Tips on eczema patch please...

[robin3]

DS who's 2 has had a few random patches of eczema in the past year seemingly coming and going without discomfort. He now has a patch about the size of a 50p on his shin and he's had it for about three weeks. He doesn't seem to scratch it and we've been applying some ointment but to no effect. It's spreading very slightly to the torso but you can't see it every day and it's not bad. I occasionally get patches in the crease of my elbow but not even annually and i think it's stress related.

My questions are -

• what should I try next?
• are there any obvious foods I should try to avoid him having to see if they have an affect?
• I'm wondering if my bath mat is retaining germs...any thoughts
• could my Mum who gets eczema on occasion have given it to him while bathing/changing? I only ask this because it doesn't seem to be getting worse.

Looked at the past threads but they are mainly very serious cases and this isn't comparable.

Ds is 15 m and has mild eczema. The first foods to cut out are diary as many babies and small children find it difficult to tolerate cows milk. Goats milk is a good alternative. Also, many people, including myself, swear by Aveno cream which is oatmeal based. You just keep applying it. We use it about 5 times a day and it works really well. I also use Oilatum in his bath.

I don't think you can "catch" eczema although there is "contact eczema" which occurs if you come into contact with something that triggers a reaction.

HTH

Thanks Beansprout...he's been having the Organic milk since a year old and ironically we've just cut back his milk a bit to prompt a bigger appetite. Do you think he could have suddenly had a reaction?

Is Aveno a specialist product or can I get it in Boots?

Do you think your DS patches are food related?

Ds has mild eczema which tends to get worse when its colder outside. Dd1 had a patch on her chin which wasn't going away with "ordinary" cream like E45 or Eurax so the doc prescibed hydrocortisone, which always works but i don't like to use it for too long though.

Using non-bio washing powder and avoiding perfumed products when washing in the bath also helps because a lot of the baby products are actually very harsh on a childs skin.

You can't catch eczema it's usually if someone in the family has asthma / allergies that it can develop.

That's why I'm a little confused. We've never used any products in the bath and only olive oil/bees wax type product/vaseline after the bath. Every time he's had the slightest hint of nappy rash olive oil on the nappy overnight has done the trick.

When I read through the previous posts and saw all these potential new products coming in to our lives I'm a bit overwhelmed and then began to wonder if it's the lack of anti-bacterial products that's doing the harm. Do we need a few more germ killers in our lives.

Will try the non-bio powder.

Non-bio may well help, it should be used until they are at school apparently. Aveeno is available in Boots, it's about 6 quid a tube.

I'm not sure if ds's patches are food related but dh knows a fair bit about nutrition and tells me that there are a lot of children out there who are experiencing low level food intolerances (e.g. always having a runny nose, being snuffly and various skin conditions) so we were always going to go easy on dairy products.

hi new to this so hope it works!
if either parent has allergies, eczema or hayfever, you have higher risk of affected children. We both have so ae carry 50% risk and dd1 has moderate/severe eczema and cow's milk and egg allegies.

Don't go down the germ free environment route! Research is beginning to suggest that allergies are multiplying because we are all TOO clean! Besides that,you introduce more potential triggers by using more sprays and chemicals.

Aveeno is available on prescription, but since it is made ny Johnson and Johnson, whose products anecdotally (does that get me out of being sued!) appear to cause more dry skin problems than many others, I wouldn't bother.

Aqueous cream (about £3 from chemist) for washing and definetly non-bio washing powder - but even then you may have to try a couple to find one that suits.

I'll stop now as I could swamp you with too much info! I'm getting off my soap box now.....

I take your point about J&J and wouldn't use any of their "baby"products but this is not one of those and has genuinely helped a lot of people. There are a fair few references to it by MNers if you do a search and as a bunch, I don't think we are big fans of J&J!

HI I suffer with exzema and bicarbonate of soda in a warm bath takes itching away..... also works with chicken pox etc!!

Did you see that poor little girl on the BBC2 programme about herbal medicine? She has eczema and couldn't bear to sit still...fortunately the herbs seemed to have helped her a lot.

Made me feel very neurotic for having posted about one tiny patch of eczema and I thought about all the mnet kids who suffer. Have taken all your advice and bought some Oilatum and some emoliant to try first.

Thanks.