to use steroid cream on DS every week from 7 weeks until 7 months (and beyond..)

[cheeseycharlie]

DS developed awful cradle cap and by 7 weeks old it was angry red and peeling all over his bonce including eyebrows and onto eyelids and top of nose. Dr gave me Daktacort which cleared it up. It's a steroid cream with anti-fungal ingredient.
But the skin condition starts to re-emerge if I don't apply the cream for a few days. Sometimes stays away for up to a week without cream. But I'm basically using it every week, often twice a week.
At 10 weeks I mentioned this to dr and he just said to keep on applying it. He's not the kind of dr who can be arsed to talk to you properly about non-serious illnesses. So what I'm wondering is, is it a problem to keep slathering steroid cream on baby skin? He's nearly 7 months old now and I'm still using it.
Surely there must be some danger in continuous use or it wouldn't be a prescription medicine would it?
Yes I have googled it but have not gleaned anything helpful.
Anyone out there know anything about this stuff please??

I used steroid cream on my DS for eczema without any problems. I only applied a very thin layer.

What else are you doing regarding the cradle cap?
If I remember correctly, olive oil is recommended, or almond oil for example. Most creams have ingredients that may irritate the skin.

I also bathed DS only once a week and with water only.

Try and get an appointment with a different Dr?

BTW, I mentioned eczema because cradle cap should not really become red I believe.

DS had a bit and it cleared without any issues.

I had steroid cream for my eczema once, and it did clear it up but I was told not to apply it too often as it can thin the skin if used too much. I would get another doctor's opinion if I were you.

Doesn't steroid cream thin the skin over time? I've had eczema since childhood and was prescribed steroid creams which helped in the short term but then I had to keep using them to prevent recurrence; each time the eczema got worse due to skin thinning. I switched to acupunture and olive/almond oils as a teen which helped enormously. I still had/have to use over the counter creams but not as much. My affected skin is still very thin, sadly.

Having said that, the cradle cap is temporary whereas my situation was long term. Just be wary of long term use and use natural oil etc as much as possible.

I was prescribed hydrocortisone (sp?) for DD's cradle cap, but was told to use it as a last resort. Dr told me to use olive oil first.

Different doctors have different opinions on medicines, so might be worth trying another doctor.

IME olive oil, regularly applied to affected area, is a wonder! Really works well. Seems to stop my scratching too.

Both my pharmacist and the health visitor were the ones who told me not to use the steroid cream (for eczema on head, scalp, face and hands) for any more than three days. I have to say the steroid cream is amazing - my DS (9 months) was like a brand new baby within 2 days of using it. My doctor never mentioned how long to use it for, although the leaflet that comes with it did say only use it sparingly for 3 days. I find the best way to keep the eczema - which by the way, I thought was cradle cap - under control is 2 or 3 days of steroid cream and then twice a day with Ceraben or similar emolient cream. If I miss a day his skin is in ribbons and I have to start with the steroid cream again. My doc prescribed the steroid cream, the Ceraben, bath emolient, soap substitute and some other handwash cream all at the same time. I would maybe try to see another doc if I were you.

Oh - also - the first emolient cream he gave me made the eczema worse!! His poor wee face was bright red and he cried every time I put it on him. Then, after about a week of him crying I got the cream on my own hands which were rough and cracked from too much washing up - and it stung like buggery! Poor wee mite - I was making him worse instead of better.

Thanks for the advice so far gang. Skin thinning - eek. Will stop using it.
I tried olive oil for weeks but it just got progressively worse and worse. Doesn't seem to have any effect.
I think actually it is eczema masquerading as cradle cap. You're right, cap shouldn't be as angry and flakey, and should only be on scalp. This is something quite different. Also he gets patches of red itchy skin on his body. He's always scratching at his torso and head.

This dr is apparently a pediatric dermatologist as a specialism, but he's not been v impressive so far has he?! So maybe you're right I should see someone else. And kick the steroids.

ds has steriod cream for his excema, my dr said the skin has to be prepared wit an emoliant before you add the steroid cream but only to use the steroid cream when its inflammed and to stop using it when it clears up as it thins the skin...

It sounds like I could be seborheic dermatitis. If it is you could use an antifungal cream or shampoo alone, however dermatologists often recommend steroids for much longer than is usually prescribed because sometimes with severe conditions the benefits outweigh the risks.

Have a look at Dermnetnz.org for some more info. The a-z at the top is very useful.

Try aveeno products - oatmeal really does help, as does aragon oil. Contact the Eczema Society for support, they will give you more ideas on how to help because it is very much trial and error, hopefully you will stumble across the solution very soon..

My DS had cradle cap very similiar to what you describe. I used a combination of olive oil rubbed in quite vigorously with cotton wool. Lef in for about an hour and then washed out rubbing head again quite vigorously with a cloth. During this wash I used special shampoo for cradle cap. Then after I dried head put on AQueos cream. Cleared up in about 3 days. Only need to use aqueous cream now. Important to wash out olive oil, leaving it on makes it worse ime.

I don't think it's safe to use steroids on a baby's skin for such a prolonged period. I took my 4 month old DD to Dr for eczema and explained that I didn't like to use any synthetic chemicals (grape seed oil and olive oil are good for the scalp btw);
she was quite condescending (probably thinking 'liberal veggie nature type' doesn't have a clue!) and prescribed various products. The steroid had no effect so I stopped after 7 days as per instructions and double base cream made it worse. I went back to using the starflower cream I had previously been using on DD- it is more effective than steroid cream was. Perhaps you could give it a try?

Aqueous cream is no longer considered a recommended product for eczema - of course everyone's different.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11564662

I would try these products: www.essentially-yours.co.uk/store.php?bid=8 I use them myself with great results, and my skin has improved hugely as a result.

Oh, and if you phone them and speak to John - he will answer any questions. Very knowledgable and very helpful.

I did some research into sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate, and did not like what I found, so I tried to find products that do not have these in. I have now decided to make my own products like soap, shampoo bars and body butter. I have gutate psoriasis, and ever since using my body butter which has only got shea butter and coconut oil in it, I have not been itching.

I think you need a professional second opinion. Yes, it's not advisable to use steroid creams for prolonged periods (although for some severe eczema sufferers it may be better than the alternative) and if you've been using it since 10 weeks without a follow up then you definitely need to go back, but at the same time, if it's a chronic condition, then I would either see a different GP, or try to get a referral to a dermatologist.

My son was also prescribed long term steroid cream as well as antibiotics and antihistamines for skin problems. The trouble was they were treating his symptoms not finding the cause. Yes, the long term steroid cream thinned his skin. Yes, the long term antihistamines buggered with his immune system and sleeping patterns. It was awful for everybody.

In our case what he actually had was a delayed allergy to a dairy protein. No doctor gave a shit and if I hadn't taken charge of my son's health I believe he would still be on his steroid / antihistamine cocktail with no improvement 2 years later, and he'd still be a very sad little boy. Instead he is a delicious, boisterous, giggly, well-slept nearly 4-yr-old with clear skin on a dairy free diet and no drugs.

OP, thanks for posting this.... I have been wondering about this myself... DS1 had thrush at the base of his penis which keeps coming back... He was prescribed Caneston + Daktarin oral gel which gets rid of it for a while but keeps coming back if we don't apply the cream. He has good hygiene.. Has bath in warm water every day + with soap once a week but it just keeps coming back... We are sick of it now but nobody is treating the cause of it.
Thanks silentboob for the idea, I will definitely ask for the allergy tests. Maybe something is in it. We have been going around in circles and it's playing havoc with his system.

What shampoo are you using? I had terrible scalp ishoos for years and have had so much relief by switching to sulfate free. Moogoo is good, using that at the mo. Pricey tho.

I would definitely request a different dr or request referral to consultant. Steroids do thin skin. If it is eczema, protopic cream is an alternative (prescription only). I have to pay for it here in Ireland, it's so expensive- €100+!

Op - have you tried Vaseline for the cradlecap? Someone recommended I slather it on the scalp and then comb it through the next day - it worked wonders!

i would also ask to speak to another doctor. I've had eczema on and off pretty much all my life. When i was little, my Mum used to cover my hands in steroid cream. (on the doctors advice). I'm now 36, and have the hands of an older person. My skin cracks, and breaks at the slightest knock, and when they get cold my joints all crack as well. I won't use steroid cream on my Boy, for this reason.

We had a problem with DS' skin and it turned out the treatment the paediatric 'specialist' at our GP surgery had given us had made things worse. We'd been getting nowhere for a couple of months so pushed for a referral to see a specialist.

Waiting times were pretty variable so we ended up paying for a private cinsultation with Dr Atherton at Gt Ormond St. Best money we ever spent. He was amazing.

That said, we could have got an NHS referral a week or two later.

Might be worth considering askin to be referred to a specialist at a hospital as it seems to have gone on for quite a while, OP.

Good luck.