TLDR:
- 6 month old baby with non-itchy rash over chest and back for ~6 weeks. Topical steroids not fully clearing, emollients not helping. Also had bad nappy rash, cradle cap, neck fold rash, neck rash I doubt atopic dermatitis due to no face involved and not itching.
Baby (F, now 6 months) has had widespread rash for about 6 weeks. It came up around the same time as she had a cold like virus (tested neg for COVID) and cut two teeth through. She also had a swollen lymph node behind her ear come up. Oh and v angry persistent nappy rash and neck fold rash. And she had had cradle cap for a while and it got infected. What a fun couple of weeks.
First GP call- couldn't get a proper appointment but had emergency virtual appointment via pharmacist where we sent from photos. They thought eczema and prescribed some emollients.
There was no change in a couple of weeks so next appointment we actually spoke to GP directly and he prescribed topical steroids and different emollients
Helped a little for a couple of days and then rash came back before even stopping steroids.
Third call was again through pharmacist. Stronger steroids prescribed and different emollient for washing. I was a bit scared of the steroids etc and as I hadn't got to talk to the Dr directly I went back to our pharmacist who really helped and took some time aside to talk us through it and listened to me when I said I thought the nappy rash was a yeast infection and advised us to try Daktarin.
Again the steroids helped a little but it was coming back before we had even finished the course. Nappy rash however has just about completely cleared with Daktarin and zinc oxide cream.
Next GP call I try to get my point of view across that I don't think it's atopic eczema but seborrheic dermatitis because of the placement, the fact it doesn't itch, the cradle cap, neck fold rash and nappy rash pointing to yeast. GP seems to listen but asks me to send photos and says she will ring back later. I feel fairly happy after this as she has said yes it does sound like yeast.
This later phone call she did not even mention yeast, she just jumps straight into saying let's try another even stronger steroid as if I was never mentioned that it was a consideration. But on the good side also says she thinks it needs a specialist and we will get referred. At this point I kind of give up pushing her as she admits she isn't an expert on it and she had said the referral team should call me back fairly soon. When we go to collect the prescription the pharmacist is horrified that that strength steroid has been prescribed without even seeing baby in person and the strength of it is not suitable for such a large portion of the body.
I am hoping we get an appointment asap because it's looking even worse now and if not we will try and scrape together and go private.
I am so emotionally exhausted from having to hound the GP, plus worrying all day everyday and absolutely stuck on trying to research.
I'll try and attach pics of her front (back looks similar)
Any ideas??
Also to add:
-Hadn't changed laundry powder when rash came up but we had been using a bio powder so we've switched to surcare now but no improvement
-she was being EBF (last 4 days we've had some solids of broccoli, avocado, courgette, spinach). I already don't have any dairy or egg. I have cut out soya for last few weeks but no improvement.