DD has had a constant itch for nearly 4 months, it's driving us both mad and I feel a fobbed off by the Dr

[Aimsmum]

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No experience but I think I would go back and demand a referral. Poor girl to suffer like that. I wouldn't put up with it if it was me so why should she?

Do you have private health cover by any chance?

Or maybe could you try natural stuff, naturopath, acupuncture?

Nothing of any value to add but didn't want to leave without saying something.

You've probably already tried this, but could you put E45/Aqueous Cream on the itch? It's harmless, and you can use it as often as you like, and whenever you want.
For a short term solution, calamine lotion in a bath will soothe the itching really quickly.
What I would say, though, is that chlorine on any sort of itchy/dry skin isn't a good idea, because it'll cause it to flare up - maybe she could be excused from swimming until it's cleared up?
I would push for a quick referral, though, because itchy skin is so nasty.
I hope this helps! It might also be quite useful to post in the allergy topic, because there are loads of people who have really good advice about skin conditions there!

Could it be a food allergy?

hmm bizarre. i absolutely would not be happy about using steroids for 3 weeks.

this doesn'[t help you find a reason for it, but is she any better if you keep her in loose, cool, cotton clothing? I knowthat heat and synthetic fibres can aggravate skin conditions (as can things like chlorine in water)

i can also highly recommend "hope's relief" cream. it's a natural cream but workswonders on eczema and other skin complaints.
a friend's little boy had the most awful eczema all over his face, steroid cream worked but only when used constatnly.
once she started using the hope's relief she never needed the steroid cream again!!

My friend's ds had something very similar, rough skin/mini goose bumps and he would scratch himself to bleeding point, especially at night. All tests were inconclusive, and she just kept using emollients (doublebase etc, experimenting to find the one that helped most).

His sister, OTOH, had contact urticaria as a small child - she has outgown it, but that does just come up in red welts when scratched, not otherwise.

I would definitely ask for a referral, poor dd, hope it eases soon.

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It does sounds like atopic eczema though! Your DD can be "allergic" to her own sweat as well... What work for mine is no soap at all, bath is just plain water
and constant moisturizing BUT it is imposrtant to "find' the right cream... My DD was made worse by Diprobase, cold cream, E45, at least 4/5 other creams recomanded by diffrent docs or pharmacist, oilatum was useless. I know it costs a lot but when you find the right one it is worth it!
We have settled for Aveeno or Ictyane (ducray), the later being best for us. And you need to put all over everyday twice and after every "wet episode" (after pool, sea, bath, accidents...), at the beggining you can do it more than 2 times a day.
Every time we forget the cream the rash reappears and it is made worth if she is hot and sweaty. Good luck.

sorry! "made worse"

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did the suit have latex in it or was it rubberised in any way.

it sounds very like contact dermatitis. The skin reacts to an irritant,becomes inflammed and itchy. Then the redness goes down ,but you are left with a dry skin,which in turn is then more sensitive to irritants. Try something like a barrier cream,conotrane or siopel cream and use emulsifying ointment as a soap substitute for a couple of weeks. There is nothing harmful in the barrier creams and they can be used long term.

i would ask for a referral to a dermatologist. And check it isn't scabies too. Worth ruling out.

pofacedandproud ....thats a good shout as scabies normally only affects the torso and arms.

does she have any little burrows or tracks in her finger webbing?
sometimes you can see where the scabies mite is tracking.

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E45 can sometimes make the skin sting.
Scabies is very contagious and you would have caught it by now if you have held her for more then a few minutes.Highly unlikely if she has been in contact with others and they are ok.So i would rule that one out.

If the pattern is the same as the suit..it is likely to be contact dermatitis...have alook what the suit is made from.

Just because she was ok with it last year doesnt mean she will be ok this year.
As with most allergies,in most cases,you have to been subjected to the allergen at least once to become allergic. It is rare to have an allergy to something you have never encountered before.So i wouldnt rule the suit out.

Is it eurax hydrocortisone by any chance.

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Aimsmum this is a snippet from info on allergic contact dermatitis

You are not born with this type of allergy - you must have previously come in contact with the allergen which has 'sensitised' your immune system. Once sensitised, your skin reacts and becomes inflamed when it comes into further contact. This is why you can suddenly develop a skin allergy to something you have come into contact with many times before. It is not clear why some people become allergic to some substances, and most people do not.

It is more rare to have a first time reaction...but not impossible..its the same with foods too.

is it the steroid that is working or the eurax. Steroids tend to give you a false sense of security in that a soon as they are stopped ,you can get a rebound reaction. I would be very wary about using it on such a large area...unless the doc has advised short term use.

Think you have had some great advice so far. Just wanted to say I have very sensitive, excema prone skin and have found that E45 makes it worse. I get on well with diprobase but as someone else said everyone is different and it is a case of finding a cream that works well. .

I think that most excema sufferers find that during a flare up its vital to keep the skin hydrated with whichever cream works for them. In addition during a bad time I avoid all perfumed products (use cole tar shampoo), keep baths / showers cool, avoid feathers and wool, do not go swimming. By following these measures for a few months after a flare up my skin calms down and gets back to normal.

I hope things get better for your daughter soon.

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diprobase or doublebase. doublebase is available in a 100g tube and it doesnt smell as unpleasant as diprobase...but they are both emollients. I use doublebase myself or you can get it on a script.

Have had both on prescription - you get a massive tub but you will be suprised how quickly you get through it. You can buy it over the counter too but its quite expensive even for a smallish tube.

I think alypaly has more knowledge in this area but personally I prefer diprobase- I find it more 'greasy' than doublebase and so it works better for me. I don't think either smell particularly bad - they sort of smell of nothing, which can seem a bit wierd when you are used to fabulous smelling (but full of itchy perfume) stuff.

Glad your DDs skin is a bit better.

Have been wondering if something about wearing the sun suit started the problem which has now caused her skin to be ultra sensitive. If this is the case hopefully after a period of hydrocortisone cream, plus whatever emolent works best, plus avoiding typical irritants etc her skin may well begin to calm down and improve.

Not saying she is allergic to the sun suit itself but could be something linked to wearing it- maybe she got more sweaty (sweating can cause flare ups in some people), or maybe the suit made her skin more damp with sea / chlorinated water, or it could have made her skin quite warm over a long period......... Obviously sun suits are great things but am just wondering if it caused anything to happen to the skin that it was covering that might have made her flare up like this. Just a guess- hope you don't mind.

wheresmypaddle...i used diprobase on DS2 when he had some burns on his skin.It comes in cream or ointment so it depends if you want greasy or less greasy. Diprobase has a slightly more medicinal smell to it...doesnt bother me but a few patients have commented.
50 g tube of diprobase should be about £2.99 and doublebase 100g is about £5
500g tub of doublebase is approx £13

I would ask for a swab to be taken to rule out anything unusual like strep A.

I have to 3rd/4th what's been said about different creams dd2 has very mild excema and most of the creams made it worse not better!! We reduced her baths to once per week and used the cream as infrequently as possible.

Dd4 had strep a for 18 months before it was properly diagnosed and treated, in the short steroid cream helped it but the symptoms returned as soon as it stopped.

as with all steroids,they tend to mask the symptoms til you stop using them. They just tend to get rid off the visible redness rather than the underlying cause and if used long term you will get symptoms rebounding when it is stopped.