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 :(

Wrap dd in bandages at night with a massive layer of diprobase underneath. It's the only way we've found to moisturise properly.

Also hydrocortisone is very weak. Dd wasn't given anything stronger for two years, during which her skin cracked and bled and started to thicken. GP just kept prescribing the same stuff. We got a private referal to a paediatrician who was horrified and prescribed a much stronger steroid. That brought it under control within days and we use it when she flares up now where hydrocortisone still doesn't touch it. friends have had the same experience and been prescribed the stronger stuff after referal.

GP treatment of eczema is invariably crap. We were also told (afterwards) we could have had a referal to dermatology if we'd requested it. it doesn't need to be as your dd is experiencing. Really angers me how you're being fobbed off. We were given aqueous cream to moisturise with for months as she continued to bleed. It's got detergent in it ffs!

All of the non medical treatments are very well (we tried them) but you need to control it first. Ask the GP for Elecon. Good luck!

Try these links.

www.eczema.org/corticosteroids

This is interesting about the fingertip rule (I was told to use the cream sparingly too until we saw the paediatrician) and thinning of the skin being a bit of a myth.

nes.yoomee.com/uploads/BAhbBlsHOgZmIjwyMDEyLzA5LzEyLzE2XzI0XzE5Xzk3Ml9NYWluX1N0ZXJvaWRfUGhvYmlhX0FydGljbGUucGRm?format=pdf

And we tried E45 cream too. Dd screamed the house down. It's got lanolin in it which is not good for eczema.

We have a mixture of steroids and emollients for DS. He has had steroid creams since 5 months old, they're fine to use on babies. We use eumovate and synalar. We do see a dermatologist though as our GP was useless, just told me to moisturise him and he would grow out of it. Wtf?

We use oilatum in the bath and oilatum shampoo and wash with aqueous as a soap substitute. We use steroids on any red inflamed areas and diprobase just generally. Make sure you aren't applying steroids and emollients at the same time as the emollient dilute the steroids.

I would never trust a GP to treat a child's eczema.

Interesting linksTooTryHard* thank you.

Anyone tried salt therapy or wet bandages?

I think you are washing her far to often. Twice a day is excessive and you are probably really dring out the skin.
Dd (10 months) has excema we control it with doublebase cream applied at least twice a day and steroid cream for the flare ups. My dd is bathed twice a week which is plenty (she has a flannel wash every day)

I also always select extra rinse on my washing machine to make sure all the washing powder is out of her clothes. As for washing powder I find Fairy or Feletti are best for sensitive skin.

Also, don't wash her with anything with sls in it. We use Weleda children/baby wash - sparingly as it's expensive!

What saved my dds skin is a combination of dairy free diet and sulphate/paraben free shampoo conditioner shower gel and cream. It's not cured it but we have gone from blood on the sheets to softer normal looking skin. It's expensive I won't deny but the change in her skin has been amazing.

Jason's
Yes to ----
Lovea
A'kin
All produce a range of shower gels creams etc.

Somebody has already mentioned scratch sleeves; they did work for my DD but by 20m she found them very frustrating as she wanted to be able to hold her cuddlies... She's 4 now.

We tend to alternate a load of different stuff too. Current rotating regulars are:

JASON'S Aloe Vera gel / aloe Vera moisturising lotion
Aveeno (didn't know you could get it on prescription, I buy triple packs in Costco)
Weleda - calendula cream, weather protection cream etc.

And from the pharmacy as things worsen:

Cetraben (get the massive pump one on prescription but it's worth paying the £2 odd for a handy changing/handbag size one)
Sudocrem - the tube is also handy for the changing bag especially if the eczema's getting infected or on the hands.
Various prescription steroids depending on severity/level of infection (Fucibet is the current infected eczema controller of choice, but I'm concerned about overuse...)

We'd been using Huggies Pure wipes as they are supposedly gentle - but since using them (used to use Jackson Reece unscented natural but Sainsbury's seems to be permanently sold out) DD's eczema on her hands has worsened considerably. I've just discovered the Ocado do DermaH2O waterwipes which may be a promising alternative... And they're on special offer at the moment!

At home we use reusable wipes for hands and face.

DD has eczema caused by skin allergies to food, so contact with certain food brings her out in instant hives followed by eczema which often gets infected - but only where the food actually touched the skin. The paediatric allergist recommended that we apply a barrier cream on her face before meals. We use Green Baby petroleum-free barrier gel, and DD can now eat Parmesan and peanut butter freely...

We can use Ecover, Persil and Fairy non-bio - not Ariel. Haven't tried others. Beware of fabric conditioner too; we use Ecover or Fairy but Comfort is one of the worst triggers for DD and for me too.

For baths, and hair, we use the Earth Friendly Kids and Weleda ranges.

It's more about managing than totally eradicating though.

Dream Cream from Lush.

DD is 20 months and get her hands out of her sleeves - she grabs hold of the fabric and pulls her hands through her neck.

never lose hope CheshireDing . everything has its purpose. i am personally experiencing eczema but i am still trying new methods to successfully beat it or minimize it atleast. maybe you should try this one eczemafreetips.com as this helped me a lot in dealing with eczema. i highly recommend this one. BUt you should always seek doctors help before trying anything. don't stress yourself out too.i hope it has helped you in anyway possible. Godbless.

Aveeno here too I get it and the bath stuff on prescription but the bath stuff is a bit too oily for my skin.

Doublebase here. When DD had discoid eczema patches the doc gave her a mild steroid cream too which cleared it up, she was about your DDs age.

Double base my GP prescribed it plus the usual oilatum & steroid cream.
I also use pure sunflower oil as its easily absorbed & aloe Vera cream.

we tried lots, best seems to be epaderm ointment, gp doesn't want to prescribe it as slightly more expensive than others available, but I would happily pay for it as its so good.

Also OP, if she is still suffering - GP should offer an oral antihistamine. That before bed for a week can set the skin on a healing path (I've found).

Aloe Vera gel! enables moisture and soothes. Surprised no one has mentioned it. Also Shea butter.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter might be worth a shot. My Dad recently developed terrible cracked and itchy skin on his hands...he had to wear white gloves as they kept bleeding. Tried prescription strength steroid creams etc, the only thing that worked was cocoa butter. It's inexpensive too.

Reducing baths to once a week helped with my two. We also have never used any kind of shower gel or shampoo, you really don't need it honestly, and DD has hair almost to her bum.

We did have some Aveeno powder for the bath, but it didn't seem to make any difference when we stopped using it.

My friend whose DD sees a dermatologist about her very bad eczema swears by using a really strong steroid to stop the cycle of itch scratch and then moisturise as much as possible.

Try some camomile tea in the bath ,I use 10 bags so it's strong then add to the bath water. I also use Oilatum and Diprobase on ds2.

We used the Magik dead sea salt in bath with life changing results. Have a look at the reviews on Amazon.

Your DD has the right to be referred to a dermatologist or an eczema specialist.

One 30 minute appointment with a specialist eczema nurse at B'ham Children's Hospital gave me more useful information than years of GP appointments and advice from friends.

Eczema is painful and distressing and it can leave scarring. It is not reasonable to leave your DD suffering in the hope that she will grow out of it.

Go to your GP next week and ask for a referral. Don't take no for an answer. If he prescribed E45 for an infant's eczema he needs to do some serious reading.

as everyone has said it's trial & error, what worked for us was waitrose bottom butter for the first patched - in a thick layer and body shop cocoa butter for maintenance.

also apply cream every 1-2 hours during the day ti get it under control and then regularly all over, not just the bad bits to maintain the moisture level.

oh and porridge oats in the bath