Scratching in the bath

[fee77]

DD (18mths) has eczema, at the mom ent we are covering her in double base, and using a hc cream whenever needed. In the bath we use oats, and wash her with aqueous, but she really starts scratching - and in areas where no rash is visible. I wondered is this normal, as usually she is covered up, so can't scratch. I rinse the bath out before use every time.

ds always scratches in the bath so we dont bahte him every day - he is often showered down instead. Have you tried different creams? Lots of people find aqueous cream irritated and stings eczema, ds hated it as does dh. Instead we now use diprobase cream as a soap substitute (in a pump container so no germs introduced by dipping fingers into pot) and find it faqr less irritating than aqueous.

Thanks bunny - we used to used dermol in the bath, so i may go back to using that again. We only bath her every other night, if that. She loves being in there, but we are having to keep them so short due to her itching.

fee&7. - you have my sympathies. I've had the exact same thing.Dd scratched her head at night and often I would pick her up in the mroning bleeding. People would comment and I was at my wits end. It was awful to see her scratching, it started with her scratching in the bath before anything else. I went to see the GP 3 times before we were given Dermelo. It totally transformed her, it was unbelievable. Her head is clear now and she doesn't scratch anything like she used to.
The only thing is, it's active ingredients are wool alcohols and I think it must be this that is dissolving all her bath toys. It also makes a mess of the bath. But it has been a miracle for her, so I am pleased.

By the way, we used Dermol before that and I felt it made it worse. It has a microbial action which I think may have caused more problems as it wasn't bacterial eczema.

My 5 month old baby has excema and also scratches like mad in the bath- the solution?? We keep scratch mits on him in the bath .- this way he doesn't damage himself. PS - Babies r us do scratch mits that fit older babies hands

I don't know whether this would work for eczema, but when my two had chickenpox someone suggested that I put cornflour in the bath to prevent the spots itching and making them scratch. It seemed to work, as we had virtually no scratching. My dd gets eczema from contact with our hard London water, and it hasn't had any bad effect on her - actually, come to think of it, her skin has been clear since the chickenpox and we've continued using the cornflour since then because the children find it entertaining. We were also using oats in the water all along, plus Aveeno/aqueous/Diprobase as needed.

hello

I read in some National Eczema Society literature that simply the change in temperature when undressing or getting in the bath makes eczema sufferers skin itchy.

This may be obvious, but I've found that giving my DS a favourite toy to hold when changing or bathing takes his mind (and his fingers!!) off the itching.

I also file his finger nails very short and smooth with my proper manicure files. This usually lasts about a week. NB I try to do it when he is asleep or v.drowsy to avoid fidgeting!