baby eczema

[11Kate11]

Hello,my 3 months old baby boy has an eczema ...tried lots of different creams and steroids,is here any mum with that kind of experience??What might help him to get rid of it or will it go away??thanx

[Mamma101]

My two had some eczema when they were little, think lots of babies do, but it generally disappears. I've always had it in varying degrees.
Have you tried Diprobase? It's a real thick emollient cream, really helps to stop skin drying out. The more times a day you apply it the better.
I don't know if Balneum Plus is recommended for babies but it's the best bath oil I tried as it numbs the itching somehow too. Plain water or bubble baths not too good as they dry the skin out more.
Also a little bit of sunshine can help.

[lollystix]

I have eczema babies- we are friends of dermatology . We used epiderm for a long time but recently found diprobase and it's much better. You'll also need a steroid cream from dr- probs hydrocortisone 1%. Wash at 60 degrees to kill the dust mites - non bio a must - get persil or ariel. Change sheets regularly. Cotton only against skin so no polyester etc, no wool against skin too. Keep baths cooler and try and get some dermol 600 for the bath from your gp. Cream on 2-3 times a day. It's a right fanny on but if you keep ontop of it it will be manageable. Should grow out of it by 5 ( apparently about 80% do)

[AngelDog]

If frequent use of steroids doesn't help, your GP should refer you to the dermatologist and/or eczema nurse.

There are lots of parents of eczema children on the allergies board.

My DS has just been put on Protopic cream as normal steroids haven't been effective. We use Diprobase ointment every hour or two. However, the creams / washing powders that suit one child's skin may irritate another child's skin, and it can change over time even for one child.

[ElBandito]

Every child is different and there is no one solution but general advice:

Try something in the bath - oilatum or something on prescription. Never EVER use anything from Johnsons. We also use dermol as it helps to stop infection.

Wash at 60 - non bio - no fabric conditioner and do not dry clothes outside. If you have a tumble dryer use it as it gets rid of some irritants from the clothes.

Emolient every time you change his nappy.

Cotton clothes.

Eczema children tend to be 'hotter' than your average child, take this into account. For example I start using the 0.5 tog grobags a degree or so cooler than 'they' indicate.

Join or look at info onthe eczema socitey site www.eczema.org

It really is trial and error. If something doesn't seem to be working then try something else, move on and don't beat yourself up about it. By trying things logically and methodically you are doing the best for your child.

They DO grow out of it. My DS had pants skin since birth but he is getting better and better with relapses each year in the hayfever season. Please try to stay positive - I know it will get better for you too.

[Katy1368]

My DD has eczema still at 3.5 years and at one point so bad her legs were red raw with scratching. This is what worked for us:

Reducing frequency of baths so skin didn't dry out - I do it every 2-3 days now. Not using soap/bubble bath at all but getting a huge tub of epaderm and using that as soap and moisturiser. I know there have been some studies recently in the press to say that e45 is actually harmfull for kids with eczema and may exacerbate it so avoid that. When she was still in nappies making sure bottom etc- slathered in a thick layer every nappy change. I never add anything to the bath - water only, using the epaderm as soap means you get a nice oily layer anyway!

As other posters have said most do grow out of it but my DD still had it real bad at 2.5 so then I insisted on a dermatologist referral - I was putting on 1% hydrocortisone but felt it made it worse and dryer. She changed steroids and within a week it was all gone - couldn't believe it! Now if I see a little bit coming up I pop on a dab and it is gone the next day. I would say if you get to over 2 and still have significant eczema insist on a derm referral - though as your DC is only 3 months you have a while to go!

Agree trying to keep a little cooler and avoiding artificial fibres too.

[oldmum42]

Stop bathing daily! Once or twice a week is fine for babies, bathing is very irritant. Top and tail daily with ORGANIC products and organic creams.

The reason I say organic, is you will know that they do not contain irritant chemicals such as Methel/Ethel Parabens, harsh perfumes etc. "Little Me" Organic range has been great for my DS4.

May brands with "Natural" in big letters on the packaging are choc full of nasty stuff - Jonstons products are hideous for sensitive babies. "natural" on a label means nothing, legally, but "organic" does, and it's a lot easier to buy organic than read through the long ingredient lists on these products looking for the chemicals you want to avoid!

Swap to Non -Bio washing powder, and STOP using fabric conditioner! It makes your clothes soft by leaving a layer of synthetic chemicals on the clothes.

Baby wipes, don't use on the face or trunk (skin tends to be much more sensitive than bottom, or hands, feet). Only use unscented ones. Tesco sensitive are inexpensive and really good, read the labels- many wipes are full of Parabens, including "Tesco value wipes"

Steroids are great when needed, but often changing the above things will avoid (or reduce) the need to use them.

[oldmum42]

Also, as a previous poster said E45 etc can make skin worse - I think it's the Lanolin (sheep wool oil!) is quite irritant to many people. Trial and error for all these suggestions and all DC skin different.

[harrap]

My son had bad eczema too, I agree with all of the above advice. I find epaderm the best emollient and definitely don't bathe everyday.

It turned out my son has a dairy and egg allergy. Different doctors have different opinions about whether there is a link but some are sure there is and if he is having any cow's milk it might be worth getting that checked out.

I'm a bit dubious about the link myself because DS was almost exclusively breast fed but you never know.

[AngelDog]

I agree with most of the advice above.

Our dermatologist (and the 'official' info we were given) was that eczema children should be bathed ideally twice a day, but at least once - but you need emollients to keep the skin moisturised. I don't use anything like Oilatum in the bath as DS drinks it in copious quantities, but we use oats instead. We were told to apply cream (Dermol) all over him (always in a downwards direction), put him in the bath, not rub or wash it off and then when we've patted him dry, re-apply moisturiser (we use Diprobase cream on his body and Diprobase cream on his face).

DS's skin has been much less dry since we started doing this (before we only bathed him 2 or 3 times a week as I thought it'd be drying.)

Any toiletries which have sodium lauryl sulphate or sodium laureth sulphate will dry out and irritate the skin. That's about 99% of toiletries in high street shops.

[ItLookHardToStartNewLife]

my DD has eczema, we tried so imany creams from GP, non of them worked. Till friend of my recommended me AVEENO cream and bath oil!
It works perfect for my DD. you can buy it in Boots for about £6 or as your GP for presciption.
Also I give my DD WELLKID multivitamin (it's from 3months +) which helps with her eczema too.

[11Kate11]

Thank you so much for all advice!
We started with 50% liqiud paraffin in white soft paraffin one week ago and eczema is nearly gone I couldn't believe it!
I highly recommend it to you:)

[Wigglesmummy]

We were in the same boat 4 years ago. Agree with a lot of this BUT the most important thing is for you to be 'trained'. Your LO can't tell you the problem yet so you need to understand it and unless you have eczema yourself its hard. Get referred to an eczema nurse/ dermatologist first off - its worth it for NHS because the more you manage eczema the less expensive creams etc you will need. make a nuisance of yourself if you have to. And then remember everyone's eczema is different. My DS responded best to daily baths (unlike many others) with Dermol 600 in water and 500 as a 'soap', epiderm on body but NOT face (too heavy) so we used Aveeno there. I would still recommend Aveeno lotion/cream as the best moisturiser overall but supplies can be tricky sometimes. Also get into the habit of moisturising whichever area is affected every time you change a nappy - that made the biggest difference for us. Watch hot weather and long car journeys as heat makes it flare up immediately. Also eczema changes as they get bigger. My DS started with it on face, then back and only later at elbows and knees. You need to learn how it usually operates and act accordingly. There will be times you really succeed (and then take all the credit) and times nothing you do works (and then its just because eczema is rubbish). It does get better and even if they don't grow out of it, once they can talk and help a bit the guessing gets less! Good luck and try not to be daunted. You've done tougher things before

[Sleepglorioussleep]

My ds had horrible eczema at that age. We tried all kinds of emollients but only hydrocortisone made a difference. But he grew put of it-gone by a year old. And has lovely skin now. So it might not last.

[lollystix]

Aveeno makes my eldest scream - everytime I put it on it stung him. They're all different I suppose. We've been into all the bandaging malarky with the ichthamol paste - total nightmare.

[Emmac229]

My ds had it basically from the first week he was born.

we seem to have gotten it under control for now (he is almost 11 months)

i dont bath him daily - he gets bathed at most 2-3 times a week

we use Oilatum in the bath along with Infaderm shampoo (not on prescription bought it in Asda)

we use hydracortistone on the facial area and a stronger steriod for his body Eurmovate.

he gets his steriod creams applied every night and in the morning he gets moisturiser applied.

a few times when his excema has cleared up i have stopped applying the steriods and it has came straight back so they are a must for us atm.