Bad Eczema with infection

[Neilski]

Hi all mums,
Please advise on this: My 6-year-old son, has had a very bad eczema for 12 weeks. Eczema was infected with staph bacteria. Docs gave 3 times antibiotic, but they found staph bacteria in his nose today again and have prescribed today 4th time course of same antibiotic. I have refused it. Please help! Anybody had given child antibiotics in space of 2 months for 4 times?! Isn't it dangerous? Thank you so much, from very worried mumzie

[leekandpotato]

yes. skin infections NEED to be controlled. Ask to be referred to get further help and advice if this is a ongoing problem.



what medical support have you had for your child eczema so far?

[Neilski]

Thank you Leeekandpotato,

To control his eczema we heavily rely on:
-steroids: Eumovate oinment (1-2 at a bad days or 2-3 at week at good days), and Hydrocortisone (for face)

• Dermol for washing
  
• Cetraben cream, 50/50, (Doublebase - but DS complained that it felt cold).
  
• Once a week bath with bleach (Milton)
  

No Allergy found but mild grass pollen.

My worries about using steroid for such a long period nearly 6 years. And antibiotic - for 28 days.

What would be a long time effect on his health?
And scratching at school badly, don't know what to do.
thank you x

[mausmaus]

do antihistamines help him for the itching? piriton at night maybe?
it's difficult to break the cycle, I know (hands itching like mad atm).

also if his eczema is that bad, is it possible to get referred to a specialist?

[Neilski]

DS is at Year 2 at school; his teacher complains that when some important task like e.g. writing he has to do, he will scratch like mad. Cannot do antihistamine for school, it will makes his sleepy. Maybe its stress related, he is a summer baby, and too much pressure at school and homeworks.
NHS Specialists saying that his eczema is tough and it is not curable. Keep on putting steroids. There is more cure for cancer, then eczema, as it won't kill, just makes your life unpleasant.
Thank you.

[leekandpotato]

my son started with steroid (same one as yr child) from under 2yrs up until 5 years old. starting daily at first but as eczema increased, needed twice daily.
His skin improved at 5yrs with once a day steroid and then just skin ointments like 50/50.

His daily routine under 5, steroid application morning and night. (before starting school full time) had 5 over over body moisturisers applied. 8 with a flare up.

diagnosed at 2yrs with dust mite / tree pollen allergy.
So dust mite prevention/ lowering amounts added in to routine and in change of household dust management.

prescribed at 2yrs nasal sprays which were meant for children age 12, but that is just a guidance. Rhinitis needed steroids to control is as it has huge impact on quality of life, including school, growth etc.
Prescribed eye drops for tree pollen season, again marked as for older children but immunologists advice followed for similar reasons as rhinitis.

6yrs Daily antihistamine, one marked as non sleep inducing but given at night so that side effect reduced. Given to help skin, but also to control all environmental allergies now developed. Dog allergy considered severe and potentially life threatening by 7. Also not asthmatic but given inhalers due to asthma response to dog dander.


Has had many many prescriptions for antibiotics, skin infections often after a chest or ear infection. General health poor due to lack of sleep, poor weight gain forms cycle pattern as part of being an allergic person. I dont worry at all about this, very rarely had them past 6yrs old.




Skin is at 18yrs is normal, apart from dry on legs.
Has skin dermographism but no real eczema or any skin damage from steroid application. We have always carefully followed the doctors guidance in this area.

Eczema using steroids has been used for years and the current guidelines on treating eczema has taken in to account the mistakes from my early childhood! I have skin damage from the use of my childhood prescriptions, very thin damaged skin on my hands.

The skin is the largest organ in the body, if it is covered in eczema it has a HUGE impact on health and quality of life. Its a serious concern if uncontrolled and infected.
Here are a few things I would suggest you do, take what seems most sensible to you and discard the rest all eczema seems to be different from person to person. That's why we dont have a cure!

If your sons health and education and quality of life is dropping because of eczema I would to back to gp and ask for a referral to hospital skin specialists.
I would ring the eczema society or ring allergy uk for advice.

I would use steroids as instructed and up the amount of times your child skin has 50/50 etc. 3x a day at least.
I would increase the amount of water drunk as people with eczema are always dehydrated.
I would use the antibiotics as prescribed.
I would ask gp or hospital docs for further testing in case any other environmental allergies have developed. (allergies dont always come in ones!)
I would be very careful about hygeine and skin care.
I would boil wash bedding.
l would soak clothes you cant boil wash in buckets of cold water and lots of salt to remove old dirty creams from clothes.

If I think of anything else I will post later.
hope this helps.

[Neilski]

Thank you every so much dearest for the sensible advice!
xxx

[freefrommum]

Just wanted to add that not all antihistamines make them sleepy - you could try Cetirizine medicine as this is a non-drowsy one (unlike Piriton). You can buy a generic version over the counter from the chemist quite cheaply (it's the same as Benadryl but MUCH cheaper).

I agree with everything that leekandpotato suggests plus turn off the radiator in his bedroom and place a cup of water on a shelf somewhere in the room to stop the air drying out, especially at this time of year. If it's REALLY cold, just have the radiator on for an hour or so in the afternoon then turn it back off as central heating is terrible for eczema.

Do you bath him in Dermol every night? If not, I would recommend doing so as my son is also very prone to infected eczema and the skin nurse told us to bath him at least once a day if not twice as he naturally carries high levels of bacteria on his skin. I'm quite surprised about the bit about bathing him in Milton once a week as I would've thought that this would be quite harsh on his skin - was it the GP who suggested this or a specialist? Also, has he been prescribed Fucibet for the infected areas of skin? This cream contains antibiotic and potent steroid so is only for short term use on small areas but we find it very effective and always keep a tube handy to use on the first signs of infection - by doing this, we have not had to use oral antibiotics for several years now. There is also a less potent version called Fucidin H suitable for the face (antibiotic plus hydrocortisone).

Eczema is cruel and debilitating and I hate it :(

[mawinter]

You are correct at being hesitant in using antibiotics for a long period of time. Has he any protection for his stomach during all of this? I was just on 34 days of 3 different antibiotics for various infections and my stomach is now destroyed. It makes me feel so miserable, I do not even want to picture what this is like for a small child. If they absolutely insist on him being on another round you should look in to the use of probiotics along with it to help save his stomach from months to years of pain from any damage which has already been done, or to prevent anything from happening in the future. Also with him being on antibiotics already this long, if he develops severe Diarrhea at any point, you will need to have him tested ASAP for Clostridium difficile, antibiotic overuse seriously puts people at risk for this nasty infection.
Have you tried anything more natural to combat his eczema or infection? I recently trialed some Medihoney Derma Cream, after the Hospital used some Medihoney Wound Gel (works against Staph as well) on a nasty leaky wound as it worked a treat in clearing that mess up. My skin looks radiant again after just a few days of applying the Derma Cream and I have really bad Eczema on my face (almost looks like I am wearing a peeling face mask during bad flare ups) and legs. The one I am using is from Derma Sciences, but I also hear great things about the Comvita one. Certainly much more pleasent than using steriod creams. Maybe ask the docs about it?

[Neilski]

Thank you ladies.
I need to change my GP, as on our last visit, doc said that he had seen worst cases than my son’s, and I need just to stick to steroid creams.

But Six-year of sleep deprivations distresses my entire household.
I will see Dermatologist next week and will ask for any alternative to steroid methods. The longest without steroid my son had been its 1 week.
I started to give DS the OptiBac Probiotics For babies & children (Live probiotic cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52, Bifidobacterium infantis Rosell-33, Bifidobacterium bifidum Rosell-71)
www.amazon.co.uk/OptiBac-Probiotics-For-babies-children/dp/B0015X566O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416499412&sr=8-2&keywords=optibac%20probiotics&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21
And a vitamin C with Zinc. I have heard about Manuka honey, will try Mdeihoney Derma cream. Thx x

[shubdha]

hello friends,
i have the same problem,my son is only 5 month old with eczema
im start using natural aloe vera on his face from last one month three times a day,,,,,,is it really help or not i dont know yet?
bcoz eczema is spreading all over like eyebrows,forehead, ears and eyes......can i use staroid cream over eye cap?
is not possible to grow out of out before the age of school

plz replyyyyyy

[leekandpotato]

I would stop using aloe vera shubdha it might be adding to the eczema problem.

go back to gp for advice.

yes skin often improves at school age.

eczema before 3 months of age esp with breastfed infants can be a sign of food allergies.

please be careful with products you put on skin, even natural based products. avoid those with nut oils esp.

[shubdha]

thanks, leekanpotato for advise but can u tell me how can aloe vera create problem to skin bcoz im very much hope with it that it can show effect in coming month to clear up.
yes my dd has eczema after three week of his born,,,,sometimes i think to eliminate dairy from my diet but i m vegetarian so my survival is on dairy and wheat.
if i eliminate dairy then what alternate i should as a milk.
im using shea butter, cataphil and plain vaseline for face
and for whole body i m using aveeno baby lotion and coconut oil

plz advise

[NickyEds]

My DS is much younger- 11 months and has had eczema for months now. We wanted a referral to a specialist but instead have been treated by one of the Gps with a special interest in dermatology. We did an intense steroid treatment (2 times a day for 4 weeks) and while it improved the eczema it didn't clear it up completely. We were then prescribed Tacrolimus ointment and it's been fantastic- it's almost completely gone except for some tiny patches which are improving. It isn't a steroid so there aren't any of the associated side effects (which are apparently massively over blown-steroids are perfectly safe when used correctly).

[shubdha]

Thanks NickyEds for advise, plz tell me bcoz my baby scalp is also itchy so should i use steroid on it
do u have any idea abt aloe vera on eczema, bcoz im afraid of using steroid
for skin thiny....my baby is too young
have u eliminate something from ur diet like dairy and etc....
im using 0.5 strength hydrocotizone but not showing any effect ,,,,i m using it from last 8 days ......
plz advise

[NickyEds]

I'm not bf any more but didn't eliminate anything from my diet (or his now he's weaned). I'd return to Gp then maybe ask for a referral if there's no improvement.

[MumOf2Amber]

Hi.. Have you looked in to his diet? Eczema is much more than just skin deep. Juiceplus chewables seem to work wonders - full of nutrients and I've seen incredible results in a really short amount of time. Definitely recommend giving them a go! I also take the juiceplus capsules (same thing but adult form) for my skin and love the improvement :)

[shubdha]

Thanks AMBER, but my baby is only 4month and 20 days only, i think so i cant use these right now, may be after some month
he is only on breastmilk,,,,he has itchy rashes on forehead,eyes
i really dont know how to make him good sleep.....

[MumOf2Amber]

Oh sorry Hun I just read the first post that said 6year old!
Yes they're not suitable for a 4montj old obviously but definitely something worth baring in mind for the future - they're suitable from any age as long as they can chew them xx

[leekandpotato]

aapnews.aappublications.org/content/35/12/17.1.full


good medical article that explains steriod use etc.

[Cloudhowe63]

Agree with great advice from leekandpotato and freefrom. Would add that soft toys went into freezer for a regular kip to get rid of dust mites. We also put a handful of oats into cut up tights and tied on bath tap to make a sort of oat milk bath. Severe eczema from a few weeks so yes to allergies through breastmilk. In DD's case, pulses such as beans and lentils. Later on stress was also a trigger.

[Cloudhowe63]

Take care if trying oats as I've heard that they can be problematic for some sufferers.

[shubdha]

VERY VERY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU
is it really true than lentils could a trigger to eczema bcoz im just start to give my dd (lentils water)

[shubdha]

plz suggest me for eye eczema bcoz i should not use steroids on eye cap
my dd always rubs his eyes specially during night

[Miky]

We had similar problems with my daughter’s eczema a few months ago, with repeated infections and antibiotics for three months. The biggest change has come from switching to dp soap flakes to wash all our clothes and bedding, and using natural soap to wash hands. It takes a couple of weeks to wash out all the detergent residue from the clothes, but a couple of weeks after switching we had a massive improvement, to the point where we no longer even use steroids (can’t believe it, after 10 years of using steroids every day, and going from hydrocortisone to eumovate to clobetasone). We did have to carry on using the steroid cream for about three weeks after her skin was clear, to make sure the underlying skin was also repaired, and we try to only wear cotton clothes (polyester is an irritant) and avoid dairy and eggs. But I think getting rid of the detergent has removed the underlying irritation and stopped the constant itch (and so stopped the scratching and infections). We still cover my daughter with Cetraben twice a day (we had to stop Dermol because it had caused an irritant reaction: very sore skin, with a brown crust developing on her neck, under her arms and groin). Apparently, it is the surfactants in detergents that irritate the skin and make it prone to eczema, which is why people still react to products like Ecover and Surcare. We also wash everything at 60c to get rid of the dust mites. Good luck – hope this helps you – I know how difficult it is for you both. Please let me know if this works for anyone -- I honestly can't believe how my daughter's skin has gone from being so bad to virtually not having eczema with this switch, so I would be really interested to know if it helps other eczema sufferers.

[shubdha]

Thanks Miky
and sorry for replying u so late .....actually im using fairy to wash my baby clothes on 60c and still he is same with his eye lid eczema with swelling. i m just start to giving him oral aloe vera
......is it safe?
and what abt flexseed to give 8 month of baby
im really so much stressed plz suggest abt does aloevera and flexseed could help