Itchy dance

[Sheilsie]

My 3 year old DD had moderate-severe eczema as a baby and, while it is now very much under control (with 50:50 all over twice a day with very occasional use of Elocon) from a visual view point, she is constantly itchy, more so now that it is winter and the central heating is on. We do our best to cover up her skin (eg. Scratch Sleeves over night and vests tucked into tights during the day) and luckily she doesn't get too much scratch damage. But she frequently swings her arms from side to side in a manic fashion in an attempt to relieve the itch we assume (people always laugh and think she is doing a little dance - it does look like the way Peppa Pig dances if you know what that looks like) or throws herself on the floor back down and writhes from side to side.

Any advice as to what might help relieve the itch? I already give her piriton most days. She wears mainly cotton and I haven't been flash enough to splash out on the fancy clothing from the Eczema Clothing Company yet (but I would if I thought it would help). A friend today suggested asking the GP for a referral to a homeopath and I'm beginning to think it might be worth a shot, even though I'm not usually into that sort of thing.

DD has food allergies (dairy, egg, nuts and sesame) but we exclude those foods obviously. Also asthmatic.

Thanks for your help.

I find loose cotton the best - both me and my dds get instant behind the knee eczema flare ups if we wear tights, so I try to get them to wear trousers or leggings as much as possible. And not overdress them, and keep the windows open and heating down.

Do you do an extra rinse in your washing, and use a non-perfumed non-bio like surcare?

Ummmmmm.... will try to think of other things. Homeopathy would be a waste of time imo!

I agree with lukewarm. My DS is very similar to your DD and tbh we're always battling the itch/scratch cycle. He scratches his head in particular ALL the time (scalp constantly covered in scabs), no matter what we do. Skin nurse told us to never have the radiator on in his bedroom (even in winter) and to keep a cup of water on a shelf somewhere in the room to prevent skin drying out. I only use Surcare non-bio powder/liquid/softener and have a 'sensitive' setting on the washing machine that means more water during rinse cycle to make sure all detergent is gone. We try to stick to loose cotton clothing as much as possible and have found that hats made of anything other than cotton (ie sun hats) are a big no-no. We also use Piriton when he's really itchy as it seems to be the only thing that really calms it down (never sure it's his allergies or just his eczema anyway).

Conversley my DD (3) seems to be better with tight fitting garments to stop the itch/scratch cycle. We use comfifast (like tubigrip) bandages on arms, legs and trunk and the feel of it on her skin seems to help lessen the itching. When they are removed she goes mad to scratch but is so much better when they are on. We also use zinc oxide paste bandages under them which has certainly helped her skin condition (not sure about the itch)

I am not convinced that any anti-histamine we have been prescribed has any effect on her itching (we've had a few supposidly sedating and non-sedating ones and no difference noted).
Keeping the skin relatively moist with emolient is a must too but at this time of year she is much worse than in the summer so I don't know if central heating etc is causing this. Her room has no heating at all and 100% cotton bedding, lino floor, complete dust mite covers on matress and pillow.

Have you talked to your DD about rubbing/ patting the affected area rather than scratching - we have some success with this if she is in the right mood but it is so hard for a 3 yr old to understand.

My DH is convinced some of DD's itching is now learnt behaviour, I'm not so sure as I have suffered from eczema on my hands and nkow that horrid itchy feeling which just does not go away and is actually helped by itching.

One thing I have learnt is that each child is so individual in this game and the game is a horrid one.

Thanks lukewarmMulledWhine, freefrommum and greencybermummy.

We already use Surcare. I haven?t tried an extra rinse yet but will give that a go. I tend to dress DD in tights and a dress/pinafore, mainly because it makes it slightly more difficult for her to access her waist/back. So definitetly not loose clothing, but with loose clothing she could get easier access to her skin and I suspect use it to scratch. DD doesn?t go for her scalp fortunately (although did as a baby) but has always gone for the base of her neck in a big way and still gets scabs there. Her bedroom is particularly cold right now as the radiator has actually broken. I?ll make sure I keep it cool once we get it fixed.

Greencybermummy, do you use the comfifast bandages just at night or during the day too? I actually think I?ve got some, from when DD was a baby, but only used them a few times. So I could try them again. Like you, I?m not convinced that Piriton actually helps but I give it in the hope that it does. And re your DH?s comment about itching being a learn behaviour, we certainly note that DD itches more when she is tired. I feel bad for telling her not to scratch so often (not always in the nicest of ways), for fear of her thinking she is doing something wrong. We haven?t tried telling her to rub or pat instead but just last week my DH told her not to scratch and her defence was she was not scratching but rubbing. What a wee shame!

I feel guilty for even thinking this, but part of my concern is that she is going to get laughed at and picked on when she starts school.

my son has high level of dustmite allergy so has anti dustmite allergy bedding in room, with a air purifier, and takes at night a non seditive antihistamine. This has a build up effect, and if he misses a few doses he starts to react again e.g morning facial swelling and dryer skin.
ezcema is now just very dry skin, but under 5 yrs required 5 to 6 all over with 50/50 daily , and twice daily steriod ointment.

keeping cool is a must, and of course encouraged to drink more water as those with ezcema are always dehydrated.

dont bother with the homeopath, but go to gp and ask for further enviromental allergy testing , just in case this is an issue, as already appears to be a multiple allergic child. good luck.