DD2 (4mths) infected eczema?

[Levanna]

Following on from a thread last week about my DD2's eczema. I took her to the emergency docs at the weekend as the rash changed. He prescribed an antibiotic cream and said it would clear it up in two days. It hasn't helped much at all and the rash is now weeping and spreading (new patches are appearing). Needless to say I will approach the receptionists desk (reminiscent of barracks) first thing tomorrow about an emergency appointment. What sort of things have people found work (prescription or otherwise) for this? I really need a beginners guide to eczema! My DD1 did have it, but mildly (a dash of cream would usually calm it) and it never became infected. I would really like to know also what sort of creams I should avoid, if offered. Any advice appreciated .
TIA

Your GP can prescribe a 1 per cent hydrocortisone plus antibiotic cream (ie one cream contains both ingredients). Sorry, can't remember what it's called, but you need the antibiotics to clear up the infection and the (very mild) steriod to clear up the eczema.
I do sympathise as ds's eczema was awful at this age. He had lots of infected, weeping patches and it was very upsetting. 1 per cent hydrocortisone + antibiotic sorted it though and it's never been as bad since ? I hope it works for your dd.

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edam- is it fucidin h. also ask for some diprobase- you can get it over the counter but its quite expensive if you can get it on prescription

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Thank you! (I'll print this out and tell them "Mumsnet said so" ).
These patches are on her face though, I have looked Fucidin H up and it doesn't warn not to use it on the face, so is it ok AFAYK?
If DD2 becomes agitated she 'scrabbles' at her face and ears, despite scratch mits (which I'm not keen on from a developmental POV at this age either) which she promptly removes then stuffs in her mouth anyway. I can't leave the room if she's wearing them due to this, but if I leave the room when she isn't wearing them, she usually starts 'scrabbling'.
p.s. It's not that I try to leave her alone much at all, it's just that DD1 is proving to be a little demanding at the moment - so far today she has managed to spread the whole contents of a pot of vaseline over the floor (am), and also (pm) half a large tub of drapolene over the couch (rolleyes!)

I had to put it on dd's face from about 4 months- be sparing with it.

I stopped eating milk and milk products about 8 weeks ago- for me and dd (am still bfing)

It hasn't made a massive difference to the actual eczema itself but it is definetly better and it doesn't appear to itch her as much.

It was Fucidin H, as everyone else has worked out . Pixiefish is right about using diprobase as well - I used to put Fucidin on the infected patches twice a day and diprobase all over at every nappy change. Messy, but effective. Also do all the usual things about using Oilatum and aqueous cream in the bath.

Oh, and we did use it on his face too.

Can I just ask if she just has milk, or if you have started solids. When we gave ds a banana at 6 months he got exactly the same face reaction as you are describing and it was also diagnosed as infected eczema. It wasn't though - it was a reaction to the banana, he now gets the same if he touches latex, which cross reacts with banana.

Batting at the face will make it worse, weepy and bleeding etc. But if her skin wasn't itchy she wouldn't do this, so I guess I am looking for a reason.

Just breastmilk at the moment, given the eczema I'll try to hold off on solids for a while - at least until this flare up has abated I think. I know what you mean about there being a reason for why she 'scrabbles'. ie. Whether she scrabbles because it itches or whether her face reacts because she scrabbles. I honestly think that the scrabbling is not due to the eczema though (or wasn't initially), she has done it since long before any rash became apparent, it just seems to be part of her language for "Hey! Pick me up....please." Funnily enough my DD1 used similar actions (but didn't suffer rashes on her cheeks), just as their first sounds are phonetically exactly the same, oddly enough!
Now that the eczema has progressed I think the cause/action/reaction are more intricately intertwined though.

Be careful with the strong creams.

And inbetween using them, plaster her in the greasiest cream you can find, like vaseline or white soft parrafin - (is that what its called ??other excema sufferers? i'm brain dead at mo)

The greasy layer of cream means that dd can still itch away but far less likely to break skin/become infected.

I suffered with this throughout childhood and particularly bad over face, and i used to plaster myself before bed (as in my sleep was the worst time i scratched) You look pretty hideous but it definitely helps!!

HTH

Thanks for the advice last night. DD2 saw the nurse practitioner at our surgery this morning. She was really helpful, prescribed Fucidin H to clear up this outbreak, Epaderm as an emmolient (which I recognise as the one which DD1 had and was extremely effective in her case) and oilatum junior for the bath, though TBH I think I'll just use the Epaderm. Thanks again .

Please don't use vaseline specially over infected eczema, it will "protect" the infection and is very difficult to remove without a good scrubing that could only make the problem worse. (Sorry for contradicting other's advice but I have learned that the hard way)

After dealing with DS's very severe eczema I can positively say that infections don't disappear by themselves, and the longer it takes for the problem to be tackled the more difficult it would be to solve. I would use all the treatment recommended. It really works and you really don't want to see how bad it can get if you don't act upon it. If you wait, the strenght of HC and antibiotics needed to clear the problem may end up being far higher than what you need at this point, or at least that's what I have learned the hardway...