Eczema and allergies getting to me... when will it get better?

[SparkleHorse82]

DD is nearly one. She has had eczema since 6 months, and we are under derms and allergists. She has cmpa and egg allergy but even after getting this under control her skin just isn't improving.

It's being treated and is most days under control, but that's only because we're using steroid at least three times a week (under dermatology with clear instructions to use as soon as any break out returns plus every saturday and sunday to try and keep her clear). We only ever manage about four days without steroid before the worst areas such as under her chin come back and within seconds she can scratch herself to bleeding.

I'm just about to go back to work three days a week and I'm so paranoid about leaving her with childcare as her skin requires constant maintenance, plus her food allergies make me nervous when others are feeding her.

Will she ever outgrow this stage? When we're on daily steroids her skin is so perfect like it used to be and it makes me sob because now it's such a battle and she's often so uncomfortable, and I feel really powerless.

Allergies and eczema both run in the family. Has anyone got any positive stories to share about things getting easier? It's also putting me off having another child even though I'd love her to have a sibling. I'm so scared if I had a second one that their skin/allergies would be even worse.

That sounds really hard. Has she been tested for other allergies OP? Just asking as CMPA sufferers can often be allergic to Soya too.

What do you wash her clothes in too?

I have dd1 with egg allergy, eczema, asthma, hayfever - the works really. And a second dd with absolutely no symptoms of any of the above so there is always a chance that a second child would be symptom free.

I remember feeling the same way in dd's babyhood that you are feeling. It's exhausting, stressful and a constant worry.

DD is 12 now and her eczema has massively improved. She still has asthma but that is usually quite well controlled. Still some signs of the egg allergy unfortunately but at least she doesn't get the random allergic reactions to unknown things the way she did when she was a toddler.

The childcare thing is a worry because you need to be able to feel you can fully trust the person you entrust your child to. I was a SAHM for years. The one time I had the option of a few part time hours I found a childminder I thought was suitable but despite me very clear about dd's issues she wiped her face with a scented baby wipe and cause her eczema to flare massively.

I was lucky I could just about manage to stay at home.

Sorry I couldn't be more positive for you but on a good note dd has grown up quite happily and mostly healthily despite all her issues.

The baby wipes and getting her face and neck wet are exactly what I'm worried about. it flares up so easily. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. I haven't got much choice about going back as I earn a fair bit more than my DH, but I am going down to three days and if it was a disaster at the nursery we could probably look at a PT nanny. Bit even still, I reckon it's hard for people to take seriously if they haven't lived with it.

Hi Jilted,
Yes she's had the whole panel and only came up positive for egg. But we know she has non ige cmpa as well as reintroducing milk was a disaster. Luckily no nut or other allergies and she has quite a varied diet but we can't work out what's making her skin flare. Right now it could be teething or being new to crawling or neither - they could just be coincidences. SO exhausting.

If DH earns a little less, could he drop a day or two?

After we had done allergy testing and established egg, dust mite, pollen and a couple of other allergies I remember the paediatrician telling me to forget about trying to find the all the triggers as I would drive myself crazy.

I think he was probably right. It can be so many things that even with a very careful exclusion diet and symptom diary you may never find the triggers.

Look into all of the possible sources of inflammation... sugar and grains for example. Also read www.amazon.co.uk/7-Day-Allergy-Makeover-Eliminate-Allergies/dp/0399166246?tag=mumsnetforum-21 It is a bit hard to read as of course you can't cure allergies in 7 days but making changes to things in her environment might help.

My DS sleeps on a coconut fibre mattress, has a wooden bed, we have no feathers, no carpets, no animals, avoid smelly plastics, limit chemical cleaning and moved away from.anything with petroleum in it.

He had a really limited diet and lots of supplements and it had been long journey which is not over but the biggest single change for him was to stop putting petroleum on his skin.

You will find a way...

That sounds really interesting Forgiveness. I might have a look at that myself.

Sparkle coukd it be the detergent that you wash her clothes on or a dust mite allergy? We have a family friend’s DD who is severely allergic to dust mite. Once she started to crawl her eczema was awful. Have you got a hoover that’s suitable for people with allergies?

Oh and @SparkleHouse82 thers a good Alkergy section on MN with some experienced MNers and I should probably have mentioned it before but did you know that Allergy UK have a Helpline?