My baby's skin. Please help

[Monkeyseesmonkeydoesn]

I'm posting for traffic as I'm feeling at a loss.

Baby is almost 16 weeks old. Formula fed since 2 weeks.

From around 10 weeks old, he developed a red, blotchy rash on his face. It was made worse with aveeno etc. Dr prescribed cetraben and hydrocortisone and called it baby eczema.

The hydrocortisone seemed to clear it.

The following week he developed another rash on his tummy which Dr said was fungal. This cleared with anti fungal cream.

The following week a rash on legs, torso and arms appeared. Circular in appearance (bit like ringworm). Dr prescribes hydromol and stronger hydrocortisone.

This seems to take the redness and dress away but were left with these circular patches. Plus his poor face is always red, blotchy, bumpy and seems to flare when he's had milk, is tired, cries, hungry.

Any ideas. It's likely two things going on?

I've contemplated a milk allergy but he has normal poos, isn't sicky etc.

I would say milk allergy.

My DS was the same. He was also refluxy and generally miserable baby. We weaned at 16 weeks. It didn't reduce his milk intake because he was hardly drinking anything anyway. He was screaming and refusing feeds. Which is why we weaned. Best think we ever did. A lot of his symptoms eased after less formula.

Face

That sounds very much like CMPA to me as well.

Have a read of this from Allergy UK and see what you think.

Dr wouldn't discuss the allergy angle due to lack of any symptoms. Maybe I should push

Circular like ring-worm is a type of eczema, and often associated with a dairy allergy in such a young child it seems. Often shows up on the face first (around forehead/eyebrows) then on torso and limbs after. Dd2 started to get it at 5 months and got a combo anti-fungal/hydrocortisone cream until we figured out it was a dairy allergy. We both cut it out of our diets (i was bf) and started using Dermal500 moisturiser twice a day and she was fine after that.

I should also add that we recently did the “milk ladder” to reintroduce dairy at 12-14 months, and she’s now fine with it.

CMPA is the most likely explanation. Go back and push. Push like hell. Many doctors are very reluctant to recognize the link be childhood eczema and dairy allergies but it is definitely there for some. And a few weeks on hypoallergenic formula to see if it helps is nothing compared to the cost of years of steroid creams.

Thanks, I think it really should have improved by now with these steroids. I'll look on the allergy boards too

Push for a referral to a dermatologist. In my experience, GPs are reluctant to prescribe strong enough steroids to clear the flare up. The dermatologist had us use elocon on DS's face for a week as his skin started cracking and bleeding by the time we got the referral. It's a really strong steroid and we use it on his body all the time for flare ups. We use protopic .1% on his face now. Once the allergy was under control, his skin flared up less.

Definitely sounds like CMPA to me. Neocate formula helped for us, we were given it on prescription but sounds like your GP might not contemplate that. I think you can buy it but it is pricey. A referral to a dietician might be necessary as well, they can give you the prescription for it and help with the milk ladder when the time comes.

Try and see a different GP, you definitely need another opinion.

Those that switched milk, how quickly did you see improvement?

The thing is steroids only treat the symptoms, they dont deal with the cause. And if the cause is milk then obviously you're adding more every feed.

Have you spoken to your Health Visitor about it ?

Health visitors arent really the right people to deal with medical conditions. They cant prescribe and I dont think they can refer on to the allergy service either.

Also think about washing powder and any soaps etc that go on baby skin.
I swapped to Surcare when having skin problems with my newborn.

No, not spoken to hv. We were "discharged" at 8 weeks. Though surely they'd only refer me on to GP?

I think that there would be no harm in asking the opinion of the HV, particularly if you’re feeling that you’re getting nowhere with the GP.

That's exactly what my daughter's face looked like when she had what we believe was milk allergy. We never had it confirmed (similar dismissals of medical professions) but cut out all dairy products and it cleared up. Every now and again she would have dairy (at a party, a slice of pizza etc) and it would flare up again.
She is now ten and completely grown out of it and can have dairy with zero problems.

Ask for a dermatology referral.

My baby had similar and it was a combination of baby acne and eczema.

Eczema can appear in red blotches/patches on the body without a rash and in random patterns.

I went down the allergy testing route and he didn't have any.

I find GP's know nothing about allergies and skin conditions and dish out the same old advice and creams.
Ask to be referred to the children's dermatologist, ditch the steroids and find a cream that works for your baby.

It took me 4 years to find a cream that worked for my son and it wasn't something you'd expect to treat eczema with.

My 3rd baby is now 8 month and started getting eczema patches, used the cream I use for my older child and it cleared up straight away.

To clear eczema you need to really hit it with steroids and emoilent. If it's not clearing you can try an ointment rather than cream. Cetraban have an ointment or we used Zeroderm ointment. We put it on at every nappy change. Steroid 1 or 2 times a day. Then when flare under control use ointment every nappy change till all red and dry gone. At 1st sign of flare up use steroid straight away.
Also improved when we swapped to Ecover zero laundry detergent.

@Monkeyseesmonkeydoesn We were first switched on to Nutramigen and told to give it 4 weeks but it was evident within a week that it was making things worse so 2 weeks later we were switched to Neocate. I'd say I noticed mild improvement after a week or so and by the 4 week mark the patches on his tummy had almost gone and there were no new patches. But the right steroid cream was absolutely vital in clearing the patches on his face.

He has his 16w jabs on Monday so I'll aim to be seen by a dr before those.

Yeah sounds like CMPA to me. DS did have some gastric symptoms but his defining issue was his skin - he would scratch and itch too and was covered in blotches and cuts.

I was breastfeeding so cut out dairy and saw an improvement in a few weeks. DS is now 3 and can eat dairy.

I suppose the only gastric symptom is that he's quite a farty baby but that might be stretching it

Tell your doctor you would like a referral to a paediatrician.

The amount of people I've seen in my time going backwards and forwards to a GP. Get a referral or if you can, pay for an appointment yourself.

IMO I wouldn't waste my time on speaking to a HV. You need to see a specialist. Don't be fobbed off.