How can i clear up dd's dry skin?

[EvesMama]

my DD is 16 months old and for around the last year, her skin has been quite dry and gets very sore looking patches on back of arms, elsbows and back.
have tried steriod creams, which made it worse, e45/oilatum/aqueous cream and even hemp cream from body shop but nothing seems to really get rid of it.
it looks awful and sore and sometimes irritates the poor little lamb.
i have tried changing soap powders and softers but they dont seem to make much difference? please help, im running out of ideas

Good point, EvesMama. Bran flakes almost certainly have too much fibre, plus they are wheat fibre which can be irritating to a baby's bowel. Oat bran is far better for a baby.

You're always told to give more fibre to someone who is constipated, but IME sometimes too much fibre can bulk the poo out too much and make it harder to pass. Olive oil, prunes (or their juice) and tomatoes (or their juice) speed up the passage of the poo through the gut, so they may help.

'IME' - experience with my baby !

thanks prettycandles, i didnt even consider the branflakes until this morning!, she used to eat weetabix every other morning and toast the next, but over last few weeks, eating proper meals has gone down the pan and she will only eat what i have in my bowl at breakfast time!! you do get told fibre is good dont you...im really at a loss at the min as she's not eating much and i want to start giving her heathier meals/snacks (just read article about waffles being full of rubbish!when thats the only kind of potatoe she likes as i try not to give her chips!i obviously wasnt doing her any favours!!)

EvesMamma - Eye-Q Full of all the right fatty acids for brain development as well!. Quite pricey, but a bottle does last a long time. I used to put it in his morning milk, gosh knows how he never noticed. He now takes it off a spoon and says 'yummy, water!' Makes you wonder what our water tastes like round here. I know some people here hide it in yoghurt and things.

thanks for that furball, will try it for dp and dd, se if it helps, sick of trying greasy creams off doc!