Eczema

[amelie]

Just a simple (hopefully!) question really. Our 18 month DS has eczema in his elbows and behind his knees. Literally nowhere else.

It doesn't seem to get really better - we moisturise, but he still itches it. Sometimes it's slightly better, and other days it's worse. Different foods don't seem to have an affect on it.

So the question is - is this just childhood eczema that he'll grow out of (DD used to be pretty similar - she's now 4 - but doesn't have it at all now) so we shouldn't really worry too much, or is it more serious than that?

We don't want to lather him in steriods/creams etc for no reason, and it doesn't really seem to bother him. But I'm not the biggest fan of looking at it!

What should we do?

Thanks

My second DS had eczema in patches like yours. He grew out of it quite early. I used to use steroid creams for very bad flare ups like in the hot weather etc - but for the rest of the time I used to moisturise him often and that kept it calm but never cleared it up, it just went one day and has never come back, he is now 4. I now have a new DS who had eczema from head to toe. I am still being told that he will probably grow out of it. He has a sever cows milk allergy and they say there is a link - but he is exclusively breast fed and I have even cut dairy out of my diet - and there has been no change to his eczema. Don't know if it is of any use but the BEST moisturisers I have found are the Aveeno Baby products. All the stuff the doctors gave me ie. Oilatum and Diprobase made him so much worse.

oh we do moisturize with aveeno (not oil, but lotion/cream), and put aveeno powder in the bath.

Interesting to think about moisturizes could make it worse - he goes to a child minder mon-wed and it always seems to worse on wednesday evening(and she does have pets), so we seem to spend thur-sun getting it better, only for the cycle to start again. And unfortunately we can't change the childminder!

But then the DD goes there as well after school, and she's okay.

Only really moisturized to get him to stop itching....although having just read this lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/family/story/0,,1994404,00.html, I've just been to buy some germolene to stop the itching and some of the hope's relief. Can only try!

Ta

I went down the alternative route, and some massage helped, my dd hardly has it at all now only if run down. Milk was a contributing factor for us. It's something you need to keep an eye on rather than worry about if it is not bothering. We used calendular cream especially prescribed from a herbalist for flare-ups.

meant to say accupressure or cranial osteopathy helps and it's non-invasive.

oats in the bath help too stick them in a cloth and put under a running tap.

I used to get eczema behind my knees and elbows as a kid. It itched but was never that bad. I still sometimes get a flair-up (I'm 31 now) but I usually just whack some over the counter hydrocortisone on it and it clears up.
My son (7 months) has had ezcema on his torso and face. We found that Aveeno Cream really helped. I also put steroid cream on his torso and that helped too. I only did it for 2 days and put the tiniest amount on but it juse seemed to nip it in the bud.
We do oats in the bath too, and washing with aqueous cream. It's mainly preventative now as it's almost cleared up.

Hensmum, how do you wash with aqueous cream? Do you just layer it on then rinse, or what?
I've heard of this too , but aam not sure the way to go about it!

My son had really bad eczema and my second son has it a bit milder. We were told at the hospital that the only way to get rid of it once it has flared up is to use hydrocortisone and you need to use the highest strength necessary to get rid of it i.e. if 0.5% doeesnt work use 1 % etc. Then as preventative to use whatever moisturiser suits your child best - we found aqueous cream made it worse and that Aveeno is best for us. We were doing it 6 times a day and using that system we have managed it much better. He is now 7 and much better but still needs moisturiser everyday, oh and aveeno only in baths, no soap etc.

The aqueous cream is used just like liquid soap - rubbing it on and rinsing off.

Yeah, we just put a dollop on the sponge, rub it on and rinse. It's not greasy because it's water soluble so doesn't make a mess of the bath either. It almost lathers and you don't need to worry if you don't rinse it all off as it'll just be extra moisturising. I was skeptical at first, but it does work.

Hi everyone, was really interested in your comments. My DS has had patches of exczema since he was born but we could manage it with diprobase. However since the hot weather, it has become a lot more red and 'angry' looking. I plan to bring him to the Dr this week. Was just wondering where you get Aveeno from? (Health shop or G.P) I have never heard of it and there seems to be a lot of positive feedback about it. What are the oats that you put in the bath and where do you get these from? Can anyone reccommend a sun cream that does not irritate the exzema? I think the one we used was the reason for the flare up! Hope you can help.

does DC drink cows milk?

try goats instead, my DS had the same thing, after 2 weeks on goats no eczema at all.

Eczema bathing tips for itchy kids
Less bathing and for shorter times, flanel wash inbetween.
Get moisteriser on within three minutes of patting them dry.

Cooler baths are better than hot ones. a quick shower is good if they will stand water over their heads!

yes, yes yes to porridge oats in the bath, through a sock, then use the sock to wash over the body, leaves a lovely soft milk on the skin which moiterises and is natural. if you get tired of chopping socks or tights up, use a kitchen sieve. fine mesh. run the water very hot to get maximum out of the oats then allow water to cool before putting child in.

Don't mix shampoo, soaps, conditioner etc you are creating a cocktail of chemicals in the water. plain water is great for babies and younger kids who aren't very active.

keep to one product if possible and keep it natural and as free of chemicals as possible.

Don't use fabric softeners on towels when you dry them and check to see they are okay with the soap powder you use.

baby boy crying now - must dash

Hello,

Turniphead, yes there are lots of top dermatologists some of which will recommend less bathing some of which will recommend daily bathing.

You see the trouble is what is right for one child isn't right for another. but in most cases - if you think about it. when you bathe you strip the body of natural oils and having a emolient in the bath replaces oils.

so if the eczema is weeping and needs cleaning regularly in case of infection setting in, then yes, I would on these occassions recommend bathing. I quite agree to no sponge type thing as well with open Eczema because yes they can harbour bacteria.

But if the Eczema is not open and broken therefore not at risk of infection bathing can sometimes make the skin drier and more prone to itchiness.

If scratchting damage is kept under control and the skin is not broken. then time and time again less bathing is a good measure.