Eczema type rash all around dd's eyes, eyelids, nose and mouth, but no where else on her body

[Jalexandra]

Hi, I have posted before about my 16 month old dd's rash on her face, but have just been to my GP (again) as the 'eczema' she has had on her face has not got any better at all after I have been applying 0.5% hydrocortisone cream twice a day for about 3 weeks. Her rash is straight down the middle of her face, with little red spots around her eyes, on her eyelids and red rough skin around her nose and mouth. I thought facial eczema was more likely to be on the cheeks, or somewhere else on the body but she has no other patches anywhere else.
Has anyone else experienced an eczema rash like this. Also is it safe to put hydrocortisone on her eyelids. My GP has now given me 1% cream.
I would be very grateful for any advice.

Thank you so much for the number PPH.

She has seen a different doctor each time we've been, none of them will say what it is or isn't. Very frustrating!

When I was using the Timodine on her it cleared up, but I was told I could only use it for a maximum of 5 days

I'll try the Diprobase and the methods you described about applying before feeds etc. but if nothing improves I'll give them a ring.

I've just discussed it with DP and he's agreed we'll pay for a consultation if that's what it takes to get it sorted.

Thanks again for your help

Lact8, thanks for posting. Sorry your dd has it aswell. It is terrible isn't it? I really hope you get it sorted. Please let me know.
PPH thank you so much for that number. I really need to see someone who knows what they are talking about. I don't think my GP has a clue.
Pinktulips, I have racked my brain to think if something new has been introduced, but I can't think of anything.
I am going to perservere with the hydrocortisone until next wednesday so I have atleast followed the doctors advice and can say 'This isn't working!' with confidence.
Thanks everyone

I know exactly how you feel.

My 8 month old DS has awful eczema on his face and top of his chest. It is almost like he has 'toxic' dribble. He is so itchy at the moment it makes me want to cry.

We are seeing a dermo and he prescribed some strong stuff recently which cleared it but since we stopped using it (you can't use for very long) it has flared up within a week and much worse. I hate using steroids on his skin - I think they make it weaker in the long run.

We discovered a company online called snugglepaws. They make pj tops with no holes at the end of the arm (DS can get a scratch mitten off in 1 second!). He still rubs at night but isn't able to do as much damage as his scratching was. They make special clothes for older babies and children too.

I'm seeing a homeopath too. She is confident that we will get the right treatment - but it can take a while to find the one that works.

I'm convinced DS is allergic to cows milk. His eczema started getting much worse when I stopped giving him breast milk and he started on high calorie formula. I'm a bit suspicious of the petrochemical emollients too - sometimes he gets redder around the eyes after I have put them on his face.

I have had a new development with dds eczema now. We have been to see a dermatologist who has said he thinks dd may have a zinc deficiency which can cause skin problems. They took some blood ( a horrific experience) from dd on Tuesday and we are waiting for the results. The dermatologist said her rash is not typical of eczema as it is round her eyes and mouth instead of her cheeks.
How odd.

Sounds like you have an open minded dermo open to finding cause rather than just piling on the steroid creams. Good luck for the results - hope your dd is cured soon.

Thanks Elibum. Its taken me 6 weeks to finally get somewhere. I have stopped putting any steroid cream on her now, and it actually looks a bit better - the redness has gone away.
I hope you have some luck with your dd. It is such a worry isn't it?

Hi I hope someone is still reading this link. My ds has exactly the same thing as your lo jalexandra. He has spots around his nose and eyes, it is not eczema and not itchy but lots of little pimple looking spots. Have also been to Doc's loads of times and been given Fucibet which also took it away but was told only 5 days and it returned with avengence. I am no further forward and feel like a terrible Mum as I can't fix it. It could be dairy, but it could also be anything say the Doc - where too from here. What happened about the zinc defincency?

my dd2 had similar from about 3 months old - really bad excema (well excema like) around her forehead and sides of face. At 7 months I fed her cheese and her face got red and angry and hot, she scratched it til it bled. From then i stopped dairy and it totally cleared up. The doctor had told me she didn't have a dairy allergy as she didn't have sickness or diarrhoea. However she definitely does. Even a lick of milk/ice cream/cheese aggravates her skin. The improvement was pretty immediate after stopping dairy - give it a go. (by the way, she reacted even worse to goats milk (complete constipation)... so i would go completely dairy free first to see whether it helps). Good luck.

How long do you need to stop dairy to see a difference. So far been 5 days and not one noticable difference in nappies or facial rash?

Mairimac - there was a thread about that recently - most people on that said it takes at least 2 weeks to see a difference.

Thanks elibumbum I guessed it was something like that. Will keep trying. Just feel so useless at the moment like I can't help him at all

I know I feel so helpless when DS has a flare up - I just want to make it all better for him. I cling to the fact that he is likely (hopefully) to grow out of it soon.

If anyone is still reading this threat. I went to the Doc's today as the rash is just getting more and more nasty. This Doc said it is a nose infection which is spreading onto his face and affecting the more delicate areas of the face like eyelids, around the nose and mouth. Have been given two creams - no steroids and hopefully improvement soon. After 2.5 months and four different diagnosis - I'm hoping for something good.

Sorry to hear that the rash is getting worse. Hope this diagnosis is right and it clears up soon.

My friends baby has had very bad eczema from when she was born and would be up all night bathing and putting creams on her skin. She has since found a company called The Natural Mat Company who make natural mattresses for babies +. She chose one of their latex mattresses which are 100% non alleregenic and anti-dust mite(main cause of a lot of allergies.)The baby now sleeps much better and is waking less in the night. It might be worth checking them out. www.naturalmat.com.
Hope this helps.

Hi, just thought I'd let you know that the rash on dd's face is now getting a bit better. I have been to the dermatologist again this week as all the blood tests came back negative (thank goodness) so dd is now back on another course of antibiotics and a new cream called Daktacort. The redness has gone down but I can still see and feel the rash under her skin. The doctors (5 of them all at once this week) said they couldn't be sure what it was but to try this treatment. I have another appointment at the beginning of january.
Anyone else had any more progress? Or heard of or used Daktacort?

mairimac - i haven't forgotten about the number for Culturelle probiotic, i am just having trouble getting hold of it... hopefully soon.

J - did your dd have the RAST (blood) test?

DS is supposed to have that soon - his dermatologist now thinks his eczema is allergy related.

for those of you that take their children off dairy

whats the alternative milk drink. soya and rice milk have bad press. so whats the alternative.

my dd has excema and i also think dairy is the culprit

goat's milk and you can get it on prescription from your GP.

elibumbum, my dd didn't have the rast tests. She had a blood count and blood film (whatever they are!) and some biochemistry tests.
The doctors said it was unlikely to be an allergy as she doesn't have an upset stomach, or ulcers in her mouth. Since we have been using the daktacort cream it has got a lot better.
What is involved with the rast tests?

i use babynat organic follow on milk formula (cow's). she seems to be ok on that - weird. she is sensitive (eczema and chronic constipation) on normal cow's milk, cheese and also soya and goats milk.

oh, and any other formula.
she is now 14 months, not sure how i am ever going to get her off the formula.

Sorry - I haven't checked this thread for a while. They take a blood sample for a RAST test and then see if there is an immune response to any of the usual suspects for allergy. DS isn't having the RAST test anymore as his gastroenterologist doesn't think it will tell us much at this stage - he thinks DS is likely to have an intolerance (if anything to cows milk protein) not an allergy.

I saw the eczema nurse with DS last week - she got all the dermos to come in and have a look at his face - they think he has a fungal infection on it so is being treated for that now - I saw his paediatrician for his reflux yesterday and he thinks it is actually infected eczema (and a chest infection) so he has to take antibiotics now as well! Hopefully something will clear it up as he isn't himself at the moment