Aloe vera bits n peaches

[SKK]

My son has quite bad eczema and I was told by another mother than aloe vera bits n peaches may of helped her son get over his eczema. I have been giving it to my son for two weeks now and I think it is making his eczema worse. Has anyone else given their child this juice and has it helped or made things worse.

[MegBusset]

DS reacted very badly to an emollient which had aloe vera in it -- his skin went bright red and peeled. If it's making his skin worse then stop giving it to him.

How old is he? What creams are you using?

[SKK]

I'm using aqueous cream to wash him in, only give him a bath every other day but massage him with olive oil every day. Use Cetraben on his body and Dermasalve on his face. Have also used Aloe propolis cream on his face which cleared up his eczema alot but also made his face dry, so stopped using that. I think it may be more that there is some other ingredients in the juice that he may be reacting too. Have read alot about Aveeno and how good it is so may give that a go. Past two night he has been up since 4am and been scratching constantly all over his body. Sorry about the essay, I'm so desperate to find something that will ease his pain and itching. What do you recommend?

[SKK]

oh, he's 22 months old today

[MegBusset]

The main thing about eczema is that different things work for different people so you will have to try things til you find a combination that works.

Aqueous cream is not recommended for LOs with eczema as it tends to make it worse.

Aveeno works for lots of people although it made DS scream.

What works for DS is:
Bathe in Oilatum every day
Doublebase all over twice a day
Hydrocortisone or Betnovate to control flare-ups
Only 100% cotton clothing
No fabric conditioner
Keep him cool as heat aggravates it

You may also find that avoiding egg and/or dairy helps, but any exclusion diet must be done properly for at least three weeks and preferably under the supervision of a dietician.

Are you seeing a consultant about it? If not then ask your GP for a referral. They can help with things like allergy testing.

[dingdong05]

If he's up at night scratching then you may find special sleepsuits useful. There seems to be a couple out there, and there's one...I wish I could remember the name, but at the Baby Show in Glasgow this year I saw a stall selling a jammy top with mitts to stop middle of night scratching, and it was lined with silver to promote healing.
Can't vouch for its outcomes, maybe someone else can?

[MegBusset]

Good point, we used the ones from Snugglepaws when he was younger.

[SKK]

Thanks guys, it so nice to know that its not just me feeling like crap because I can't help him instantly.

[MegBusset]

The first thing I would do is use some hydrocortisone or Betnovate to get it under control. They are very mild steroid creams and won't damage the skin when used properly. Then you can experiment with the other creams etc once the flare-up has ended.