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Original poster

Eczema advice -

12 replies

shellback · 13/01/2007 16:37

My 6-7m DD has had eczema on her face. lower legs ane now on her head at the bottom of her hairline. It began around 3 1/2months. I kept it under control with SOS Cream and Pure Potions emollient and balm. She is bf as she seems to be allergic to formula (tried to give her a bottle at 6months-when I got my period my milk supply seemed to dip.) I also tried fromula in some food and she had a huge flare up.So I am happily breatsfeeding. I couldn't stand her in any more irritation so went to the gp who prescribed a low dose steriod cream.This has worked for a bit but now it is creeping back. Has anyone tried FreeDerm HC?? Advert on internet. I would like to know if anyone has tried homeopathy as well....Both dh and I are hayfever/allergic so poor dd is atopic and if there is anyway of desensitising her id try anything safe.sad
Any advice help - the more natural the better would be greatly reveived!

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NannyL · 13/01/2007 18:06

my 3 year old charge has quite sever eczma and always has had...
we do the following
bath daily in a dermol bath emoliant
use dermol stuff as soap (not the same bath emoliant stuff, but a white cream)
apply steroid cream twice a day to the sore bits
smother whole body in epiderm twice a day (a very greasy moisturising cream (though more a clear grease than cream IUSWIM)

In my old job the 2 year old had mild -> sever eczma (not as bad as current charge, but quite bad)
Her eczma stopped over night when we stopped using fairy / persil non bio to wash clothes and switeched to surcare....

and at he same ime used halos and horns bath products (ie hair and body wash)... they dont contain pthylates which are linked to eczma and asthma apparently... they use as many natural things as possible and smell really yummy! You can get then in our local tesco extra.

she also has oilatum (a bath emoliant) (or the E45 brand of th same thing)in her bath every day.

incidently her eczma stopped when builders in their house meant we had to move into a flat at grannies.... and granny has surcare, and just by chance my boss saw haols and horns and tried it...

it really did work like magic.... BUT it was also the summer... and apparently she is generally better in the sumemr anyway

IMO her eczma 'switched off' over night!

WestCountryLass · 13/01/2007 19:36

My DD has quite bad excema and the main trigger is dairy products, have you tried giving her a dairy free diet (not just formula but ruling out all foods with dairy products in them)?

Also, I went to Neals Yard and found this:

shop.nealsyardremedies.com/index.html?pageTitle=Calendula_Oat_Lotion_100ml&pageDesc=Designed_to_support_the_treatment_of_skin_ailments_such_as_eczema_psoriasis_dryness_and_scaliness_An&action=detail&maincatID=0&catID=&prodID=74&brandID=

I also stopped using baby shampoo and a shampoo I can only get in Tesco and I can't remember the name of it and we've run out! It doesn't contain harsh chemicals and seems to not irritate her skin.

Another thing to look at is your laundry products, Surcare seems to work for us.

HTH

Original poster

shellback · 13/01/2007 20:26

I try to keep things as chemical free as possible in the house on all scores - I havent used anything really in the bath apart from the Pure potions emolient (the bath emoillient given to me by the doc made it worse...)She flared up after I tried giving her a baby yogurt compounding that dairy could be a trigger and I am keeping my dairy intake as low as possible too. I am trying to keep the house dust free!! and hoover her mattress an wash her bed linen at 60 (not very environmental I know but aparently it kills mites) I have made a note of products you advise. Just wanted to aviod constant use of steroids - I would say that day to day her skin is tollerable - she has patches of red behind her knees and scalier patched on her shins. Her face depends on temp and other factors - I have stopped wearing jumpers when I feed her as her face seemed redder after a feed-friction/irritation.But all the same it is uncomfortable for her.It did get really nasty after her jabs though - someone mentioned that they contain egg product???

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Badpups · 13/01/2007 20:49

I can really sympathise with you. My DS developed severe eczema at about 5 months. The doctor prescribed diprobase cream to rub in twice a day all over and hydrocortisone for the red bits. Also an antibiotic cream for the eczema patches that he'd scratched raw. We also get Oilatum plus for the bath.

We saw a specialist who put him on a dairy free diet and we got some formula milk substitute (I think it was called Pepti Junior). He hated it to begin with but eventually drank it. We were told not to use soya milk as babies who are allergic to dairy are often also allergic to soya.

In our case the dairy free diet didn't make any difference to his skin so after a few weeks we were advised to put him back on to his usual formula milk (I used Cow & Gate).

He's now 15 months and the eczema is still there but seems to be under control. I only use non-bio washing powder and no fabric conditioner and I try to make sure that he has cotton clothing next to his skin. I still use the diprobase and oilatum plus daily and hydrocortisone ointment as required though. I get a shampoo from Boots that's recommended by the Eczema Society and that doesn't irritate his scalp.

We've also got strong family histories of asthma, hayfever and eczema so I count myself lucky that only one of my children is badly affected.

Initially I was worried about using the steroid cream but it was the only thing that seemed to help. I now only have to use it about once a week though so its not too bad and I haven't had to use the antibiotic cream for months.

Original poster

shellback · 14/01/2007 20:27

dipribase seemed to make my dd's skin even worse.....was given an alternative but that was full of parabens which as a rule I try to aviod in any toilety/bath product.....
DD's skin is a little less angry today, although it started off bad - seems to be better when dh isn't about!lol...Only used the barefoot sos cream all over tonight. will have to see how it goes. She is cutting another tooth and her neck has a rash on it poor mite....Still wonder if anyone has tried the FreeDerm stuff advertised on the internet???Is it too good to be true?.....

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Original poster

shellback · 14/01/2007 20:32

to change the subject totally - just realised i am on travel thread!!! Any or all tips welcome as to how to pack for a trip to Oz with dd in march - she will be 9months - realise loads of nappies for plane. Please advise wanting to visit dm and df....and friends. concerned about sun,food,the usual stuff i guess....heat rash????

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Original poster

shellback · 14/01/2007 20:32

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Original poster

shellback · 14/01/2007 20:33

sorry hit return twice - not all that used to using site yet!blush

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shazronnie · 14/01/2007 20:39

My son has pretty bad excema which has improved with Aveeno moisturisers which we get on prescription although you can buy over the counter. This seems to hydrate his skin really well - it soaks in and is not greasy.

Think I might try surcare for my washing.

Original poster

shellback · 17/01/2007 14:50

was thinking of aveeno as i used to use it when i needed a gentle moisturiser as a teenager when I had a few outbrackes of acne. I will try it - do you need the baby one or is the usual one ok. Also did some research into feederm and it contains hydrocortizone so not as natural as the ad suggests!

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gingerninja · 19/01/2007 20:53

Aveeno seemed to make my DD worse as with all creams including diprobase presecribed by Dr. as they contain petroleum or parafin which are known irritants. E45 has Lanolin, another irritant. I recommend this website all the time www.theremustbeabetterway.com as the woman that runs it has suffered with eczema all her life and has found a solution in natural products free from synthetic ingredients. There's lots of really usefull information on the site and she's really helpful to talk to if you give her a call. One thing she is really clear about is not to bath daily as this drys the skin out. Steroids while great to control the flare up will result in dry skin so be sure to moisturise although every couple of days wash skin with a ery very mild soap in order to clean off the residue of cream which builds up and acts like cling film generating heat and causing further itching and creating a vicious cycle.

Hope that helps

Original poster

shellback · 06/03/2007 11:15

belated update gingerninja.....I have been to see a homeopath and she also didn't advise Aveeno.....Ive gone back to SOS cream and then slap on a natural product called Allergenics (they do a bath emollient too)At the moment dd's skin is much better I have cut out dairy (except for sheep's milk yog etc) and I am being treated too....totally bizarre but it seems to be working. Im not eating wheat either and a list of other foods that dd is intollerent to. I am just keeping fingers crossed. Bit worried how I am going to keep this up on our trip across france in a few weeks time tho!

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