Eczema question

[strawberrycornetto]

DS has been clear of eczema since I cut out dairy. Since Christmas, it has really flared up. I think its either because I have completely stopped breastfeeding (I was doing 2 feeds a day until just before Christmas) or because he ate some beef for the first time in ages (he had been refusing it, he's allergic to milk). What do you think? I know I am possibly looking for a reason to start feeding him again when I know DH will be against it (see other post)but he had been pretty much eczema clear for about 2 months so something must have triggered this.

I wouldn't think it was the beef, it would be unusual imo unless others know otherwise. Could he have eaten other Christmas fare with hidden dairy that could have triggered the flare up? And sometimes it's a combo of factors not diet related like central heating/dust mites which can be a problem in winter (mine and dcs' eczema always poor in extremes of temperature)

Sorry, I should have asked hold old is ds?

gah, I meant how old?

He's 10 months. He definitely hasn't eaten anything with dairy in it, but I did wonder if someone touched him with dairy traces on their hands (ok, I am obviously insanely paranoid about this whole allergy thing....)Its probably just a coincidence, or perhaps the weather!

Although dairy used to be a trigger for me I do have others, so maybe just the same for ds? And sometimes there is no cause. But hope he's not too uncomfortable.

Maybe it is the weather as my son's eczema has tended to flare with cold weather. I don't know where you are but it was really mild here until Christmas and now it is absolutely brassic.
Or has he been in different houses with different carpets/pets/washing powder on sheets or anything like that?
I wouldn't have thought stopping the breastfeeding would cause a flare up on its own, but if you want to get back into feeding him then maybe try a little bit when he isn't starving, say first thing in the morning so that you can watch him all day for symptoms.

Meant to say first thing in the morning after giving him some formula, otherwise he would be starving I guess and would probably have as much as he could get!

How do you know he has a milk allergy? Has he been tested? If so, what type of allergy does he have - IGE-mediated or non-IGE mediated? I ask this because my son has the latter, which means his is the mild version of milk allergy.

If yours has the mild version (allergic response takes hours, not minutes) then you can chill out about his allergy. He'll be fine if he has a little dairy every now and then, and it will mean that his system can get used to it.

I don't think being touched by milk will create an immune response in anyone, so don't worry about this.

As for the eczema, things like oranges can trigger an episode - do a google search for allergens and see whether you can isolate anything.

I have recently been using aloe vera gel (a very high quality one which my friend sells). It's made a huge difference in a week - far better than the steroids which I've been using all year. If you're interested, the company is called Forever Aloe and they work a bit like Avon - do a google search and you'll prob find a local vendor.

That is very interesting Mrs M H about the different types. I guess we have the first one as get a reaction within seconds or minutes.

And just to say that being touched by milk definitely can create a responsee, it does with my son if he gets milk on his face. I believe it can also be the same for peanut allergy sufferers.

Wow, I stand corrected on the skin contact issue. That's pretty serious.

DS has the stronger version, he also reacts to milk touching his skin but I don't know if he would have the same reaction to cheese etc.

Eczema seems better, I think he was in a house for a party DD went to and it was something on the carpet there, cause it was there that evening on his arms etc from crawling but gone again the next day.

Have resigned myself to no more feeding [sob!!]

FWIW my HV told me the other day that when she stopped BF her 2yo, she suddenly developed raging eczema. I hope for your DS's sake it's not this but just winter/random.