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Original poster

arrghh Ds and excema

29 replies

denialandpanic · 15/01/2013 19:16

Ds has excema. Its not the worst case but stubborn and we are struggling with it at the moment. Traditionally a few days of hydrocortisone, twice a day diprobase, piriton at night and flare up is gone. This year since before xmas its been awful, we are on second tube of hydrocortisone in two weeks. We have moved and have a new GP and they wanted him on zerobase, if anything its making it worse he seems to need the oilier ointment style creams. Anyway the point of all this is I'm going to try and get him an appointment tomorrow what should I ask for / push for? Is there any point continuing with the hydrocortisone? He's a real little trouper but miserable, has broken the skin in several places and isn't sleeping well.

OP posts:
NeverQuiteSure · 15/01/2013 19:19

My 4 year old DS is struggling with a few stubborn patches at the moment. No advice, but lots of Brew and sympathy.

thekitchenfairy · 15/01/2013 19:27

Sending hugs denial eczema is Soo hard to deal with and when it takes hold it can be a bugger to shift!

How old is he? Is it time to ask for a trip to dermatology consultant?

If its still flared up you may be advised to carry on with steroids, but perhaps he has an infection that is making it hard to shift, so you may want to try an antibiotic ointment, with regards creams and washes ask to try fragrance free stuff, I found this helped. Oilatum, for eg, makes it worse but the FF stuff in the bath seems to help.

Aveeno cream is a newish cream, it is easily absorbed, and I like dermol and double base hand wash and shower gel.

After 10 years I have learnt that we often need to change the brand of lotion... Nothing seems to work forever.

Oh and zinc cream, I don't get this on prescription but it is cheap and I find it really helps if feet or wrists are stubborn.

ScalesAndMirrorsLie · 15/01/2013 19:29

As a sufferer as a child I can tell you what worked for me:
Creams like dipribase, e45- not oils or lotions. Oils are not nourishing for the skin

Wash/bathe every 3/4 days. If washing every day, the healing skin will be irritated/washed away. Water can irritate too.

Cod liver or evening primrose oil. These capsules can take a while to kick in but really helped.

Oily fish, again no immediate help but does help long term.

I was given salt baths too, but I think that was if it was a little infection-from memory

Steroid tablets when it was extremely bad. But if these are taken, calcium supplement must be taken too.

And unless the dr says otherwise I wouldn't be taking piriton long term. It suppresses the immune system and if he has eczema he's more prone to developing allergies. I developed fruit allergy and there's lots of fruits I can't eat now as I have a severe reaction.

Hth

Katisha · 15/01/2013 19:35

Have you looked into wet wrapping? It really worked when DS1 was small and at the mercy of terrible eczema. But of a technique to it but the results were very quick. We were recommended to do it by a dermatologist and nurse gave us a demo.

HumphreyCobbler · 15/01/2013 19:35

Aveeno is good, but it suddenly stopped working for ds. We find epaderm a godsend now, the ointment rather than the cream.

It may be that you need a stronger steroid for a short time? Check that you are seeing the doctor or nurse in your practice who is the eczema expert. We suffered for months with a doctor who insisted we used aqueous cream (later we found out that this is terrible for eczema sufferers) and didn't listen when we said it was making it worse.

Roseformeplease · 15/01/2013 19:39

Double base do a really good cream and a shower gel. Are you avoiding obvious triggers? Wool? Always use non-bio washing powder / capsules. Don't bath / shower in hot water - keep it cool. Dead Sea salt in the bath helps me. Also, blitz it really hard. You can buy anti-itch ointments as well and bicarbonate of soda in the bath helps with the itch. I would be pushing for a dermatology consultation and long term help from an eczema nurse to help you manage things.

Original poster
denialandpanic · 15/01/2013 20:20

thanks all. we think he had private insurance through dos work do going to check that route. our new surgery is a small one only two full time docs but they seem to be on the ball. I think err are just in shock because although he's had issues since he was a baby it's suddenly gone haywire. I sort of feel bad that I haven't been able to stop out this time.Angry he's 3.5 and hatred standing still to be creamed and really needs it head to toe at the moment. I hate winter!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
denialandpanic · 15/01/2013 20:21

and I can't get on with the spell check on this phone eitherWink

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Original poster
denialandpanic · 15/01/2013 20:23

non bio surcare detergent, no shampoo used, had allergy tests as baby and all clear, cotton clothes, bathed twice a weekShock we've been doing all this since he was little

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neolara · 15/01/2013 20:27

You need to hit it hard with a really strong steroid cream (e.g. betnovate) for a short period of time (e.g. twice a day for about a week). At the same time, you need to moisturise like a lunatic (e.g. 5 times a day). Once the flare up is under control you need to continue to moisturise regularly. It is better to give stronger steroids for short periods of time than to give lower strength steroids (e.g. 1% hydrocortisone cream) for long periods of time.

thekitchenfairy · 15/01/2013 21:15

Another couple of thoughts... As far as steroids go I find Elacon ointment really helps stubborn patches... If it is near DS face, Argan oil may help, I discovered this abroad when all our creams burst and we were miles from doctors, my DS would use it all the time were it not for the price! It is blisteringly expensive.

The doctor can give you tubi grips... They are bandages you cut to size, put on the cream and put a bandage sleeve over the top at bedtime this can really help.

Wolfiefan · 15/01/2013 21:18

If a certain emollient cream works then insist on it. Do not wait for eczema to show before you cream. Get in the habit! Avoid too frequent baths and watch what you put in the bath/washing machine.
Eczema sucks!
Dermol for kids here. Diprobase for me. Crap skin runs in the family!

Original poster
denialandpanic · 15/01/2013 21:20

tubi grips sound good. we are going to really struggle to persuade him to let us break him up to five times a daySad nursery will do it if all them but he will fight it all the way. I've started putting more cream on worst bits when he is asleep because of bedtime battles.

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Original poster
denialandpanic · 15/01/2013 21:24

arggh I give up posting on phoneSad will update on pc tomorrow.thank you for all suggestions and ideasGrin

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NoGoodAtHousework · 15/01/2013 21:35

I presume you've gone down the route of checking food as the flare up cause. My son always had bad eczema type rash on his face and patches on joints etc. I cut milk out and then soya as well and it's gone in his face completely and is a lot better elsewhere. If he even licks a spoon that's been in milk his face will come up. We use rice milk and coconut milk now (depending on what it's for).

Mine has flared up terribly recently so I'm resorting to sun beds at the moment as cream seems to soak in so quick it doesn't seem to do anything! I feel your pain-I've always struggled.

Mumoftaiba · 15/01/2013 21:52

I had the same problem with my dd of 9 months she's got this one stubborn part on her chin that just does not clear up and it can crack up and weep. We were also using all sorts of creams ranging from steroids to anti fungal for weeks. I saw a dr who recommended a potent steroid (elocon) for a short course couple of days and it worked! It's better to use a strong cream for a shorter period of time than using a weak one continuously. Because it was her face I was worried but it has gone much better. She still has days when it flares up but we moisturise with cetraban and use the steroid if we need to. Smile

Katisha · 15/01/2013 21:57

Wet wrapping is tubigrips.
You put on the steroid cream and the emollient and then a warm wet tubi grip and then I think a dry one, can't remember.
Anyway - it really does work. Ask to be referred to a dermatologist - this is what we did (went private to hurry it up and it was worth it for the one session we paid for).

this gives you an idea though seems a bit more long winded than I remember

Katisha · 15/01/2013 22:00
MegBusset · 15/01/2013 22:07

DS1's is flaring up at the moment. I think it's the cold weather. Anyway if the skin is broken and/or weeping it may be infected so you might need a steroid cream with ABs in. Second the advice for asking for a stronger steroid cream and trying the wet wrapping. My sympathies, it's no fun.

laracroft2001 · 15/01/2013 22:11

Hi.

Having had 29 years of suffering with eczema I would recommend:

Betnovate. Someone above said stronger steroid for longer- totally agree. Breaks the cycle quicker and seems to stop skin getting as thin and delicate.

Aveeno

Oilitum in bath if hard water area

Wet bandages.

Hemp cream from body shop

Sunbeds helped massively. Totally not recommended for kids (or adults) but if it's really bad there is some sort of light treatment available from docs.

And also sudocream used to really help me 'dry out' an area. But would only work for short periods at a time

Hope that gives u some other ideas. ( disclaimer- do not send your child
On a subbed!!!!)

Original poster
denialandpanic · 16/01/2013 16:25

have a doc apt for tomorrow evening. His ear lobes are all crusty and bloodied today :( Dug out the diprobase and binned the zerobase. Sent emollient to nursery to put on his face before playtime. We do use sudacem on the broken skin areas. no worries re sunbeds we are fairskinned and sun phobic Smile.

he was off milk for three years fairly recently reintroduced but I actually don't think its that. He was bad this time last winter when he was off milk

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Original poster
denialandpanic · 17/01/2013 20:52

doc has given betnovate.to come back next week if no improvement

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Katisha · 17/01/2013 22:08

I would look into going private for a session with a specialist. If and when you go back ask for a referral.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 17/01/2013 22:19

Sorry to hijack the thread, but at what age can you start to expect children to apply their own cream?

DD is 8.5. Eczema is kept under control with twice daily application of diprobase all over, unguentum on dry areas.

I also apply hydrocortisone on severe areas when necessary, but I'm asking her to do the ungentum and diprobase twice a day when she brushes her teeth. I have shown her how to do it dozens of times. She either forgets completely, does only some parts of her body, or applies far too much cream and it then goes everywhere, including in her hair.

I know this sounds selfish, but I have three other children, one of whom has SN and mornings/evenings are his most challenging time. Surely she should be able to put her own cream on by now?

Mumoftaiba · 17/01/2013 22:54

I feel you my dd will be 8 in June and she is like that she won't apply her cream and expects me to do it. She would rather itch her self crazy than put her cream on. She seems to think it will itch more if you puts her cream on. When you get the answer let me know Smile