Eczema

[ValerieGoldberg]

DS 2 has eczema on the backs of his knees. The GP gave hydromol and said to reduce baths and layer it on him regularly. It still hasn’t gone and if anything it is spreading and getting worse, he wakes up in the night itching them. I’ve also tried Aveno, Dream Cream from Lush and just started trying E45. Has anyone found anything else that works! Planning on speaking to the GP again. Cheers!

What are you washing his clothes/towels/bedding in ?

Have you switched washing powder / conditioner?
My 3yo has had eczema since 6m and he’s more or less grown out of it now, but as soon as a new patch appears, I get the cream on 2/3 times a day. Thick as you can.
Aveeno dermexa was magic, but epaderm also works.

I also found he has a grass allergy so we use a non drowsy anti histamine when spending time outdoors

It’s going vary wildly from person to person for triggers, how bad it will get, their genetics etc. My daughter’s had chronic eczema since birth. My son has nothing. She’s on a daily steroid regimen aside from all the other tips you’ll get here about washing powder etc (Persil non-bio!). Don’t waste your money on off the shelf products, you’ll end up with a cupboard full. If it’s mild, a hard hit with a low dose steroid will probably suppress it then you’ll have it in the cupboard for when it pops up again. Just have to convince your doctor. People will also tell you steroids are the devil but a real hospital dermatologist will have a different opinion I can assure you.

Thanks all. Clothes are washed in fairy non bio and comfort pure. He’s had very mild patches elsewhere but they’ve cleared with either use of moisturiser or hydromol but the patches on his knees are getting redder, drier and bigger so it just feels like the hydromol isn’t working at all now. I absolutely lather him in whatever cream has been used, at intervals through the day. Neither me or DH have had eczema. Ds has no allergies we know of.

Is it the standard e45 cream or the eczema repair one as we’ve found the normal one does nothing but eczema repair is brilliant. Oat baths also help

Oh ditch the washing stuff you’re using and change to surcare that also made a huge difference to us, fairy aggravated it every time

I agree with pp. Ditch the fairy and Comfort, and go for Surcare, made a big difference for my DD. Wash their towels and bedding in it as soon as you get it.
As many cotton, or high percentage cotton, clothes and bedding as possible. Bedding is so important as they spend a long time in there !
Anti allergy pillows and duvet, hoover the mattress periodically.

The only thing that works for my DD is a steroid cream to get control of it. Daktocourt hydrocortisone (sp). You can get it over the counter as athletes foot cream but they'll want a prescription if it's for a child. Would also recommend allergy testing, may have to go private for that I've never found d a GP particularly helpful with eczema

Thank you! Will try the surcare and get a GP appt booked

Ask GP for hydrocortisone.

Epaderm is good for bathtime - stops the water making the eczema itch, but won't actually make it better.

Diprobase is adecent moisturiser for eczema - we found aveeno products too "wet" if that makes sense. More oil needed. But it has to be little and often we find.

Try to keep it cool/dry. Sweat is a terrible irritant on eczema. So make sure you have cotton sheets and pjs. Use a non-bio detergent and give the sheets and extra rinse after the cycle to make sure you've got minimal detergent residue. during the day you want to keep it covered by cotton clothes as much as possible in this weather. Hoover as often as you can manage, incuding matress and sofa (it's a bugger!)

Good luck OP! I've had eczema all my life and one of my DC has it too. Some adjustments needed but it's not too bad.

Try Ecover non-bio....worked with my 2 that had excema.