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Original poster

Help! Excema advice needed please - dd's bottom looks like it has been badly scalded

17 replies

roseylea · 06/04/2007 17:35

Hello,

My dd (aged 4.5 y o) is having a really bad excema flare up and it's esp. bad on her bottom. The skin on one buttock has come away completely and it is all weepy and red and raw. It has started to scab over now. It is so painful for her to either sit or stand up or walk. All she wants to do is lie on the sofa and watch telly, poor girl. THis came on last night after she scratched like mad in bed.

This morning dh put a kind of dressing over it and we have given her two baths today to keep it as clean as poss, with Oilatum Plus and Emulsiderm in the bath. I've just re-done the dressing. Does anyone know if this is the right way to treat this type of excema? Should I phone the out of hours doctors? Shuold I put steroid cream or emoliient directly on to the 'bad bit', or let it heal first? I am at a bit of a loss to know what on earth to do with my precious little lamb who puts up with so much pain...

OP posts:

foxinsocks · 06/04/2007 17:44

how awful for her

Have you given her painkillers or perhaps even an antihistamine before she goes to bed to stop her scratching (Piriton if you have any)?

I probably would dress that sort of area because otherwise, it will catch on her clothes (or let her be bare bummed as much as poss).

tbh, if she is in that much pain, I'd be tempted to give the out of hours doc a call - he/she will probably be able to give you advice over the phone or may want you to pop her down to the out of hours place so they can have a look, especially if it is over a large area.

foxinsocks · 06/04/2007 17:51

tbh rosey, in our experience, once it has got that bad, the docs often give antibs or stronger creams because they worry about infection once it is raw

(also, if you do put steroid cream on it, dressing it increases the absorption so they normally recommend not to do that in children unless they specifically tell you to iyswim)

Original poster

roseylea · 06/04/2007 17:53

Thank you!

Yes we have given her Calpol and Piriton. Would you put any sort of cream on the area? I've re-dressed it and put some wet wrap type tights over the top to keep the dressing in place and help with the rest of her legs (I used 50/50 on the rest of her body - we covered her in Elocon this morning).

I feel so helpless sometimes...

OP posts:

pointydog · 06/04/2007 17:54

poor soul. Don't put steroid onto raw bit. AN emollient - ointment rather than cream - should be quite good as it will also be a bit of a barrier.

Original poster

roseylea · 06/04/2007 17:54

x-posted there!

OP posts:

paulaplumpbottom · 06/04/2007 17:55

poor little thing

Original poster

roseylea · 06/04/2007 17:55

Foxinsocks I am a bit concerned about it getting infected too, esp. as it is so close to her backside.

OP posts:

foxinsocks · 06/04/2007 18:05

oh rosey - does she see a dermatologist?

I use Elocon every now and then but it's strong isn't it!

have you got a minor injuries place or a GP walk in clinic? Might be an idea to take her there tomorrow if you are still concerned.

Original poster

roseylea · 06/04/2007 18:18

She used to see a dermatologist but was discharged a while ago because she was doing so much better. (The excema has always been very bad - when she was a baby her skin was like sandpaper).

Our GPs doesn't have any type of Saturday surgery any more, so it'd have to be out-of-hours docs. We are supposed to be going to a children's farm with my sis's dcs tomorrow, the picnic is all packed etc so I don't want to ruin the nice day out we've got planned unless we really need to. On the other hand I'm a bit worried as to how dd is going to manage being out all day, walking a lot, going to the loo in the those tiny cubicles, being creamed in the loo etc etc...

She's happily watching the Story Makers atm!

OP posts:

CaptainDippy · 06/04/2007 22:27

Oh rosey - leave the "bad" bit to heal before applying anything strong. Let her sit on a rubber ring. Put gloves on her hands at night or bandages. Have you tried cold compresses on bad bits with piles of cream on them?? (I am sure you have!) Steriod creams are the only thing that works for me unfortunately - so use them on the bad bits that aren't open, weepy and raw. Erm. Give her antihistamines / Piriton and cuddle her and pray, pray, pray. Let her be naked as much as poss. The baths are a great idea. just keep smothering her in cream and love. [[hugs] Oilatum, hydrocortisone, aqueous cream, elicon .....

CaptainDippy · 06/04/2007 22:28

Seriously - take her to A&E if it gets any worse - it'll be the best way to get seen this weekend!!

TooTicky · 06/04/2007 22:32

I strongly recommend homoeopathy as this treats the actual problem rather than just repressing the symptoms. Two of my dcs have had v. successful homoeopathic treatment for eczema.

currantbunmum · 07/04/2007 15:06

Have you heard of Roiboss (redbush) Tea? It is South African tea that can be used for all types of skin problems. It can be used directly on the skin, or, as it is caffiene free can also be drank, by babies and children in small amounts.I put 2 teabags in the bath for dd2 to help with her skin dryness, and even used squeezed out tea bags dirrectly on her bottom to help with nappy rash. We also buy redbush soap for both dd's, if you Google Redbush, you will find quite a few websites with more info. Her skin isn't as bad as you lo's but it might help.

Original poster

roseylea · 07/04/2007 16:43

thanks for those messages!

I'd never heard of using Redbush tea as a skin treatment! I drink it a lot.

THe skin is about the same today - still red and raw. She's bare atm but when we went out earlier we had her all bandaged up with a dressing on her bottom. She managed well at the children's farm but could only walk quite slowly and painfully so we came home early. Dh doesn't think we should take her to the dcos as he doesn't think there's anything he doc could do...

OP posts:

coleyboy · 07/04/2007 17:10

Do you know the cause? Sometimes certain things in the diet can make it flare up.

Would suggest you see a homeopath who will cater their remedy to dd - unlike the NHS approach of one size fits all!!

Original poster

roseylea · 07/04/2007 17:29

Well dd has been RAST tested and was found to be allergic to wheat, eggs, soya and nuts. I am sure there must be other things she's allergic to as well. She's had it since birth, and I brfd her until she was 1 y o (the NHS dietician suggested that I'd made it worse by brfding her - gggrrrrrrrrrrr ).

I don't know much about homeopaths tbh - how do they work?

OP posts:

TooTicky · 07/04/2007 20:51

A proper classical homoeopath will take the entire case - including present and past symptoms, personality/behaviour, when symptoms are stronger/weaker and what affects them - this can take over an hour. The homoeopath will then work out which remedy is the right one. There are several remedies which could be used for eczema type symptoms but only one will match your dd's exact case (an over-the-counter remedy could contain one or more of the possibles and should definitely be avoided). A good homoeopath will give just one dose of a single remedy and will then follow your dd's progress - you would report after, say, 24 hours, a week, 2 weeks, a month, etc. If you want to know more please ask - I will try to help. Also, depending on where you are, I may be able to recommend a homoeopath if that would help.

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