable.

When she first got it, we took her off milk formula and put her on soy formula, knowing that a lactose intolerance could have brought it on. Well, she tested mildly allergic to soy and she's now back on milk formula.

Her skin is finally starting to look better. I've tried everything imaginable - expensive creams purchased on the internet, other brand-name creams and ointments, and sometimes all at once. She's even had a 17-day steroid cream treatment that did absoluately nothing to help.

What I'm doing now seems to have resulted in the most improvement. I "marinate" her in olive oil and then apply Vaseline on top of that. I do this at every diaper change, so at least 6-8 times each day. I will even lightly spray her skin with water before rubbing in the olive oil and that seems to help the skin absorb the oil. (I use olive oil because it's pure and has no fragrance or other things that can further irritate her skin.) She can get pretty slippery so it's even helpful to wear cotton moisturizing gloves or a wash glove to keep her from slipping out of our hands. She also gets Atarax (an antihistimine) when she's particularly itchy and uncomfortable.

The pediatric dermatologist and our allergist have both commended us on how good her skin looks considering how much eczema she has, so it's good to know that we're successfully doing all that we can for her.

I'm just curious how many other folks out there have also wrestled with this very itchy, very frustrating condition with their little ones. I would love to hear what, if anything, you've found to help with your child's condition, and I offer what has worked for my daughter with the hope that it might also work for someone else.

Thanks for reading!

Tina, momma to Aidan and Makena

[azprincess]

Hi!

Some of my babies were PLAGUED by eczema!!

What we did:
Found out that one was from the milk allergy.
One was from a milk AND soy allergy.
One was froma Corn allergy!!

Imagine!!
The one who was allergic to both soy and milk we used a formula called Nutramigen. It's very expensive but it has no milk and no soy. It is actually a corn based formula!! (at least it was 10 years ago, hopefully it's the same now, sounds like you need it!! )

The one with the milk allergy did fine on Isomil. When she was 1 year old and we weaned her off formula, the Eczema returned because there was milk in everything!!

*sigh*
so we have to be careful with her diet.

The one with the Corn allergy... ug. this was the toughest, all the formula's are full of corn syurp!! So I had to nurse her for 3 years!

For the Eczema:

The ONLY thing that would clear up my babies was Lanolin, and only after I removed the allergens. (It would clear a bit with lanolin but come back just as fast until I removed the culprits).
And it worked pretty fast too.

I sure hope this helps some!! I hate to see little ones suffer :/

I don't think it is from the vaccienes, especailly if you have had it cleared up a bit, then it came back... unless it came back right after the other vacciene.

[Brat]

I have eczema, and it got particularly bad after my wedding due to the perfume I had no business wearing, and the flowers I was carrying. I couldn't get it to clear up, and eventually my skin starting peeling off in chunks. My arms were red raw. A friend told me about Eucerin--the one without any perfumes, lanolin, etc. It comes in a jar. Bless that woman because after all the potions I had tried, Eucerin did the trick. I also switched to Pure & Natural soap, because it did not have perfumes. Basically, Eucerin and eliminating perfumes from my life healed my skin.

So, when my daughter had a pretty bad case of eczema on her face and neck at about six weeks, I tried Eucerin. My daughter cleared right up! I also used Gentle Naturals eczema products, but I am pretty sure it was the Eucerin that did the trick. Check w/your pediatrician.

[MichLyn143]

Wow, this thread really came at an excellent time for us! My daughter developed what we were initially told was infantile acne, at about three weeks of age. I was told by one of the doctors in our practice that she would outgrow it, and nothing could be done. We discovered that by using Pure and Natural soap, it kept the major blemishes at bay, though it left her skin feeling rough and bumpy. Thursday we went in for her six week checkup, and a different doctor saw us. She asked what we were doing for her ECZEMA??!! What eczema, I asked? I was told it was acne! No, she said....eczema. She said to use Dove soap on her face, because of the moisturizers, twice a day and also Eucerin (was glad to see this mentioned!). I found a new type of Eucerin (at least, that's what it said on the bottle) called Calming Creme, that says it's especially for dry, itchy skin. It also says that it's appropriate for use on children. It's been 24 hours since we starting using it, and I've noticed a definite difference in the texture of her skin, but I also think that the acne-type blemishes seem a bit worse. Coincidence? Are they typical of eczema as well or is it possible to have both?

[Brat]

I forgot all about Dove! Saved my skin as a kid! The regimen prescribed by my dermatologist when I was a child with eczema was Dove soap and/or Alpha Keri bath oil. He prescribed two different types of creams in green jars for moisturizing--they weren't available over the counter at the time.

When I had that extreme reaction to perfumes/flowers as an adult, Dove no longer worked because it contains fragrance so I was relieved to find the Pure and Natural. To moisturize and heal my skin, I tried all sorts of lotions hoping to find that same cream I had as a child. When I tried Eucerin, it approximated one of those same creams in texture and (non-perfume) scent and cleared me right up.

One thing to be careful about w/Eucerin: some of their products contain free lanolin and fragrance, even those for sensitive skin. I tried the lotion version of Eucerin and it just tore my skin up, while the cream was perfect due to its lack of irritating additives and fragrance. I'd be thrilled to find the version that says it's for kids! I looked for something like that to check out the ingredients and couldn't find it.

Again, ask your doctor! Ours seemed to be fine w/the products we're using but it's always great to get another opinion. We asked before putting sunscreen on our daughter, as the tube dictated a pediatricians OK for children under six months. Ours said not to use it--and he says we can only have her in the sun 15 minutes--but I get the impression that other docs might OK its use. Not that we'd listen to them--it's just interesting to hear what other doctors say.

[Sleepydream]

N also had it. Thankfully, the doctor was telling the truth and he has outgrown it for the most part (he is almost 2). We used Eucerin along with over the counter triple antibiotic cream (it is a bit stronger than what the doc will prescribe for an infant). The antibiotic cream says not to use for children under age 2, but our doctor approved it in our case to see if it would work. It did with no ill effects whatsoever, that was the only thing that would clear it up if it was already started. Eucerin seemed to prevent outbreaks once it was cleared up. Another idea presented to me by a black friend plagued by eczema that I never tried was to get "glycerin" and add it to unperfumed lotion. She said you could get it in the walmart pharmacy area and that it came in a very small brown vial. By the time she told me that, "A" who was biracial and occassionally had mild eczema, had left so I never tried it.

[LARPAR]

My daughter also had eczema as a baby. She's six now and we have it under control after lots of trial and error. One thing that made a big difference for us that others haven't mentioned was laundry detergent. I make sure her clothes, sheets, towels are all washed with products free of dyes and perfumes, also no fabric softeners. Others have mentioned soap, but also remember that shampoo runs down their little bodies when you rinse, so that needs to be 'free' also. Good luck!

[orphanagemom]

Hi,
Our friend (a dermatologist) told us that something better than Eucerin is Cetaphil (comes in lotion/cream/cleanser) or Vanicream. You can find them near the Pharmacy at most stores. They clear up even the worst Eczema. Good luck!
Jen

[mjsmom]

Our daughter (now 6) has had eczema since the age of 6 months. Finding her allergy triggers (corn, pets, etc) helped some but her skin is rarely clear. We use Crisco (which sounds disgusting) at night and wrap her arms and legs in gauze or saran wrap. She sleeps in long pj's and this helps her skin stay moist. At school she uses Aquaphor when itchy and she also takes Atarax. We have learned to use fragrance free everything and only cotton clothing. The older she gets the better she handles the itching. Good luck.

[redhedded]

though it is not nearly as severe as your child's Tina. We, too, use olive oil for treatment and Eucerin for daily care.

I have a friend who has a 13 year old boy who has very very severe eczema. He can only bathe two times per week, but like Larpar stated, the most important factor for them is ensuring that his clothes, towels, sheets, washcloths, etc are washed with Dreft. He uses Eucerin and the new Elidel, which has worked wonders for him.

My daughter had several reactions (before we discovered the cause) to Aveeno. It is advertised as one of the most natural and moisturizing baths. Not so for us. We use California Baby shampoo, conditioner, bathwash and sunscreen. All products are fragrance free, plant based non-chemical (and not tested on animals); they are safe for newborns.

[Sienna3]

My son has had severe eczema since the day he was born and it took years to get all the therapy right. Aquaphor is the best for severe eczema to keep in the moisture followed by Eucerin original creme(in the jar-not the lotion) and Cetaphil lotion is for mild conditions. Elidel works great for mild to moderate conditions, but does not work for severe cases. My son does use Elidel for the face around his eyes. eyelids and nose only and that has worked. Atarax has worked the best for my son. Benadryl and Claritin were worthless.

I would bathe her in plain water . Have her soak for 20 minutes first. Then wash her hair and body at the end. Don't let her sit in water with soap in it.I found cetaphil bar soap to be the best. Dove or Dove sensitive skin bar soap works good too. I found that the Cetaphil liquid and other liquid soaps worsened his condition.Pat her dry- don't rub the skin and make sure you put the ointments on within 3 minutes of patting her dry. Half the docs recommend only bathing a few times a week and the other half say daily. I would recommend daily as the skin needs to have contact with water often.

For the rashes itself, she should have a steroid ointment prescribed for her to use when needed and slather the rest of her with aquaphor.

You don't need antibiotics unless the rashes are itched to infection. Then I would use antibiotic ointment (Bactroban, prescription)

Use Dreft or Tide free for her laundry and no softener in the wash and don't use fabric softener in the dryer.

Avoid clothing with wool. Dress her in cotton clothing and try to avoid layering-that can cause her to sweat and worsen the condition

We do use Aveeno soaking bath treatment if none of the rest work and only if the entire body is full of rashes.

Avoid exposure to sun as much as possible, especially since she is only 6 months.

It's one of those things that has good days and bad days. Hope she outgrows it.My son is 5 1/2 and it is far from being over

[MichLyn143]

I'm reading everyone posts so anxiously, looking for some miracle solution that I know in my heart likely doesn't exist. But I think right now, I just want some kind of conformation that what she has truely is eczema, since I was originally told something different. It's been 48 hours now since I began using the Dove and the Eucerin Calming Cream, and I noticed a drastic change in the texture of her skin within just a few hours. I was so hopeful! But this morning she woke up with so many "pustules". More than she's had in weeks, like the lotion is maybe clogging her pores? It still looks more like acne to me than the pictures of eczema that I have seen. Are blemishes such as these a part of eczema? Should I continue using the Dove and Eucerin for a bit longer, and see how she reacts?

You know, I've done some research on eczema, and realize now that an allergy that I had some years ago to a few of our pets caused this on me. I had it on my face, fingers, and especially on the inside of my elbows. I remember all too well the madening feeling of waking up in the middle of the night, digging at the itching rash. It just kills me that these poor babies are going through that, some much more sever than I ever experienced. Absolutely heartbreaking.

[tlc4kidz]

My 8yo bio-son was born with eczema. The Aveeno oatmeal baths worked for him. I had to bath him without soap and use only T-gel shampoo by Nutragena. Our doctor said to get him out of the bath and IMMEDIATELY start lotioning him down with Eucerin (jar kind), not to towel dry him at all. His skin is still a mess...now he has psoriasis on his elbows and at times armpits.

Just something to be aware of....he woke up with severe leg pain 2 years in a row and was unable to walk (lasted about 2 weeks). They ran every test imaginable and he had to have hip x-rays every 3 months for a year. We finally figured out it was psoriatic arthritis.....when the psoriasis would flare up his hip and knee joints would swell and he would limp. Wanted to share that experience in case it happens to anyone else because we went through alot before we got a diagnosis. Thankfully he's been 2 years without any major arthritic episodes

He also has asthma...our doc says many of the kids with infant eczema will.

[rastachris]

Thanks for all the great responses and awesome information. It really seems like this terrible condition is different for everyone and it looks like the treatments vary widely, too. I'm just really happy that it seems some of you have found the right treatments for your children.

As I said in the original post, the olive oil and vaseline combo seems to be working really well for us for now. I think the key is to apply the moisturizing regimen several times every day. We "lube" her up at every diaper change and before bed.

We've tried every type of cream and lotion made by Eucerin and Aveeno, and Cetaphil. We did the steroid cream with Aquaphor which did nothing to help. We spent lots of money on lots of stuff that didn't work for her. Even the magic potions purchased off the internet were not helpful. If the olive oil and Vaseline didn't work, the "Crisco" treatment was next on my list. It was very frustrating and heartbreaking not to be able to help my poor baby feel better, and I'm thrilled now that her skin is looking better and she a much happier baby.

I have been bathing her every two or three days, and the baths are quick and the water is tepid. I don't use a washcloth and we use Aveeno baby bath. Our whole family uses the Dreft detergent and we don't use dryer sheets anymore. She is back on milk formula after she tested moderately allergic to soy but had no reaction to milk. We also recently got a prescription for Elidel which also seems to be helping.

I strongly suggest anyone with a baby with eczema to have your child tested for allergies, and see if you can find or be referred to a pediatric dermatologist. And do research on eczema on the internet. There is tons of information out there.

Again, thanks for responding to this thread. Keep it going!

Tina

[KatieMill]

Just thought I'd add my suggestions. I have severe eczema due mainly to soaps and dyes. I use Dove for sensitive skin...or only water in the bath. I have success using some of the lighter soaps from Bath and Body works...just don't use them anywhere on the lower part of my body.

Regular Tide is evil!! Can guarantee a breakout within 5 minutes if any of my clothing is washed in Tide.

Dreft also is very horrible for my skin. I've known several people that are completely unable to use Dreft...so you might research it for your situation.

I can only use Purex detergent or Amway laundry soap. Anything else is absolutely horrid to my body.

Downy now has a Free softener...that I have used with no side effects. I've also recently heard from a cousin raising a child with severe eczema...that she's using vinegar in her laundry as a softener and it works wonders! And it doesn't leave an odor in the laundry.

Hope this might help.