Eczema Nightmare

E.,
I feel for you. I am 40 and have lived with Eczema all my life. My 5 year old daughter also has it. Two years ago I changed her from normal 2% cows milk to 2% ORGANIC cows milk and her eczema is gone! She still has dry skin and I need to keep on top of it, but no more breakouts of eczema. After her bath, I stand her in the shower to rinse off all soap residue and I do not allow her to use any squirt hand sanitizer! Antibacterial soap also makes it flair up. Normal soap is fine, I prefer SoftSoap. Ask his school if it is okay to have him bring his own soap in and to ensure he dries his hands thoroughly. You are right, stay away from steroid creams, My skin is so thin in spots you can see all my veins. But I had it really bad as a child. If his hands are really cracked, smother them with vaseline at bedtime and have him wear socks to keep the moisture in and the stickiness off the sheets.
Hope this helps.
H.

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Yes, that certainly sounds like a nightmare. Have you ever done a blood allergy test on him (IgG and IgE)? Our son came up allergic to corn, of all things and eliminating corn, eliminated eczema. I have heard like 90% of eczema is an allergy/sensitivity to food. Where are you located? I would find an osteopath or naturopath to take him to. Also, accunpuncture is great. Dr. Daniel Lee in Lake Forest is great. Try to get to the root of why his body is reacting that way so you can control it for good and not just use steroid cream. Do you have pets he could be allergic to? Did you ever eliminate dairy with the gluten?

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My youngest son has severe eczema and the only thing that stopped the open weeping sores he would get (on his face no less) was a medication that was not FDA approved for kids under 2 but it was so bad our pediatrician gave us some. It is called Elidel. Since he is 5 you should be able to get it prescribed for him.
Also, I have learned that the very most important thing for eczema is keeping their skin hydrated. We use Cetaphil lotion (you can get this in bulk at Costco) all day and Skin Free products for bathtime. I run a product review blog so I have tried MANY different things but Skin Free's soap and hydrating mist has worked the best. We also use a humidifier every night in his room which helps too.
He still has eczema but it isn't as bad as it has been. He gets it on his legs really bad & I can't seem to control it totally. I have also noticed that he seems to have a reaction to most foods - He is only 10 months old so we are really taking things slow. I guess with a 5 year old you can try taking different things out of his diet to see if any thing is exacerbating the situation? My doctor says kids with eczema tend to have food allergies... well are more predisposed to have all kinds of allergies actually.
I feel for you - I used to think all these kid allergy problems were in the parent's heads. Now I guess I am paying for being so judgmental. :)

Good Luck!

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My daughter had a very mild case as a toddler, nothing as severe as your sons condition. I used mild baby soap until she was about 10, but she basically outgrew the condition. A quick google search turned up the National Eczema Assn (nationalexzema.org) that looked like it has a good parent support group and information on treatments, etc. Seems like it would be a good place to start to get info directly from other parents dealing with the same problems. Good luck.

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Unfortunatly Doctors don't make the connection between food and environment and skin. From what I have researched, the skin is an indicator of what is inbalanced inside of the body. Inflammation on the outside, inflammation on the inside.

My second son had eczema as a baby, which threw me off since I eat extremely healthy and live a green lifestyle. Between the age of 2 and 2 1/2 he broke out in hives once and almost had an anaphylactic episode after eating salmon. After the hives I decided to cut out all major allergy producing foods, like wheat, dairy, soy, fish and nuts. It helped, but something was still irritating him on occasion.

I own a natural parenting store in Fullerton, Belly Sprout, and I see paretns with babies and children with eczema and allergies all of the time. This is what I recommend to them:

*Switch your detergent. There are 2 in the store that we recommend and one of them you can actually bathe the child in and it helps to reduce eczema.

*Switch to organic cleansing soaps and creams. We have a variety of ones that work and are gentle on the skin. Calendula can actually heal the skin and works great on hives.

*Have some homeopathic remedies on hand. I just used one yesterday because my son had a reaction to the chlorine at the waterpark. I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Lauren Feders book, "Natural Baby and Childcare" as she lists which homeopaths to use for a whole host of illnesses.

*Eat a diet that is whole, fresh and organic and avoid processed foods as much as possible.

I also have a friend who is a phenomenal alternative doctor. He does acupuncture and something called NAET (google this for more info). We have been seeing him for over a year and got he actually CLEARED my son of allergies to eggs, corn, dairy, certain nuts and seeds, some grains and even some fish! I send ALL of my families to him becuae I have seen first-hand what he has done with my family and friends. He practices in Fullerton; Dr. David Karaba ###-###-####. When you go in he will be able to tell you exactly what your son is allergic to, so that you don't have to guess.

If you have ANY questions, please contact me here or at ____@____.com by the store if you are in the area!

Good luck! I know that there is a way to treat your little one, that will make him much happier:)

C. Funk
www.bellysprout.com

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Try cutting out all dairy for 2 weeks. Many people have allergies. It's easy enough to try and wouldn't hurt to rule it out.

Good luck,
M.

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My son had eczema, but it wasn't too bad. I researched EVERYTHING when I first noticed it.

First you have to know the cause. Heat, sometimes air quality, laundry detergent, time of the year. I would start by putting a humidifier in his room to add moisture to the air. If you're not doing so already, use an allergen free laundry detergent like ALL free&clear or Tide has one as well.

As far as topical (to help the itching sensation):
Aveeno oatmeal bath helps
Aveeno cooling lotion with menthol will keep the skin cool. Aquaphor helps
Crisco (the solid cooking shortening) Believe it or not this helped with my nephews extreme eczema.

and Benedryl or any allergy fighting med that will attack the itchy skin from the inside out.

I hope this helps.Good Luck!

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Have you tried Collodial Oatmeal Baths? They may not "cure" the problem, but they help relieve the pain and itchiness. I sometimes pour one in the bath like the directions say and actually make a paste out of another one and spread it directly on the eczema and soak for at least 10-15 minutes. This really helps me, and it always eventually goes away for me. My doctor also recommends sunlight (in moderation) which also seems to help and I have been told that hydrocortizone cream can help (although for me it does not seem to help too much).

I would keep going to different doctors until you get an actual diagnosis and cure that works. Good luck to you and your child.

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Hello, I have suffered with this same problem. There are prescriptions to help, but I found that if I put cortizone ointment on the effected area and then rub baby Aveeno cream over it, it keeps it from itching, cracking and peeling. It is important to use the corizone OINTMENT and not the cream. It is also important to use the BABY Aveeno CREAM and not the lotion. The cortizone ointment stays on better than the cream, as does the Aveeno cream better than the lotion. I have excema on my feet and it was very painful. It was after many years on a playground (supervising children) and since I have been using this therapy, I have very little problem with it. I know it is so hard to see your little boy go through this. Our 7 year old grandson also went through it and has finally outgrown it, for the most part.
Good luck with your precious family.
K. K.

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E.,

My 3 year old is allergic to both dairy and soy. As long as his diet is fairly clean, his ezcema is pretty mild (he just has pink spots on his cheeks and little bumps scattered on his legs). If he eats dairy or soy in any quantity, his eczema flares and he will literally bleed from the backs of his legs it gets so bad.

1. figure out what your son is reacting to. There are way more allergens than just gluten.

2. singular and clarinex helped tremendously when we were trying to get the eczema under control.

3. use california baby super sensitive baby wash and the equate version on cetaphil cream (just like cetaphil but a third the price) on him.

4. bathe him nightly and let him soak in the water until he's wrinkly. Then get him out, pat dry and slather him with the cetaphil cream.

5. when it is really bad, collodial oatmeal (look in the pharmacy) will help a lot.

My allergist told me that eczema is an itch that rashes so you've got to control the itch to control the scratching to control the rash. Lots of folks don't bathe their kids regularly when they've got eczema but being dirty and sweaty is itchy and makes it worse. The main thing with bathing is to only use "soap" when absolutely necessary, to use very gentle "soap", and rinse with clear water when done and then use tons of cream (not lotion, lotion is mainly water and does nothing).

Aquaphor and Eucerin cream are good too.

My son has a combo of food allergies and unidentified environmental allergies. We got an HE washer, I wash his bedding 2x a week in hot water and we have a HEPA air purifier running in his room 24/7. So for us I guess the secret has been a number of things. LOL

Good luck! Eczema is miserable.

T.

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Hi E., I'm so sorry you're going through this. Our daughter got ringworm and the dermatologist didn't identify while it spread larger and kids started making fun of her. Finally my husband told him to test for ringworm, which it was, but I wish he had caught it right away and saved us the grief. But eczema is a different story. I know people don't like it when people "sell" products on Mamasource, but there is a product that works great and it's Mary Kay extra emollient night cream. My customer used it for her son whose skin was cracked and bleeding and right away it started working and within days he was fine. The directors I'm with both have eczema (one very bad) and you'd never know. One who has it very bad says Mary Kay works better than anything. Once in a while she sees her dermatologist and may use one of their products but that's only in addition to Mary Kay and only once in awhile. It has beeswax in it. I know it works well for burns, also. And it's just $11 for a tube so it's not going to break you as chances are he'll be needing something over time. I can give you more info and also have samples of it.

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Hey E.,
I have eczema and I find that different things bring about the outbreaks. The biggest culprit seems to be my laundry detergent, shampoos and conditioners, body soaps, and lotions. Presently I am using All Free and Clear for my laundry, and an unscented olive oil soap called Enno, Giovanni Shampoo, and Evan Heely Soap for face care. I found most of these at Mother's Market. Also, if you use fabric softeners make sure you are using ones without any fragrances or dyes. Again, I use the All Free and Clear.
Another big culprit is the shower! We ended up putting a chlorine filter on our shower which helped to prevent drying my skin out too much. This also made a huge difference! If your son is swimming a lot, you may want to keep him out of the pool, as the chlorine can be very harsh on the skin.
In addition to all of this I force myself to drink a ton of water. The more water I drink the more supple my skin feels.
I also take a fish oil supplement by Carlson that is lemon flavored. I take two teaspoons a day when I have an outbreak. Also, when I do have an outbreak I try not to wear clothes that cover the bad areas as it seems to irritate them more if something is touching them.
Finally, I ended up going to a natural health doctor who used NAET on me and found what I was reacting to. In my case it was wheat and dairy. Dr. Jing Li in Irvine is excellent. She is an MD and so she will take many insurances.
One last thought, I was able to discover food allergies using NAET. I didn't need to go through the leng

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I agree with Heather...
My daughter had exzema when she was baby.. I wasn't abe to breastfed so she was formula fed...the day we switched her to soy milk the exzema was gone.. it was shocking!
She was able to change to regular milk when she turned one butI have noticed that when she has organic milk she's great... but when she has regular milk... even the ones that are hormone free like alta dena she tends to get dry skin. What has helped us a lot with her dry skin is "baby exzema cream" by Gentle Naturals.. a friend suggested it to me and it's been a life saver.
I know it can be tough.. specially when the weather gets colder.. but hang in there!

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Hi E.,
Poor baby! My daughter has very dry skin and we use Alba's Unpetroleum Multi-Purpose Jelly. This was recommended by my friend, who does have a daughter with eczema. The consistency is exactly like vaseline, so it is greasy. But if you really slather it on his hand at bedtime and maybe put a sock on his hand that might help. Then thin coats during the day. I'd probably try something over the counter before I went back to meds. We purchased this at Henry's; I think you can get it at Whole Foods, Mother's, etc. and definitely online. Best of luck to you and your son!

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Time to see a licensed naturopathic physician. Go to naturopathic.org to find one in your area and look for someone who treats kids. There are many options for treating eczema, and kids do best when they are treated individually (ie not doing a cookbook "recipe" for the condition). Good luck, keep us posted!

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Not sure if this will work for your son but I used Emu Oil and Organic Virgin Coconut Oil for my daughter's ezcema. I also gave her homeopathic sulfur tablets.

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E.,

What a nightmare. I haven't gone through this personally, and check with your doctor first, but I'm sure I read somewhere recently (LA Times, maybe) that some bleach (regular chlorox) added to the bathwater (something like a half-cup, maybe? again, check with your dr.!) really can help with eczema.

Best of luck!
C.

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Hi E.,

My daughter also has eczema. I make sure we don't use anything on her skin that has any toxins or that could possibly irritate it. I was told to give her fish oil. I never tried it because I just knew she wouldn't like it. We are Shaklee users and in the past couple of months, Shaklee came out with a children's omega supplement. It's chewable and orange flavored and my daughter loves it. We've had her on it for about 4mo now and she's only had one very tiny, minor spot that went away by the next day. Let me know if you have any questions about it. You can check it out at www.greennutrition.info or register to win $200 of free products at www.freegreenproducts.info. We also use their children's vitamins, bodywash/shampoo, and lotion. Good luck!

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Hi! I have a friend who had horrible eczema all over her arms, she never went without sleeves. She started taking Juice Plus and her skin cleared up. Now, this is a testimonial, but the science behind it tells us that it balances the immune system, which makes sense. Who knows. Maybe it's worth a try...
Karen4betterhealth.com
Good luck!

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You should try California baby products. All of the line is amazing. Try the sensitive skin baby wash and the calendula cream. It is all natural and safe no parabens sulfates etc. You can buy it at target or whole foods and babies r us. Little pricey but worth the money. Hope you give it a try.

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I have a friend who's son had the same problem and she tried everything too, but then she started shopping at a health and wellness store. all of the products are safe and natural ingredients and the lotion her son uses has gotten rid of his exzema completely I think you should get more info it will help out alot... http://www.healthier4myfamily.com

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http://www.amerigel.com/carelotion.asp

Amerigel Care lotion is a great lotion You can get it from some doctors or online, my doctor used to sell it before he retired. Take a look at the site and read up on it. Like PP said, this will only help the symptoms. An allergist is the way to go to find out why his body is reacting the way it is. My niece is allergic to wheat, she gets eczema from eating wheat. While I get it from dish soap.

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I had eczema from head to toe as a child. The ocean always seemed to make it go away for a little while. I think the salt water dried it out. Even though they say that eczema is not connected to allergies, I was allergy tested and was allergic to everything. When I started having allergy shots, my eczema went away... so, I don't know, maybe get him tested? (I think they just do a blood test these days not the horribly painful scratch test they did when I was a kid). As a child, I used those steroid creams and my skin does not seem thin, I wouldn't worry too much about that and just give your son some relief... take it from me, eczema is not pleasant. Hope that helps... it's terrible to have something that has no right answers!

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I'm sorry, i know the frustration. My 2 yr old has it as well. You need to find out what is causing it. Go to an allergist! This helped my son so much. I got rid of the cause instead of just trying to cure the effects of it. My son is allergic to many things but once my animals were out of the house his eczema nearly went away. Some foods also gave him it but know we knew what we can't feed him. I use the steroid cream rarely now compared to when he was very little. Good luck!

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E.,

My son has eczema as well. I use Aquaphore and it seems to work very well. I too have tried the steroid creams, only to have it come back!! You can get the Aquaphore at any drug store. You can also get a big tub of it...it's in a white jar with a dark blue lid.

Now, I'm not saying that it will take care of the problem immediately, but with time, it does help.

Take Care,
T.

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Hi E.,

I don't have eczema, thankfully, but I have friends who do, and they have successfully treated it with Melaleuca products. They first rub in Melagel, a very high grade melaleuca (tea tree) oil in gel form, then apply Renew lotion several times a day. This has been successful for them.

As Melaleuca can only be purchased on line, and if you are a member of Melaleuca, I can help you with that if you would like.

A.
http://www.ACWomensSuccess.com

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Is your son on fish oil? If not, please get him on it. We should ALL be taking fish oil (pure, non contaminated fish oil - make sure it says so on the bottle). You can google it and eczema and find many articles advocating it. Fish oil (omega 3) is GREAT for inflammation which bascially is the cause of all of our ailments. Here is the recommended dosage (we need more than what the bottle says - per Dr. Barry Sears - Author,creator of Zone Diet.

The Importance of Fish Oil

Reduces inflammation
More effective than statins (cholesterol lowering drugs)
How much fish oil
Maintenance of wellness – 2.5 grams/day
Treatment/prevention of obesity, diabetes, CHD – 5 grams/day
Treatment/prevention of cancer, chronic pain – 7.5 grams/day
Treatment/prevention of neurological disorders – 10 grams/day
-------------------------------
My kids take Nordic Naturals, they are 4 and 6.5 but unless they take about 40 a day, they aren't getting the maintenance dosage, but they eat salmon and tuna weekly, plus eat a very healthy diet of Lean meats, fruits, veggies and healthy fats so the better you eat, the less you need.

You won't notice results overnight but you will notice them in a short while. Eczema aside, Omega 3 is just great for your growing kids brains. Back in the "old" days kids took cod liver oil daily - for some reason we stopped doing so, coupled with our horrible American diet - we just aren't getting the recommended amount of omega 3. I take 5 grams a day and have noticed my knee pain diminishing. Can't hurt to try it, the worse thing that could happen is you get smarter! LOL!!

Go to Sprouts or Henry's or any Health food store and talk to the person in the vitamin dept. They should be able to direct you to a brand that will work for your son.

Best wishes,
M.

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E.

I am so sorry you and your son are going through this. It is horrible to feel powerless in the face of your child's discomfort, especially when the traditional medicine routes seem to let us down. Both of my children have suffered from eczema and here is what helped them most.

Homeopathy. For my daughter who had a terrible outbreak at about 2-3 months this is all it took. I took her to a qualified homeopath who asked a million (and often seemingly unrelated) questions to come up with what they call a constitutional remedy. One dose and her eczema cleared up (it was all over her neck and lower face) and has never returned. It was like magic.

My son however has been a bit different. He never suffered quite as badly - he gets it in the creases of his inside elbows and knees but it has been much more difficult to eradicate completely. Homeopathy has helped keep it at a minimum however and now he only gets it if we travel to a different climate (for the first few days) or if he eats a "trigger food" for him this is Orange Juice. He just can't take the acidity. If he has orange juice within 24 hours his eczema appears. Other trigger foods I know of are pork, dairy, coffee (obviously not applicable for children but a big one for my husband!) and perhaps most bizarrely broccoli. I have two friends whose children get eczema if they eat broccoli. I guess what I would suggest is to first of all see a homeopath and also watch what he eats. Maybe remove a few of the above trigger foods, watch any changes then re-introduce them one at a time with a few days in between and see what happens.

I wish you the very best of luck and applaud the fact that you are still looking for a solution... don't give up I am sure you will find something that helps!

Kind regards
N.

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Hi E.,
My son has extremely dry skin. Aveeno Bath Oil works the best for us. I put it on him after baths (while still wet) and then towel dry him. It leaves his skin moisturized but not oily. When he had a really bad problem on his back, I put the bath oil on him at bedtime under his pajamas and just let it soak in all night. It really helped.

Good luck.

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Have you gotten him allergy tested? Eczema is often an indication/reaction of an allergy. My DD has moderate eczema since she was 4 months old. We got her blood and skin allergy tested when she turned 2. Her bloodwork showed that she is allergic to wheat, soy, eggs, peanuts, and walnuts. Her skin test showed only an reaction to cashews. The bloodwork shows only the possibility of being allergic to things. Her body has figured out a way to tolerate soy and eggs so she doesn't show an outward reaction (skin test) to them. Through the process of elimination and adding things back into her diet,turns out she is allergic to wheat, citrus, strawberries, and nuts. Once we eliminated those things from her diet, her eczema cleared up a lot. When she gets an itchy break out, we know that something got into her diet without our knowledge. Also keeping her skin well moisturized helps out too (Aquaphor works really well for her).

Since she is allergic to wheat I have to read EVERY label of everything that comes into our house. Food, Shampoo, lotion, even the products that I or DH use on our bodies.

My good friend has bad eczema like your son, mainly on his hands. So bad that he will bleed. Had it all his life. His parents never got him allergy tested. He got allergy tested as an adult when they found out that his now 3 yo daughter had bad allergies and eczema. He also has a bunch of food and environmental allergies. But he choses to ignore it and therefore suffers the consequences. Funny since they stick to their daughters strict allergy menu...

Their daughter is allergic to EVERYTHING! Wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, nuts, citrus, shellfish, fish, and even cockroach poop! Not to mention all of the normal environmental allergies....pollen, grass, etc.

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I would suggest seeing a Chinese doctor who will probably give you herbs to boil and make into a tea.
They will address the problem from the inside out and not simply calm the symptoms. I have a friend who as a little boy had chronic excema and asthma and after some sessions with a TCM doctor he's better!
Referalls:
Jane Demian - ###-###-####
Serena Ngahua - ###-###-####
Good luck.

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Hi E.,

Check out the products from San Diego Natural Soap Company (www.SanDiegoSoap.com). They make very mild, natural and organic creams, lotions, body washes and shampoos, some formulated specifically for babies and children. Tell them that I referred you. Best of luck!

L.
author, What Haven't They Told Me? Practical Tips for Surviving and Thriving During Baby's First Year
www.OffRampPublishing.com

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I know that you probably don't want to hear this, but go back to the dermatologist. If you are in San Diego and your insurance will let you, I recommend Dr. Eichenfeld at Children's. Our daughter had terrible excema and it was driving me crazy too. Dr. Eichenfeld prescribed medicine and wet wraps for her hands and feet. (The wet wrap is where you wrap their wet skin with medicine and damp bandages, then a dry bandage over the top. We did this at bedtime.) Yes, the medicine was a steroid cream, but once we got things under control we could stop using the meds. Now, 3 years later, we only rarely - maybe a couple times a year - need medicine to get her skin under control. Mostly we are able to fight the itching with a bath and lots of lotion. But you won't be able to fight without medicine until you get your son's skin to calm down. And the possiblity of a serious infection is really increased when their skin is always broken by sores.
Good luck!

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Your doctor probably hasn't had the chance to do any further education on this matter because there are SO many things to do. What worked for my daughter:

IgG blood test to find out what causes inflammation inside the body which in turn results in the inflammation showing up outside the body. My daughter had 21 foods that did this. Removed them from the diet and no more eczema and no more asthma.

Sensaria Natural Bodycare - the products do not contain any of the sodium laurel sulfates family which causes more irritation to the skin and strips it of its natural oils. Contains no dyes which irritate skin and can affect behavior. Contains no petroleum which dries skin out (instead of moisturizing as most people think). Before we knew which foods to remove, we had been using this product for over four years with great results. She could take a bath, everyday, for an hour if she wanted but it had to have Sensaria in the water and it was better for her skin when the Sensaria products were in there.

Take control, do some research, know that there are hundreds and thousands that are or have gone through what you are going through. Get this book and read it:

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders, by Dr. Kenneth Bock

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After a bath, use aquaphor to seal in moisture. Take fish oil supplements, they are good for the skin and membranes. My son had bad skin (not as bad as yours), and it completely went away. As for the hands, it could be a reaction to the hand soaps. Try using something else - preferably for sensitive skin - no perfumes, dies, etc. Cetaphil is great for the entire body.

You might try the steroid cream again to clear it up, and then maybe the above will keep it away.

1 mom found this helpful

E. - There is help for eczema. I cut out an article on an effective remedy recently but now can't find it. I may have got the article from the LA Time's Monday Health Section's Q&A. In any event, you can query the column and they'll provide a good answer. Sorry I can't find the article....

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This product works AMAZING!! Homeopathic skin care patches by Lifewave with skin spray. It is called Y-age and it raises glutathione and carnosine levels in the body and your skin starts healing QUICKLY. Money back if you are not happy. Go to Lifewave.com/kherihealth to order or get more info. Sorry to hear that your child is suffering with this problem. Best of luck.

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I'm going to bet that exczema is just a symptom of the real problem. I'm going to further bet that the real problem is allergies. You might want to call an allergist and have him tested for food allergies as this is the main cause of exczema in kids. Treat the root cause and you can resolve the symptoms!

1 mom found this helpful

My son has eczema on his face, it was spreading like crazy until my mother in law (she's a nurse) told us to put hydrocortisone on it everyday for a couple weeks. After that, it hardly ever flares up. We keep it handy just in case we see it coming back, but it's done wonders. We just bought the Cortizone-10 and we haven't had any problems with it.

We had a few things prescribed by his doctor as well and they all made it worse. Hope this helps.

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Call Dr. Mao in Santa Monica he works wonders. My son had eczema on his face and he makes his own cream no aditives just pure Chinese herbs and it worked wonders!!! It's not inexpensive but the outcome is amazing!!! Email if you need further help

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Sorry I didn't read through all the responses, so I don't know if this is a repeat.

But, my Mom gets eczema... from Oatmeal (anything Oatmeal), and citrus. That is also what she is allergic to. So she steers clear of it, and she does not get outbreaks.

Hope this helps somewhat,
All the best,
Susan

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I'm sure you've started using dye free laundry soap, you're not using dryer sheets, etc. The only other things I've heard to help are to have short baths or showers to keep the soaps off the skin for any prolonged length of time and to put lotion like Acquaphor mixed with regular non perfumy lotion (like Aveno) RIGHT AFTER they get out of the shower/bath while their skin is still wet and the pores are still open. It is frustrating. Most kids outgrow it at some point. Maybe try to find a specialist in your area. Have you tried Mustela Dermo-Pediatrics products? Good luck and keep reading and researching. Even if you cannot cure it, you'll probably find a way to make the symptoms more bearable.

1 mom found this helpful

My sister and daugther had really bad ecezema, it would just bleed and bleed from all the scratching. This is a home remedy, but i swear by it. It will sting him alittle at first, but take him to the beach, and put him in the water. Try Cedahill soap that will work to stop the itching and spreading. My neighbor also puts wet cold cloths when it gets inflamed and red.

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Have you tried switching the kind of soap and/or shampoo that you use on him? Our pediatrician told us that our daughter had eczema and I ended up discovering that she just reacts to a lot of different soaps (the worst is Johnson & Johnson's). We currently use Earth's Best soap and she doesn't have eczema at all.

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I've had eczema for all 40 years of my life. There is no cure - it's a genetic flaw in the skin. Like asthma, it just has to be managed.

When I have had bad outbreaks, the *only* way I've succeeded in getting it back under control is steroid creams. Yes, they thin the skin. Temporarily. They also save you nightmarish pain and itching.

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here are a few things that help my daughter with her excema-
aveeno bath products (the only bath products she CAN use)
aquafor
cortizone cream
benadryl

now heres what i do when hers gets bad.
i give her a bath (no longer then 10-15 mins)
i lotion her from head to toe
i use the cortizone on her worse spots (morning and afternoon)
at night i use the aquafor and lotion her before the aquafor goes on.
i lotion 3 times a day
i also use benadryl if shes itchy and i never give her a full dose its always a half dose.

one thing i do suggest so you can contemplate it is getting him alllergy tested. this may clue you in to why he breaks out at all. i know your worried about the steroid cream but you can use it in moderation and in a thin layer. i hope this helps. good luck.

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my son developed eczema at 2 months and it was horrible. I researched alternative treatments (dermatologist all prescribed steroids/cortisone).
I discovered NAET (www.naet.com). you can search for a practintioner in your area.
i see Dr. Van in PAcific Palisades (www. doctorvan.org)
my son is 18 months and the eczema is nealry gone.

best wishes - i know it is hard to deal with.

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Hi E.. I feel your pain, my son has eczema too and we are now just starting the gluten free diet. Have you tried a dairy free diet? Our holistic nutritionist suggest gluten and dairy free for our 4 year old. Do you give him probiotics and fish oil. Our allergist who is more on the holistic side has suggested that as well as Dove (the white bar) soap for bathing with Vaseline and or Olive Oil. Both do help my son. We are actually noticing that his itching/scratching is lessoning with the gluten free diet. We're hopeful but you never know. We have tried so many different lotions and some help for a few days then it's back to square one. I fully believe that eczema needs to be treated from the inside out. It's just finding out what his triggering his flareups. I'd be glad to talk to you one and one and compare notes. Email me if you'd like to do so. :) ____@____.com

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http://books.google.com/books?id=o2SwL-zK6O0C&dq=r.+f...

Dr. Fuhrman is a doctor my family personally knows. We have his books and try to incorporate his knowledge into our eating habits as best we can. It just makes sense. If you read his book about feeding children right, and follow his program, I believe your son's eczema will clear up.

Here is a testimonial:

http://www.drfuhrman.com/success/SuccessStory.aspx?id=4

I wish you and your family the best of health!

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hi
every baby is different and Eczema could be caused by many different things. our doctors told us that our baby had a "text book" case of eczema... well her eczema is now completely gone!! for our baby it was all linked to food allergies. try to have a blood test and or a scratch test on your baby. it is not invecieve, we did it to my 7mo old and she didt cry or fuss. also, try to test your son for grass allergies, that could also be a cause.
good luck

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Your child's eczema could be a combination things like the detergent you use, the hard water and probably not using the correct skin lotion. Think of this: the bedding he sleeps on, the clothes he wears, plus the water and shampoo could have the aggrevating factors. I would love to offer you a couple of items and suggest why they may work. If you are interested in learning of new options and hopefully the last ones, you can email me. Yes, I do sell them and no my children have not had eczema, but there are many testimonials on the effectiveness of these Melaleuca products. Let me know. Good luck!

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I would suggest homeopathy.It is a holistic approach to health and is gentle. My family has had tremendous good fortune with it--my kids haven't been on antibiotics in over 6-7 years. I know of several in the North County area if you are here, otherwise, you can probably google it and find one in your area.
Goo luck to your little guy!

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Massive quantities if aquaphor did the trick for us...miricle cream!

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My son had eczema all over his face/body early on and we tried a multitude of remedies (yes, definitely relates to allergies and other sensitivities). Basically, the best and least expensive thing was straight Vaseline (big tub at Costco is $3.15) morning and night. Although covering his hands after applying might be difficult, you should try to put long jammies on at night (and yes, the jammies will get all greasy). We still apply Vaseline (and Alba Un-petroleum Jelly) to his face and body morning and night (and after every washing) and the eczema has not reappeared.

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E.,
I have some good friends who have had very good results with switching to the lotions/laundry/cleaning with Melaleuca. Although I do now work with this company, I am only sharing this because they have incredible help for people suffering so much with eczema. Please feel free to email me if you would like more information. ____@____.com

T.

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You could try Kukui Nut Oil if allergy is not an issue. It worked for me. Available where hawaiin product are sold or you could probably search it online. I prefer the unscented because it doesn't sting like the ones with the added fragrance. If you can't find it in a store try Hilo Hatties or Aloha oils online.
Good Luck!

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My son's doctor said to use Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy Cream mixed with Vaseline. Target sells the knock-off for a good price. Good luck to your son.

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I had horrible eczema until a friend of mine told me about a company that she does marketing for. She told me all about it and I decided to try it as it was risk free. It has made a huge difference for my family. It also completely took away my 4 month old son's yeast infection that kept reoccuring from his bad diaper rashes. He kept having to have the steroid cream and I hated it, I decided to try the lotion on his butt and he has not had a rash since - it is amazing! I call it liquid gold. you can email me and I can tell you more about it if you are interested - ____@____.com

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my son was cured of bad eczema by homeopath - she is in LA/Long Beach area. Look her up - Mary Grace.
Good Luck
V.

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We are struggling with severe eczema in my 2 year old daughter. We have spent the past few months going down the allergy route, but after skin tests and blood tests and removing everything from her diet she is even borderline allergic too her skin is worse than ever. The problem for us is that she has a lot of environmental allergies as well.

I would, however, highly suggest getting allergy tests because eczema is most often the result of an allergy. While there is no cure, it can be treated. Zyrtec is important to curb the itching. Itching makes it worse.

We just saw a dermatologist for the first time this week. Her suggestions include using All Free detergent, NO dryer sheets, and Aquaphor body wash. She prescribed DermaSmooth body oil to put on her whole body (non-steroid).

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Hi E.:

I have been advised that eczema is actually a symptom of allergic reactions. The good news is that there is now a way to eliminate allergies, not just treat symptoms. NAET stands for Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Techniques, and is a combination of Eastern and Western medicine. Make sure you go to a certified NAET provider. I go to Dr. David Karaba in Fullerton at the East West Medical Group ###-###-####. Or you can find another certified practitioner through the physician locator service provided at naet.com.

If you want to read up on it first, you can get the book "Say Good-Bye to Children's Allergies" by Dr. Devi Nambudripad. Here is the description paragraph from the book information.

"Say Good-bye to Children’s Allergies
By - Devi S. Nambudripad, M.D., D.C., L.Ac., R.N., Ph.D.
In Say Good-bye to Children’s Allergies, Dr. Devi S. Nambudripad, the developer of NAET®, will help you understand your child’s illness and will assist you in finding the right help to achieve better health for your child. This book will show you how certain commonly used products in your foods and environment can cause health problems in your child; how you can test your child in your privacy of your own home using the Nambudripad’s Testing Techniques described in the book. This book will educate you how your child’s health problems can relate to allergy, a traditionally under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed condition; and, how allergies can manifest into myriad symptoms that might seem unrelated. The author also provides remedies for mild conditions of common childhood ailments arising from allergies and how to find help in assisting your child find the right help for serious problems such as, asthma, hay-fever, common colds, sinus problems, milk allergy, peanut allergy, sugar allergy, hives, gastritis, vomiting, colic for newborns, ear infections, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, bronchitis, drug reactions, and many other conditions. Dr. Nambudripad explains how allergies are often the underlying causes to pediatric problems and how NAET® testing procedures and NAET® treatments can offer relief from these allergies. The book is supported by NAET® practitioners’ testimonials and patients’ success stories."

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Poor guy. It's definitely time to seek out a second opinion for a dermatologist. Most insurances are required to pay for a second opinion from a different doctor. Also, try seeing an allergist for food allergy testing if you haven't done so already. Could be peanuts, dairy, food colorings, etc....

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My husband uses Head and Shoulders as a body wash when his eczema flares up. He also uses a product called Skin Zinc. You can find this over the counter spray and cream at drug stores. We found this product at Walgreens.

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My son has awful eczema on his back and here's what I started doing when it got to the point where I could barely put a shirt on him.

Aveeno makes a great bathwash and lotion especially for eczema and dry skin for infants. It's kind of pricey but, it has been like magic for my son. I stopped bathing him daily, which with boys can be hard, but giving him a quick shower instead. We lather up with lotion in the morning, afternoon and before bed.

I too had the steriod prescription and my Pedi told me to throw it out and get the Aveeno stuff. If you do give him baths try putting a little oatmeal in the bathtub or some fo the creamy wash from Aveeno...it has oats in it.

My friend uses Califronia baby for her little girl who has very bad cracked skin.
http://www.californiababy.com/eczema-care.html

Aveeno Links:
http://www.aveeno.com/caEczema.do

Don't worry it can get better!! I know how hard it is to watch it happen though. Especially when the diet stuff doesn't work out.

Good Luck!!!

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Oats and lotions didn't work for my daughters eczema.. Here is what we do.. We use natural soaps, NO SLS products whatsoever! Especially in hand soaps and body wash. Lavender oil helped too. No dryer sheets or fabric softeners and we use Charlie's soap for all the laundry. I had to cut milk almost completely from her diet as that is a major trigger for her. She drinks goat soy or almond milk. And finally we do use a steroid cream when we have to. Usually just twice a day for a week or two until its cleared up and then I won't have to use it again for a while. But the switch to natural soaps and cutting out milk helps a TON!

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my son is 5 this summer we finally got a handle on this. I'm not sure exactly what it was because we have done a combo of a lot of the things others have said but this summer we got rid of dairy and he started taking clariton everyday.
i don't love that he takes meds everyday but i cant dispute that it helped. we also did short baths, creams, detergents ext. and they helped but now it is completely gone and we don't even need anything topical anymore.

It seems to me every kid has eczema for different reasons so if you can find his trigger you will be able to help him without all the other stuff. obviously my son had a problem with milk. a food diary can be helpful if you suspect perhaps what he is eating is making it worse. i couldn't figure it out because we never went without milk until we switched for my little girl who is lactose intolerant.we were very surprised to see Trevers skin get better!

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From what i understand... it's an allergy, or gut thing. Have your chiropractor (hopefully he/she is an internist as well) order the Elisa Act test. It's a comprehensive allergy test done through blood. If your chiropractor doesn't do it and you are willing to drive out here to Glendora, I can refer you to the one I use and used to work for.

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Ask the dermatologist for something other than the steroid. Look online, there are alternatives to MANAGE it, but no, you can't get rid of it entirely. My son has it too. I put on vaseline or a&d after I wash his hands, bath, diaper... as often as I can. Humidity helps too if you ahve a humidifier in his room at night. Mild soaps, no hand sanitizers.

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Hi E.,

I have multiple skin problems and have found that products made by LUSH help a lot. To find a location near you go to www.lush.com. The products helped with my severe itchy scalp, rosacea and psoriasis on my elbows. Good luck and I sincerely hope this products help your little one.

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My 3yr old daughter has eczema on her stomach, legs and sometimes arms. It got pretty bad with itching and bright red, scaly bumps. The Dr recommended some things, but they didn't work well. She said the most important thing with skin products is no alcohol or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in the ingredients. We found Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash (it's really thick, like glue, so we add water to thin it out a bit) works the best. We also use Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream after baths. When she gets a flare-up, we use Zyrtex generic (stops hives & the itchies within 10 minutes - it's WONDERFUL) and Aveeno Baby Soothing Bath Treatment. The other products we tried didn't work. We also don't let her linger in the tub and if she is going to play, the washing comes at the end and use luke warm water. She also eats a well rounded diet and takes Omega-3 gummies and a multivitamin. Her skin still feels rough and shiny, but it isn't red and doesn't itch her. We also noticed when she would go to her grandparents house wearing shorts or a dress she would have flare-ups, but wearing capri pants that cover her eczema patches has eliminated that. The best of luck to your little boy.

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If the rash is pretty constant, maybe you might want to ask for a skin biopsy to see if the problem is something else. Good luck and hope it all turns out ok.

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Hi, E....I'm not sure if this will help you, but I use a lotion called 'SARNA' on my 8 year old son who has had eczema all his life. I, also have found that the creams that the doctor have given me, bleach my son's legs. He would have two-tone skin on the back of his calves and I found out it was the steroids in the cream that bleach his skin. SARNA is about $10 at Wal-Mart. I hope it works, my son hasn't complained since I've started using it on him. Good luck! Oh, and SARNA is, steroid free.

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Oh so sorry for you! My 2.5 yr old girl has eczema, and I understand the prescription cream concerns (they gave us those when she was 9 mos and I hated using them!) We have found that a little organic apple cider vinegar in her bath helps... with a calendula cream applied immediately after. I've read that a lot of people with eczema use this on their hair as well. It smells nasty, but it seems to help her. Just be careful about his eyes. we never had any luck with the aquafor lotion (recommended by our doctors) but have had better luck with the shea butter/cocoa butter types but the aquafor does sort of protect the skin. There are lots of different types of eczema, so you may have to just keep trying, but hope this helps. I also read that the EFA supliments (like fish oils) and probiotics can help... but she was to little to try them (I may start with some of those soon). The probiotics did seem to help a little.
Good luck!

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WOW lots of responses. Just a quick note here on the fish oil. We use Nordic Naturals Children's DHA supplements. They have strawberry essence and my daughter begs for her 4 each day! She just bites them and you hear it pops. I wouldn't tell her this but the smell makes me heave. ;-) Nordic Naturals is one of the few reputable supplement manufacturers.
On another note these guys make body wash & products for eczema.

http://www.cofbath.com/homepage/Little-Docs-Starter-Kit;j...

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If you are looking for a natural alternative, please let me know.

God Bless!

J.

deleting my post b/c I read your update.

Visit mommywood.com they have great info on allergies etc. it sounds like this could be an allergy. I would find a N.E.A.T. (Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique) specialist in your area. http://www.naet.com/ This could really help.