12 Year Old Son with Severe Psoraisis on His Head

Often "psoriasis" isn't. Dr. Cather is a dermatologist in Dallas (75 & Park) who has written articles on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. She's great with kids. If it really is psoriasis, it can respond to low doses of methotrexate (weekly injection). It's important to know, because psoriasis can eventually turn into psoriatic arthritis, which is often difficult for doctors to diagnose (and which can have unexpected symptoms, such as iritable bowel or bladder problems). Try doing some research through the National Psoriasis Foundation http://www.psoriasis.org/treatment/psa/ which might help you tell whether it's really psoriasis and which also describes different treatments. Good luck! I have PA.

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K.,
Psoraisis is a terrible skin disorder and I recommend that you take him to a Board Cert. Dermat. for an examination (if you have not already). There are several things that are available, some that are outrageous in cost and others that are manageable. As a final note, I found that restricting acid foods (sodas, sugar, red meat, etc.) helped me, as well as using the tar products available at any store. The next time you are on the web, go to Edgar Cayce's website and search remedies for psoraisis. There is also books available with certain types of teas that are very good for stopping the iching. You can find them on Amazon.com.
Good-luck!
Stella

You can try mineral oil.

I recommend Dermarest - Psoriasis shampoo plus conditioner - this stuff is AWESOME! you can get it at walgreens/cvs etc.

I have had psoriasis since I was 4 (that's 35 years!). I know just about everything there is to know-or at least everything I can learn from books, the internet and my doctor.

Psoriasis is just a symptom of inflammation that is ocurring inside his body. It's not just a skin disease. It can lead to diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, etc.

Try Dr. Jennifer Cather in Dallas. She is just the best I've ever seen, and I've seen alot of doctors about my psoriasis.

She can give you other treatment options. Hope this helps!

You may want to got to a health food store and talk to them about natural products that may help. I love the one in Mckinney called Mike's Health Collection, or it may be called the Health Connection or Collection. You can google it.

Blessings,

L.

You may have already tried these common remedies, but try T-Gel shampoo (sold at the grocery or drug store), rubbing the inside of a banana peel on the affected area and/or taking supplements of flax seed oil and/or Vitamin B Stress complex pills. My husband's dermatologist also recommended that getting sun on the affected area helps (perhaps just 20 minutes outside). Good luck!

Daily doses of Lecithin works really well. My nephew had very bad plaque on his head. The lecithin needs to be taken daily. It's not harmful at all. There are no side effects either. You will notice, when you stop taking the lecithin, that the plaque comes back. Hope this helps.

It could be associated with his diet. I also have a child on the Spectrum (autism) and we all turned out to have Celiac Disease. Once diet was changed all weird rashes went away - behaviors associated with Autism ceased and life is so much better.

Please do some research on Celiac Disease for your children's sake.

R.

Have his tested for both gluten and celiac. You need to do the blood testing AND the stool testing as they both reveal different things. Enterolab, here in Dallas does the stool testing. The blood tests you need are anti-gliadin antibody, atni-endomysial antibody and anti- transghrtamase ( sp?). antibody. I recently found I'm gluten intolerant ( basically my body cannot process wheat) I've had eczema since I was a baby ( I'm 52 now) and after being gluten free for three weeks,my eczema is gone, completely gone. My dermatologist and my gyn both suspected gluten intolerance but you can see from my age, it took years for any physician to come up with this. I'd used pretty much every drug, ointment, home remedy you can imagine. They all work, for awhile. However these skin disorders are signs of an internal disorder.

It is important to test for this as if your child does have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, it can take years and years to get to a point where the symptoms are bad enough to do something about and then you may be on a path to colon disorders or worse. Meanwhile your whole digestive tract is growing more and more unhealthy. This is generally inherited and I now realize my mom had it and it led to colon cancer. I have an 11 year son old that I've kept gluten free since he was 6. It is not hard at all. There are tons of gluten free products. Good luck.

I have had psoriasis since I was 13 and it began on my scalp and Dovonex is a prescription medicine that is clear and odorless and non greasy and you can use it anytime. Ask his dermatologist about it. A little bit of sun now and then helps also and ask the pharmacist to order you some Medidan shampoo. $18.00 for a pint but darn well worth it. Good luck with it.

I had a friend who had Psoriasis all over and the best regimine for her was to tan in a tanning bed...it was suggested by the Dr,they even had a bed at the Dr. office or clinic...not sure which one.

I have heard make a paste with oatmeal. Buy him herbal shampoo, most doctors give too harsh and it continues to spread.

K., I am 39 and have suffered from scalp psoriasis since I was about 9. You are very lucky that one of the most renowned psoriasis doctors resides right here in Big D. His name is Dr. Alan Menter at Texas Dermatology. Several people have mentioned Jennifer Cather, and if Dr. Menter isn't taking new patients, definitely go to her. I believe she is still in his practice, but I know she worked with him for years. They are located down at Baylor Hospital in Dallas - in a satellite office - not the main hospital. There is also Dr. Abromavitz in that office as well. But Dr. Menter is the guru. He is on the cutting edge of research in psoriasis.

The good & bad of having it on the scalp is that it is semi-hidden, except you can't wear black very well! But if that's the main place he is affected, then you are limited in treatment options. What works for the rest of the body (light treatments, ointments, etc.) is tougher to apply to the scalp. I find that a good tub of Tar Pomade (created by Dr. Menter - is in their pharmacy) along with gel Temovate seem to work best for me.

I feel for your son, but you can get it under manageable control. Just go see one of these doctors and they will get him on a regimen that will hopefully quiet the inflammation!

Good luck!
M.

I wonder if he could be having food allergy issues. Also, I use Aveeno shampoo/soap for my daughter and it seems to help.