Eczema - Open Wound

Oh I feel your pain. I had two out of my three kids have bad eczema when they were infants and toddlers. Good thing they grew out of it. Well I would check with your pediatrician before you try this but my baby's doctor recommended Cortizone mixed with Cetaphil lotion to calm the skin. Sometimes even straight cortizone to heal the area. If the eczema patch has worn into a wound I would also try neosporin and treat it like a wound until it scabs over and heals. I also used Eveno Oatmeal baths to sooth their skin in the elbow and knee cracks. The biggest problem with those face and head eczemas on babies is that these little ones are crawling around on the carpet which irritates the eczema more! One of my sons would even use the carpet to scratch his head which would cause the scabs to break open and bleed! I was always concerned with the stain resitant chemicals in the carpet because I swear it made the eczema worse! I eventually started to wash all my extra blankets and quilts in Dreft or other fragrance free detergent and lay these blankets on the floors all over the house. It was a messy two months until they started to stand and walk but it gave them a chance not to be on the carpet all the time. I also like to use homepathic and natural remedies like Sulphur 30c but unfortunately our eczema got out of control and we tried everything natural but to no aveil. Even saw a homepathic doctor. I hated the thought of cortizone but when your baby is crying in a cry that you know their itch is "driving them crazy" I would rather have them comfortable than suffering. Good luck and I hope to see your little one grow out of this too!

YOur poor baby! Mix coconut oil with turmeric powder and put it on your baby's cheek. It is very healing. Anti fungal, antiseptic, antibacterial and very soothing!! It will however turn his skin temporarly yellow. It will help with inflamation too!! Go to a health food store and get these items. You will be glad you did.

Hi S.,
The trick is going to be to stop the itch, once you stop that he will no longer need to scratch. I have eczema and have had it for years. Try using Aquaphor, it is an ointment similar to vasaline, it will take away the itch the same day, keep applying it every day until it heals. My dermatologist & pedatrician both gave this advice since it very gentle yet extremely effective.
Good Luck!
ps. dermatologists & pedatricians usually have samples of it.

Hi S., I think if you try Arbonne ABC baby line of skin care, plus Arbonne's skin conditioning oil, have some great results. I can show you how to get the products, which can only be ordered online from a consultant for the company. I am a consultant, so if you are still experiencing this ailment email me!
B.
____@____.com

Google "eczema/ dairy related" and you will find PAGES of research that indicate a "likely" link between the two, such as this one:
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/childrenshealth/202962.html

Eczema is most commonly some type of allergy, most often food related. If he is on formula, try a soy based product for a couple weeks and avoid products with dairy/whey protein. If he is a breast fed baby, as hard as it is, avoid all dairy and dairy biproducts for two weeks. If you notice a change, keep with the routine, if not, reintroduce the dairy products. Other things to try eliminating are wheat and berries, as they too are high allergens. (I would try dairy, if no improvement, try wheat, then berries.)

I hope something helps him find relief. The little girl I babysit has Eczema too, and if itching herself raw. The mom says "All she'll eat is dairy, so I can't take that away." I feel bad that the mom isn't even willing to try for 2 weeks, but at the same time, it's not my kid so I really don't have any say.

Hope this helps!

I'm sory to hear about your difficulties. I recommend Aquaphor..it's helped us very much with our son's skin problems & eczema. Try putting it on just before he goes to bed (& hopefully is less likely to rub it off!) It's a very thick paste type lotion.. I use it on my baby's legs & arms after his baths, too. Good luck..

I would check with the pediatrician to make sure that it is not infected. The key for my excema is to moisturize constantly. I use Aveeno lotion to keep my excema at bay on my hands. I use it about two to three times a day. I know those wounds are painful and irritating and I am sorry to hear that your son is suffering from this.

I would take him to his pediatrician.

I have started purchasing a product called Renew from a wellness company who produces products that are all natural. Since I have started using these products on my children their eczema is gone. It is a wonderful product. I know your child is a little bit more indepth with the breakout of eczema but I believe this will help and removing other chemicals from the environment. I have heard wonderful stories about it. If you are interested in more information please contact me and we can chat about this wonderful lotion and their other products. I hope things it better soon and good luck.

Hi S. :)

Is your son eating a lot of solid foods yet? My daughter had eczema as an infant and it bothered the heck out of me. It hasn't been bad for her since I changed her diet about 4 or 5 months ago. I took out many things, however, the MOST IMPORTANT subtractions were yeast, white flour, refined sugars and any dairy from the cow. Usually, children with eczema also will have asthma. My daughter, who is now 5, was diagnosed with that when she was 4. Perhaps it may have been diagnosed sooner had I known the signs. She never wheezed or anything, and being that I have had never been around anyone who had that condition and it doesn't run in my family, I was basically clueless. I never even thought about her coughing as being that. My Aunt's hospice nurse advised me to take my daughter to the ER immediately and that was the night she was diagnosed with it. So, the food triggers irritations in the skin. He may also have some food allergies. My daughter does, too. She has an extremely severe allergy to peanuts. She's allergic to a variety of different environmental factors among other things. From what I understand, if you have eczema, you'll most-likely get the entire package... allergies and asthma, too. It's horrible. But, back to the foods. As soon as I took those items out of my daughter's diet, her skin cleared up, her moods got better and happier... she was more peaceful and more patient. It was awesome. So now, I let her eat a little of those things, but I am now able to monitor which direction she's going by her moods and if she starts scratching her legs. She used to pick the heck out of them. Some teachers and the head of her school thought she might have MRSA and wanted to talk to me. She has scars up and down her little legs, but I know over time, they will become less noticeable. If you can, try to learn the little things that you can do to prevent your son's skin from getting irritated... like pat him dry, don't rub him after his bath. Get a gentle moisturizing cream on him within the first few minutes after you bring him out of the water. Eucerin's Aquaphor is a good one. My friend said the plastic surgeon she works for uses that because it helps to heal the skin so nicely. Another kind of off-the-wall thing that worked for my daughter was a serum from emu feathers called Dremu Oil. My feet are really dry and my heels are kind of cracking in the back... as soon as I put that stuff on, you'd never know it. When I use it on my daughter, usually before bed, she wakes up with that area 75% healed. Over the years, I have taken her to see so many dermatologists it's rediculous. They prescribe medications right and left and nothing really truly helps. Something might for a little while, but a lot of the time the medications burn and hurt where they're supposed to help. The only thing that I have seen make the biggest impact was changing the food. It's a pain checking every label, but it sure is worth it!!! Even if you do it for 2 weeks... see how he does :) She actually loved eating healthier than she did before I took that stuff away. I was really surprised at the whole thing.

The doctors my daughter is seeing now are fantastic! One of them actually wrote the book Asthma and Allergies for Dummies. They have a great office over by Mission Children's on Crown Valley in Mission Viejo. If that area is close enough to you, and if you are interested, I can give you their info so you can take your son and talk to them or at least have it on hand. I don't think you could find any better, more knowledgable doctors than those 2 located out here or any surrounding areas. I am very pleased with her care :)

Blessings to you and your Little One :) I hope he grows out of it! :)

In Light,
Jennifer

take a look at this link of before and after pictures and scroll to the baby with eczema (pg 14)
http://members.cox.net/schoeffel1/Before%20and%20After%20...

Arbonne's ABC line got rid of my daughter's eczema too!!!
I can show you how to shop at 35% OFF

If I were you I would get your son in to see a dermatolgist as soon as possible and hopefully one that sees a lot of kids. I'm not sure if they will prescribe something for a baby so young but you need to prevent infection of the area or he could end up needing antibiotics. Eczema is often allergy related. good luck.
C.

Hi S.,

I assume you have seen an allergist..if not, that is the next step. There are lotions that are soothing and even will numb the area...but an itch is nearly as bad as a pain to a kid.

The best solution is to identify what he is allergic to and eliminate it from his world...whether it's food related, soap related fabric allergy or whatever. My mom get eczema from many soaps, hair products, cosmetics and so on...Some anti itch things make it worse for her too.

Wow, you got a lot of response - that's great! My daughter has eczema and had like open wounds on her cheeks too! We finally got in to see an allergist that did skin testing right then and there. Turns out she is allergic to peanuts, bananas, wheat, milk, soy, dogs, cats and mice! I was feeding her baby bananas, grain cereal, soy milk and we had dogs in our house. Once we knew what was going on, it was a tremendous releif and a whole lot of changes. Since the new, hypoallergenic formula was so expensive, the doctor emptied out their closet of whatever they had...both the allergist AND the pediatrician. Then, I started looking at labels and only giving her what she can have. Luckily, I added the rice allergy test and she is NOT allegric to rice. So, rice cereal it was. The dog thing - we just cleaned our carpets and stay away from people that have pets. That's been the hardest thing - not visiting anyone and making sure that people with pets know that they have to come to us and even go so far as making them change their shirt if the want to hold her. Oh well, your child's health first, right!

My advise - see an allergist and dermatologist. Don't be afraid to ask for samples (lots!). If your interested, I could tell you what products worked for us, but this is too long already. Good luck...

Try budreaus butt paste, I don't think I spelled it right but It helps my 21 month old he has eczema on his cheeks too and the butt paste helps it peel and the skin is like new underneath. Just try it.

Hi S.,
My little girl has eczema too...and the only spot that we cant get totally gone is her cheek. One thing that I found that seemed to really irritate her cheek is the strap covers on her carseat. So...what we did is have a friend make some softer covers that don't irritate her cheek. It has seemed to help a ton!!! The only other thing we put on her cheek is hydrocortizone cream. HOpe this helps.

Aquaphor works well for prevention and chapped areas, Baby Eczema Cream by Gental Naturals works okay if a mild case. You may need to see the Pediatrician to make sure it's not infected, you may need to use an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin. Good luck!

Hi S.,

I am terribly sorry to hear your little one is in such discomfort.

One question I would ask is what types of bath soaps, lotions, shampoos, powders you are using on your baby. Another is what are you using to wash his clothes in.

Some dangerous sources of irritation in many products is Quaternium-15, a formaldehyde releaser, and formaldehyde which is a carcinogen (a cancer causing agent) and can cause contact dermatitis. If you've got a bottle of Johnson's baby shampoo on hand take a look at the ingredients, you'll find Quaternium-15 on the label. Also, the Lavender scented J&J product, has a warning for people with respiratory problems, because they use a chemical to MAKE the lavender scent that has been linked to asthma.

S., I have been using Melaleuca's products for over 3 years now due to suddendly becoming chemical sensitive to almost every perfume and cleaning product ingredient I had in my home. Although I have choosen to build a business with them, you do not have to be a representative of the company just to be a customer. We are all customers somewhere already, Melaleuca just offers us a safer home environment for our family at a wholesale prices. In today's economy, who wouldn't take advantage of that? And if you spend more than $15 a week shopping elsewhere right now, you would have no problem shopping with Melaleuca. I never have to worry about what's in my product or what country it came from. With that said...

Here's a short excerpt and a link to Formaldehyde info:

Formaldehyde allergy - What is formaldehyde and where is it found? Formaldehyde is a chemical that is used widely across many products in our environment. It would be difficult to list all the possible sources of formaldehyde; the table below shows some of the more common sources of formaldehyde exposure.

Link to entire information:
http://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/formaldehyde-allergy.html

Also, Here's an article regarding baby products and chemicals:

Baby Products Linked to Chemical Risk

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP
Posted: 2008-02-04 08:15:49
Filed Under: Health News

CHICAGO (Feb. 4) - Baby shampoos, lotions and powders may expose infants to chemicals that have been linked with possible reproductive problems, a small study suggests.

The chemicals, called phthalates, are found in many ordinary products including cosmetics, toys, vinyl flooring and medical supplies. They are used to stabilize fragrances and make plastics flexible.

In the study, they were found in elevated levels in the urine of babies who'd been recently shampooed, powdered or lotioned with baby products.

Phthalates (pronounced thowl-ates) are under attack by some environmental advocacy groups, but experts are uncertain what dangers, if any, they might pose. The federal government doesn't limit their use, although California and some countries have restricted their use.

Link to source of story and entire article: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/22979800/from/ET/

I hope this will be helpful to you in solving your baby's eczema.

God Bless,
T.

Is your home a secret haven for toxins?
www.sharethecause.com/T.

Hi S., I agree with most of the advice you've already received, however, what is very important to do before applying lotions or creams is to keep the irritated area clean. Not with peroxide or alcohol but with a gentle, fragrance-free, chemical-free natural soap. If the soap is gentle and safe, I am confident that washing the area at least 2 to 3 times a day and then applying the cream or lotion of your choice, will greatly benefit your baby. Sometimes the itching is just caused by the dust that collects on the lotion you've been applying throughout the day and also on your babies fingernails- so her hands and fingernails need to be washed several times a day as well. Bacteria may be collecting underneath her fingernails and every time she scratches, the eczema worsens. I strongly suggest you use an all natural cream, unless of course your doctor suggests using an antibiotic- I am a strong believer that many of the chemicals in baby lotions actually do more harm than good sometimes. Stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's carry many great natural soaps.
Blessings to you and your family- please let us know if our advice helped.
B.

my 3 kids all struggle with eczema and now i won't use anything but Arbonne's ABC baby line products on them. they're PH correct, botanically based and the only thing that keeps them completely symptom free. My oldests was so bad, so wide spread, had some many open sores that initially she was misdiagnosed as having SCABIES! now she'll occasionally get a little dry skin on her face if we don't use ABC oil after she bathes, but otherwise she has no symptoms.

night and day doesn't begin to describe the difference!

Dear S.:

My son had had tons of issues with his skin. The only thing that worked was products from Arbonne.

They have a complete baby line but what I would suggest for you is something is our skin conditioning oil and rejuvenating cream. This works miracles.

Have you tried changing what you use to bath him, wash his hair or laundry detergent. The Arbonne products are dermataolgist tested and pediatrician tested.

My son used to have large open sores on the backs of his legs. I tried lots of prescribed creams by his doctor but it never completely made it go away. This stuff was great for my kid.

If you need more info let me know.

All the best,

D.

We had the same problem with our son; the worst we had was when he was 3 and the fronts of his ankles would bleed from him scratching. I started bathing him in Melaleuca's bath oil and applying Aquaphor to the wounds. The wounds have been gone since then but we still use the bath oil. The only downfall of Melaleuca is that you have to be a representative to buy it but sometimes you can find a representative that will order it for you. I ended up cancelling my account with them after I had about 15 bottles of bath oil in my house and I'll just contact the lady who signed me up to buy me more down the road. I also bought emu oil and that seemed to help too but I love the bath oil because it was easier and prevents any breakouts and the emu oil is applied to existent breakouts. I wish you the best, we spent years and a lot of money trying to find something that worked because the steroid creams did nothing.

S.,
See a pediatric dermatologist right away. They usually recommend creams and lotions, but they make ointments and "tars" with the same medication in them. Tell your dermatologist that you don't want anything that burns or stings and to please prescribe the ointments or tars. Once you get the skin to where it is not an open wound any more, I highly recommend using ShiKai Borage Children's Dry Skin Therapy Lotion. You can find it at ShiKai.com. My son was almost admitted into the hospital with skin infections because of his eczema and this lotion has been our life saver. We put it on him twice a day, morning and night (more often when the weather changes) and he hasn't had a break out in over a year. Good luck to you. I know how hard it is to see your child suffer.

PS - If your baby is only getting the break out on his/her face then it doesn't sound like an allergic reaction to me. Seeing an allergist might be a waste of time. A pediatric dermatologist should help tremendously.

My 6 month old son also has eczema. I am trying to minimize the use of steroids so I started using Tea Tree Ointment. You can get it at Henry's or Whole Foods. It seems to be working well as far as healing and it also provides cooling relief for itching and burning. Have you seen your doctor? They may prescribe an antibiotic ointment which we've also used for a secondary infection related to eczema.

Hope this helps.

I don't know how you feel about over-the-counter medication, but we used cortizone cream to heal my daughters eczema (at the suggestion of our pediatrician). They have two strengths, so we used the one with the smallest percentage of cortizone (I think the tube said "sensitive skin").

Hi S., Im sorry your little one is sufering with eczema..My nephew as well as a couple of my friends children went through the same thing. You have received alot of great feedback and I agree with changing his soaps and laundry detergents..Most skin care products on the market contain chemical dye's and fragrances that cause iritation and skin conditions. I am an Arbonne consultant and we have a wonderful baby line that works wonders on problem skin, even for adults suffering with eczema..Its hypoallergenic, pediatrition tested, 100% vegan and has no chemical dye's or fragrances..It also doesnt have any mineral oil or petrolium products that can clog pores and cause further problems..I would love to send you a free sample to try to see if it will help him..Good Luck, I hope you find something quickly to give him some relief..
D. Alexander
www.dalex.myarbonne.com
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I used to babysit my little cousin who has eczema and the dermatologist they took her to told them to use the Cetaphil line of skin care products. They really helped she's now 16 and has no signs of it except her skin is typically drier than normal skin however regular lotions keep her moisturized. I hope your baby boy gets better soon.
*M.*

Hi S.-- 1st let me say that this is something that is important & must be treated asap to avoid infection. Our friend's 5 month old ended up in the hospital for a week because of eczema on his face (open wound) that turned to an infection.
2nd-- I'm totally there with you as my boys have allergies and eczema. You need to find out the root cause of the eczema so you can (attempt to) eliminate it from his diet and/or environment.

It is often diet related so a simple blood test (called an immuno-cap) can detect a lot of food allergies. There is a standard list which they test for but you can add specific foods you might suspect.

3-- I suggest removing all soaps and detergents from his environment. I use this stuff called Seba-Med Baby and it is all soap free. Fragrence & dye free laundry detergents should also help.

It is just a start but hopefully you should see results. Good luck.

The proven answer is Acid water topically (on the skin) and alkaline water internally.

Please feel free to call me personally at my clinic.
B. Miller
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I am the owner and lead practicioner.
Malibu Calif.

If it's an open wound I would take him to the doctor asap- good luck and hope he feels better soon!!!