Eczema - anyone else experienced frequent waking due to baby's eczema? good remedy? foods to avoid?

[naturopath]

I have just realised DS's (he is 4 months)frequent night wakings are probaby due to his eczema (he rubs forhead manically, scratches back of head). Had eczema since he was little but didn't used to be itchy. Does anyone have a good remedy?

Also, DS is exclusively breastfed. Are there any foods I should be avoiding?

I used Aveeno on my DD from 3 months. It took a bout 5 days to work but when it did the eczema cleared up within days.
It's fantastic stuff..... all natural and you can use it from birth. Boots stock it.

As for avoiding foods, I think the advice is to cut things out one at a time - like diary first, then wheat etc.

HTH x

consider dustmite allergy, and keep infant cool.
No warming PJ on radiator , no really warm baths.

If ezcema started before age 3 months, consider food link.

if coupled with poor sleep pattern and slow weight gain, again may be linked to food.

Try reading 'the complete guide to food intolerance and allergy' by prof jonathon Brostofff, published by Gamlin.

Speak to GP.
I used steroid cream for DD almost continuously until she was 2. GP assured me it is quite safe and better than allowing her to scratch skin til it breaks and may become infected (as did happen once). She is now 2.5 and rarely has a flare up.

Aveeno moisturiser (not lotion) worked for dd at that age and cleared up her face really quickly. Steroid creams for the very bad patches. I know some people don't like using them but scaring from the scratching can be really bad.

My niece had this and my sister userd to make marigold oil - crush up marigold flowers and steep in oil for a few days. It goes a beautiful gold colour. rub it over the itch. I'd check with the HV first, as he's so young.

Hi naturopath, my ds now 14 mo. has eczema and was the same, I think he learned how to scratch at a few months' old. For us it was all about finding the right emollients and using them regularly. After some experimentation we use Aveeno oil in the bath, only bath every few days, emulsifying ointment on his face and Diprobase on his body, re-applied 4-6 times a day (ie every nappy change, so not really a hassle). He was really bad - at times I would despair, he looked like a picture in an NSPCC newsletter with open wounds on his chest and face - but now rarely has a flare-up - but it took us a while to get here.

It's worth getting a GP who has experience with eczema (which is most of them!) and who will support you in trying different combinations out. (I found one of our GPs had a daughter with eczema so stuck with him for this.) Some emollients work for some babies and some for others, it's just trial and error. Also hydrocortisone 1% for badly inflamed patches is generally thought to be very safe.

Advice from the National Eczema Society is that food is a factor only in a minority of eczema cases and it's quite hard to stick to an exclusion diet, esp. if you're breastfeeding, so they advise to focus on emollients first.

Lots of babies grow out of it eventually too. Good luck!

naturopath - had the same problem with ds, so we swaddled him, using a miracle blanket. He slept much better. Now his eczema is much better and he doesnt try to scratch so much at night.
hth

Keeping his room cooler than you would a baby who doesn't have eczema.
Using a thick barrier cream so that when he rubs he rubs off the cream rather than his skin.
When you bathe him, don't dry him - put whatever cream you use onto wet skin and then put on the babygro.
Any teddy bears out of the cot.
Wash bedding on hot wash and when dry pop in freezer to kill dustmites.

If you like Aveeno, get it on prescription as it is not cheap.

we use good old vaseline (by the bucketload) for night time use. Works for us. try keeping him cool, easier said than done without freezing him at his size. has it coincided with central heating going on? we have humidifiers & ionisers for our lot.

will he keep scratch mitts on to poss minimise the damage done by scratching?

Well done bf. goats milk cured my eldest DS eczema but it was caused by dairy allergy. He went on goats milk at 20mo. Wouldn't give it to a baby but worth keeping records of gluten & dairy foods given and if there's a reaction - just to be on the safe side. We started all ours on fruit and veg puree, at 4/5/6 mo (varying recommendations at each time...) and have totally un-fussy children who will eat anything placed in front of them.

Hi naturopath,I have a dd 5 yrs who still suffers with eczema unfortumately. She started with it at aprox couple weeks old. I still have the night waking I'm afraid but it has improved dramatically over the years, I feel possibly down to food elimination. She has lots of food allergies confirmed aswell as the dustmite one someone has already mentioned! One real factor which helped us no end was the special eczema clothing you can buy to prevent them damaging themselves. Up to then I was sat in desperation sewing socks and and mits on to pj's. Also make sure you keep him in cotton clothing to help his skin. Oh and moisurise loads, doctors would say to try to do it at every nappy change. I notice you say its his forhead and back of head, is it anywhere else? The clothes would still help him not to scratch though as you can get them with enclosed hands.

Thanks for all your advice everyone. Will try a few of these.. didn't know about Aveeno or keeping the room cooler..
(yes, the excema is all over his body)
Saw GP yesterday who prescribed a different emollient (was on Diprobase, now Cetraben). oh, he's woken up again.

I found the emollients from the GP didn't work for my DS (diprobase and doublebase) but I found a cream - renew intensive care from Melaleuca company, has worked wonders. The ezcema flares but it is not horrible anymore and seems to not to be so itchy. Also, put porridge oats in a sock in the bath, this has really helped too.
Grobags help to stop scratching bottom half and I use insulating tape on DS's sleeves to stop arm scratching. The neck is harder though .
Good luck, it isn't easy but you will find an answer. You need to find the right thing for your little one as what works for one doesn't work for the next, ezcema is an odd one. You'll get there!

My DD's triggers ( we have nearly figured out as she is five) are too much dairy or gluten, most pizza's (for some reason) and banana. Bloody banana. can you believe it. And guess her fav fruit.

thanks for these - will probably have to try various things. His excema is a little better today -but misspenguin, you're so right about the neck! poor thing. btw,do you have to do anything with the oats in sock - or just put them in the bath?