Baby eczema keeps coming back

[HiMyNamesLee]

LO is 5.5 months and had eczema all over his body (except face, neck, hands & under nappy). This eczema doesnt itch (he has never scratched it) and is just like a red rash, not weeping. It doesn’t bother him at all, but it was all over his body. We tried hydrocortisone 1% which didn’t really do much, so then were given Eumovate which cleared it all up in 2-3 days. Since then I’ve just been using Epaderm 3-4 times a day all over but it’s coming back in places! So I’ve tried applying the Eumovate to these patches and it clears it up within a day but then it comes back again!

I don’t want to overuse steroids - does anyone have any advice? He is EBF and I have cut out dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, citrus, chocolate, sesame, gluten & corn temporarily to see if it helps (it hasn’t). Using Surcare to wash clothes plus an extra rinse cycle. Bathing twice a week with lukewarm water and coconut oil in the bath, no other soaps/products. We have been referred so waiting for the appointment to come through

If you are going down the allergy route I would avoid any food products as creams. Detailed food diaries and with flare ups and any other symptoms.
My daughter has multiple food allergies too and I learn through the diaries that she was hard to keep occupied after an allergen. There were a few other behavioural clues that I wouldn't have known about without the very detailed diary covering all of her day

It should be safe to use eumovate twice weekly as a maintenance treatment long term even in young children. The British Association of Dermatology eczema guidelines suggest this.
The usual pattern would be once daily for flares for up to 7 days and then reduce to alternate days and then twice weekly.
avoid soap as you are doing. QV gentle wash is a good soap substitute which is available on prescription in most places.
loads of moisturiser as that will reduce your overall steroid consumption.

My son had eczema and the only thing that really helped was Elidel cream. His was only on his cheeks and was very dry skin that looked like a burn, but no pain/itching.

I can’t remember how often we were using it initially, I want to say every other day for a couple of months. Then the maintenance dose is twice a week, but we adjust that based on how it looks. Now it’s going into winter we’re on 3 times a week.

We also use QV cream on his eczema 2-3 times a day. In the bath, we use QV wash on his body and Child's Farm fragrance free shampoo (twice a week).