6 Mo. Old with Bad Exzema?

Hi C.,

My daughter, who will be 2 in 2 weeks, has had the same thing. I asked her Dr. what I should do for it and he said that I could try putting a little Neosporin on it. It does help, but I found that I could only put it on her after she was asleep because she would wipe it off if she knew it was there. Also, I haven't tried it yet, but I know that Bag Balm helps with a lot of issues like this. Good luck, I know how frustrating it is to see something on your sweet baby and not know what to do for them!

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Eczema can be caused by many things often involving immuno-suppression of some kind. Definitely look into the dietary issue as well as the chemicals you all are confronted with on a daily basis. Look into switching what you use on your laundry. Free & clear detergent is an option but still has many chemicals in it that can aggravate the problem. We use soap nuts which are a great natural alternative for washing clothes. Here's a link if you want to find out more about them: http://www.buysoapnuts.com/
Often, eczema can also be related to having too much acidity in the body. Diseases of all kinds flourish in an acidic environment and balancing the body's Ph level will help in many areas. What we have found great success with for our daughter's eczema is for her to wear a hazelwood necklace. Apparently hazelwood has the natural property of absorbing the body's excess acidity when it touches the skin. My friend told me it radically helped her baby's acid reflux to the point where she was able to take him off his Zantac, so we decided to give it a try with our then 3 month old daughter who was covered in eczema . Within 2 weeks of my little one wearing the necklace, her eczema had pretty much completely gone away, and it has stayed away since then (it’s been over a year now). The crazy part: When I take off her necklace or if it stops working (the wood can only absorb so much acid before it needs to be replaced) her eczema comes right back! So, needless to say, we are convinced of their effectiveness! You can look into them at www.hazelaid.com
So I would look into making some of these changes and perhaps also go to cafemom or another forum like that; I know they have groups for kids with eczema & food allergies and they have tons of experience and helpful suggestions. Good luck!

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We have had GREAT success with CeraVe cream available at Walgreens. Our pediatrician suggested this after we tried a number of other creams that did not do much to improve our son's skin condition. Ask your doctor if it is OK to use on your 6 month old. We started using it at about 18 months.

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My daughter also had it pretty bad when she was a baby. I started a ritual for her, and still do it today- I bathe her using Cetaphil cleanser and then just before she is totally dry I load her whole body and face down with Cetaphil cream (the one in the tub) and it seems to really do the trick. You can buy both at Costco, the best deal. For the really stubborn patches I used a steroid cream prescribed by our allergist (Michael Osborne). That is really good stuff. The hydrocortisone is a must to have around when it seems to bother her, for itching. It really is mild (1%) and really helps. I still use all above today and she is growing out of it. But watch out, this could mean other forms of allergies to come.. mine has now developed asthma- but only when she comes down with a virus. Good luck, I know how hard it is to see your sweet baby covered in these patches, with these steps she will be in better shape!

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it's possible that she has some kind of allergy. my daughter had eczema when she was a baby. it didn't bother her at all but we could never get rid of it. (her ped thought it was a yeast infection.) after a few months of no success, we went to an allergist and found out that she had dairy and egg allergies. once we cut those from her diet, the eczema went away. thankfully, she eventually grew out of her allergies and is now eating anything she wants. she still tends to have drier skin so it's possible that she still has eczema but it doesn't flare up. i've heard that it can make a nasty comeback during puberty.

so anyway, i would get her checked for allergies. i think it's also possible to just have eczema but wouldn't it be great if you could avoid it? also some people have had success switching to a scent-free laundry detergent.

good luck!

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The hydrocortizone cream is not too strong for your child. Make sure you put it on very lightly. Watch out for direct sunlight if you are putting it on her face.

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Look into the Burt's Bees salves. There are several different kinds. Some are more gentle than others. Read the labels so you know what you are getting. We have used the Hand Salves, the lip balm, (on my daughters face) Neosporin sometimes helps..get the lipbalm so if she gets it on her hands it won't hurt her. But you can do that right after bath and it will mostly just soak in, which is what you want. After you put the Neosporin balm on, put a little lotion on each spot and rub it in until its completely in but the skin should still be a little damp. No scrubbing, use luke warm, not cold or hot. Let skin air dry. Pat dry only to remove the water that runs. If it is sitting let it stay there. . Switch to dye-free laundry detergent. Use scentless wipes, dye free too. Sometimes soaking a cloth in some vinager helps..make sure you dilute it a lot! Try to avoid Red dye number #40, and most of them actually aren't very good for the skin. Keep her in whatever she is comfortable in, but try to avoid acrylic or fleece unless you have something underneath it to shield the skin.

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Have you tried bathing her in Aveeno's colloidal oatmeal bath powder? That seems to help a lot with exzema. Also, don't know if she's on solids, but you might try not feeding her any citrus fruits. My sister had really bad exzema as a child and couldn't eat tomatoes or oranges or she would break out really badly. Some of the baby food (like peaches) has citric acid added, so you might want to avoid those fruits for now.

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Wow what a response!! My sons and husband all have eczema. We have tried many of the things suggested. My boys do not like the greasiness of aquaphor or eucerin. The problems I found with the hydrocortisone is that it would clear up the problem up but when we stopped it would be 10X more worse. I also know that the Aveeno oatmeal bath could also make it worse b/c you don't know if she is allergic to oats.

It is true that eczema can be an allergy to something. Your skin also absorbs alot more than you would think which in turn affects you. Our family has switched to goats milk soap and lotion. It helps alot, smells good and doesn't have that greasy feel. Plus it's natural and gentle on the skin. We use Windrift products. They have a website...www.windrift.com. It has worked miracles for our family.

I also suggest changing detergents. We use Kirkland from costco. It might be coming from her rubbing her face on your clothes, the sheets, blankets, etc.

Anyway, good luck. Once you find a way to go, it usually is smooth sailing b/c you know what to expect and what to do!!

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I just read the other day how coconut oil is great for exzema. Just massage the oil on. It is supposed to be great for many things.

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It could be diet, my daughter is gluten intolerant and was this way. It can be her diet if she is eating or yours if you are breast feeding. This can also be other than gluten. Maybe dairy or other foods.

Good luck,
H

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I use the 1 percent hydrocortzone cream on my toddler.. while she has a bad out break until it goes away.. I also use cetphil lotion or either aquafor lotion.. daily.. It seems to really help.. Then my older daughter has exzema so bad that I half to use prescrption and lotion.. So I would try the hydrocortizone cream first.. The hydrocortizone cream will help with the itch part of exzema.
Best of luck..
L.

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My son has had eczema since he was born. I tried all the creams that the doctors prescribe for you...they were too harsh or just didn't work. What worked for us was simple oatmeal baths (you can make this yourself) and some Johnson and Johnson Shea & Cocoa Butter lotion. So far, so good. Things that I was sure to avoid was any kind of bath soap that had too many dyes in it. Also, check the kind of soap you are using...the more natural, the better on the skin. Some foods can also cause the eczema to worsen. My son and I found out it was too much gluten. We didn't cut it out completely, but have lessened the amount he gets. Haven't had much of a problem. Hope this helps.

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Check for food allergies - the most common is milk. Cut it out for a few days, then see what happens. Also, like some of the earlier emails gave great advice about switching laundry soaps and other things to see what allergy it could be - or you could just take him to an allergist.

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Looks like you have some good responses so far so I will just add a couple of things. My 13 month old son also has bad exzema. Our doctor actually perscribed a 2% hydrocortizone which helps SO much but we try to only use it when things get really bad. Also limit your daughters time in the bath and don't use soap on her face. The other thing that has helped my son A LOT is putting vitamin E oil on the dry skin, especially before getting in the bath. I get it at Trader Joes. Hope it gets better soon!

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My Son has it too and my dermatoligist recommended 'cetaphil' lotions and cleanser. I got mine at costco. not sure where else to get it.. but it works. its completely fragrance free, no chemicals or anything. avenno never worked because of the chemicals they put in it. but try this.. it really helped my son.you may need to see a dermatoligist they also have cream by perscription for this.

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I have very very bad exczema...hydrocortozone does not hurt at all. In fact, many lotions when applied give a small burning sensation and the steroid cream is the only one I can rely on to take care of the dry and the itch quickly.

*K

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I struggled with this for 5 years (including recommendations from specialists) until my cousin recommended Aquaphor. It works great and Rite Aid makes a generic version that works just as well. The only issue is my daughter doesn't like the greasiness so we put a long sleeved shirt on for awhile after we apply it.

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My doc prescribed Eucerin Cream or petroleum Jelly will work great, rub it on after bath at bedtime and it will be absorbed while they sleep.

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We used fish oil supplements on our then 4month old. It added moisuture to the skin. PCC or Seattle Supplements carries a strawberry flavored fish oil soft gel. You pop it and squeeze it into the mouth. It takes a few weeks before you see results and the skin becomes softer. GOod luck. Our guy grew out of it...this does not help when you are in the middle of it, however :-)

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Cetaphil lotion. You can find it in any store, and all drug stores. It is what my ped told me to use on both my daughters. It clears up their eczema (dry patches on skin) right away. Seriously the best! Good luck!

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Hi C.! My son has the same thing. Patches come and go from his cheeks, elbows and thighs (most commonly) For my son I am able to keep it under control w/ the help of Cetaphil lotion (they have a wash too if you are interested). The lotion is AWESOME! It's not greasy at all and a little bit goes a long way. I rub it into my sons arms, legs and cheeks several times a day. Since I started using the Cetaphil my sons skin looks great. We still get the occassion patch of dry skin, but it usually goes away after rubbing some lotion into it. The hydrocortisone is OK for you to use on your son as a treatment when necessary. When the patches aren't there or are barely noticable then a good, gentle lotion (like Cetaphil) should do the trick. I personally thought that Eucerin was rather greasy myself, but whatever works for one doesn't always work for the next. Good Luck and Congrats on your bundle of joy!
~T.

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My first son had exzema when he was little. We did 1/2% Hydrocortizone cream. This helped. When he was 3 I found out that exzema can be caused by a milk protein sensitivity. Ask your doctor about it. We started our second son on soy and he did not get the exzema as bad. Good luck.

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My son gets horrible outbreaks of exzema. We use Aquafor for him and it works wonders. It's really greasy but it tends to clear him up in a matter of days.

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Hi C.! I can send you a sample of Renew lotion that has helped many people with such skin conditions, and I know they are painful, as I was one of them. Let me know if you are interested in a sample, and if you are close by I can meet you somewhere or just pop it in the mail. I live in Lake Stevens. :) Good luck!

M.
____@____.com

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I had a daughter with this and Aveeno bath with oatmeal works wonderful. We gave her a bath every other day in between I did Cetaphil waterless cleaner. She loved this the most it just felt good, she was 2 and a half when hers started. Good luck!

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My son struggled too when he was little. I suggest Aquaphore (Aquafore?)... You can buy it at a Walgreen's I imagine. It comes in a big tub and lasts a really long time. It is for severely dry skin and is unscented. Also, you may want to try Hydrocordizone ointment instead of the cream. I found it worked way better. In fact all ointments worked better for us than cream based. Hope this helps.

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My 3 yo had this when he was younger. The thing that worked the best for us was Arbonne Baby Care bath and body wash and then their lotion. My friend suggested it. It is all natural with NO chemicals. I found that by changing his bath soap to this it helped A LOT. You can check them out at www.arbonne.com.
Good Luck!
A.

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My daughter developed exzema at about 6 months, it turns out that she was alergic to strawberries. They were in the yogurt bites she was having. We stopped giving her strawberry anything and it has gone away. Look into food allergies as a possible soultion.

Hi C.,

Eczema is caused by an allergic reaction to something. It could be anything from environmental, to a soap you're using (laundry or bath), or a food allergy/sensitivity. My son has a food sensitivity to eggs, and gets really bad eczema if he eats any. The face is one of the most common places to get eczema (as well on your leg behind the knees.) Usually if it's a soap reaction it would be a little more spread out. You might either want to experiment with different soaps, or more likely with different foods and see if anything makes a difference. Common food allergies are eggs, dairy/milk, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts (cashews, walnuts) & soy (which is in more things than you would think.) You can also ask your pediatrician to do an allergy test, or they might send you to NW Allergy & Asthma.

Also, putting lotion on her whole body immediately after a bath will help her body absorb the most moisture and help with the dry skin.

Candula ointment also works well directly applied on the dry areas. Not to go all hippy on you, but it's a homeopathic ointment, so there are no toxins or anything in it. (Also, make sure you get the ointment instead of the lotion/cream. It works better.)

On a side note, my personal experience is that you'll get better information if you see a Naturopath doctor. I realize that a lot of people are weary of them because they think they're not as qualified and can't do the same things (which I used to think as well), but after changing to a Naturopath after continued disappointment with my first son's Pediatrician, I have never been happier with our whole families health care. There are many pediatric Naturopath's out there. You can ask for recommendations on mamasource and will surely get plenty of info. I'm not sure where you live, but my Naturopath is in Woodinville. Here's her info if you're interested:

Kathleen Allen ND
Mother & Child Natural Medicine
16818 140th Avenue NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
###-###-####
www.motherchildmedicine.com

Check out her website if you have any questions. It's just my opinion, of course, but I really think you'll find you get much better care for both you and your baby if you give it a try. (Sorry, not trying to be pushy.)

I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide. You have a lot of extremely exciting and extremely frustrating moments ahead of you with your little one. Just keep doing the best you can, trust your instincts, and know that you're not alone. :o)

If your ped. is recommending hydrocortizone, then use it for a day or two (as long as it's less than a week). We had to use it on our under 1 year old, but only took 2 applications before thing were much better. We also really like cetaphil as a great everyday lotion. My daughter has dry skin and exzema and cetaphil makes her skin baby soft! The skin cleanser is also really great and helps keep her skin from drying out in the first place.

Use Aquaphor - not the lotion but the thicker stuff. It is in the baby aisle and works sooo good.

I use a soy-based soap called that cleared mine up and quite a few other people have reported amazing results as well. For more information visit:
http://www.bellamiacandle.scent-team.com/products/bellaba...

Feel free to contact me for a free sample.

If you want to email me at ____@____.com I can send you some information which will certainly give you a non invasive, non toxic solution. Just something to weigh with the other information you get.

Since my son was an infant, I have used Rosebud Salve. This is NOT a baby product, but it is all natural ingredients. My son has very sensitve skin, and I have never had a problem with it. I swear by it - it will clear up a dry patch in a day - and it smells wonderful. I buy it at Sephora. It is a deciptively small tin, but a little dab on your finger will go a long way. Here is a link if you want to read more:
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P42204

Eczema is an allergy, it is usually caused by dust mites or food, or it can just be hereditary. The only way to confirm this is to have your child tested for allergies. She is young, many allergiests may not do the testing at this age, so pediatricians just prescribe something, I have had very little luck with Protopic and Elidel. Hydrocortizone works, but one of the best and "cheapest" rememdies is plain old Vaseline. Just rub some on her cheeks at night when she sleeps, you will be amazed. I have used it for years, I have eczema (bad dust allergies), my father had it, and my daughter has it. My allergist also said to use it! My daughter has a prescription from a dermatologist that has worked the best over the years, and for something like this you really need a specialist, as good as your pediatrician is, they are not an allergist or a dermatologist.

I don't like using the cortisone either but found that sometimes it cleared up the rash right away and gave the skin a chance to heal which can be better than experimenting with lots of products while the rash continues to get worse. I let my daughter's rash get out of control once and it became infected. That took a long time to clear up so after that, I tried using cortisone to get rid of the rash while it was still in a small area. We also did a food challenge and were able to eventually avoid the foods that caused the rash to begin with.

I used original Eucerin and Aquafor--that worked really well, its a lot like vaseline but odorless.

Try creams instead of lotions (they are different) Aveeno has an intensive treatment cream, that is new, that works well for us. The 1% Hyd cort cream is generally safe but didn't work for me, we had to get something stronger :( and also it's possible that she is developing allergies. Milk, eggs, and wheat are the biggest offenders in regards to eczema... could also be your laundry care products... just some thoughts that might help :) and your DD has a great b-day.. One of mine shares it just a few years older :) HTH Becky

my first daughter has sensitive skin and my second daughter has excema. i have only used arbonne baby skin care products any time i use anything else or bubble bath my daughter breaks out with a rash. there sun screen is the only one that i can use on her also. my cousin is a sales rep for them is you don't know anyone i can give you her email.

Both of my babies had eczema on their cheeks. What worked for us was Eucerin cream or Aquaphor. Wallgreens makes a cheaper version of Eucerin cream that also worked well for us.

Hi C.,
One word and one product that really seems to help with exzema AQUAPHOR. It is pricey but it really works. I would probably use it right along with what your Dr. prescribed.