Lo (7m) developing eczema -- your top 5 tips to help me get it under control?

[phdlifeneedsanewlife]

It's mild, but seems to be spreading rapidly (even if quite mildly, so far).

We already use a non-bio powder; I haven't and won't introduce wheat or dairy into his solids; I'm using daktarin sparingly and a sort of random combination of diprobase, vaseline and (of all things) Aveda calendula nappy cream a couple times a day; he has diprobath in the bath which I'm mostly doing every 2nd day.

Anything else I should be doing?

I had to change my dd onto soya formula which has helpled. Not sure if you are bf or not. I got great cream from the doctor called Aveeno and it seems to help also.

thanks karen, will ask about the Aveeno. Not really impressed by the diprobase. And yes, he's bf.

wonder if there's anything I should change in my diet...?

I think your diet is probably fine - speak to the doctor. I too found the diprobase to be useless - ask for Aveeno - it's usually one of the last creams they give you as it is quite expensive (I think)

I have introduced dairy and wheat to dd and basically just have to keep an eye on her. She has had no flare ups due to her diet. I am hoping that it is something that she will grow out of (like the doctor said) When it got very bad , at about 5 months, I had to use Fucidin cream (antibiotic and steroid cream) which was fantastic and cleared all the bad bits up. I know people don't like to use steriod based creams but they do work and if it means that my dd was comfortable and not scratching then I would use it again.

Sorry answered on your other thread re Aveeno. My ds was given a rast test at about 9 months and found to have allergies to dairy and egg. I was still breastfeeding (and did until 18 months when I switched him onto goats milk). I had to cut out dairy and egg from my diet and I think by his first birthday he was free of it.

Mind you ds's skin was awful (head to toe) and not sleeping due to it.

I would say use the Aveeno and see how you go, if no improvement then maybe check with docs and get your lo tested.

Do not change your diet without being advised to do so by the docs.

my DD had terrible eczema at that age and is now much much better...we were referred to the hospital..

The best thing we did was to use Dermol in the bath and shower. It is antiseptic - her skin improved 90% with this. Also she used to wear tubifast garments (a vest and tights) morning and night over Epaderm emollient cream and a little bit of steroid cream on any sore patches. Now she just wears the garments at night over Epaderm. They really help to seal the moisture in. We also bath her daily using the Dermol bath additive and wash, then put lots of Epaderm on.

So - my recommendations are: Dermol 500 and 600, Epaderm (we tried every emollient out there) and bandage garments on top if it gets bad.

A tiny bit of hydrocortisone cream will calm it right down and do no harm when used sparingly. The risk is that they thin the skin but severe eczema is much more likely to damage the skin than a tiny bit of mild steroid cream.

Sorry this is so long!

my DD had terrible eczema at that age and is now much much better...we were referred to the hospital..

The best thing we did was to use Dermol in the bath and shower. It is antiseptic - her skin improved 90% with this. Also she used to wear tubifast garments (a vest and tights) morning and night over Epaderm emollient cream and a little bit of steroid cream on any sore patches. Now she just wears the garments at night over Epaderm. They really help to seal the moisture in. We also bath her daily using the Dermol bath additive and wash, then put lots of Epaderm on.

So - my recommendations are: Dermol 500 and 600, Epaderm (we tried every emollient out there) and bandage garments on top if it gets bad.

A tiny bit of hydrocortisone cream will calm it right down and do no harm when used sparingly. The risk is that they thin the skin but severe eczema is much more likely to damage the skin than a tiny bit of mild steroid cream.

Sorry this is so long!

Dairy and wheat made no difference to her either by the way!!

Don't use fabric conditioner either. Avoid vaseline (IME - others may find it ok, I don't). Try using one cream for a week at a time to find whether one is particularly good or bad. You may need to rotate the creams over periods of weeks. Try using nothing in the bath - not soap or ointment - except oats. To do this, cut off about 8" of an old pair of tights and put about half a cupful of oats into it; knot securely and swish and squidge it in the bath. The gunk that comes out is fantastically soothing for the skin.

Aveeno products are excellnet, as are aloe vera products - but you need to rty different makes.

What non bio are you using?
We use surcare as it also has no perfume or colourants
Set the washing machine to do an extra rinse cycle if you can

Go see your GP and get some hydrocortisone cream to use for flare ups

Try not to overdress the LO and keep them cool

Daktarin is for thrush so stop using that unless you think that's the problem

hmm thanks for all this

he was prescribed daktarin for severe cradle cap which had spread to his ears - the dr thought it was fungal. She was the one who said use the daktarin on his worse patches as this is 1% hydrocortisone. tbh it doesn't seem to be making that much difference, but hard to tell.

will try the oats trick, thanks, will use one cream per week, and won't change diet (phew)

his skin isn't bad, it's just as I said, seems to be spreading - a few patches and then tiny rash-like sprinkles up his back, on his tum, one on his face - it seems to look better/worse quite randomly, that's what's been bothering me.

both dds had it at this age (dd1 still has it, but very mildly). Moisturizing twice a day with Doublebase (like the pump one, and find it less 'soapy' than Diprobase) and slapping on Hydrocortisone 0.5% straight away on red patches worked a treat. Didn't do anything else different at all, tbh: GP told me not to drive myself mad wondering what caused it and changing things, and that was excellent advice - its genetic.

We don't use soap in the bath though, of any sort, and have always used non-bio powder anyway.

Best tip: get some 0.5 or if not enough 1% hydrocortisone ointment (not cream) from GP, and use it immediately a red patch appears, not sparingly either. You end up using a lot less that way in the long run.

DD had terrible excema from 6 weeks old , tried various emollients , have found the best is Aveeno cream , bath emollient its also available as lotion. I use it all the time - twice daily to face, all over after nightly bath - which washes away dead skin cells and anything else she has been in contact with. Never used steroid creams, prevention ie continuous use of emollent much better. I use Fairy non bio , extra rinse in wahsing machine - no softeners, no baby wipes to anywhere other than bott.
Hope you have some success with cream. Its almost more distressing for you than babe.

DD had terrible excema from 6 weeks old , tried various emollients , have found the best is Aveeno cream , bath emollient its also available as lotion. I use it all the time - twice daily to face, all over after nightly bath - which washes away dead skin cells and anything else she has been in contact with. Never used steroid creams, prevention ie continuous use of emollent much better. I use Fairy non bio , extra rinse in wahsing machine - no softeners, no baby wipes to anywhere other than bott.
Hope you have some success with cream. Its almost more distressing for you than babe.

I used Aveeno by accident on DS with his one and only patch of eczema (as in, it was all I had to hand), and now use it all the time. I realise it's too late for you to be at that stage, but the fact that it's never been a problem since speaks volumes to me!

BTW it's now sold as a normal women's moisturising lotion (I was trialing it for a panel which is why it was in the house), so if the doctor is reluctant, you could always just get a tube and use it, and then present him with the facts..?

hth

yeah okay thanks for that

will try the oatmeal
we don't use wipes at all
it seems better today after I diprobased him 3x anyway, and we are seeing dr for 8m check tomorrow, I'll ask about the Aveeno

weird you should say it's genetic elibean, his dad never had it and nor did I - til I was about 36weeks pg when my bump erupted like a special effects film!

I'm just freaking out because my nephew (7) has had an open sore on his neck for like, 3 years

jackaroo, are you, y'know, dinkum?

My DS' had such bad ezcema he bled in all his creases, oh it was awful!

He is now 3.3 and has the clearest, smoothest skin.

My tips are moisturise, I don't mean 3x a day, I mean 5+ times a day (or more if you have the time!) the tip about using one for a week is good too, you can see what will work the best for you.

Oats in the bath - fab and cheap. I used a muslin with an elastic band, I squidged it and rubbed DS with the gunky stuff. His skin looked better withing 2 baths.

Um, does that mean Oz?? No, my DH is, and we'll be there in about 8 weeks.. sorry if that's a big disappointment! Love your name/tag btw ;)

well I wondered because jackaroo = a male cowboy kinda thing (they call girl ones jillaroos)

we're going not for christmas but just after, to show ds off to my family - where you going? for good or just to visit?

and thanks for the tag. I do need a new life though...