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Allergies and intolerances

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Original poster

19 wk old dd has suddenly got eczema and we're about to go on holiday. HELP!

72 replies

Feierabend · 03/09/2009 19:40

Over the last three days, my 19 wk old dd has suddenly developed sore red patches behind one of her ears, behind both knees, in the folds of her chubby legs and on her feet. We're off on holiday on Saturday. What do I do? Does she need to see a doctor before we go?

We've got Diprobase, acqueous cream, Aveeno cream and oatmeal bath, Sudokrem, Oilatum and Epaderm at home, all of which I guess I can try on her. Is the only thing a doc could prescribe in addition to this steroid cream? Is it a matter of trial and error and keeping her greased up to try and control it / see what works best? Does she need a bath every day with either Oilatum or Aveeno, or is it better NOT to wash her too often? How often should I put cream on? And, most importantly, why this sudden outbreak? We were away for the weekend at my mum's, could it have been the washing powder she uses???

Lots of questions, sorry but I hope I can get some answers. Thanks so much.

OP posts:

Guimauve · 03/09/2009 20:00

Feier, I'd try a bit of 1% hydrocortisone twice daily, that might clear it up speedily if it's mild. Slap your favourite emollient from that collection on as often and as generously as you like, and use one for washing if you need to.

Quite possibly a bit of contact dermatitis from different detergent, as you say, in which case it will hopefully clear up fairly quick.

Original poster

Feierabend · 03/09/2009 20:05

Gui, is that safe to use on her as she's so little? I have some here which was prescribed for DD2 almost 2 years ago and I never opened the tube... probably better to see the doc first non?

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Guimauve · 03/09/2009 20:11

Ideally see doc, but I used it on H at about 1 week old (on docs advice, for a nasty heat rash) and it worked wonders! You'll only need the teeniest tiniest amount, and it's a pretty low concentration of a mild steroid, which will be further diluted by the emollient. Personally I'd give it a go, but if you can get GP to have a peek at it before you go, that will give you peace of mind too!

Guimauve · 03/09/2009 20:12

Do you know if your Mum's washing powder was biological?

WhatFreshHellIsThis · 03/09/2009 20:23

Feier Orbit has it in exactly the same places as well as on his neck from where he dribbles all the time - I was recommended Aveeno cream and it's clearing it up unbelievably quickly.

HV said to keep him clean but without any soap in the bath (I use the Weleda Calendula cream bath instead), bath every other day was fine, and try to keep him dry - i.e. not too sweaty or dribbly.

Could be your mum's washing powder, could be part of her development, could be that as she puts weight on bits of her get hotter and rub more etc etc.

If it doesn't clear up a lot of HV practices have a specialist eczema nurse who can be brilliant.

Original poster

Feierabend · 03/09/2009 20:35

Thanks for your advice, what would I do without you. I have never worked out what the equivalent to bio / non bio washing powder is in Germany but I have a feeling it may not have been non bio. Also my mum buys her washing powder at Aldi

I will make sure I take all those creams with me on holiday...

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dawntigga · 04/09/2009 08:10

Feire have you tried emu oil? I had a quick look and couldnt' see any contraindications for babies. Use about a 10% solution in their moisturiser - after having done a patch test first. I've only ever used this with adults so you might want to do a bit more research re babies.

HopingEverythingClearsUpTiggaxx

bronze · 04/09/2009 12:53

I swear by hemp oil. I use it on all of us as well as putting a glug in baths

Original poster

Feierabend · 04/09/2009 20:01

We've been prescribed steroid cream but the eczema is spreading fast, now appearing on her belly, face and arms as well. When I bathed her earlier she tried to scratch her belly. I am so sad for her.

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lovelymumma · 04/09/2009 20:11

My daughter had eczema from a baby and when she was a few years old the doctor told me to only bath her once a week with special ointment in the bath{can't rem name now},because frequent baths washed the natural oils of skin away;and it worked.Up until that point she'd been bathing every 1 to 2 days.She only had eczema that came in summer months,they think due to pollen.Still stick to non bio powder though.

Original poster

Feierabend · 04/09/2009 20:14

Lovely - has it gone now or does she still have eczema? I don't bath DD that often anyway and I put Oilatum in it earlier.

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lovelymumma · 04/09/2009 20:23

She's nine now and stopped completely when she turned seven.If it did flare up in summer stopped the baths and made sure never put bubble bath or soap in bath and it would clear.Had a tiny bit this summer wondered if pollen was high,but did a lot of swimming which is a nightmare for hair and skin.
I used to hate that people mentioned it first when she had and still has such beautiful eyes:used to upset me that it was only thing some people would seem to notice.She's a healthy girl now and of course the most beautiful girl in her class.

BoffinMum · 04/09/2009 20:26

Feier, what Gui says is useful. DD had extremely bad eczema and saw Dr David Atherton about it - he's a Great Ormond Street authority on paediatric skin conditions. No cream even touched it. He prescribed a special mix to be made up by a pharmacist of a certain percentage of hydrocortisone mixed with vaseline. This had to be applied thickly and a warm wet tubigrip bandage put on top, followed by a dry one, for DD to sleep in at night. If it itched we were told to give her Piriton. It cleared up her bad eczema very well. But many GPs simply don't know about this solution.

BoffinMum · 04/09/2009 20:28

PS For swimming he told us to wrap her limbs in cling film. This also works a treat. Her class teacher was very sceptical and critical of us, but I figured a) she was a childless old bat and b) she was not a doctor and c) she had never had eczema, and we just got on with it.

dogofpoints · 04/09/2009 20:30

You have to see what's best for your child re bathing.

We would bath dd2 every evening with emollients in the water and then slather her in creams when she came out. That was deff teh best thing for her, so infrequent bathing is not always tje best solution.

Original poster

Feierabend · 04/09/2009 20:47

Thanks everyone. Still sad and upset that we've got this to deal with, but maybe not surprising seeing as DH has psoriasis and I have various allergies. I'll keep going with the creams and cortisone and see what happens. Boff, is you DD okay now, did she grow out of it?

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BoffinMum · 04/09/2009 20:51

She did more or less grow out of it when she lived under my roof, but these days finds it flares up badly when she binge drinks . The secret seems to be to get it under control and then make sure you nip outbreaks in the bud thereafter.

Original poster

Feierabend · 04/09/2009 20:55

That's what I thought... hope we can get on top of it while we're away.

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Original poster

Feierabend · 19/09/2009 20:45

DD's eczema still going strong. It seems to be moving around her body - as soon as the steroid cream had got on top of it in one place, it flares up somewhere else

I need more advice now please. As we're coming up to weaning time (well, not yet, but in a few weeks), is there anything I need to be careful with with an eczema baby? I.e. not giving dairy, or egg, or wheat? Or do I just wean her as I would have anyway?

OP posts:

tatt · 20/09/2009 09:11

definitely need to be careful with dairy. If you're breast feeding stick with expressed milk where you can. If not choose formula carefully and see if your gp will let you have Pepti Junior.

Best to give wheat before 7 months and when still breast feeding if possible. Introduce flaxseed oil or an algae omega 3 fatty acid supplement quickly. Stick to one food at a time and for several days before moving on. Pear is low allergy as are rice, carrot and avocado, lamb is the least allergenic meat.

Have a bottle of piriton around. You are unlikely to need it but if you do you want it quickly.

Original poster

Feierabend · 20/09/2009 13:12

Thanks. Anyone else?

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alypaly · 21/09/2009 11:29

Feierabend dont use the steroid cream too often.twice a day is alot.
Especially as it is in her skin folds. Alot more steroid is absorbed as it is inthe fold and it should never be used under the nappy.
All the steroid does is mask the symptoms and appears to make it better. The only thing is that when you stop using it it appears to come back worse than ever. Steer away from steroids and try and maintain with emollients. Emulsifying ointment is good as a soap substitute although it is messy.

If DH or any close family has asthma, hayfever or eczema unfortunatley it is hereditary and Babies can have one or all of symptoms

Original poster

Feierabend · 21/09/2009 14:29

Thanks alypaly. Yes I am already restricting where I use it - only on the very bad patches and I am planning to stop altogether soon and try to cope with Diprobase and Co. She has one very bad, big patch at the moment that's weeping - bright red and constantly moist - it's not responding at all to the steroid ointment. Could it be that it's infected and needs antibiotics?

OP posts:

alypaly · 21/09/2009 14:41

if its weeping the steroid will be making it worse as it shouldnt be used on broken skin at all.
Steroid cream is the worst thing to put on broken ,weepy skin( have a look in the leaflet...its contraindicated) Put a barrier cream on like conotrane or siopel and leave off the steroids....that will cause bugs to grow on open skin.
If it is yellow stuff that is weeping it will be an infection.so see doc
If you can, try putting some fluff free lint or meloin dressing on area to let it dry out.

Original poster

Feierabend · 21/09/2009 14:58

Not yellow, the fluid is clear. Thanks for the advice, I was wondering but a friend said the doctor had told her to keep using it on her dd's weepy eczema. So I'll stop with the steroid cream and see what happens.

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