Just wanted to enourage mums of babies with allergies

[Nettlerash]

My daughter ended up in hospital at 4 months with terrible infected eczema and she was tested for a few things while she was in (My Dr didnt do anything about her eczema which is why we ended up in this situation)
Anyway, at the time she tested positive for fish,milk,eggs,nuts,wheat and soya so you can imagine the difficulty we had when it came to weaning. (she was put on a hyperallergenic milk and told to eliminate all the above)
If she had milk or nything with dairy in it she would be sick,start coughing,scratching and crying,sleepless nights - it was just horrible. I thought it would never change despite being told it might.

Anyway it got to about 10 months and my paediatrician told me to try and start introducing cows milk. so we started. first in foods and then in her bottle.

She is now 13 months and although she still has problems with her eczema it is under control and much better. She is now drinking full cows milk without a problem!

I dont think anyone really understand how distressing it can be for mothers of babies with these problems. So I just wanted to share my experience with you to give you some hope!

[Lima1]

Thanks for that. My DS was in a similar position, into hospital at 4 months with terrible infected eczema. Allergic to milk egg nuts wheat rice and banana so weaning was terrible too. He is 13 months old and will be retested at 18 months and i'm hoping he will outgrow his allergies. Thanks for your positive story.

[topiarygal]

Boo babybarrister - not like you to be glum! ;D. I like some good news stories! Well done Nettlerash.

[greenbananas]

Yes, it's great to hear to hear some positive stories! Thank you Nettlerash - it is good to think about DCs growing out of some of these allergies.

My DS still has multiple allergies and I have accepted that he is unlikely to grow out of his nut allergy. However, he has already grown out of allergies to tomatoes, fruit with stones in (apricots, plums, peaches etc.) and citrus - and that has changed our lives !! WAHEY, I say to that !!

DS's eczema is 100% better since I learned that it is all related to his food allergies. We still avoid a load of stuff (eggs, milk, nuts, bananas, seeds...) but at least I feel a bit more in control and able to keep him safe.

Again, thank you for a positive story. We all need some good vibes every now and then!

[Nettlerash]

I havent tried nuts yet actually barrister,too afraid to yet! Mind you nuts are a lot easier to avoid than some of the other allergens so I am not too shot by that.

Glad to share it with you. :) Hope it helps a bit and I sincerely hope that your little one get through this. ((hugs)) They are little fighters!

[Nettlerash]

little ones*

[whoknowswhatthefutureholds]

nettlerash, can i ask who did the tests, I have a friend who's lo has terrible ezcema.

[Nettlerash]

Her dermotologist referred her for RAST tests at the hospital. We went through a couple of GP's who would not do anything about it (gave her aqueous cream!) and this went on for a while before she ended up so bad she had to spend a couple of nights on the ward.
The problem we have is that GP'S don't like to prescribe any steroid creams for babies so eventually we were referred to her dermo who prescribed all her meds which obviously got it under control.

Everyone would keep telling us to do this and that but nothing helped apart from her steroid creams which have been a Godsend.

Has she spoken to her GP?

[Whelk]

Brilliant news Nettlerash. Milk is very hard to avoid ime.! Great to hear some good news

I am shocked that GP wouldn't prescribe steroid cream for eczema. My dd1 had steroid cream from 9 weeks. Without it she would have ended up with terrible infections.

The good news is she now needs is less and less - she is nearly 4.

[Angeoxford]

Thank you thank you Nettlerash and everyone it's so good to see a positive story on here. My daughter's 5 months old with horrid eczema, that was really bad/ infected etc a couple of months ago but is now much more under control with steroid (HC 1%). and loads of emolliant. I've been so very worried and upset about using the steroid - having read some of the horror stories and come across some other judgemental mums - but there really is no other option given her sensitive skin poor thing. She has a milk allergy (hives on contact) but we're still waiting for full allergy testing.; weaning all to come.... We have an eczema clinic, with community nurses who have been fabulous and so reassuring. It has been really tough and sometimes I've felt there has been a cloud over her first few months. But she's such a happy, beautiful little girl. Now I'm coming to terms with steroid as one part of her necessary treatment I'm feeling so much better. Its' great to read some stuff about how it can work, to balance out the negative things.

Thank you again for taking the time

xxxx

[Nettlerash]

Thanks Babybarrister, she is small. I am always a realist too.
Yep blooming aqueous cream seems to be the answer to everything with GP'S!

Angeoxford. The Dermo explained to me how a lot of new research actually suggests that using steroid creams for a short time does no harm at all and she also said that a lot of older GP's especially were malinformed on the subject 9as are a lot of other people)
My dad is also a Dr and he was really funny about me using steroid creams too a first. But when he saw the improvement he kind of changed his mind!

Think of it this way - Would you rather your baby suffer with infected eczema,constant scratching and irritation which could lead to a host of other problems as well especially if it enters the bloodstream or would you rather try and treat it with something that can heal and soothe it for a while that new research suggests is a lot less harmful than origionally though.

Its hard and you will always have a lot of people raising eyebrows at you using them,but as a mum I think we would rather do what we think is best to stop our little ones suffering at the time. Its very easy for others to judge is they havent had problems with their own kids, but they dont realise how even eczema can cause so many problems and distress in the family.
We went through so many sleepless nights - DH having to get up early for work with no sleep etc.

[Nettlerash]

I'm so glad your little one is a happy girly too, mine is too and I wonder sometimes if its because she has been through all this so early in her life.
Take care xx

[Schulte]

Ah you lucky thing, what good news. One thing that worked wonders for my DD2 was Weleda Calendula baby cream //www.naturisimo.com/products.cfm?id=1904&nme=wel&gclid=CJSUjuK2zqUCFQwf4QoduWugkghere - since I started using it we haven't had to resort to steroids any more. But don't confuse with the Weleda calendula baby lotion, which you can buy in Waitrose and which is rubbish and doesn't do anything.

Just hoping DD2 will grow out of her egg allergy some time soon...

[Schulte]

Oh no, linky gone wrong. Sorry!

//www.naturisimo.com/products.cfm?id=1904&nme=wel&gclid=CJSUjuK2zqUCFQwf4QoduWugkghere

[Schulte]

Hang on? I've never had trouble with posting links... bear with me www.naturisimo.com/products.cfm?id=1904&nme=wel&gclid=CJSUjuK2zqUCFQwf4QoduWugkg

[Schulte]

Giving up

Sorry ladies!

[Nettlerash]

That link is ok :)Hope your DD grows out of her egg one soon.