Help with Son's Itchy Skin!

You need to find out what is causing the eczema. Using the steroids and benedryl isn't good and really is only a band-aid to treat the symptoms, not the actual problem. It is probably something they are both eating and are allergic to. It could be something very simple that needs to be eliminated from their diet or environment OR something that is missing in ther diet.
Go to www.ahccenter.com
This is a group of chiropractor/clinical nutritionists who have incredible results with all kinds of issues, especially allergies. Their office is in Grosse Pointe. Your poor little sweeties! I hope you find a remedy soon!

1 mom found this helpful

My 3 1/2 year old had eczema that cleared up as he aged, but we found out the primary cause was allergies (food and outdoor). The things that have worked for us is bathing every night and applying lotion (lubriderm unscented) right after the bath. Then on the worst spots we applied the steroid cream. I think it would be harder as they get older though. Zyrtec works better than benadryl for us. I would definately think about seeing an allergist though. If they have food allergies it is easy to avoid the trigger, if not the allergist can give you even better info on how to deal with it. We got to The Allergy and Immunologhy Center in Providence Park in Novi. Good Luck!

Hi,
I don't know how much help I can be, but I have suffer with eczema my whole life (since I was 3 months old and I am way into my 40's....). Take them to a good dementologist and get the right help. But if you've done that and still can't help to relieve their discomforts. I have found that if I live in a pool (yes, one with cloren) it helps my skin.
The cloren kills the bactria in my skin and the sun helps my body heal itself (all that vitum D).
I wish you all the luck in the world, I know how uncomfortable they are. The Benadryl will help, but make sure it is the correct amount for him (and her), please check with the Doctor. They might require more or less, it depends on their body. If they form little blisters, have the doctor biopys the fluid in them and then he will have a better idea of how to treat them. It sound stupid, but it will help. The tiny blisters (about yhe size of a pin head) are the irriatable type of eczema to have and it will NEVER go away, I am living proof of that. It goes away, but stress will trigger it again. Always better in the summer months then in the winter, I get outside a lot in the summer too. Please feel free to ask questions, it is the only way you will find a way to help. I hope this helped you.

I have a son that's almost two that also has eczema, it gets the worst on the insides of his elbows and behind his knees. What I've found works for him is All Baby detergent on his clothes, and All Free and Clear on mine. Bounce Free dryer sheets on both our clothes, no liquid fabric softener.
I use Dove body wash on him, my pediatrician recommended it from the time he was a few months old. Then I coat his whole skin in a thick layer of Aquaphor lotion. This lotion works great! It keeps most of his eczema under control and as long as I use it every night, it clears up the worst spots in just a couple days. (My great aunt uses this on my cousin as well, who has very severe eczema and it has really worked wonders for her. My little cousin's eczema flares up really bad and is almost painful for her if the Aquaphor isn't used.)
After the Aquaphor, if he has really bad itchy spots, I use a 1% hydrocortisone cream (similar to Benadryl cream). That usually stops the "itchies" as him and I call them so that he gets a little relief.
I hope this helps a little!

I would get your kids allergy tested. There is a great one at The Authentic Living Center at Maple and Coolidge in Troy. I had the same problem (severe eczema breakout) for 2 weeks and found out that I was allergic to oats. I was soaking in Aveano (oatmeal) a couple times a day, eating oatmeal for breakfast and putting Aveano moisturizer on it. Once I fould out the allergy it was easily eliminated and it cleared right up!

I was told by my doctor to give my 4 year old a bath, then slather her generously with a Eucerin cream (not lotion), this is very safe for people with sensitive skin.

Also, as others have stated, remove soaps, chemicals, etc. that can dry their skin. If you use soap make sure it is free & clear, or moisturizing.

Lastly, it isn't always an allergy, but can be brought on by dry weather (winter) or hot weather (sun). I found this information helpful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eczema

Hi C. - your poor kids and poor you. Please try chinese herbal medicine. My baby had very bad eczema and I saw a medical herbalist who gave me medicine he had to take for two weeks. It was a miracle. My son is now 11 and he only has very mild eczema on the front of his legs, mostly in the dry winter months. Before, he would scratch until he bled. Ask your doctor to help you find a medical herbalist, or even ask your insurance company - perhaps it's covered. Good luck - Alison

I agree with alot of the other post, you should consider seeing a dermatologist/allergist...my son (5 now) has allergies as well when he was a baby his eczema was so bad it looked as though he was burned.
His dermatologist/allergist recommended a number of things
1. Wash all clothes in Free (like Tide Free) detergent-including yours and other household items (unless you have two seperate washers) use free dyer sheets as well
2. Use Free Soaps (free of colors, dyes) like Dove (not Ivory)
3. Use Cetaphil lotion-this stuff worked wonders
4. Plus the prescription meds. which were steroids and antiboitics (but we were told to limit use because the possibility of stunting growth

Hope this is helpful, my sister also had it bad, but she had a lot of food allergies (strawberries, chocolate, nuts, etc) that would trigger bad reactions

Eczema acutally is a sign of a weak immune system. So first look at their diet, watch sugar intake, and a good amount of water (ideally half their weight in ounces). Also, what are you using to wash their clothes? What kind of shampoo, lotion, etc are you using? These products have an impact on the skin, which is the quickest way to get anything into our bodies.

If you would like more information, call me at ###-###-####.

M.

hello! my daughter is 4 1/2years old has eczema a and our doctor prescribes her a compound of hydrocortizone 2% and cetaphil cream i apply it faithfully twice a day since she was abount 9 months and her skin has been undercontroll.we have bcbs and the compound is covered, we only have to pay our copay. so if you have bcbs and a low copay its a bonus!

My husband has psoriasis, and I have eczema. The difference between the two is that psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by over production of white blood cells (it speeds up the growth of skin cells) and eczema is swelling of the skin.

As a child I used hydrocortizone cream and that cleared it up just fine.

When my eczema flared up so badly last winter that I was scratching until I bled, and even then couldn't stop, my husband suggested I try using his Surgeon's Skin Secret balm.

I used it every morning and night, along with every time the itching became unbearable. I could see a noticeable difference within two days, though it took a month for it to clear up completely.

What I liked about the balm is that it is not a steroid or allergy cream, and the only ingredients are beeswax, light mineral oil, and lanolin. It makes it a bit waxy, but it did the job better than anything else I tried using (and I tried a lot!)

I hope this helps!

My daughter had it last wummer and I tried Healing Scents Eczema Oil. It doesn't contain chemicals or steriods but works like a charm.
I have also changed my laundry habits. I am now using Castile soap to clean my laundry, even the non toxic, good for the environment soaps were bothering my daughter's eczema but now that we use castile soap it's gone. I also use vinegar in place of fabric softener, just add it to the middle thing in your washing machine where the fabric softener goes and don't use dryer sheets.
Anyway, the Healing Scents website is http://www.healing-scents.com/. Hope this helps!

How frustrating! There is hope...I have a business partner who's brother suffered his whole life from the same thing. They used a natural solution that worked and is still working. If you are open to such a thing, let me know and I will get details from her. (It's not a cream or anything topical, but a solution so that the condition is GONE.)

Hang in there!

S.

Hi C.---Haven't read many of the other posts. I should be getting ready for my son's graduation party!!! But I think I can help.

I am taking a series of wellness classes taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. If you would like to minimize the use of synthetic chemicals, I think we should talk. Again, the time thing prevents alot of typing right now.

Avoid cows milk. It is highly allergenic and is a culprit for skin disorders. Go to www.strongbones.org to learn why. As another mom stated, this is an autoimmune disorder. You need to eliminate things that chalalenge the immune system, food additives, anything processed, minimize processed sugar and I know there are others. You want to eliminate what is causing the problem, not just putting creams (band-aids) on them that are temporary.

DO eat lots and lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Minimize animal protein. It too, if eaten in excess (we only need a piece of meat the size of a deck of playing cards) contributes to all kinds of degenerative diseases, including auto-immune.

And since most produce today lacks enough nutrients to PREVENT disease, I would sugggest a high quality whole food supplement. I know of a good one that has 13 independent, peer-reviewed studies that show immune system support as well as DNA protection and repair (think anti-aging and gene suppression). Call me if you are interested in learning more about how to strengthen and balance your whole family's immune system through the healing food that you eat.

I look forward to it. In health, D. ###-###-####
www.dianeshealthed.com

PS. Check and see how Burts Bees-Dr. Burt's Res-Q Ointment works. I love it on everything from burns, bug bits and bruises. I'm sure it will work on eczema as well. Oh, I've also read that a high quality fish or flaxseed oil works well. You could also use ground flax in smoothies, hot cereal, pancakes and muffins as well. It has alot of protein and fiber and has cancer fighting properties as well. Great plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids.

OK, this may sound strange, but it helped with my son's and neice's eczema. First, we did the standard scent free, color free soap, no fabric sofener or sheets. But then we put coconut oil all over their skin. Yes, the kind you cook with. Though you can spend several times the price and buy the same stuff in the beauty aisle of the health food store. 100% pure coconut oil. It took about a month for my son's to completely clear up, but it worked. Apparently it has slight anti-bacterial properties (though eczema isn't caused by bacteria, it still worked). I still use it when he starts to get a diaper rash. Hope this helps!

C., I am involved with a company that has a lotion (non-steriod) that helps to releave the itching, etc. of eczema. There are many testimonials of people who has relief from the itching and scatching.

S.
www.livetotalwellness.com/SusanK

The best (and least expensive) option we found for my sons feet was to put vasaline or bag balm on clean feet before bed and cover with clean socks. I have also heard of people using pam cooking spray. Good luck.

The moms I know who have these problems take their kids to an allergy specialist and then change their diets accordingly. Sometimes daily is a factor. You could try changing to rice milk for awhile and see if that helps. I live near Grosse Pointe Asthma and Allergy Center in Eastpointe and take one grandson there. They are wonderful!

Benedryl has a itching cream you can rub on the skin. I would go to the dr. let him know how they are it could be more than ecema it could be an allergic reaction to something in the air or in the home. Also I know you can get from aveno oatmeal cream to try to. Give them oatmeal baths they have soaps and stuff from aveno. It sounds like there maybe something more.

dear C.,

i agree with the idea of allergy testing. however, i would also recommend a set of products that i have used religiously since my boy was an infant, he is now almost 8. :-)

arbonne international has a baby line that includes a wash, good for hair and body, a lotion and a sunscreen. you can buy them in separates or in sets. sam's skin is super sensitive and i have a history of skin cancer in my family so i tend to be uber protective of his sun exposure.

i am not a distributor and am not trying to sell anything. my recommendation would be to go to www.goodsearch.com and search for arbonne international. i am sure you can find a good and close distributor through them. i admit the products are more expensive than your average target item. BUT i use significantly less and they last almost twice as long.

i know i sound like an arbonne zombie but this stuff really works. it is marketed for babies but i still use it on my almost 2nd grader. :-)

best of luck!! hope this helps,

S.

Hi C.,

You have a lot of great suggestions here that should help with the symptoms. However, I'm an advocate of finding the root cause as well.

There is a pediatrician in Ann Arbor whose practice deals specifically with chronic conditions.

Dr. Susan G. Mccreadie, MD

Suite 24
2350 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
###-###-####‎
###-###-####‎ - Fax

C.,
I represent a company that specializes in natural based skin care(Jordan Essentials) and have already in my 3+ years been able to help many with skin problems like you are dealing with including my own granddaughter who is now 6 months but, who was born with baby ecsema. Using our shea butter on a daily basis has healed and kept that away from her, praise the Lord. Please, look and try what others have found, that is safe, affordable and american made at www.jordanessentials.com/8783. You won't be disappointed. R. B.

I would recommend a couple of things. First, I would use a detergent for their sheets and clothing that is "Free & Clear" of artificial dyes and fragrances. These can be very irritating to the skin. The second recommendation is Arbonne body care products. Arbonne is a Swiss formulated line of pure, safe, and beneficial products which have no artificial dyes or fragrances. Skin care is not a regulated industry in this country & there are many irritating ingredients in a lot of the products marketed here. Arbonne comes with a $$$ back guarantee so you have nothing to lose by trying it. Specifically, I would recommend the RE9 body lotion or ABC Body Lotion, the Shampoo and either the ABC Body Wash or the FC5 Body Cleanser. On the areas that are particularly bad, I would suggest the Rejuvenating Cream (which U of M's trauma center recommends also, by the way). I have been a consultant with Arbonne for 10 years and have been able to help a lot of people control their excema. I can be reached through Mamasource or you can call me directly at ###-###-####. Good luck. Barb

Hi C., Wow, my heart goes out to you and your children in their discomfort!! That's miserable.

In addition to ruling out allergies, choosing safe non toxic cleaners is a key to this. What is at the top of your priorities...organic? pure? scientifically tested?

I'm thinking you probably ask yourself...what's the underlying cause here or are my children in for a lifetime of drugs and lotions. Have your Drs talked with you about building your children's immune systems?

I have some good information on those kinds of things. I found this information because of the eczema my son had and I would be glad to share them with you.

warmly, M.

Hi,

I would first make sure their kidneys are functioning properly. Then - here is an article from a Dr. I trust whole-heartedly. I hope it helps...I'm always choosing natural before pharma!!

B-fore Steroids

A new study shows promise for an all-natural, external treatment
that can bring relief for eczema: vitamin B12 in a cream
form. The B-complex has always had a reputation as a skin
healer, so this isn't particularly shocking news. But often,
what works in one form -- such as supplements or shots --
doesn't always work topically.

A persistent, itchy, uncomfortable rash of many origins,
eczema can drive sufferers to distraction, particularly in the
winter months. While eczema is often linked with allergies,
the winter weather can exacerbate the condition. The most
common topical prescribed is corticosteroids, which can have
negative side effects, especially over time. Having an
alternative to relieve the itching and start healing the skin
will be a welcome change for many.

The best news, however, might be that you don't need a
prescription -- vitamin B12 cream can be readily found as an
over-the-counter or on-the-internet option.

Of course, if you struggle with eczema on a regular basis and
don't know the cause, a visit to a nutritionally oriented
physician would still help. The vitamin B12 cream offers
relief, but diagnosis of the cause and a treatment plan that
might eliminate your eczema over time is still preferable.

Dr. Wright has long advised that your skin's good health is
more of a result of what you put inside your body than what
you slather on topically. But while you're working on the
other aspects triggering your eczema, getting some extra
relief in the form of vitamin B12 cream certainly can't hurt.

I think the aquaphore lotion works the best. Lube em up several times a day.

absolutely get him tested for food sensitivities. no amount of cream can help eczema that is from something internal (which eczema usually is). dairy, wheat, egg...all big reasons for eczema. that is where my daughter's comes from. once we eliminated the source, it was gone within a week.

My 10 month old daughter has had eczema since she was born. She had it so severe on her head that it would bleed and ooze. The Dr. eventually put her on amoxicillin to clear the area. She has had an allergic reaction to all of the creams the Dr. has prescribed. I also had to give her benadryl each night to help with the itching (have not had to do this in a long time). I did as the Dr. stated and used Dreft or Laundry Detergent that had no dyes. I washed all of her clothes seperately.... still nothing would help the eczema. I finally removed all of the chemicals from my home approximately 6 months ago. The products are safer for my children, have helped improve my daughters eczema, and is saving us money. All I did was switched stores. I also use aquaphor mixed with cortizone for small areas when she breaks out which is not often. I wish you and your children the best.