NOW CLOSED Do you have a child with eczema? Do you/does your dp/h have eczema? Share your top tips on managing eczema and you could win a sample of Cetraben® lotion!

[AnnMumsnet]

We have been asked by the team at Genus Pharmaceuticals (Genus) to find out how you currently manage your child's eczema on a daily basis. Or if you have or your dp/h has eczema, how you/they cope with it. Please share on this thread advice you might give to other parents/people to help manage the condition effectively and keep skin free from eczema.

Genus says "we have recently launched our new Cetraben® lotion, which offers an effective and cosmetically acceptable leave-on emollient for everyday use to manage dry skin or eczema and prevent redness or flares".

Share your thoughts and advice on this discussion thread and 50 MNers will receive FREE samples of Cetraben® lotion, worth £9.64 (RRP).

~ What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes?

~ What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need?

~ Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here?

~ Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy?

~ What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment?

~ For example, how to and how often to apply, how much treatment to use, when to increase/decrease amount of treatment, how to recognise and treat bacterial infection/flare-ups

~ If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema?

Find out more about Genus's full Cetraben® range at www.cetraben.co.uk.

Add your comment to this thread and MN will select 50 posters at random to receive a free 500ml and 200ml pump dispenser of Cetraben® lotion. If you are selected you will be messaged by MNHQ and asked to provide your details.

Thanks for getting involved!

MNHQ

Always use cream daily even when skin looking good to prevent it creeping back and only use bubbles in the bath as a treat

Currently using hydromol, aveeno and eumovate for my 2 year old. Cutting out all dairy made a radical difference, after months of infections and whole body eczema. Main advice is to push for a referral to dermatology. Our GP was handing out steroids like they were going out of fashion, with no advice on application or weaning off. Consultant and specialist nurse have been amazing.

And when we cut out dairy our GP suggested 1 week. Consultant said minimum of 4 weeks, and it took 5. But then was remarkable.

~ What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes?

I get eczema, mainly on my hands, but also random patches on my arms and legs. I have had it for the last 12 years or so, but it does seem to be getting worse... I tend to use a very good handcream (e.g. L'Occitane), and have used Cetraben in the past when it was prescribed - it is very good!

~ What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need?

Because my hands are "in use" during the day, I tend to use emollient before I go to bed at night. I apply steroid cream first, to the patches, then wait a while (20 minutes or so) before applying emollient. I also keep some in my desk drawer at work. The trick is to use it when you are not likely to be washing your hands for a while.

~ Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here?

N/A

~ Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy?

Not really

~ What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment?

Just given steroid cream and emollient, no other support.

~ For example, how to and how often to apply, how much treatment to use, when to increase/decrease amount of treatment, how to recognise and treat bacterial infection/flare-ups

Nope...

~ If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema?

N/A

My 14 mth old has developed eczema on her arms, torso, neck and face in the last 7 or 8 months. GP prescribed Hydromol bath lotion (didn't seem to make a difference) and ointment after Diprobase didn't really help. Hydrocortisone for any flare ups. I was given a print-off from a website about eczema but wasn't really told how to use the hydrocortisone effectively and safely. Should've asked more questions really.

I use oats in a sock in the bath - really gentle and silky smooth for my dd. No bubbles or soaps at all in the bath - fortunately, she's still very bald, so no shampoo worries yet!

When I asked GP about possibility of dairy intolerance (eczema started along side weaning from bf) she shook her head in a kind of tut-tut-you've-been-asking-Dr-Google kind of way and I still haven't followed it up. She also told me not to bother changing my washing powder (was using Method). I ignored that advice and changed to Fairy.

I use lanolin on her face before each meal which seems to help and, before a flare up really gets going, if I get there on time, I find Tiddly Pom nappy balm (yes, I know it's for nappy rash really) is very effective.

DS 18 months has eczema but I'm still getting to grips with it and have no idea what's co tributary to flare-ups. Currently I'm experimenting with goats milk which he seems to like at least. I had been using aqueous cream and was horrified to learn what I wasn't supposed to do this so am open to finding out the best creams etc for his skin

I have eczema and DS shows signs of it. Neither of us has it badly and it's mainly contact allergies (grass, surface cleaners, all base metals, carex for me, not sure for DS yet except for stage make up , but I have always used persil non-players and any deviation from that leaves everyone itching)

Aqueous cream stings like hell and makes it worse, for both of us. I have hydrocortisone scalp ointment and mild hydrocortisone when occasionally needed elsewhere. Other than that I buy colloidal oatmeal cream when in the US (so much cheaper) , and use it as make up remover too. I have never bothered pursuing getting anything else on prescription TBH.

What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes?

Diprobase cream and oilatum soap and shower gel

What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need?

Only use it when there is a flare up

Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here?

Had the first one on prescription it lasts so long I bought the last one rather than go back to the GP

Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy?

No

What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment?

Don't overdo the cows milk is all they've said

If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema?

If its something that comes and goes like ds then we have found using nonbiological washing detergent. cutting down on cows milk and substituting it for goats (still lactose but not so much) and using eczema specific bathroom products seems to help

I started using AVEENO in the summer on my 2yr old dd with eczema and within weeks all of the eczema patches had cleared up completely. She is still free from eczema, but we moisturise daily with the magical AVEENO cream to keep it away!

Can't recommend AVEENO highly enough.

~ What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes?

Paraffin oil, E45 shower gel.

~ What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need?

Bucket loads! Apply every night, too messy for morning.

~ Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here?

No. Eczema all over the body and supplied with measly 50ml tubes.

~ Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy?

No.

~ What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment?

None, read the instructions though.

~ If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema?

If it gets very bad, cover with bandages soaked in cream so that the eczema can't be scratched and it's being treated the same time... This may not go down well!

My 5mo DD is just starting to get this. I noticed her skin getting rougher when I reintroduced dairy at 14 weeks, and it's just been getting worse. I've just cut the dairy again (still ebf) but 2 weeks later it's still worsening. Think I need a trip to the doctors next...
I use E45 after her bath. Enjoying reading all these other tips here

Me and DS have eczema, but not too badly.
He only has a couple of tiny patches on his arms at the moment. It gets better when we use zerobase multiple times a day but doesn't ever fully clear. I've not tried steroid cream on him yet as the tiny patches don't seem to bother him much.
I only bathe him every other day and use E45 wash.

My DD had horrendous eczema as a baby/toddler. As long as we follow all the 'tips' below we can keep it in check.

Wash all clothes, bedding and towels in Indian soap nuts.
Wear specialised PJs from cotton comfort.
A handful of organic porridge placed in one leg of 'tights' and use in all bath water and also to wash herself.
Organic aloe Vera lotion on her skin twice daily.
No dairy.
No processed foods.
Low sugar.

I'm having good results with double base as a general moisturiser, oilatum in the bath and Elocon (steroid) though I think may now be resistant to the steroids after using them intermittently for 38years :/

We usually use epaderm on prescription, found it far less greasy than the genetic 50:50 lotion. We were recently prescribed a new emolient Cetraban but it didn't react well to ds skin and made him red and itchy. We also have steroid cream in 2 strengths to use during flare ups, these settle things q quickly but I use as last resort. Flare ups usually caused by stress, illness, fabric conditioner or bio washing powder. When at its worst we use oilatum bath oil and but it does make h hair v greasy.

We were given general advice,and told only to bathe every second day as it strips skins natural oils and to put a thick layer of paraffin based emolient I.e epaderm or 50:50 on the worst areas before bathing or swimming. I figured out wet bandaging worked myself by copying principles I'd seen working in a burns unit when his knees were cracked and bleeding! I also use kids piriton to stop the night scratching and waking crying due to sore itchy skin.

My top tips are; use your pharmacist they often know more about what creams etc Work than doctors and you can make an appointment for advice and they can prescribe certain things free of charge if you / child doesn't pay prescription charges. And if you're away somewhere and child had a flare up And you don't want to go to doctors to get a steroid prescribed, many bite and sing relief creams have 1 percent steroid as their active ingredient, the first level given for excema.

I've had eczema my whole life. Top tips for now: don't use fabric conditioner at all and avoid shampoos and shower gel etc which contain SLS or SLES.

Me & my daughter have excema,
She was prescribed oilatum bath oil only, but to that list add sensitive washing powder, soap/shampoo that is completely natural with no nasty chemicals in as these immediately cause flare ups. I use oil or a natural emollient on her skin
As for me the same as for my daughter but I have scalp issues, nothing is working there, I tried nizoral, neutrogena, oilatum, to no effect. My gp would not listen the last time I went about this and said there was nothing wrong, but I am now at the point it's unbearably sore, itchy and inflamed so I will have to go back and try and get some help.
For my skin I have been using oilatum wash but this helps only a little, for after a shower I use oil or a natural moisturiser and a strong steroid cream on bad days. But I'm willing to try anything because it's awful to live with.
I have also switched to soya milk etc in an effort to minimise the excema but that I don't think is working either.

The only things that truly heal my skin is sea water, sunshine and water that's not chemically treated (using water that's filtered or rainwater) but sadly I can't live this lifestyle!

• don't let your child drink too much milk.
• make sure you've got the best washing powder for YOUR child's skin, not what the labels say, and not what the health visitor says. We use Bold. Fairy made him worse.
• you can get most emollients on prescription if your child has eczema. Ask to see a specialist and don't buy anything. Certainly Cetraben is available on prescription, we use it.

I've had mainly mild eczema on and off most of my life. No formal diagnosis but it tends to flare this time of year (tree pollens?) and again in Autumn. Medical guidance mainly about importance of emollients, finding a suitable one and using it lots. There seems to be a definite hormonal link and also seems to be set off by citrus fruits and fruit juices, tomatoes, grapes, wine, rhubarb. I use unperfumed, non-bio detergent for clothes, no fabric conditioner. I also give an extra rinse, use less detergent than specified and we have a water softener.
For my skin, Aveeno works well and flares are so far easily dealt with using hydrocortisone ointment. E45, Balneum, Oilatum and esp aqueous cream have irritated the eczema, so I avoid. Perfumed cosmetics and lotions are a no-no and I find lots of 'natural' cosmetics, lotions etc also upset my skin. I have to avoid swimming in chlorinated water , which is probably what I resent most as I love swimming but live rather far from the sea! Swimming in sea seems to do it good, whenever I get the chance.
For children with severe eczema or which isn't responding to therapy, I would really recommend trying to get a specialist referral, particularly if foods are suspected to be a problem. NICE guidance here. Much childhood eczema is not food allergy related but a proportion is, and it is important to have a proper diagnosis, so that the allergenic food can be avoided, if food allergy is involved. Equally, a proper diagnosis will reduce the risk of unnecessarily removing important food groups from a child's diet.

DS (6) has eczema:

~ What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes?

Dermol 600 in bath, Dermol 500 as soap substitute, hydrous or 50/50 emollient, hydrocortisone 1% ointment , Eumovate ointment, Fucibet or Fucidin H on infected areas.

~ What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need?
Emollient (hydrous or 50/50) 2-4 times day, bath in Dermol 600 with Dermol 500 soap substitute once a day, hydrocortisone 1% or Eumovate ointment 1-2 times a day depending on severity of bad patches/flare ups, Fucibet or Fucidin H on infected areas 1-2 times a day (only when infected, which is sadly quite often).

~ Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here?

Yes

~ Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy?

Yes (when he was younger we used to use emollients 5 times a day as his eczema was so bad)

~ What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment?

~ For example, how to and how often to apply, how much treatment to use, when to increase/decrease amount of treatment, how to recognise and treat bacterial infection/flare-ups

GPs were all useless sadly but had excellent advice from Paediatric Dermatology Nurse eg how much steroid ointment to use when eczema flares (and not to be afraid of using it despite dire warnings from GPs), turn off radiator in bedroom, expect eczema to flare up when child is ill, use Fucibet at first sign of infected eczema/impetigo, allow steroid ointment to soak in for 20mins before applying emollient, bath everyday to avoid infection, never use any form of soap or shampoo, avoid contact with anyone with cold sores due to possible complications (eczema herpeticum), distraction techniques to prevent scratching while changing/bathing etc.

~ If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema?

See above plus: use unperfumed non-bio washing powder/liquid (no softener) such as Surcare and extra rinse cycle; stick to cotton clothing, bedding etc as much as possible; turn off radiator in bedroom (even in winter) and place cup of water in bedroom on shelf to prevent air from drying out; use scratch mitts or socks on child's hands to prevent scratching (even when in the bath); when eczema is severe and really itchy, antihistamine medicine eg Piriton can help; apply emollient as much as possible, up to 5 times a day if you can; finding a suncream that doesn't affect your child's eczema can be very tricky and involves a lot of trial and error (we use Sunsense Sensitive 50+ from Australian company).

One more piece of advice, don't be surprised if the elastic in your child's clothes or the rubber seal on your washing machine seems to perish very quickly as this is due to the eczema creams and is a total pain in the backside! I have to buy new pyjamas every few weeks!

Dd2 has ezcema. She started to get it at about 5 months. Started with a tiny round patch on her leg which I thought was ringworm! It got worse so off to the docs we went and we came back with some oilatum which I didn't like. We were then prescribed Aveeno cream and bath oil, and a md steroid. It got worse and spread to the common 'crease' places like elbows, knees and her neck. Her neck was the worst in fact and was a very common flare area for us. She went through periods of bad flare ups which I put down to weaning as she tried new tastes. At her worst her neck was dark red, weeping and leathery looking. She looked like she had been hung (well, what I imagine it would loo like!). It was treated with oral antibiotics, anti fungal cream and stronger steroid cream. Finally it went away but it took a good long time to treat so I echo the advice to not be scared of steroids. If we stopped or forgot it soon slipped back and went bad again.

Dd2 is now 21 months and thankfully, it is all but gone. She still has a tendency for dry skin, so I still use Aveeno in the bath and will apply Aveeno cream but not every day. She gets flare ups, mostly exhibited by her scratching what is obviously itchy skin if she is under the weather or teething.

Meant to add, we use Ecover powder for washing and have seen problems of she wears something ha that has been washed in bio (MIL!)

I have asthma and all three my children has/had eczema, with my oldest the worst but thankfully clear since aged 2. The middle one still has it.

We do not have a set regimen, but I avoid soaps in her bath, and use oilatum, on prescription. She's also on an antihistamine prescription because as the weather warms up she reacts to as yet not known things that are around & definitely to her own sweat :-(

Sorry don't have time to answer all questions but really just wanted to post to say that I learned almost everything about managing my kids' eczema from parents. For the first 8 weeks of dd1's life her hideous eczema was completely missed by all the health visitors & GP's we saw. When she was eventualy diagnosed there was an almost hysterical emphasis on the possible negative effects of steriod cream overuse. Until one sensible GP finally told me that not using the creams in the correct quantities are useless and probably also harmful.

I don't want to rant here but just wanted to post as my life as a new mum with my DD1 was hell for the first 3months because of the missed diagnosis, and mismanagement of her eczema with all manner of repercussions not appropriate to discuss on here. So I'm always drawn to any attempts to improve things for eczema sufferers.

I'm just back from the GP today and have been given 1% hydrocortisone, oilatium for the bath and advised to use E45 when the steroid has cleared it up.

Use the steroid twice a day for a week to ten days.

DD is 5.5 months. I only showed her the tummy eczema as its the worst but she's also got it on the back of her knees and her ankles too - any idea from anyone whether I should use it in the other locations too?

sorry wanted to add:
also eventually hit upon aveeno bath cream and then moisturising lotion as best for dd1. none of the prescribed emollients really penetrated in the same way.

however dd2 did not respond well to aveeno but actually the 50/50 works for her, mostly. difficult when it's hot though!!

we also have to steer clear of sunsense suncream, which works for the other two. (other suncreams cause reactions).