Pediatrician AND dermatologist? Plus more cream suggestions please.

[lechatnoir]

We finally saw a pediatrician last month for DS2's (5.5mths) ezcema and he felt sure it was due to CMP allergy so we swopped onto Nutramigen & started daily creaming with diprobase with 0.5% hydro for the really sore bits. He's taken to the milk well and certainly drinks more than he did on conventional formula & initially it looked like it might make a difference to his skin so when we went back for the follow-up agreed to just review in 3 months when we would also discuss further weaning. However, since then it's clear things aren't improving & the diprobase definitely doesn't agree with him so had to stop using it - I'm now wondering whether he even has a milk allergy!!!. Anyway, we tried Aveeno which made his skin very tender so now just using Olive oil which doesn't irritate but does precious little to relieve the dryness (& therefore itching ). Anyone else failed with diprobase & Aveeno who has since found that magic 'cure' I'd welcome a suggestion on what to try next.

We've not due back to the pediatrician until March & my GP is useless (just keeps harping on about E45!) so I'm wondering whether I should be pressing for a dermatologist referral as it's his skin that's causing the problem. I've just started weaning but very slowly & only introducing limited fruit & veg until my next pediatrician appointment.

Sorry if this is a bit garbled but yet feeling lost & shattered as I'm sure you can all appreciate.
LCN

My dd was allergic to dairy as a baby but when we swapped to Nutramigen I noticed a big difference within a couple of weeks.

Treating eczema is a a bit hit and miss. Some things will work for some people while they wont for others.

Has your GP prescribed steroid cream for the really sore bits? Sometimes a diprobase on its on isnt strong enough to rid of stubborn patches.

Porridge oats in the bath really helped my DD's itching. You put them in a sock then tie it round the handle so that the water from the tap runs through the sock before hitting the bath iykwim.

I also used Oilatum in the bath which you can buy from the chemist. It probably wont get rid of really sore bits but did help with the dryness.

I do think you should press for a dermatology referral. They know everything there is to know about treating eczema and sorted out my dd's in no time.

Just thought I'd mention that E45 can sting if you put it on really sore or broken skin.

I second sb, you really do need to see a dermatologist. There are loads of different emollients available, eczema can be so varied everyone responds differently to treatments. It's a hit and miss affair to start with but you should find something with the help of the dermatologist. You may need to use steroids as well as emollients to get it under control.

My ds (3)has food allergies which we have identified and cut out of his diet but still has severe eczema. It doesn't always follow that the eczema disapears when the allergen us removed. You should insist on blood tests or skin prick tests for the cmp allergy, it may be related to the eczema or it may not.

Oats are a great idea for the bath. We've recently been using Epaderm which has been good. DS wears special suits (Skinnies - leggings & vests) to trap the moisture in and try to stop the scratching damage, he's been wearing them from about 6 months old so you can get small versions! Aveeno makes ds sting so I've had to stop using it. Anti histamines sometimes make a different to the scratching as well.

All these are available on prescription from the dermatologists so push for an appointment. Sorry this is a bit rushed, last day at work before Christmas!

Hi LCN

I echo the above Mums' thoughts...we tried numerous creams on my dd who is now 2 and has had eczema from about 4 months.. we found diprobase useless, in fact almost everything initially prescribed including by derma cons.

Epaderm and its near lard-like cousin Hydromol disintegrate disposable nappies by the way so don;t put near groin or bottom else you will find your wee one's cot is full of a gel like substance and very wet!

Our dd is or rather was dairy intolerant (on Nutramigen)and refluxy(or so we thought though now I wonder, as she eats cheese no prob now) though she may have grown out of it... she is also very allergic to cats, dogs, horses, mould, pollen, nuts and sesame but we only discovered this this year after an allergic reaction. We have two cats and since giving her daily piriton and keeping her well away from our cats her eczema has improved massively. We also use a fab cream called Eumovate which is a steroid (I was told stronger than hydrocortisone) but can amazingly be bought otc from most chemists... we had been prescribed it by a paed in minute amounts but saw an allergy cons who told us to blast her all over for 7 days, twice a day and then stop and manage with normal eczema moisturisers eg epaderm, Dermol 600 in the bath, cetraban etc. It was a miracle cream and we now use when she flares up eg now when it is bitterly cold.

We also bought special scratch mitt tops and bottoms from a company called cotton comfort and got some special bandage tights and bandage like polo neck on prescription from the dermatology clinic....

The main thing I found is you need to push push push for referrals and do not be fobbed off by suggestions of E45 etc which is rubbish.

Good luck...

P

I would strongly recommend QV cream. It's fairly new on prescription but very very popular in Australia and New Zealand.DS was given it as part of a trial 18 months ago just before it became available on prescription. His skin was terrible when he was a baby. We finally saw a dermatologist (after trying EVERYTHING else and pushing with the GP) who suggested he cut out wheat and any foods with gluten, use the QV Bath Oil and Cream and Hydracortisone on really stubborn spots.

DS is now 2.5 and only gets the occasionaly spot of eczema on his back now. I tyhink it's about finding the right combination of treatment, but I strongly recommend the QV. It's made by a company called Ego, if that helps.

Good luck.

Also Noir, try and take some comfort in the fact that eczema is something that so many children grow out of. I was amazed how quickly DS's cleared up considering how bad it was when he was a baby. It can be very upsetting but you'll get there. Insist on a referral form you GP.

Diprobase was terrible for dd1's eczema. We use Epaderm on the skin and in the bath. Had Emuvate for bad patches. She has improved a lot now - she is 3.6 and had it since she was 2 months old.

DD2 has patches of eczema on her face and we are using Lipikar Baume AP on her. The pharmacist gave me some testers to try and it really helps. It is non steroidal but is designed to break the itch-scratch cycle.

When DS was a baby he had patches of eczema on his cheeks which kept getting infected. We tried the usual ones prescribed by GP, diprobase, aveeno, oilatum and e45 with the steriod/antibiotic cream which i have forgotten the name of each time it got really bad, then saw a specialist health visitor who gave us hydromol. This is really really greasy and worked brilliantly think he only ever needed the steriod cream a couple of times once we were using the hydromol. Now aged 3 and a half his skin is absolutley fine and he only gets little patches if he wears something washed in biological washing powder or has baths with exciting bubble baths etc. It was awful at the time though althouh i know a lot of children who have it much more seriously and for longer, it was horrible when his little cheeks were so sore and it used to be a nightmare when he was mucky after eating cos you couldn't use wipes and even a flannel and water seemed a bit unfair.

Keep going back to your gp, yes, and push for a dermatology referral.

When dd2 was that age, the only thing that really helped was bandaging and using a muddy icthamol paste as well as steroid creams.

Try another hypoallergenic formula. Ds2 was overed in eczema fom birth (exclusively breastfed) and now has completely clear skin (19 months, on neocate) - he uses none of the special creams.

DS1 also had eczema from 6 months (formula fed) and once we realised he had egg, nuts, pulses, kii allergy he has also never had a problem with eczema since.

Both now have clear skin and only use infaderm in the bath, but major dietary changes.