Baby eczema out of control.. recommendations?!

[Pearlmaster500]

My 5mo has really bad eczema and I’m struggling to clear it up the weather has triggered it soo badly has anyone got any recommendations? Using balmonds skin salvation atm which is good but not amazing

Nothing over the counter really worked for us. I would ask GP for hydrocortisone for very short term use and then elidel for maintenance once it's cleared. Also get a referral for allergy testing.

it’s a gut issue. baby needs vitamin d and probiotics.

try excluding egg and dairy / soy from your diet if breastfeeding , they can often trigger it.

be super careful not to let food touch the skin, your child is at high risk of developing food allergies. also read up on introducing allergens to babies with eczema.

He’s literally only on formula 😂 can’t be a gut issue

Got one last week from the gp he had the worst reaction! Face blew up in red blotchy patches everywhere

I think you should go back to the GP. He may need a referral to Dermatology and they should be able to prescribe something else.

Following

While I agree it’s unlikely to be a gut issue, formula absolutely contains allergens and intolerances.

it’s very likely to be your laundry soap or the bath products. Also look at what you use for yourself as picking up your child means every product you use, they also use.

Does this mean he reacted to hydrocortisone or elidel? Or from the allergy testing? Both are very illuminating results.

just an fyi, I have to make sure the pharmacy gives me the right version of creams that contain no carrier ingredients that include allergens. It’s ridiculously common for them to hand them a tube that will actually make things worse because it contains the thing you are allergic to.

it could be gut issues if you took antibiotics at all during pregnancy or labour, or if he had antibiotics directly.

gut issues can also be caused by mold in the home, passed down if the mum has gut problems or come from c sections (although your kid’s case sounds quite dramatic so i wouldn’t expect a c section to have such a big impact. . i may be wrong though).

thats the underlying cause.

winter makes it worse because the heating makes the air dry and also coldness makes it worse too.

Its strange because he’s had absolutely perfect baby skin till the weather dropped a couple of weeks ago and it’s just red and flaking now just gone from 0-100 and I can’t seem to get rid of it

Havent had antibiotics in a long time nor pregnant or has he! I did used to get really bad eczema when I was a child but neither of my other kids have had it before

The hydrocortisone he had a reaction from just went super red and blotchy really angry calmed down when I washed it off! Going to call the gp again tomorrow but not overly keen on using them anyway tbh

It’s not a gut issue. Please get an appointment/referral to a paediatric allergist or dermatologist. My DD had terrible eczema as a baby and young child. We saw Adam Fox about it and got a proper treatment plan. Please don’t listen to people who will tell you it’s a milk allergy etc. DD is 17 now and has beautiful skin.

That's very reassuring to know. Was it any allergy with your DD?

hm it’s possible that he’s developed a sensitivity to dairy as a secondary effect of the eczema, which is now triggering the eczema to get worse. maybe the gp could trial him on hypoallergenic formula to see if that helps.

i use a dehumidifier with an in built HEPA air filter in my kid’s room to keep mould away. you may be able to get one on sale at the moment if you think that could be a factor.

other common environmental triggers are dust mites and pets.

some people do something called a “wet wrap” if eczema is really bad, ive never done it myself but may be something to look into!

What do you use to wash him? And how frequently are you washing him?

what was the treatment plan? most dermatologists cannot treat the underlying cause they only manage symptoms with steroids and creams until they “grow out of it” which for a 5 month old could take years.

My flat is so dry no mould or damp whatsoever the dryness is actually probably part of the problem especially with the heating on 🫠 then you go outside and it gets even worse ffs defo going back to the gp x

Probs every other day realistically trying not to wash his face so much as google said don’t wash them every day! Using aveeno wash or a waleda canendula one but I never use any on his face I always just wipe it first with a cloth then use a lil wash on his body

See a dermatologist. GPs, pharmacists and over the counter creams got us nowhere, but the dermatologist sorted it for us.

ok good luck i hope the GP takes it seriously. dealing with eczema is the worst because it screws up baby sleep too.

I know this isn’t exactly convenient, but beach holidays can be really helpful because of the humidity in the air and the salty sea water both help clear up eczema.

hang on, is it only on his face? if so maybe it’s dribble rash which isn’t such a big deal. a barrier cream may be all you need.

i was imagining much more extensive eczema similar to what we dealt with but have i imagined that..

The formula could be the issue.

You need to see the GP to discuss diet, washing powder, environmental irritants and general eczema issues.

The GP can prescribe or refer.

Be mindful of the links to other issues such as asthma, hayfever and allergies.

We are going to Dubai in a couple of weeks but very dry there 😂 apparently chlorine in the pool is good for eczema and can clear it up but not sure how true that is!

just on his face like patches on cheeks and eyebrows till last night he got a little dry patch start to appear on his shoulder and a small one next to his nip!!

Chlorine can go either way. it’s drying, which can be a problem, but it also kills bacteria and a lot of eczema is infected by staph so in those cases it helps.