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 yes, just wondering. Someone mentioned Piriton as part of their attempt to help treat itchy eczema. DD nearly 9 months. Can she have a tiny bit of Piriton when she is having a mega itchy day? And can a 9 month suffer from hayfever? DD streaming with clear snot all day today (pollen count high apparently) and sneezing when outside and even had teary eys. I get it badly, and reckon her symptoms today looked suspiciously like hayfever rather than just a cold. Sorry to keep asking questions. Don't want to keep bothering GP...

bumping to say thanks to this thread we seem to have got DS's skin under control. Went back to GP last week and got Doublebase and Eumovate.

We couldn't get Eurax though as he's only 18 months.

bump

haven't read all of the thread but do you use Contton comfort sleepwear with integrated gloves? we use them for our 9 year old and it is reducing the infections caused by night scratching. (www.eczemaclothing.eu/productlist.php?catid=1&subid=44)

Thanks ToughDaddy.

I was just bumping this thread as I found it very helpful and thought I'd just put it 'out there' again.

Hi If anyone is interested in clothing that may help protect skin from the constant itch/scratch of eczema please go to www.snugglepaws.com .I developed the clothes as my son developed severe eczema from 2 months old . I can relate to anyone who has or is going through the nightmare .All I can say is the clothes worked for him and now plenty of other peoples children . He is now under Great ormand street on immune suppresents .It was the turning point for us so please please try and get refered if you can . Protopic cream is brilliant ,50/50 cream and propederm cream . If you could see him now after 5 horrendous years he is a different child . I can give you hope . xxx

Thanks snugglepaws for your post

hi you can go to your docs and get antibotic cream ezcema is awful my son is the same and i agree with ggirl coolpacks are very good just put something around it if she doesnt like it to cold like my son. you can also get mittens on perscription if you need them if your doc doesnt give them to you get PALS number fom nhs direct and they inform you of your rights like i had to.

Hi,

DS developed v serious eczema at 2 months,(he is now 2y) and at 6m ended up seing paediatric dermatog dermatoloi doctor who deals with skin, and he prescribed Elocon (super strong steroid cream which I use as a last resort, but it works) and Doublebase emollient twice daily. This was after 4m of trying every steroid and emollient under the sun, plus an osteopath, alternative remedies and the wet wrapping. Although he is loads better now, I still stick to a certain routine, or the eczema re-appears:

Doublebase twice daily without fail
No bath product in his bath at all
No fabric conditioner for his clothes
Fairy non-bio liquid to wash his clothes
Vacuuming his mattress weekly
Avoiding synthetic clothes next to his skin

This is what worked for us, but it was very much trial and error, and it seems different solutions work for different children.