to think there must be SOME cream that works on dry itchy toddler skin !

[CheshireDing]

PFB is 20 months and had lovely skin until she got Chicken Pox in May, since then her ankles, wrists and elbows are just a mess :(

She has been to the walk-in centre and the GP and has various vaseline type creams, a steroid (but we can only use that sparingly) and the GP gave her E45 (which did nothing).

Tonight she has been trying to get to sleep but scratching and saying "ankles, elbows, sore, more cream, a little bit". I feel really sorry for her but am also losing my mind over the scratching too and the lack of GP help. He just said it's eczema and she will grow out of it.

I honestly cannot believe there is not SOMETHING out there that actually works, surely she (and I) don't have to put up with this until God knows when?

If DC2 wasn't due in December I would seriously be on the wine :(

Honestly, OP, I think two showers a day, even with the gentlest of shower gels is excessive, and it's probably contributing to the problem. Baths with emollient would be better, but I still think you need to reduce the frequency.

Coconut oil is amazing, put it in the bath or onto skin. I got some from holland and barret for about £4. Dd 's skin is so much better than Ruth anything else we have tried.

If you are in Scotland you will be able to get some of the creams mentioned free on the minor ailments scheme until 2years.

My DD seems to have constant heat rash (or so that's what I'm told it is), double base and oilatin don't seem to do much, will check out some of the other suggestions

No one has mentioned aqueous calamine. You can buy it in small tubs for silly money, or you can buy aqueouscream and calamine lotion and mix it yourself. To whatever consistency you want. I also found a chicken pox gel name of which escapes me, sorry. But best tip is Piriton before bed.

Stopping dairy ended my kids eczema.

TRY CHANGING YOUR WASHING POWDER

Sorry to shout. We were trying all sorts of creams until one day a friend told me to do this. I had used the same washing liquid I had always done but somehow I think he became sensetized (sp?)

I started using the Persil (?) with the British Skin Foundation logo and that has cleared things up. (Had to put everything through the wash to get rid of the residues of the old liquid.

We recently visited my parents, as soon as the clothes were washed with their liquid, the eczema returned. It went when we returned to our Persil

Also, how often is she swimming because the chlorine will dry out her skin and could be contributing to the problem. If you do need to shower her then just use water or try a wash down with a flannel avoiding the areas where her skin is bad - it's not like littlies really smell that much so so long as you are getting the dirt off and freshening her up she will be fine.

Another recommendation for coconut oil, raw virgin coconut oil, biona is good. Plus less showers.

I never thought of the swimming actually. She only goes once a week though.

Am going swimming myself now so going to get DH to write down all the creams and ideas of this thread.

Thank you :)

Don't know if it's already been mentioned as I've only skimmed some responses, but we use ultrabase cream on our dc. Both have eczema on their arms snd legs which flared up quite badly over winter/spring this year.Doublebase made it worse, as did e45. The hydrocortisone brought it down and the doublebase has kept their skin lovely and soft and hydrated. Touching wood they haven't had a flare up since starting it a few months ago.

Have you checked that she does not have scabies
I only asked as itching at night is sign .

We also give them piriton every day and only bath them every other day, with oilatum bubble bath stuff (I think, it's 2 parts that you have to shake up to mix together) and then slather them in the ultrabase afterwards.

Has anyone mentioned Dermasilk clothing? Ds has the pyjamas, gp won't prescribe them so we buy them.(£80 a pair).
www.dermasilk.co.uk/

Lush dream cream was brilliant for ds at that age, as he ate it if i didn't rub it in quick enough...lol. We use Aveeno these days.

Omega fish oils and probiotic capsules made a huge difference, you wouldn't know ds has eczema now.

Lucas Paw Paw Ointment you can buy it on amazon it is amazing stuff

best to use on small patches of skin

Eumocrean is the only thing that helped my DS's eczema. Miracle cream in this house after trying so many others!

Oh and also stop using fabric conditioner and only use non bio washing powder. Made a HUGE difference to my DS skin

I'm an old, old person....but I agree with the no dairy, no lanolin, and no l. sulphate (also in shampoo, conditioner, hair gel etc).

The best advice I was given when my son was a baby (nearly 30ys ago!!) was to use a mixture of 50:50 1% hydrocortisone and calamine cream (not lotion) as prescribed by doctor (but unfortunately not agreed with by new GP), and the best thing of all, which I've neve seen mentioned on MN, was to use liquid paraffin as a cleanser at every nappy change. (My hands have never been so good. It may be worth a try for others?

Oh, and also try the Alpha Keri range of cleansers/moisturisers? I've recently discovered Doublebase gel, and that is working great for me......at the moment!!

As a slight aside, Simple shampoo is generally good, but also (on prescription) try Betnovate Scalp application, it stings for a minute or two, but is great at stopping the itching :-) .

We swear by Aveeno since DS was a newborn and had weird cradle crap descending on his forehead and ears. He's 20m now and has lovely supple skin thanks to it.

8 hour cream.

We swear by it! DH is always cutting his hands at work and it seems to stop them scarring too.

I am a gp. Look on NHS choices website for eczema advice. Someone mentioned the minor ailment scheme, it is available in england too in participating areas.

Creams (any emollient that you like the texture of: aveeno, doublebase, etc) need to be applied MUCH more often than you think. You cannot apply them too often. We are talking 10 times a day. It is hard work.

At night user a thicker ointment type moisturiser like epaderm or hydromol and put thin cotton long sleeved/legged pjs on top.

Steroid creams should bed used sparingly and for short bursts due to the risks of long term use.

Avoid triggers: soap is the number one culprit. Use only emollient (either bath oil our the same cream you user as day time moisturiser) to wash with. Absolutely no fabric conditioner or bio washing powder.

Food intolerances causing eczema are rare, so do not bother with an exclusion diet unless your dr suggests it.

I would suggest diprobase ( i think it's similar to doublebase). We got an ointment and a massive lotion pump from drs when ds was little and had chapped skin due to ezcema. Would advise to avoid aqueous cream as it's mostly water so will just dry skin further.

Interestingly what also helped was reducing baths to once or twice a week ( this was pre toddler days so never really got dirty as such) made a huge difference as natural oils had a chance to form and work.
Hope you get it sorted before the cold weather comes back and makes it worse.

Agree, aqueous cream should only be used as a soap substitute, never as a moisturiser.

Also would like to point out the flammability of a lot of the creams (partic 50:50, which off not used so much these days because of this) as they are petroleum based. Keep away from fire if you have it all over your skin! Aveeno is different as it is oat based.

Change your washing detergent to Surcare or Simply Pure.

Wash sheets at 60 to kill mites, vests and any other hard wearing clothes too.

Bathe every other day, no soap.

Get your GP to rule out secondary infection, either bacterial or fungal.

Loads of great suggestions re creams here - most of them have been good or us but you need to try a few and use more often than you thought possible. I second tortoise on the A Derma Epithiale stuff - £6 a tube and is MIRACULOUS. Doubles as an eye / lip cream for gown ups!

Also Boots softening baby oil with aloe and vit E - on damp skin after a cool bath.