On holiday and DD's eczema really flared up

[h0peful]

Hi all
My DD is 16 months old. We're on holiday in France and her normally mild eczema has flared up and she looks like a burns victim. I've been to the pharmacy and bought aveeno oil and cream and 0.5% hydrocortisone cream but it's very angry looking. Huge patches (10cm) on her arms, backs of legs etc. What can I do to ease it? I'm going to take her to the doc tomorrow but does anyone have any tips?

Also, can anyone advise what might be causing it? She's had it minding since I weaned her at 6 months, it got worse at 13 months when I stopped bf her and started giving her cups of cows milk (shed had milk in cereal since 6 months though). We thought it was the milk so she's been dairy-free for two weeks and it was definitely getting better but it's worse than ever now we're away. The sun tan cream and chlorine in pool seem to make it angrier.

I'm going to request allergy testing when we get home (in 10 days) but if anyone has any short-term tips or suggestions for causes id be so grateful. I'm desperate on her behalf.

Many thanks

[BettyOBarley]

This sounds just like my DD who was nearly 2 when we went to Florida, she was covered head to foot it was awful.
We were told by the pharmacist that yes it was eczema (she always flares up when wearing suncream) but also sweat rash / fungal infection due to the heat / sweating being in a buggy round the parks - maybe visit the chemist again and ask if that could be a possibility? They gave us some anti fungal cream plus the hydrocortisone and sure enough in a day or two it started to work.

They also recommended using a natural suncream, I think it was zinc based for the rest of the holiday.

Hope you can get it sorted, it's really upsetting to see them like that isn't it.

[VenusRising]

Wow. Poor you and her.
First get her out of the sun and get her out of the pool.
Keep her dry and in the shade.
No sunblock. Sudocreme contains zinc.

Take her off dairy and eggs. Has she been eating strawberries or tomatoes? Keep her off anything acidic.

Rinse out her sheets in water, air dry and put backon the beds, or have her sleep on a towel you brought yourselves with your own washing powder in it. She may be reacting to the detergent.

Try getting paraffin creams from the chemist, and cover her in it. Let her wear long sleeves and long leg trews. Keep her away from the chlorine in the pool and in the shade.

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Chlorine and suncream are both nightmares for DS eczema. I would avoid both if at all possible. If its hot, that won't help either.
Does aveeno usually agree with her or have you just started trying it? I know a lot of people swear by it but it made Ds's eczema bleed! I would recommend slathering on her usual emmolient if you have a prescribed one. Good luck.

[h0peful]

Thanks so much for replying. I will ask the pharmacy about the anti fungal cream. its 33 degrees here so the sweat / fungal theory may work. Do I just need normal anti-fungal cream? I have canesten with me as I'm prone to fungal infections so I wonder if I can use that. I just feel awful for her. She's been very good about it but I can tell it's itching and I'm desperate to make her feel better. Thank you again.

[h0peful]

Thanks Venus, those are good tips. I don't know why I'm still putting her in the pool - I guess because I'm not sure what's causing it but I think I know enough now to see its making it worse. She's been eating strawberries like they've been going out of fashion, and eggs. But I've not been giving her dairy so the eggs in particular have been a godsend as they provide some extra calories. Im going to work through all your tips as I'm desperate to try anything. Thank you.

[h0peful]

Posie - I've never used Aveeno oil/cream before, no. I had no idea it could do that. It says the opposite on the bottle. Your poor DS. And your DD, Betty.
Like an idiot I've left her prescribed tub of zero base at home. I really believed we'd nailed it with the dairy and that it would soon be behind us. I'll ask the chemist what he suggests. Thank you all for your support.

[samlovesdilys]

Run a bath with a muslin full of porridge oats. It always soothes the skin... If your camping, I did this once with my little one sat in the clothes washing sink on site!!

[BluePitchFork]

for the itching you can give her an antihistamine (usually cetirizine or Chlorphenamine).
agree with above, keep her cool, avoid suncream and pool/salt water.

[BettyOBarley]

I'm not sure about what kind of fungal cream it was I'm sorry (except it was normally for treating jock itch!) they should be able to recommend one though if they think it's that.

We also tried to keep DD covered up in loose clothing to avoid having to use too much sun cream and yes to avoiding the pool although I read last week (as we were on hols again) that chlorine can actually help eczema as it kills bacteria but does dry skin out so probably best to avoid if she's that bad, poor mite.

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Yes and many people do find aveeno brilliant, but its a case of trial and error to find the right emollient.
Once you find one that suits your DD then stick with it. We use epaderm cream in the pump dispenser and slather loads on as often as possible.
Agree with porridge oats, also antihistamine, and stay as cool as possible.
Poor you what a nightmare on your holiday! Eczema is miserable.
Just out of interest we never went down the dairy route but we did have skin prick tests and discovered that he was allergic to dogs, cats and pollen, so that might be worth looking into when you get home. Good luck!

[PosiePootlePerkins]

dairy free that should say!

[h0peful]

That's me off to buy porridge oats tomorrow, Samlovesdilys, thanks. We have a baby bath and lots of Muslims so it can be her version of the pool !
Blue pitchfork, I've been giving her piriton for the past three nights to ease the itching and make her sleep better. It does seem to help. The box says I can give it twice a day but does anyone know if I can keep doing it twice a day for the next 10 days (until we get home?) I've never had to use it before.
At the moment we're eurocamping in a static caravan but next week we're staying in a big villa with friends so there'll be more space for her to play inside with toys.

[AbsolutelyIDo]

Antihistamine!

[h0peful]

Betty - I had to google what jock itch was - my eyes!

Posie, that is interesting to know about the skin prick tests. I'll be seeing the gp about those as soon as we get back. We have two cats and they've been moulting the last couple of months so could be that. Like your DS, it's probably not just one thing.
We've had a lovely holiday so far but I just want to take her home to rainy old UK!

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Yes the antihistamine will be fine, probably says 5ml twice a day? (Check bottle obviously!) and that is what DS had for weeks at a time when his eczema and hayfever were really bad. I have been told its one of the lowest risk medicines to give long term.

[StubbleTurnips]

We find that heat + sun cream seem to cause DDs excema to inflame badly.

Second the advice above, we give her baby piriton too.

Dads always gets infected so she needs hydrocortisone with antiseptic in it to ease it for a week before the normal routine of creams.