Ask our La Roche-Posay expert your questions about eczema in babies and children - £200 voucher to be won

[GraceEMumsnet]

Created for La Roche Posay

Baby and childhood eczema can cause distress to both children and parents, especially in winter. Whether you have questions on how often to bathe a child with eczema, or how to deal with the condition during the colder months, Dr Catherine Borysiewicz, Consultant Dermatologist, is on hand to answer all of your questions.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw.
  
• One lucky Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher.
  
• Dr Catherine Borysiewicz will be back online to answer a selection of your questions.
  

About Dr Catherine Borysiewicz:

“Dr Catherine Borysiewicz studied medicine at Cambridge University and clinical medicine at University College London. She carried out medical and surgical training at a number of prestigious central London teaching hospitals. Today, she consults privately in central London and Surrey where she specialises in inflammatory skin diseases including eczema, acne and psoriasis and sun damage and skin cancers. Dr Catherine has been working with La Roche Posay to support children with eczema - a condition she reflects with personal experience of managing with her two children”

Here’s what La Roche Posay has to say:

“Eczema is quite a common skin condition in the UK, with 1 out of 5 children suffering from it. At La Roche-Posay, we understand how it can impact the quality of life of your little ones and thus, of the whole family. That's why we're delighted to give Mumsnet users the opportunity to ask all their questions about eczema to Consultant Dermatologist Dr Catherine. As the mother of children who suffered from eczema, Dr Catherine will be able to provide you with expert advice as well as practical tips on how to keep your little one’s skin under control, for the whole family to enjoy a happier life.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

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[BristolMum96]

My child has suffered with severe eczema since birth. They were diagnosed with arthritis aged 3. Is there any link between these? I get mixed answers online and via the hospital staff.

[Cocoandcleo]

My baby (almost 1) gets (fairly mild) eczema on his legs, it's worse in dry weather. His skin feels quite rough. He has been prescribed Zeroderm but it's very greasy. Is there anything else I could apply instead? Thanks!

[SnowyMouse]

What is the best cream to wash with, and to leave on?

[AudTheDeepMinded]

My two eldest children both had eczema as babies and toddlers and have outgrown it (it was always exacerbated by soap). My youngest child was not afflicted when small but now (aged 6) has incredibly rough arms covered in very small round bumps. Is this also eczema? It does not respond to creams.

[TabithaTittlemouse]

My youngest had awful eczema (one sibling also has it but not so problematic) and we were advised to cut out dairy. I wondered about the connection between diet and eczema?

Also I get what the doctor calls stress eczema. I take medication for my anxiety but wondered if people are often prescribed medication (anxiety meds or anything else) to help with their eczema?

[nina26]

Hello,

Is there a connection between pollution and eczema? My son has is asthmatic, which is triggered by air quality levels but I have also noticed a correlation with his eczema. Thank you

[Cotswoldmama]

I hoped that my son would have grown out of eczema by now as he's 9 but it seems like it's never going to go. We had previously been prescribed 1% hydrocortisone on an on going prescription and until last year that seemed to just about keep it at bay. Then he had flare up after flare up and we got prescribed Eumovate, which has been amazing. We've been using it for about 3 months now slowly easing off of it using it less often. The aim is to only have to use it at weekends. My question is is it safe to use it long term if we do manage to only use it sparingly and hopefully only weekly? It's worked so well I'm afraid if we stop he's going to be back to having bleeding skin again.

[Asuwere]

Is it best to reduce the number of baths or are baths with emollient good for the skin?

[sharond101]

How should I wash excema prone skin?

[sophs29]

Hello, my DS has quite severe eczema, cetraben makes it worse, the only cream that helps is sudocrem. Does that mean that all the other creams/emollients that you can purchase will have the same result as the cetraben or are they made slightly different and it's just trial and error?
Thank you!

[StirredWithATwist]

Are there many benefits of having an oat bag in the bath and using it over the skin, or is it woo?

[Terriblecreature]

My little boy is almost 35 months. Never bothered before by eczema. About 2 weeks ago I noticed a rash on his back only. Mostly the top. Round rough patches. About the size of a 5p and there was a few of them. Took him to the doctor they said eczema. Could this be the case considering he hasn't had eczema prior?

[Atl2018]

My daughter has eczema. Her arms are always rough and her tummy has gotten much worse recently. How often should we give her a bath? We used to use Oilatum in the bath (we got it on prescription) it didn't make difference. Cetraben and Zerobase also don't make much difference. She says it is itchy mainly at bedtime. What else can we try? E45 is the same outcome as the others.

Also does eczema lead to psoriasis later in life?
Thanks

[WaterBottle2]

My little boy has just started to get eczema on his cheeks (it seemed to follow getting a cold) is there anything we can do to help with this? We use cream three times a day and try to clean his face with a flannel when he needs his face wiping. Thanks.

[Dizzywizz]

I read that children should have nothing in the bath as it might cause a flare up. What about essential oils? I use them a lot and wondered if something gentle like lavender could help.

[EvaLothar11]

My daughter age 3 was prescribed Doublebase which is OK, before that I used sudocreme but it was very thick and not the easiest cream to apply but it was good. I would like to know if there is anything I could use as an alternative soap, at the moment I don't use any bubble baths or soaps and even a very mild shampoo seems to irritate my daughter. I've heard of oat baths but how affective are these really?
Also it would be interesting to know if diet or specific food groups play a part in flare - ups.

[OogieBoogiePoinsettiaPlant]

I have bathed my child in just warm water with no soaps in it and he still scratches his belly. We live in a hard water area, could that be making him itchy? Or could it be the temperature of the water? (I use a baby bath thermometer to check the temperature is ok)

[CliveThighs]

My dd has patches of eczema on her inner elbows, we've tried endless creams including steroids, etc but nothing has ever totally cleared it. What would you suggest?

[SainteCroissante]

I've read that eczema/atopic dermatitis sometimes correlates to an imbalance of the skin's microbiome, i.e. colonization of the skin by Staph aureus bacteria. Are antimicrobial washes (like Dermol, or bleach baths) effective against staph bacteria, and recommended for infants with eczema, or would they do more harm than good to a baby's skin?

[DinkyDaffodil]

what do you recommend for night clothes - it's the worst time for us with the creams and dressings. babygrow or vest

[Apple40]

My daughters eczema is worse in winter on her inner elbow, it looks red and sore what can I use on it? Most aqueous creams don’t make a difference. Why is it worse in winter ?

[Sundayschild20]

I suffered with eczema in childhood and into adulthood. Now I am expecting a baby and worry about them also developing sensitive skin. Are there any products you could recommend to care for their skin as a newborn which will not aggravate? Many thanks.

[TheDeckchairGardener]

I read somewhere that probiotics (taken orally) can help to alleviate eczema. Do you know whether there is any truth in that?

Thanks.

[PigeonLittle]

My son licks his lips a lot in winter and the skin around his mouth can get red raw. Do you have any recommendations?

[kagerou]

My baby (now 6 months) has been seeing the Dr for her eczema since she was just 8 weeks. We get it under control with steroid creams then as soon as the course is finished it seems to flair up again within a few days!

We use Zeroderm for maintenance but it doesn't seem to do much and im worried about constantly relying on medicated creams. Is there anything else that can be used in between flair ups to prevent them?