Eczema - how can you stop them from scratching?

[lisabartandmaggie]

Help - my 5 year old dd1 has an infected patch of eczema on her leg - about the size of a twopence piece - which she won't stop scratching and making it bleed. Its been there nearly three years now and I'm worried that if she doesn't let it clear up then one day her leg will just fall off. Or get a bad scar at the least.
She doesn't just scratch at night, but anytime she can get to it, e.g. yesterday the house looked liked a murder scene after she went in the bathroom for a sneaky scratch. We bandage it every night, keep her nails short, use aqueous cream twice a day, no soaps in the bath etc etc. We've tried explaining to her, and even bribing her but every time it gets a bit better she does it again.
I'm getting very frustrated to say the least - any advice please!?!

oh and I had tried everything - organic crap and steroid crap

the eucerin is really good

What worked for us:
Steroid cream with antibiotic (Fucidin H or Fucibet from the GP), and then lots of emollient (we use diprobase but whatever works for you. Never found aqueous cream much good tbh).

A week on Piriton help to ease the cycle of scratching/flaring too.

Also DD hasn't had a flare-up since using Lacto-free milk.
And calendula cream also helps the dryness.

Lots of people don't like to use the steroid creams, as they are known to thin the skin, but if it's just to clear up the flare-up, it's worth it for a few days.

DD's eczema is now undre control, but we still have to slap loads of cream on every day, and careful not to give her too much dairy.

Good luck, I know how frustrating it is!

agree with everyone about aqueous cream a study at sheffield children's hospital showed that 50% of the children using it got worse not better try diprobase or doublebase instead gp or hv should eb able to prescribe

just a few things to add- the clothing company simply mentions has pyjamas with attachd mittens, also reinforced backs of knees, they are expensive but very good. The National eczema Soceity has helpful literature- including stuff for kids and schools (to give to teachers). Do get your GP to refer you, there are treatments that only consultants can prescribe, unfortunately I think some GPs don't appreciate how distressing and disruptive eczema can be for the whole family, not just the person affected. If you think your LOs eczema is infected, we were told to routinely handwash with an anti-bacterial handwash, you can get gentle ones, that has helped. DD's eczema is caused by house dust mite allergy, this was discovered by consultant (she was actually referred for nut allergy initially, hence blood tests)- if you can discover a cause, you may be able to take some preventative action. But trying to discover it for yourself can be a real minefield.
You and your LO have all my sympathy, it's very hard. Good luck.

Haven't read through the thread so not sure it has been mentioned...
My brother and sister suffered with awful eczema when they were younger (and still do). My mum thinks the only thing that helped them was bathing them in dead sea salt. She used to buy a big bag of this from the health shop.

are you sure its not impetigo?

Hello all! Got her into the doc's last monday ("is this an emergency appointment madam? Hmmm... sort of!) Luckily doctor was sympathetic, as it did look pretty bad. I too had thought about impetigo getting in, if not there already. Got prescribed a mixture of things to use over the next new weeks: Fucidin H for 10 days, then Elocon (Mometasone Furoate) following that, plus Doublebase cream and Oilatum Plus for the bath.
Have been using the Fucidin religiously morning and night since, but whilst its def better its still not looking as good as I hoped, largely as she's still having sneaky scratches. So the itch is still there... am encouraging her to pat it rather than scratch as others said.
Think the most important thing I've learned is that eczema is something you live with and manage, rather than magically make go away. Don't think I got that before!

I think it has been mentioned before as well but an oatmeal bath is excellent, My son found it really soothing and his skin felt excellent afterwards. Helps with the drying effect that water can naturally have - especially in hard water areas.

Also instead of using washing detergents try eco balls. Even the most sensitive washing powders/liquid have chemicals that can aggravate the skin.

I had forgotten about those arielle - do you just chuck the oatmeal in ?

Hi,
Started reading this thread and just thought I'd add my bit :
after using loads of creams prescribed by the doctor I got a book out of the library 'Eczema and your child' and this recommends

1. Piriton at nighttime
2. OTC hydrocortisone (for up to a week at a time)
3. Moisturising frequently - the more often the better

so anyway, I have started this regime with my little one. and, yes, the hydrocortisone creams always say not to use on broken skin but what else is eczema after a good scratch if not broken !!
I also thought I might try calamine cream on her wrists at night when she wakes me up scratching - I suffered with eczema when I was little and I remember my nan using this on me and it working.
I've also used the oatmeal thing ( and yes, porridge oats are fine - the cheapest supermarket ones will do) and whilst I am not sure they do much for the eczema - they do leave the skin really lovely and soft !!
Eczema is a nightmare - I've had it all my life and feel really guilty that my little girl now has it.

Hi,
Started reading this thread and just thought I'd add my bit :
after using loads of creams prescribed by the doctor I got a book out of the library 'Eczema and your child' and this recommends

1. Piriton at nighttime
2. OTC hydrocortisone
3. Moisturising frequently - the more often the better

so anyway, I have started this regime with my little one. and, yes, the hydrocortisone creams always say not to use on broken skin but what else is eczema after a good scratch if not broken !!
I also thought I might try calamine cream on her wrists at night when she wakes me up scratching - I suffered with eczema when I was little and I remember my nan using this on me and it working.
I've also used the oatmeal thing ( and yes, porridge oats are fine - the cheapest supermarket ones will do) and whilst I am not sure they do much for the eczema - they do leave the skin really lovely and soft !!
Eczema is a nightmare - I've had it all my life and feel really guilty that my little girl now has it.
Oh and FYIAD - I put some oats in a popsock and tie it over the tap as it runs the bath

Has anyone tried calendula cream??? my daughter gets excema after illness and I had a resistant patch and a couple weeks of applying this cleared it up. Her excema may not be as severe as others but it may help.

I have just sent off for some special thing for my baby ds to wear. It is from this website www.little-protechtor.com/ and she is able to wear it during the day and night. I haven't recieved them yet, but am holding out high hopes that it will stop the poor mite from scratching constantly day and night... {hmmm} Will let you know when they arrive and how ds get on...

like above i have skimmed through the above and have a good experience of skin disorders
my son has a very rare skin condition that isnt treatable but i can give you guys his skin care routine which is applicalble to anyone withouth steroids of course
he has a basic psoriasis,also guttate and erythodremic psoriasis,genital psoriasis(cannot irinate now)he has only 20% white normal skin on his body left its in his eyes cannot see in his ears anymore,
as you can imagine he scratches he bleeds and is infected to combat this or as we have been told this is a basic home remedy treatment for skin disorders however minor or major
AM bath in oilatum or dermaoil,no more than 10 mins
pat dry,apply diprobase or double base or any plain moisturiser they can accept liberally as no steriods in these
now my son is whole body wrapped in wet and dry tubi grip bandages 24 hrs a day
wrap the affected area in a clean sterile tubi wrap (grip)
re apply moisturiser twice a day depending how affected
this stops the scratching (my son also wears gloves 24 hrs a day)
piriton relieves the itch also
shower or short evening bath and creams
now is the problem is daytime and school is a issue i guess you can use the wrap then
but ideally bath in oil pat dry moistiruse use the dry wrap give piriton
now just a short treatment of this will clear up most skin condition
then all you have to do is just moisturise
also if your child is gettin worse take them to a dermatologist youd be suprised how many children we see there with eczema and only in small patches to
short term steriod creams help also just to get rid of an annoying or flare up patch
and i guess its just basic knowledge about the allegy side of washing powders
sorry for the long post just giving my little bit of know how here
my son has to be in hospital 3 times a week for treatment now i have been around dermatologists for years,even with eczema you can have the dry skin and the itch but when it gets worse there is usually a secondary reason (washing implements borowing there friends coat for the day trying a new food anything can start the skin of if its prone to be flare up)
i know how annoying this can be for them poor little things and us parents well all we can do is try to help

just to say this was my self help regime and it works in a way for us
of course my son is on strong steroid injections and uvb light therapy 3 times a week and doesnt go to school as he can get infected ever,but i just saw a post on infections,and if you ever suspect an infection get it seen to asap

I'm a lurker but I just want to say 'THANK YOU' disneystar for sharing that.

blessed2 your welcome

disneystar - you have my utmost respect, thats quite a daily routine and certainly puts my dd's problem in perspective. I hope things improve for your son, maybe a treatment won't be too far away in the future x

my 2yrold has severe eczema. epaderm cream changed ourlives. she has wet wraps and dry. we use zirtek (cetrizine hydrochloride) anthistamine 24/7. does anyone have experience of long term use of this? worried as been 6mths now. would like to wean off but dont want to go back to those desperate times.. also snugglepaws sell very good eczema clothing. hats off to all of us who have kids with severe eczema it really is devastating to family life i just wish GPs and people generally had a better understanding of how life changing eczema can be.

also, does anyone have any advice on eczema on the scalp. hace been prescribed several things from dermatologists put they really sting and its like torture for her. very dry and scaly. really hard coz everythingmakes her hair so greasy. she constantly looks like she hasnt been washed for years!

Hey FYIAD its best to put the oats in like an old sock or muslin bag and then wrap this around the tap so that the water runs through the oats and into the bath. if you put the oats in the bath it aint bad but it's just like bathing in porridge. Also, when the bath has run, if you tie a knot in the sock or bag use it as a sponge to clean your child, it's really silky smooth (sometimes a little slimy) but the kids love it.!

Someone may have mentioned this already but I found with my dd that there are always times (even when her eczema is well under control) that she's itchy and in need of a scratch. We have now accepted this and told her to pat/hit/slap or pinch the area instead of scratching. This gives her the same relief without breaking the skin and getting into the whole infection cycle again. Pinching seems to work best for her (and doesn't look so strange!).

Mentioned this website before: www.little-protechtor.com/ I ordered two little "protechtors" from them and they arrived quickly. Baby is wearing one now as she sleeps. Doesn't stop her scratching, but does stop her from doing too much damage. It looks like a crop top,with mega long sleeves, with mits on the end! DD likes to wave her little arms around when wearing it as the mit bit flaps around lots and looks silly. She does look a bit daft, but she sleeps well in it and doesn't wake up looking like she has been dragged through a hedge backwards. Worth a go for those of you with little ones who won't stop scratching...