K.J. asks from Cranberry Township, PA on July 24, 2008
Dry and Bumpy Patches on My Baby's Arms and Legs
My 6 month old daughter has what seems to be patches of dry and sometimes bumpy skin on her arms and legs. They seem to come and go and I haven't been able to associate anything with them to figure out what's causing them. She is breastfed and eats rice cereal twice a day. I have to say though that there have been patches, although they have gotten wose recently, since she was a few weeks old. I can't figure out of it's something I am eating or what.
Any suggestions?
Has anybody experienced this before?
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C.C. answers from Philadelphia on July 25, 2008
It sounds like eczema to me. That is what it was for both my kids. I have prescription cream for both my kids because the one sold over the counter is not strong enough. You could try hydrocortisone cream on those areas. The 1% in the stores is usually mild enough but if you want talk to the doctor to be on the safe side. Also try lotioning the baby up 2-3 times a day with a thick lotion like Aveeno. That stuff is great.
M.P. answers from Philadelphia on July 25, 2008
My 3/yo daughter has this exact "condition" which is nothing more than a form of dry skin. She has very tiny raised bumps on her torso & arms. The Dr. said it was not an allergic reaction to anything I was eating (I was breastfeeding at the time). She also had patches of red marks on her leg and back when she was a baby & yound toddler. The Dr. said that it was psoriosis and both could be treated by applying either eucerine lotion or just vasaline to her skin directly after a warm bath.
I hope this helps :) Good luck.
-M.
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M.S. answers from Pittsburgh on July 25, 2008
L.T. answers from Philadelphia on July 25, 2008
Hi, I agree that if it is bumpy it sounds like Keratosis pilaris. My daughter has it, it comes and goes, sometimes the area is redder than at other times. It doesn't bother her, she is 8 and she has never complained that it bothered her. The only thing I've been told in terms of a cream is nicknamed "prom cream" because it's uncomfortable to use and the girls use it for prom so their arms look good in their dress.
Good luck and enjoy your new baby girl.
M.P. answers from Philadelphia on July 25, 2008
My 3/yo daughter has this exact "condition" which is nothing more than a form of dry skin. She has very tiny raised bumps on her torso & arms. The Dr. said it was not an allergic reaction to anything I was eating (I was breastfeeding at the time). She also had patches of red marks on her leg and back when she was a baby & yound toddler. The Dr. said that it was psoriosis and both could be treated by applying either eucerine lotion or just vasaline to her skin directly after a warm bath.
I hope this helps :) Good luck.
-M.
D.W. answers from Philadelphia on July 25, 2008
make sure not to bathe her too often. a couple times a week at her age is plenty. make sure you are using baby wash on her skin. she could have eczema. have you addressed this issue with the pediatrician? bath and body has some baby bath products which looked good when i was in there the other day. some of them were for eczema. look up more info on the internet on eczema this may help. bottom line talk to her doctor and if he or she seems to be of no help go to the dermatologist.
A.M. answers from Pittsburgh on July 25, 2008
Pure speculation from your description . . . could be eczema. Eczema is sometimes allergy related but not always. I had eczema when I was growing up and my kids have eczema also.
1 thing you can do right now is buy Eucerin lotion and apply it twice a day to the dry patches. That should help fairly quickly. If that doesn't seem to help you may need a prescription ointment from your Doctor.
Don't drive yourself crazy trying to figure out what causes it. It may just be the way your daughter's skin is.
Good luck!
K.R. answers from Philadelphia on July 25, 2008
All of my children got those. The doctor told me it was related to eczema. I have experimented with MANY lotions, but I find Aquafor lotion on the patches to be the best. If it persists, or spreads, take your baby to a dermitologist, just be wary of steroid cremes. They work, but they can have some odd effects. Such as temporarily lightening my daughter's caramel colored skin.
K.W. answers from Scranton on July 24, 2008
K.,
Try Aquaphor, by Eucerin. It is sold in the lotion aisle pretty much everywhere. Not only was it recommended to me by my pediatrician, but also by my mom and several friends. My son used to get dry patches on his cheeks and arms and my daughter used to get a horrible rash on her chin and a dry patch towards the top of her diaper. This took care of it so quickly, it was amazing. I also recommended it to a friend of mine that used to get dry itching bumping skin around her lips. Her doctor had prescribed 3 or 4 creams that didn't work, she tried this and it went away.
Good luck!
L.B. answers from Harrisburg on July 25, 2008
Might be a form on Exema.....after bath put baby oil on them. Maybe have the doctor look at them as well. My daughters docter when she was little said that it may be a sign of asthma....though I'm not all that sure about that.
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