Baby eczema

[OnePotato2Potato]

Sorry, posting here for traffic.

11 month old has very itchy eczema. Have used child’s farm cream, epader cream, cetraben ointment, only the ointment is somewhat effective. I’m applying it regularly throughout the day but the itchiness is awful as night, baby is so restless because of it.

Doctor has also prescribed mild steroid cream but doesn’t seem effective. I don’t think it is infected, just very very dry

Please, any advice or recommendations.
Has anyone tried these aveeno creams? Is there much difference between the 2? Thanks

I have eczema, as does my daughter. She had it badly and then I discovered Moogoo and I've never looked back.

Please Google.

My baby had awful eczema which he has now grown out of as an older child thankfully. In the end we went privately and they prescribed a stronger steroid ointment rather than cream to get it under control. Then dropped down to a milder steroid even after it was gone for a few weeks. Then every time we had a flare up, is use the stronger steroid ointment and it would go in a day or two. Alongside this we used ointment moisturiser rather than cream. I’ll try and remember the brands.

It was

Eumovate steroid ointment

Zeroderm moisturiser ointment.

The ointments are apparently slightly better/stronger than the creams. I had to apply the moisturiser as often as possible through the day

We use the aveeno - the second one I think. DS only has a few patches, mainly behind his knees, so I apply it when I change his nappy. I don't think it 'cures it' in that it doesn't go away but it definitely keeps it under control and less itchy/dry albeit only temporarily

DH has terrible eczema and finds the adult Aveeno very helpful. DD had a bit of dry skin just after birth and the midwife said it would be fine to use the adult Aveeno on her then so I'd probably just get the adult one for an 11 month old.

It's really individual. Aveeno made our sons eczema much worse. Childs farm did nothing. We had a cupboard of creams and ointments people had sworn by but either made it worse or didn't do much.
We went private and spent years with a mild steroid cream and ointment

Oilatum or icthopaste might help. You could also ask your GP surgery if one of the nurses could do a wet wrap for you, and show you how to do them going forward.

DS had terrible eczema as a baby as he had a CMPA. We saw a dermatologist as the GP basically refused to prescribe anything and said there was nothing they could do. We were given steroids including eumovate as someone mentioned previously and another steroid, different ones for different parts of his body as well as emollients. Aveeno didn’t work for DS at all, it did nothing.

GPs won’t prescribe stronger steroid creams, you need something to put the fire out so to speak. You should also be using the steroid cream and moisturiser at separate times as the moisturiser will dilute the steroid cream, leave a good half hour gap and moisturise regularly.

Cut out soap in the bath and use an emollient to wash with, I think we used oilatum and aqueous. What do you use to wash clothes?

You can also get piriton to help with the itchiness at night but at that age you have to get it prescribed. We ended up under the dermatology and allergy team at the hospital for DS, they were brilliant. My GP not so much. But it was a real battle.

I work in eczema research and have a DD with eczema.

My doctor prescribed zeroderm and hydrocortisone for DD as a baby. You need to use the steroid (hydrocortisone) on the affected skin only every day until it has cleared up. If it does not clear up you need to go back to the GP and get a stronger steroid- a moisturiser is not going to clear up a flare of the eczema. You also need to be putting on the moisturiser several times a day - both when it is flared up and when I’m the skin is ‘normal’. I found zeroderm worked well- it is a thick greasy ointment.

Another thing is to never ever use soap on your child’s skin. Use a moisturiser instead (we use dermol 500 for handwashing and melt some zeroderm into her bath). No shampoo until they really need it - I use an unscented one and wash DD’s hair in the shower so it doesn’t get into her bath water.

It will be trial and error until you get the right creams for you but if you follow that general advice you should get there. My DD has very well controlled eczema now - it’s very rare that it flares up.

Doctors generally doing think very highly of child’s farm- parents sometimes rave about it but it would really only be effective on very mild eczema.

We were prescribed cetraben but it never helped for us. We now use the unfragranced childs farm moisturiser on DS2. It doesn't clear a flare up but it does keep his skin feeling smooth and hydrated in between those which are few and far between now. Only a steroid is going to clear a bad flare up, if it stays dry and itchy for too long it will probably start cracking and get very sore. We use elocon on DS's body (sparingly as it is very strong but it does a great job of clearing it up) and protopic 0.1% ointment on his face. We use dermol 500 as a soap substitute and put hydromol bath and shower emollient in every bath, a bath lasts no longer than 10 minutes. We use childs farm 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner on his hair.

You need a better steroid from the GP. Have you seen a dermatologist? My GP was unwilling to prescribe any strong steroids when DS was a baby but his skin was literally cracked and bleeding all over his face by the time we seen a dermatologist. Dermatologist was great though and it really was trial and error until we found what worked for us. Go back to your GP and get a referral if you haven't had one yet.

Thanks for all the replies.
I have a telephone appointment with the GP on Tuesday so I think I will ask for a steroid ointment and about wet wrapping as I think that could be quite soothing.

Also I didn’t know about leaving a gap between steroid and moisturiser, thanks for that.

I use persil non bio for his stuff, have done from birth but the eczema started about 4 months ago. Could be a food allergy, will discuss with GP too.

Yes, I feel like it’s a case of trying many creams to find the right one, might try aveeno now.

DC had mild eczema and we used plain coconut oil after bath. Worked really well.

Not sure if I ts been said above but if he is really dry then an ointment might be better than a cream, and it’s really a case of trying different ones until you find the one that works for your skin. I have a little eczema and use Aveeno and the odd spot of hydrocortisone. DS uses cetraben cream with epaderm ointment when his skin is very dry and eumavate when needed. It took a good six months of trying different combinations to find that though.

For bathing I was using the cetraben ointment, he doesn’t have too many baths. Was using Johnson baby shampoo for his hair though.

@Glitterandcrimson

We were prescribed cetraben but it never helped for us. We now use the unfragranced childs farm moisturiser on DS2. It doesn't clear a flare up but it does keep his skin feeling smooth and hydrated in between those which are few and far between now. Only a steroid is going to clear a bad flare up, if it stays dry and itchy for too long it will probably start cracking and get very sore. We use elocon on DS's body (sparingly as it is very strong but it does a great job of clearing it up) and protopic 0.1% ointment on his face. We use dermol 500 as a soap substitute and put hydromol bath and shower emollient in every bath, a bath lasts no longer than 10 minutes. We use childs farm 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner on his hair.

You need a better steroid from the GP. Have you seen a dermatologist? My GP was unwilling to prescribe any strong steroids when DS was a baby but his skin was literally cracked and bleeding all over his face by the time we seen a dermatologist. Dermatologist was great though and it really was trial and error until we found what worked for us. Go back to your GP and get a referral if you haven't had one yet.

No dermatologist yet. Will see what the GP says on Tuesday. I think it’s a stronger steroid that’s needed.

@RestingPandaFace

Not sure if I ts been said above but if he is really dry then an ointment might be better than a cream, and it’s really a case of trying different ones until you find the one that works for your skin. I have a little eczema and use Aveeno and the odd spot of hydrocortisone. DS uses cetraben cream with epaderm ointment when his skin is very dry and eumavate when needed. It took a good six months of trying different combinations to find that though.

Yes it is the cetraben oinment that Ie found more effective than cream.

@georgarina

DC had mild eczema and we used plain coconut oil after bath. Worked really well.

Hmm I already have some so might give that a go too.

Too many moisturisers to try is getting me confused. How long to give it a go before trying another?

My DS has had terrible eczema since he was born (5 now) we used all the stuff above and nothing helped. We used steroid cream initially but the side effects worried me so we stopped using it. The only thing that works for him is the blue aveno dermexa, the normal one not night time and surecare washing powder. Any other washing powder flares his eczema up terrible. I only put him in cotton clothing as well. If it's polyester that flares him up too Hope you find a combination that works as I know my boy suffered terrible until we got his combo right x

Too many moisturisers to try is getting me confused. How long to give it a go before trying another?

I gave it 2 weeks between each trial of new moisturiser

I sympathise @OnePotato2Potato my ds had eczema from 2 months, years of chasing the right cream, worried about constantly using steroid cream. He was seen by a dermatologist who said it wasn’t an allergy.
I was recommended a cream by someone who had horrendous eczema as a child, decided to try it and it is a life changer for us. It’s called aproderm, I bought a little bottle off Amazon to try before buying a big one. We haven’t used steroid cream for months and months now, the longest time without it. It is perfum and paraben free and oat based. Perhaps worth a try.

Oh I almost forgot, when his eczema was at its worst we were prescribed something called Skinnies. It was viscose vests/all in ones/balaclava type garments that we put on him after applying the steroids. It helped absorb the creams in to the skin or something and they worked a treat. You can buy them too but they are pricey.

Best of luck! I hope you find the things that work for you soon. There is so much out there it's a bit of a minefield.

My LG had terrible eczema due to food allergies - dairy, soya etc - once her skin was bad the only washing powder she could tolerate was Fairy so we had to stop using persil.
Paediatrician at hospital recommended oilatum for in the bath (and only bath twice a week as water made it much worse) and Hydromol ointment for use at least 4 times a day. Worked really well and can be ordered from amazon.

You will get a massive amount of different recommendations on a thread like this because the solution is very individual to the person and there are so many products out there. Definitely recommend seeing a dermatologist rather than a Gp. Go privately if you have to and can afford it (it cost £150 in our case and one visit did more for ds than 18 months seeing an nhs dermatologist).
This is the basic regime that our dermatologist recommended and you will probably be told similar products will vary.
Lots and lots of emollient. More times a day than you think can possibly be necessary.
15 minute bath every night. Dermol 600 in the bath and wash only with Dermol 500- no shampoo soap etc. After bath cover in emollient. Then leave 15 minutes and apply steroid if using. Dermatologist will recommend which to use and when to step down to a weaker one. Best for us was Elocon. We used it for 2 weeks every night then weekends only on any patch of eczema till there was none. Any flare ups used steroid for 2 weeks again.
Also recommend the skinnies pyjamas as ds did massive amounts of damage scratching and this minimised it as it was harder for him to get through the material.

Oh no, I've always had eczema and DS had it when younger, but thankfully has largely grown out of it now.

I was going to suggest using a non bio washing powder as I've always found that to help, but as you already are it's unlikely to be that. We had to wrap his hands until he was 14 months, which was horrible but even with short nails he would rub them in the night (even when asleep subconsciously)- never really knew if it was because he didn't have other stuff to distract him at night like he did during the day, or if there's some science behind it. I guess logically during the day often you'd pop something on every few hours and at night it's a long stretch.

We used aqueous cream at night which helped, and he would have prescribed creams as needed from the doctor. As you have tried a lot of different things I don't think it would be the worst idea to speak to the GP again, it might be that you could explore diet (his always flared after dairy, but obviously every child is different).

Sounds like you are doing amazing though trying all of these things, hopefully something works soon. I would say out of those 2 probably the balm due to the consistency.

My little girls is 8 now but I would recommend you bring your child back to the gp and push to get allergy tested. You can have all the cream in the world but it won’t make a difference if your child is allergic to something they are eating and drinking. My daughter is allergic to milk, so any time she has some her skin gets very bad, she is also allergic to any red sauces, so ketchup or spaghetti hoops etc. I would look at what you are giving them to eat and try to work out what could be causing it.