Am I doing the right thing?

[MrsHW]

Hello fellow Mumsnetters,
Can anyone help me? My little boy developed a little red patch on the inside of his elbow which we started to treat with Miracle Cream by Avent. Having got no better we showed said red patch, (feels like fine sandpaper), to the doc plus a pin prick like red rash on his tummy and he is now on Oilatum and DiproBase. BUT I don't think I'm seeing improvements and in fact I think things might be getting worse.
Hubby and doc tell me not to worry but...
Thanks for your thoughts and advice.
MrsHW

Sounds like excema, though obviously a diagnosis over t'internet is bugger-all use (though Oilatum and Diprobase are commonly prescribed for same.)

The obvious steps start with using non-bio washing powder and hyper-allergenic/no fabric conditioner, no perfumed soaps/bath bubbles/baby wipes and so on.

Keep an eye on what he eats, too; this may be connected.

How old is he?

Hello you lovely person for replying to my question.
Ok - my little boy is 9 weeks and 1 day and my research so far tells me that docs are reluctant to diagnose eczema at this stage BUT having been on the Oilatum and Diprobase for a week or so and seeing no improvement we're off to the doc's this afternoon for a rethink!
I'm using Fairy Non Bio and Comfort on his clothes and have cut out all of the Johnson stuff and am only using Oilatum and Diprobase. Oddly where his bum and willy area is fine as I only use baby wipes here!!
Re what I'm feeding him, I moved over to 100% bottle feeding about a week and half ago and am using SMA. (I did think that the timing of the first bout of red patches was more than coincidental re the switch to bottle BUT I had been mixed feeding up to this point so...)
Anyway, any further advice from your good self or any other mums/dads would be very, very much welcomed as I'm feeling a bit down what with this, the crying and the bloody weather!

MrsHW, when you were mixed feeding, was it EBM in the bottle or formula?
Switching completely from breast milk (regardless how given) to formula may be the trigger as the two milks are of a completely different makeup.

I would definitely ditch the fabric conditioner, and put an extra rinse on each time you wash. I have eczema and fairy non-bio still brings me out - you could try surcare?

Make sure all the clothing next to his skin is 100% cotton, and make sure he doesn't get too hot.

If he's scratching, make sure his fingernails are short and use scratchmitts/socks if possible.

All sounds very 'non-medical', but it really does make a difference with eczema.

Once you've done all the above, you can therefore rule out all external irritants except for two - the oilatum etc, and his milk.

If it's still not getting better, then go back to the docs for different cream - my dd1 was allergic to everything with petrochemicals and parabens in it so we use dermasalve. It's important to put the cream on often, eg 4 times a day.

If it still doesn't get better once you've tried different creams, then you could consider an allergy/intolerance to his milk, but if the eczema isn't too bad and he seems settled otherwise, I wouldn't worry about that right now!

Hello HWhite6 and Lukewarm,
Thanks so much for the advice.
I saw the doc again on Monday and after a bit of dimissive 'don't worry about it'she was all ready to prescribe a further bucket load of Diprobase as she thought things were improving especially on his face. At this point we pointed out that we weren't using it on his face but sticking with the Avent Magic cream...
Anyway, we have resisted her suggestion of a steroid cream at this stage preferring to try Oilatum's own emollient cream BUT no meaningful improvement as of yet! Friends and family have suggested trying Aqueous Cream or E45 but I'll keep going for a week with this new stuff before crossing it off the list!
My little boy isn't scratching himself and doesn't seem, (for the moment at least), unduly concerned BUT I am!
Re the switch from breast to bottle, dare I mention I'm Gina Fording the wee fella and did follow her guidance on switching slowly from one to the other hoping to avoid engorgement for me and probs for my baby. I feel like I've let him down BUT I was suffering from slow let down and he's a big baby - 12.5 as of last week!!
Any other thoughts?
Thanks so much.
Mrs H-W

One of mine had this too and we were also prescribed Oilatum. It worked a bit, but switching from cows milk to goats milk has cleared his eczema up 100%.
Then I read your son is only 9 weeks old. Might be worth trying a different formula. That's the only thing I can think of that may help. Are there soya based formulas around?
Hope he gets sorted soon.
Camilla

soya is not recommended these days.

perhaps a allergenic forumla may help.

he sounds a healthy baby, apart from the mild eczema?

how often are you bathing him?a daily bath is too much for delicate infant skin.