To demand a referral for eczema !!

[HJWT]

My poor DD is 2, almost 3. She has had eczema for 18 months and has not had a day since without it! Now don't get me wrong its not that bad compared to some children its only on her wrists inner side of elbows and a few patches round her body. Doctors have given me anti fungal & steroid creams when its angry and fobbed me of with other stuff to help the dryness that never works.

We started using La roche posay and before that tried 100's of pounds worth of creams, not that this stuff is cheap its £16.50 and the sun cream is £11 but it seems to stop it getting angry but still very dry!

ANYWAY every time I ask for a referral they tell me she will 'grow out of it' but its got to a point now were my poor baby is waking up in the night crying itching herself! Last night she was awake 12.30am-5.30am because it woke her up! She went to sleep tonight and again she is awake itching and making her wrist bleed 😔

I have started giving Piriton twice in the evening before bed but it isn't helping.

I am so exhausted! Obviously I cant leave my toddler to sit up alone for 5 hours in the night so I am losing sleep with it!! AIBU to ask again for a referral?! Surely they will help now its effecting her sleep!?

Oh bless her. That sounds horrid.
You need an emollient that works. And use it. LOTS. FREQUENTLY!!!! It’s trial and error to find one.
Don’t be afraid of the steroids. Use it earlier and stop the issue developing.

Mine is flaring up again (see Sporners Corner from last summer, some brutal photos!)

On another forum, I was asked if I’m allergic to nickel and was given this link. I eat a lot of the foods mentioned. I need to check my saucepans! www.healthline.com/health/allergies/nickel

Nothing has really worked for me, I lost all the skin on my hands and feet last year, so another flare up is very scary. Child’s Farm Moisturiser is very soothing.

@Wolfiefan we have tried so many! Doctor told me I need to apply it 6 times a day! So I do sometimes it literally looks almost gone and then next morning its back again the itching doesn't stop though, its only one arm she itches though xx

@Brigante9 the child's farm is literally like applying water for us 😔 I feel so sorry for her! Especially at her age she cant even explain it to me x

I’ve been there. When DD was bad it was every half an hour during the day.
We tried:
Diprobase
Doublebase
Aveeno
Dream cream
Dermol etc.
Also worth considering clothing. Prevent access to bits that itch. Don’t allow her to overheat. Cotton etc only.
Don’t bathe too much
Avoid MI. A massive trigger. In liquids.

Can you afford to pay for a private dermatologist? One appointment could do it and could be life changing. So sorry she's going through this, I have had eczema since childhood and it really is awful

After a hospital stay, cellulitis and antibiotics due to the dammed eczema, the paeds dr recommended Hydomol. Put some in the bath and use a tub of emollient a lot. it's got rid of a lot of the patches but the bits behind DC's knees are stubborn but its keeping it at bay.

Have u tried aquamax at all

Has she had a cream with urea in? Also have you tried tubigrip over the areas on a night to stop itching? Putting creams in the fridge can also help x

I know it wouldn't work for everyone, but what worked for my two was, doing absolutely nothing. No creams, no baths, nothing. We found out unintentionally; we went wild camping for a week and forgot all the creams. It all cleared up. From both children!

Have you tried coconut oil?
I use it on my skin twice a day and it's massively helped my eczema. I bought a huge tub from Costco, I have a little spoon to dig it out, hold it in my hands for 30 seconds or so and rub it on my arms and legs. It's amazing

My son and I both suffer with eczema, it's something thatwe struggle to keep under control at time but washing powder makes it worse - even the non-biological stuff so be careful with that. The persil stuff is best for us, something in Fairy makes it flare up, think it's the perfume in it. Same with lots of moisturiser - needs to be totally unperfumed. And cotton sheets and pyjamas- keeps the sweat under control which makes it worse. Bath her as little as possible, use a cheap emoliant cream to wash her rather than soap or baby wash stuff too.
Although the only thing that really sorts it out is the exact right steroid cream. I had to go back to the GP regularly for about 3 years until they got it right. And when it was right it cleared up quickly and then usung a regular, unperfumed moisturiser keeps it mostly at bay. I have to use the steroids now and again when it starts to flare.
Skin stuff is really hard, its trial and error a lot of the time.

Thanks everyone so much for the suggestions! Everything helps.

@Boom45 Yes I only bath her every few days and cream the eczema first! Don't put anything in the water and wash her body and hair under the shower at the end! Before I started doing this it was awful her eczema! ATM its not as bad as what it has been in terms of red and angry its just the itching I cant seem to fix 😔 had to rock her to sleep at 5.30 this morning because she was exhausted but kept itching...

I will read anymore comments tomorrow! She has fallen asleep after more Piriton so I best get some sleep incase she wakes in the night again 😴

Sleep tight.
Dermol might help kill the itch.

What do you use on her bedsheets op? Mine flares up if any fabric softener (even the sensitive stuff) is used.

I have had a horrible patch on my hand for months and even the stuff from the doctor hasn't worked. After the Sudocreme thread on here last week I tried that. I am now almost clear with healed skin and no itching.

I found the coop non bio best. The tesco one made me itch like crazy. Has anyone tried moogoo?

You need to keep a food diary, if you haven't already. One of mine had eczema triggered by eggs for the first few years of his life.

Buy an Aloevera plant and use the leaves
Also try the Aloevera sun cream - makes skin so soft

It’s proven to work - never came back on my kids

Suffer from eczema all my life, finally got a referral to see a consultant dermatologist last year and he prescribed Protopic which is a Tacrolimus cream - skin is so much better.
I also use vagisil when itching gets too much (especially on my face) - which the CD didn't see any issue with using

You need to insist on a dermatology referral. They are robbing you off and your poor DD is suffering. It’s awful.

I sleep better in a cool room. Have to have a window open even in winter. As soon as I get warm I wake up itching. So lightweight nightclothes and bedding is a must.
I'm not saying this will clear it but after suffering for 50 years I've found heat is a major factor,

My DD had a rough time with eczema at a similar age although not as bad as yours by the sounds of it. She is 9 now and it is greatly improved just the odd flare up.
Our GP referred us to a nurse led eczema clinic; they were very clued up on things and how to use creams most effectively (apart from one nurse suggesting we got rid of our cat who clearly wasn't the issue).
Do you have something similar where you are? That could be worth asking about.
Don't be scared to use the steroid creams. We found the heavy greasy creams/ointments made the eczema worse so switched to Cetraben. Oilatum for the bath didn't help then ZeroAQS for the bath made a difference.
Avoiding any perfumed laundry products so we use Simply Pure wash tabs or Surcare both of which are unperfumed.
Suncream- Green People do one which we found good but then discovered Boots Soltan was just fine.
Hopefully it will improve but it is miserable.

Child Farm has been brilliant for my kids eczema. It took a few weeks of applying it but the results are amazing

Eurax is good against itching and you can get it over the counter.
Betneval (betamethasone of valerate) works very well for DD, given by GP but he phoned a consultant and sent her pictures as DD had generalized eczema (we are not in the UK).
Heat is also a major factor for DD but when she starts itching she then gets into the itch-scratch circle and it just gets worst and worst. I use Bepanthen at the start but then medication if it gets worst.