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Children's health

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Can children develop eczema for the first time when they are 4?

5 replies

JaneBirkin · 15/12/2011 19:59

There is a family history of eczema, well, my sister and my mother had it. I never did, luckily for me.

Ds1 hasn't ever had eczema, though he did have a diagnosis of mild asthma when he was 2...he only had a preventer for a few months, hated it so much we didn't persist and tbh he's never had an attack, only the sort of persistent coughing that got him diagnosed in the first place - he doesn't have an inhaler any more.

Ds2 has also never shown signs of eczema but in the last week I've noticed some red, rough patches in the creases behind his knees. It looks and feels like eczema to me, but I don't know.

the changes we've had recently include starting school (well not properly yet, but he is in the next few weeks so knows about it), stopping breastfeeding (mostly - he still has a tiny bit in the night sometimes) and drinking cows milk a bit more, I suppose, but he's been having that on and off for many months, well, years actually.

We've also started using bubble bath and having a lot more baths than we used to (!) as we only had a horrible bathroom for ages and have just got a new bath. So maybe that's triggering it?

I'm sad about it as I didn't know it could start so late, he hasn't got it anywhere else though, so I'm a bit baffled really.

Any thoughts or ideas welcome. Thankyou.

OP posts:
RuthChan · 15/12/2011 20:03

It could well be eczema. It can start at any age.
4 is not late at all.
My Dad got it for the first time aged 63!!!

catsareevil · 15/12/2011 20:09

It could be, it can start at any age. It could be the bubble bath, maybe try a different brand and see if that makes a difference.
Given the family history your DS2 would be at increased risk of eczema.

lljkk · 15/12/2011 20:11

My dad also only started getting it in his late 50s, but it is fairly manageable for him, at least (now almost 70).
It could just be dermititis (sp?) -- a reaction to something in his environment that will go away if you remove that single trigger (like maybe the bubble bath).

JaneBirkin · 15/12/2011 20:11

Oh poo. Thankyou.

I'm not sure what to do about it now I've found it!

Should I be avoiding dairy for him as well? I'll stop using the bubble bath anyway...it doesn't seem to be bothering him at present but I don't want it to get any worse.

OP posts:
JaneBirkin · 15/12/2011 20:12

Ooh - dermatitis! That sounds much more temporary! Maybe that's it. I hope so.

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