Anyone else's baby got red itchy eyes, a dry cough and dry / eczema like skin?

[Jojay]

I thought I'd post this in 'Allergies' too -apologies if you've already seen it in 'Childrens Health'

Ds2 is 6 months next week and has had the above symptoms for the last few days.

His skin has always been dry but it's about as bad as it's ever been now.

The skin around his eyes is red but his actual eyes and the tissue inside seem normal. They seem a bit itchy but not horrendously so.

The cough is intermittent, not too bad, but noticeable.

I use aqueous cream on him morning and night, or Aveeno if he seems particularly bad. He is bathed every other day or so.

I haven't given him anything for the cough / eyes.

Any ideas on the cause of this, or do you think the symptoms are probably unrelated?

Hayfever and eczema do run in DH's family, while asthma runs in mine, and DS1 is also asthmatic, though no eczema or hayfever.

My ds is also six months and also has all these things, but the eczema started when he was 3 months, and was fairly bad. He was referred to a hospital paediatrician and prescribed a very oily cream, made up specially by the pharmacist. I did use Aveeno, but the next day his skin seemed a lot worse.

The cause could possibly be a cow's milk protein allergy, and I have cut down on dairy in my diet(he is breastfed). I'm sure washing powder and woolen clothes also make his skin worse.

At the moment his eyes do seem very itchy, and he has a runny nose and cough, but so make many babies at this age.

If I were you, I would ask for a referral to a paediatrician, particularly as there are allergies in your families.

That's interesting Belgo - thanks.

I'd already thought to try a different washing powder and no softener.

What amkes you think it's a milk allergy? Hasit been formally diagnosed?

DS is breast fed too. He's just started solids but not had cows milk or dairy yet.

Please don't use Aqueous cream on his skin as an emollient...! This is not its intended use and is known to be an irritant. It is fine to be used as a soap substitute (i.e. to wash with and then rinsed off the skin while bathing) but not as a emollient that is left on his skin. I would urge you to use an emollient like epaderm, or the aveeno that you have already tried.

Cow's milk protein allergy is one of the most common if not the most common allergy in babies of this age. You can't diagnose it very easily, they did a prick test on ds (he was only 12 weeks old and it was awful), they all came back negetive, then they told me he was too young to have the tests anyway, as his immune system is still so immature. Quite why they did them if the tests aren't accurate

I have cut down on diary, and his rash and eczema do seem a lot better, but I think he's probably reacting to something else as well as cow's milk.

misspollysdolly Really? I was told to use it by my HV.

Net Doctor says
'Aqueous cream is a light, non-greasy moisturiser that provides a layer of oil on the surface of the skin to prevent water evaporating from the skin surface.

It is made from a mixture of emulsifying ointment (which contains paraffin oils) and water, with phenoxyethanol as an antimicrobial preservative.

Dry skin results from lack of water in the outer layer of skin cells known as the stratum corneum. When this layer becomes dehydrated it loses its flexibility and becomes cracked, scaly and sometimes itchy. The stratum corneum contains natural water-holding substances that retain water seeping up from the deeper layers of the skin, and water is also normally retained in the stratum corneum by a surface film of natural oil (sebum) and broken-down skin cells, which slow down evaporation of water from the skin surface.

The skin dries out when too much water evaporates from its surface. This increases as we get older, and is made worse by washing, because hot water and soap remove the layer of natural oil on the skin surface.

Moisturisers such as aqueous cream are helpful for all dry skin conditions, particularly eczema and dermatitis, which get worse when the skin is allowed to dry out. Used regularly they help restore the skin's smoothness, softness and flexibility by helping the skin retain moisture. They should be applied frequently to prevent the skin drying out.

Aqueous cream can also be used in place of soap when washing to prevent drying the skin.

In conditions such as eczema, using a moisturiser regularly, even once the skin has improved, can help prevent flare-ups of this condition. '

It says the same sort of thing on the tub.

Where did you here that you shouldn't use it as a moisturiser?

Not trying to be arsy, just curious

Yes, really. Until recently I was working in a twice weekly children's dermatology clinic, sitting in regularly with both the paediatric Dermatologist and the Paediatric dermatology nurse specialist, and they both emphatically state that Aqueous cream should not be used as anything other than a soap substitute. With all due respect to HVs and GPs, they often suggest emollient regimes that are not the most up to date nor the most effective. Aqueous is not the best soap substitute either as it goes, but certainly as a emollient by itself it runs a high risk oif doing more harm than good.

This nhs endorsed link states the following.

Some people may have a reaction to aqueous cream when it is used as an emollient cream. For this reason, it is recommended only as a soap substitute and not as a 'leave on' emollient. However, if, after using aqueous cream, your skin stings and does not settle down after rinsing, talk to your pharmacist, or GP, about an alternative soap substitute.

Also, if your DS has dry skin, as you state, he really needs something more useful than 'a light, non greasy emollient', as described in your info on aqueous cream. Don't mean to sound bossy, but there are great, highly effective treatments for eczema available very easily if only parents were given useful and accurate advice and information. I would like to address the issue with a number of HVs and GPs!! In the clinic I worked in, we became quite evangelical about the best ways to approach skin problems, purely by using effective treatments in the correct way.

Thanks so much misspollysdolly. I love mn because of people like you!

Once again, the HV's have excelled themselves..... Though it's not their fault if their training is not kept up to date.

No Probs!

Epaderm is good - much greasier, but good, and you can use it as a soap substitute and a bath treatment.

All the best.

Hi,
My Ds is almost 6 months too and has had eczema for the last month or so. I am using oilatum in the bath and cetraban as an emolient which seem to have made some improvement but am struggling to clear his cheeks up. Might try the epaderm as misspolly advised,as I do have some.
Anyway, what I really wanted to say was have you tried soap nut shells in place of washing powder ? see www.inasoapnutshell.com for details. I have always used them so can't say for sure whether they will help but always worth a try and they are cheap.

Thanks JJ - I've requested a free sample