Ok help me play detective!

[Indith]

Ds (almost 1) has developed some excema. Main patches are on his cheeks, then the back of his neck and some less severe patches on his back. He always used to have a couple of patches on his chest but those went around October, I just used an over the counter cream to soothe the itching as he scratched in his sleep, but the past couple of weeks we seem to have had a flare up.

So

Can't be detergent as I use eco balls
Is it diet? He has always had dairy and wheat, there has been no change in his diet at all preceeding the flare up. Is it worth trying a week free from each? Just doesn't seem a likely option to me.
Wool? It being winter and all he has some fetching hats with ties under the chin. That could explain the main patches but would that not irritate the whole head? Possibly a main contender though.
Bibs, we thought it might be the nice useful roll up TT rubber bibs, again due to location of flare ups but not used them since last weekend and after dying down a bit for a couple of days it is all red again today.

Of course it could be something else entirely. I have no idea on earth how this could be excema related but he was very red at the weekend, then did the hugest and most painful poo known to man, having been struggling a bit for a couple of days and it seemed to get better. Guess who has been struggling to poo again......

And yes he has plenty of fibre

But that part doesn't really belong in allergies does it. Ho hum

Don't know the answer, but bumping as I have develped eczema round the eyes having never had eczema before. My GP said that she gets it on her hands when it's cold and windy. You can develop allergies to things you weren't allergic too before, can't you? I'm not using anything new but am thinking it must be some product or other.

HI there, my dd used to have excema (still has a little bit), but it used to be a tell tale sign that she was run down or in for the cold or something as the back of her knees would start up. I discovered that brocolli was very good for her excema. hope this helps.

Around the eyes lilo? How horrible. I used to have it on my arms, and after some particualrly ill advised supermarket own showergel all over including neck and face, it is evil stuff isn't it.

Interesting singy that it flares up before illness. I didn't know excema ever did that. So that keeps the poo thing in the running!

well it's bizarre, it's not all around the eyes, just the bit above my eyelids next to the bridge of my nose (IYSWIM), occasionally accompanied by swollen eyelids. Am going to go back to the docs I think. She gave me hydrocortisone cream but can't use it for long round the eyes and it comes back when i stop using it.

Strange....good luck getting it sorted?

Anybody want to hazard a guess for ds?

have you been to the GP? Personally, I wouldn't try changing such a young child's diet without medical advice, even though it does sound like it could be diet related. BTW, I find good old vaseline really soothing - but would check with GP/pharmacist first before using on a baby. Hope you sort it soon, must be itchy for him.

Hmmm I will have to get him seen but but I'd rather have a good idea of direction for an allergy testing before I go in, tends go help when tackling GPs I find.