hydroxyzine for eczema in toddler

[filey1]

my DD aged 2 eczema has flared up again after having chicken pox. We are usingg benovate and hydromol. Doctor prescribed hydroxyzine as piriton is pretty useless. I had high hopes for this, thought it might stop her waking up and let her skin heal a bit a night.

No such luck! She is still up 2 or 3 times a night and takes at least an hour to get to sleep. I gave her 5ml but doc said I could up the dosage if needed. Anyone else using this for their DC?

Am so tired and cranky with her, feel terrible because I just shouted at her because she won't go to sleep.

I feel your pain. Been there. Don't want to go back. We tried hydroxyzine needed to keep upping dosage as like you, it didn't work. In the end I found we could use it once a week max at twice the prescribed dosage (I did check this out with our paed dermatology nurse). Some times even then didn't work. My DD was probably 3.5 when we started using it. She's now 5.25 and we have stopped using it. Her skin is starting to improve and she has some nights where she even sleeps through. It is such a cruel condition you have my fully sympathy and I spent a few years totally knackered being up and down like a yo yo 3, 4, 5 times a night.

Sorry not to be more hopeful for you. Keep moisturising, the best thing we got was PB7 paste bandages which we used on arms and legs.

Are you under a specialist?

Can you try another emollient?
I'm assuming you bathe LO rarely, check washing powder, don't get her too warm, emollient on as often as possible (slather on and don't rub in) betnovate sparingly and before emollient (do rub in).
Dermol helps here. (Anti itch agent)
My DD has it badly on her back. Putting a dress on her stops her scratching.
I hate eczema!

we're on hydroxyzine hydrochloride,

we've had chlorphenamine (which is the piriton ingredient), alimemazine and
nothing works when she's itchy.
this latest one is supposed to work by making her drowsy - so, basically, she scratches more when she's sleepy, so let's give her a drug that works by making her sleepy.

we've bought some more piriton, and we're basically giving her 3 5ml spoons at a time before bed.
the hydroxyzine just doesn't seem to have any effect at all.
but as an allergy sufferer told me, you can't overdose on antihistamine...

(dd is 22 mo)

she has hydrocotisone steroid one day a fortnight (basically when she's flared up so much that we just have to - you're not supposed to put it on open skin, but her sratching means her skin is always open, so evetually we have to risk it)

we've been through almost every cream going.

we're currently on epaderm, but it's starting not work (things work for a few weeks then just have no effect)
we bought some cream from boots which has almond oil and lanolin in and it seems to be working this week. (we've run out of the epaderm and apparently it takes a week for the prescription to get from the surgery to the chemist's )

and, latest discovery is that Eurax is amazing.
it says on the tube not to use on under 3s without dr's say so, but we tried it once the epaderm had run out, and she hovered around her legs with her hands like she just didn't know what to do with them! and she didn't scratch at all for about 3 hours!!!

me again :)

dd wakes a lot at night, too - at least 4 times. every time she wakes, one of us just slathers the cream on.
she points out all the parts she wants to be creamed and won't go back to sleep until they're done (at her level of understanding, it's not where it's itching, but where she knows the cream goes )

Thanks for the replies, will have a proper look through once I have got some more sleep!

Nickelbabe, think we have spoken on another thread! About the same problem! DD was better in bath tonight, only bathing her once a week at the moment.

Thanks again.

We do the full bath once a week too, much better for DD. One thing I have learnt about eczema is that what work for one doesn't necessarily work for another and you have to find your way by trying different combinations of ointment, moisturiser, clothes, baths etc.

Recently I have found that ice packs help my DD if she's having a particularly itchy time. I got some sports ones from Amazon but they are large so I got some one use ones too and they're much better size wise for little body. Probably not be so easy for younger children as my DD is now able to be much more involved in her care as she becomes more able to understand triggers and act on them.

I wonder how many hours between us we've spent 'creaming', soothing or generally tending to itchy skin at times it has felt like it's all consuming and going no where fast

I think we have

we don't even bathe her. the water stings, so she now screams whenever we even fill a tub with water.
I have to force a flannel wash on her once a week. and we have oilatum, dermol and e15 for bath lotion (we swap and change)

I have to share just in case, even though what worked for my child may not work for yours but just in case! And you have nothing to lose!!

2 years ago I cut out dairy for my 6 yo, and within 3 days he skin was clear!! It very rare he has a break out (normally after he has sneaked some chocolate).

Otherwise, the other advice above is brilliant. Hope you get it sorted!

I would highly recommend Lush 'Dream Cream' it's amazing stuff. I have really bad eczema on my hands and its the only thing which actually works and improves it. It's base is oatmeal milk so it's incredibly soothing

Look on their web pages for testimonials from eczema sufferers. It's not cheap @ £11 a pot but it lasts for ages and is far better than using steroid or paraffin based emoliants. They will give out sample pots to try.