Bad dose of eczema (I think) in a two year old.. running out of ideas :-(

[MrsMc]

Hi all

Planning a trip to the docs tomorrow, but wondered whether anyone had any ideas about what might be causing my son's recent skin flare up, worst on his face and scalp but also v itchy on his torso and shoulders. Picked him up from nursery tonight and he was really blotchy around his eyes and mouth (he's taken to blowing bubbles in a dribbly sort of way recently, which probably explains the mouth). He looks so sore and uncared for which really breaks my heart and (probably selfishly, is wearing me down a bit).

Only difference diet wise I can think of is that he is suddenly desperate for milk all the time (he has a 6 week old baby sister and our theory is that he wants to be treated as a baby too?!). He's gone right off water and not so fond of food.

He's had sensitive skin for as long as I can remember but has been pretty clear for quite a while, though we have steroid creams suitable for face and body in the house to treat the occasional flare up, which I hate to use but do sparingly if needed. Other things I've used over the last two years which seem to work, but only temporarily - aveeno, double base, diprobase and currently epaderm - using twice a day on his body but skin still dry pretty much all over.

Any miracle creams out there that anyone has found that work - know it could be a lot worse but it's so disheartening when I see no improvement.

Thanks, Mrs Mc

[Rosanna]

Our eldest son had extreme excema until he was about 4 years old... with that I mean wet wrapping every night using those creams mentioned (we didn't use steroid creams).. he eventually did grow out of it ... it was exhausting.. however, our

younger son had ALLERGY testing.. found he was allergic (NOT 'intolerant') to dairy and nut therefore has absolutely

NONE in his diet.. and skin GREAT. I really think our elder son would have benefitted from having allergy testing.. which wasn't available 14 years ago.. The common food irritants tend to be dairy, maybe wheat and DEFINITELY sugar..

You're doing brilliantly using all the right creams.. I went through all the washing powders etc etc but was none the

wiser.. could therefore only put it down to diet.. Good Luck.. have a go with the allergy testing.. those years were the

most exhausting times so I do wish he gets well soon.

[MrsMc]

Thanks Rosana and to the people who have pm'd me too. Appt this afternoon, so hopefully will get some more guidance then and a referral for allergy testing.

[hazelnunhead]

MrsMc I hope you get some help - my duaghter had excema from when she was a baby and is gradually growing out of it. I found trial and error what worked and what didnt. I found a book in the library which helped me understand it more, and also taught me how to apply creams etc.

I did find that as the weatehr changed, her excema got worse.

When she has flare ups I keep her out of the bath - i find the hardness of London water only aggravates her skin further. If you can putting lots of salt in the water can help (I found this out when swimming in salt pools in europe how her skin improved). I use Aveeno in the bath, and that is about all - she ususally only baths in water.

My sympathies to you as it is something that I had no knowledge of before, and I had no idea that it would be so difficult. Ours is finally under control with patches here and there, but from what is what like at 1 and 2, I can deal with that!

Good luck .....

[Saffron]

MrsMc, you say it's worse on his face. Could erythrovirus (so-called 'slapped cheek syndrome') have caused his recent outbreak? My friend's LO had this recently, so I guess it's making the rounds. If so, maybe the eczema will subside as his body fights off the virus.

[lebara]

My neighbour took her baby to the practice on Grove vale. I know ne of the things she was told to use was flax seed oil and it seems to be working.

[lebara]

My neighbour took her baby to the practice on Grove vale. I know ne of the things she was told to use was flax seed oil and it seems to be working.

[Ramble66]

Not got time to read above so sorry if this has already been said but Aveeno cream and google oatmeal baths/compresses.

[Ramble66]

Common causes - stress or possibly just the cold weather. Try putting a bowl of water near the radiator in his bedrrom for some moisture.

[happydulwich]

My daughter suffers from skin conditions and have found that Dermol cream from the GP works wonders. Also, watched a programme, Food Hospital and it recommended using turmeric in meals to stop the inflammation and it has really has started to work.

I hope your little one improves.

[The Nappy Lady]

Hi there

I think allergy tests would really be good.

You could try giving him goats milk instead of cows - this worked for me as a child.

Keep a food diary so you can maybe see a pattern with food & flare ups.

Have a look at the pure potions website - they do a wonderful bath emollient & body lotion that have worked miracles for some babies I know - I love their stuff.

Hope things improve very soon.

[SBot]

My daughter had eczema when she was younger, flares up now and again. Few baths, and then smother in diprobase then put epaderm on top! The cold can be a factor. Possibly the milk? X

[MrsMc]

Thanks again all for the recommendations/support. Saw a really lovely doctor (Himmons - DMC)on Friday who has prescribed a whole raft of creams and lotions to use. She thinks it maybe a food intolerance and has also referred us to the allergy clinic. As recommended here, she also suggested a food diary to see whether we can isolate what has caused the flare up. Skin already responding well and feel better equipped to deal with the problem. Too soon to tell whethe it's working, but fingers crossed.

[Mens]

all of my girls have eczema. Is controlled in eldest but waiting for allergy testing in other two. I did however stop all dairy 4 wks ago and last week started using vaseline (petroleum jelly) on their skin with amazing/astonishing results! Have no idea if it is simply that the dairy is out of their system or that the vaseline is keeping moisture in and irritants out but it worked for us.

[The Nappy Lady]

I think dairy is one of the prime causes, and there is something in cows milk that aggravates eczema which is not present in goats milk (which is why my parents kept goats from when I was about 5 years old - but we didn't live in London - not sure you'd be able to keep a goat in E.D.!!). Thankfully the supermarkets have goats milk, think even the milkman can deliver it now.

With my eczema I was initially prescribed a lanolin based cream and that was AWFUL - it made me so itchy. The doctor realised I was sensitive to lanolin so prescribed a new cream that didn't have any in it and it made a huge difference.

I grew out of it by my early 20's and now it only flares up when I'm stressed or big hormone changes, like when pregnant I got a little patch back but not too bad.

[EmmaG]

My kids have eczema and we were told by the paeds to put them on a hypoallergenic diet which has worked for one but not the other. No eggs, dairy or soya. I believe - and so do the paeds - it's better to use the steroid creams and clear it up than struggle on with something that has questionable efficacy (I was a horrendous eczema sufferer as a kid).

I'd slap on the hydrocortisone/eumovate until it's cleared up then moisturise at least twice a day, cut out all dairy/eggs/soya and if that doesn't work, do a full elimination diet.

Did you know that Kings is one of the world's leading places for paediatric allergy testing?

[reren]

Really recommend oat milk - my son loves it and as soon as we switched him to that he stopped being constipated and skin almost entirely cleared up. He doesn't have a bath every day and i avoid chlorinated water (no swimming) - also always wash clothes in special washing liquid - seems to really help. Oatmilk is the big thing though - makes a big difference - we still let him have the odd yoghurt but it seemed to be drinking a whole bottle of formula or cows milk that was really problematic...