Infant Eczema: Causes and Cures

My baby is almost 7 months now and has eczema since he was a few months old. I found that his baby wash really irritated his skin and contributed to the eczema. I was using a mild cleanser called Aquaphor that is suppose to be really good for sensitive skin, but it wasn't for my son. I switched to Aveeno sensitive wash. It doesn't contain any perfumes or dyes. He was also prescribed a cream from the doctor, but it was costly and I didn't want to keep using it. Instead I use the Aveeno fragrance free daily moisture lotion and it works pretty well. I use it as a diaper cream too and it works better for him than other ointments. We have also purchased a humidifier for his room and that works well too. I haven't found a source to my son's eczema yet either. The Dr. told me that some babies just have really sensitive skin. My advice would be to try a different cleanser if you haven't already. And don't use anything with fragrance or dyes- like detergents, etc. Best of luck!

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J. A.

My son also has eczema, it was so bad i had to take him to the doctor, who sent me to the allergist,they did the skin test and sure enough he has allergies. The best thing to use on their skin is Aveeno baby wash and Aveeno lotion it is sold in the baby isle in any store. Also Aveeno bath soak really helps to calm the skin. The allergist also said to never bathe my child every day, do it every other day and only pat their skin to dry them off. If the eczema does not seem to be getting better try taking her to an allergist they may be able to help..
Hope this helps
S. N

Hi! One of my daughters actually had a similar issue. She started getting scaley (sp?) patches on her back and legs. I had just started checking out natural alternatives myself. I found out that most baby washes and shampoos contain formaldehyde among other chemicals that can dry out the skin. They don't list formaldehyde on the label, instead it is listed as its trade name, Q-15 or Quaternium-15. It is in the leading baby washes out there (Johnsons and Grins and Giggles). So, first of all we stopped using them...and I started using Koala Pals all-natural baby products. It is manufactured by Melaleuca. There are of course other brands out there too that are great - Arbonne has a great baby line too. I just didn't see the results as fast as I did with the Melaleuca products. I also stopped using the "good-smelling" baby lotions and started using a lotion called Renew by Melaleuca. It is great. The combination of the two things cleared her eczema up within 3 baths. It also cleared her awful cradle cap. I refused to use a chemical-laden anti-dandruff adult shampoo on her head even though that is what the Dr recommended. Good luck, and if you want more info on Melaleuca products, just let me know! :)

L.:
Both of my children struggled with Eczema and I found a GREAT topical ointment that has no steroids and actually works well enough that I seldom have to use the steroid cremes perscribed. It is called "Bag Balm" and you can buy at any local drug store or even Meijers, Walmart, and often Scotts. It is kind of like thick vaseline, but was once used to cure chaffed cows udders. Sounds wierd, I know, but it works and I have given several other moms this advise only to have them turn around and thank me. I am also happy to report that my daughter, now 4yrs. no longer struggles and my son, 2yrs., appears to be headed the same direction. Good luck! I am sure you will find this stuff really works!

HI! My daughter also had red patches as an infant. We later found out that she was allergic to a lot of things: peas, tomatoes, beef, grapefruit, blueberries, and the more common ones: eggs and peanuts. I didn't figure all of this out until she was 18 months. There are a few more natural products out there that work well on infants (Arbonne ABC baby care line and the line by Melalueca). I don't sell either of these products but I do know people that do. I have used both on my kids with good results. Let me know if you'd like me to give you the information on how to contact these people. Most doctors don't recommend these products because they have relationships with pharmaceutical companies and that is where they get their sampling from.

When my daughter was an infant she also had eczema. We discovered she had horrible break outs when she would drink alot of milk. We also discovered that while the steroid creams seemed to help they would never completely clear it up. We found Zim's Crack Cream and it worked wonders! While the smell isn't the greatest, the results were! Good luck!

My son is 27 months old and has had eczema since birth. Same symptoms as you describe. We switched to using baby Aveno baby wash and only bath him every 3 days. This has really helped. We only use the hydrocortizone after baths. Also, he was put on Zyrtec for allergies and this has greatly reduced his breakouts. I'm not sure there is a cause of eczema.

Hi L., my son had ecxema and still breaks out every once in awhile. We have done various things which all work for a bit and then we switch it up, you have to rotate through the "aresenal". First, we have had a lot of success using a probiotic. Lots of time skin irritations have to do with a lack of friendly bacteria in the intestines and colon. You can find a good probiotic at Wild Oats. They come as capsules and I break it open and mix the powder into apple sauce. You can also give her kiefer which is a fermented yogurt drink...kids love it. Both of these things will promote healthy bacteria. I would also give epsom salt baths. The lotions we use are shaklee lotions or eucerin creams. We would also try the steriod cream a little too, we found that our son was havng trouble sleeping b/c he was so uncomforable. I know a good lay nutritionist that could help if you are interested.

about me: late 20's mom at home of a 2 yr old and 1 year old

My daughter is 19 months but has had exzema most of her life. I wasn't surpprised because I have it too. One thing I found is that whenever either of us have anything containing dairy it gets much worse. When she turned 18 months I started her on a probiotic which helps to digest lactose and it has helped a lot.

I have a one-year-old who developed eczema at around 4 months.
From what I've read/heard it typically develops if one or both parents have allergies and it usually disappears by 3 if not sooner.
My son's pediatrician prescribed Aquaphor with hydrocortisone to be used after each bath. (His is on his cheeks, upper arms, and thighs). I, too, didn't want to rely soley on the medication. Aveeno makes a few baby products that work well. I use Aveeno baby wash/shampoo, then put the Aveeno baby lotion on his arms, legs, and back after his bath. I save the Aquaphor for his face. At his last checkup, his doctor commented how well the eczema looked, so hopefully that is doing the trick.
Good luck!

Hi! My son also had excema as a baby & we ended up having to go to a dermatologist, who prescribed a nonprescription lotion called Vanicream, as well as Free & Clear bar soap & Shampoo. Those have worked like a dream. We have a prescription for a combo, steroid/antibacterial cream for mild breakouts & a hardcore steroid for severe rashes, which he hasn't had since. We also found he's allergic to milk & peanuts. So if you suspect anything talk to your doctor about getting her tested for allergies. Hope that helps.

Hello my name is C. and I use shaklee which is a all natural and NON-TOXIC company. They have wonderful products such as non-toxic cleansers, soaps, skin care products, baby products such as lotions and soaps made especially for children they also have a wonderful line of nutrition. I would be more than happy to share more info. with you regarding this if you would like. I have been a member with them for almost 15 years. I have 2 children who now are 14 and 10. my 10 year old son was born 3 months premature and todate has no health issues and I believe alot of his good health is due to the Shaklee products.

Please feel free to email me at ____@____.com.

L. B., My name is N. and this will probably sound crazy, but we know people that have used a fruit juice called MonaVie for adults and young children, even infants, and had excellent results for eczema. The body will heal itself given the right nutrition and this stuff is packed full of it. You might have even heard of it. It's been all over the news and on the internet. World Class doctors put this juice together and researched fruit for over 10 years. The doctor that led the team that formulated MonaVie runs Oprah's website for eating disorders. We have seen some amazing results for all sorts of health issues. They are on to something big. MonaVie is sold through a network of distributors. I would gladly give you more info if you'd like. My email is ____@____.com

My son, who is now 2 1/2, had severe eczema as an infant. Most of his baby pictures he is covered in scratches. As he gets older it is getting much more manageable. We, too used the cream (and still do for severe discomfort). I questioned my dr. about it been allergy related b/c I had read a lot that it was. He insist that more than anything it should be viewed as a severe sensitivity to the skin. However, my son is extremely allergic to cats. We don't have any, but have discovered this over the past year as we have visited friends and family. (my daughter, who is a year old than him, doesn't have eczema or any allergies that we are aware of).

Anyway...at the recommendation of my dr. we only put 100% cotton clothing on him...use ALL Free and Clear laundry soap, and used Huggies Sensitive Skin bath soap and lotion. We also used a humidifier in his room in hopes that that would help the dryness. Like I said...he seems to be "outgrowing" it...which is also common, but when it was severe these things all together seemed to help. More than anything, I just wanted him to be comfortable. I especially noticed discomfort when he wore any type of pjs with nylon or polyester in them...

Hope that's helpful!

It is something in her diet. Take her to be tested.

L.. My daughter often breaks out for no reason. I had the same problem when I was little. I still get spots but not as bad and so does she. I found that has hard as it maybe during break outs don't give her a bath put her in the shower with you. Less soaking time to brother the skin. Also Bath and body works has a line that can help. Right after you take her out of the shower put lotion on right a way. The shea butter and natural otiments help. I hate using the stroid cream also and only use it if it is really hurting her. Good luck, there is light at the end.

My daughter had eczema when she was an infant and now at 3 years old she occasionally has flare ups. We used a combination of hydrocortisone cream and Aquaphor and that helped. Lately we've started using the Eucerin cream (in the jar) and her skin is doing much better. I apply it twice daily. As for the triggers??? I think milk plays a role for her. I also stopped using fabric softener and I use a no-perfume/dye laundry soap.

My five year old had eczema from the time he was born. I tried it all too! His eczema seemed to go away when I started using Arbonne baby products. They are natural products and can be purchased through a sales consultant (or on ebay). The line is Arbonne ABC. I used the body and hair wash, the body lotion (which helps greatly!), and the diaper rash cream. I'm not sure that the source of eczema can be identified, it seems to just be in their system. I found that using Arbonne from start to finish, seemed to stop his eczema all together. We now use other soaps and lotions and the eczema has not returned. I would be happy to give you a Cincinnati consultants name or email, she's great. Check out their products online at arbonne.com (but you have to have a consultant order them for you). Good luck with this!

Hi L.,
I also have an 8 month daughter who has excema. While I now know she's got an allergy to the protein in milk, I've also had success with using perfume free dryer sheets (bounce makes one)and Dove liquid soap instead of johnson's shampoo. In terms of lotions, eucerin calming creme (comes in a jar) is good, but thick. We also gave fewer baths as well, as that tends to dry out her skin more.

I hope that helps...I hope your daughter feels better!

A.

Eczema is usually linked to an allergy -- that's what my peditrian said to me as well. Since your daughter is 8 mos old they probably won't do any testing unless she has other symptoms. My daughter is 8 and has horrible flare ups of her eczema in the winter. I try to keep a humidifier in her room to help keep some moisture in the air. I found this to help. We really didn't have a alot of luck with the prescriptions either. I found that if you mix auquphor lotion with the pink johnson and johnson lotion it makes a thick lotion that coats and helps keep the moiusture in the skin. If you are looking for natural treatments you can try a health food store or herbalist that carries products that contain calendula oil. There is an herbalist in Florence, KY that carries a lotion for little ones with calendula oil in it. The store is called Herbs and More. I hope I have been of some help. Good luck

I have a friend whose eczema is worsened by wheat products. Maybe play around with no glutens and see what happens. We use OTC cortisone on my son if it's bad and then eucerin or non petroleum jelly to protect the skin

my daughter also had that at a young age and we used the steroid cream for several months and it cleared up. she is now 3 1/2 and has never had it that bad since then. her skin is just really sensitive and tremendously dry most of the time. i just keep a stock of Aveeno lotion on hand, and she rarely complains about it.
My niece also has this and she is 10 1/2. she has been told by dr's that it is just something that will arise from time to time.

Eczema (dermatitis) in young children and infants is very common, and can cause parents many hours of worry. The cause is not known in the type called idiopathic infantile eczema, although a history of some form of allergic reaction in the mother or father is often noted. These may vary from hay fever to asthma to extreme sensitivity to poison oak. if the eczema of a baby is of the contact type the cause can be determined by removing the irritating agent. The site of the eczema may be important. If it is confined to the scalp it may be seborrheic dermatitis, called dandruff in adults. This type is sometimes called "cradle cap".
The widespread or idiopathic type usually is most noticeable on the face, which becomes inflamed and swollen in places; scales will form and sometimes little blisters. There is itching, and scratch marks will be seen. At times little mittens may have to be worn by the baby to keep it from scratching the face or other parts of the body. Patches of inflamation may be noted on the inside of the elbows. If the baby is allowed to scratch these itching places ther will be secondary infection in the scratch marks.
The first thing to remember is to stop using soap of any kind on the baby. Baby oil should be substituted for soap. A soothing local application such as Calamine lotion may be applied to stop the itching. If the baby is sensitive to some kind of food, an elimination diet should be tried. This means to take one of the foods in the baby's diet away to see if the eczema improves, then begin giving this again and see if the rash gets worse. This will give the mother a good idea of what is causing the eczema and then that food can be strictly kept out of the diet.
One good thing to know is that most of these cases clear up even without treatment by the time the baby is one or two years old. If there is a strong history of allergy in the family it may take longer.
Sunlight is not good for these cases and should be avoided. In all instances the mother should consult a pediatrician for advice. Ask the doctor if there is a safer treatment than using a steroid cream.

My daughter has eczema, too. The steroid creme from the doctor didn't work so well with my daughter. The one thing that I found that really seemed to work is Arbonne ABC lotion. I now even use the bath soap and shampoo. It took a couple of weeks to really see results... and I can tell if I've slacked off using the lotion (we use twice a day). Hope this helps! Good luck!

I would recommend Arbonne International's Baby Care line. They are an all natural company with no dyes, chemicals, animal products/byproducts, or mineral oil. They are formulated in Europe (which has higher standards than the US)and made in the USA. I have used the oil and the lotion on my children and it has helped them so much, especially in the winter months here in Ohio. If you would like more information, feel free to contact me or go on Arbonne's website (www.arbonne.com) to get more information about Arbonne and all they have to offer. Good luck and please let me know if I can help in any way!!

N.
____@____.com

My 2 boths both have it. They tend to grow out of the worst symptoms eventually. For now keep using the steroid creams on the spots, then use a heavy lotion or oil all over the body. Make sure to apply the medicine, then lotion, directly after a bath to seal in moisture. I would apply it at least 2 times a day. For severe spots on the legs or arms, leave the lotion on very heavy (perhaps put it on like an ointment and put a gauze bandage on site) and put thermals on or a tight layer of clothing on over the application. Let them sleep that way and take off the bandage the next day. After about 2 days it should start to look better.

I was never able to pinpoint the allergy either, neither have most people I've talked to. As many as 1 in 4 children suffer from eczema and as of yet people are not sure why. My best guess is it's an air pollutant. Perhaps try an ionizing air filter...?

Yep, allergy. Sadly, even hypoallergenic formula isn't truly hypoallergenic --> babies can react to corn syrup solids, too.

Honestly, for me, the best resource has been other moms who have gone through or who are going through the experience of tracking down their babies' food allergies. There's a great yahoo group called The Foodlab:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/foodlab/

The moms here are definitely naturally-minded - please know that most of them breastfeed so you'll hear a lot about that and other bodily functions (peeing/pooping, sleeping, eating), if that doesn't bother you. The women on that list have tons of experience, wisdom, and support that is freely exchanged. Expect honest dialogue and questions about diet and symptoms and details (because details are important when it comes to trying to figure out what in your kid's diet is causing them to have a reaction!) -- please don't be put off or insulted by ANY of it -- everyone on that list has the same goal of helping each other help their babies/kids find and avoid the foods that cause the allergic symptoms (eczema is just one of many!).

Aquaphor is amazing!!! Have you tried it? Give it a try.....it seems like the cure all for everything from red chapped skin, eczema to diaper rash...it's amazing! Good luck!

Hi L.. I sell a product called OPC-3 that contains bioflavonoids found in fruits, vegetables, and certain tree barks that provide exceptional nutritional benefits to the body. It has helped many people who suffer from eczema and other allergy complications. If you want to know more, just give me a call.

Good luck!

B. ###-###-####

My son had mild eczema and I started using Aveeno bath wash for Eczema and followed it up by using Aveeno lotion for eczema. This combination has worked very well on his face, back, legs and arms where he had dry patches. Also took him off the Hydrocortisone.

Unless your doctor feels it is a food allergy I wouldn't bother with the hypo-allergenic formula. Has she has many foods. Has she had dairy foods. If she has not had any reactions to dairy or soy, hypo-allergenic will not help at all. Also milk based or soy based is better for her as long as there is no allergy.

My older boy had really bad eczema. By 6 months his poor little cheeks were bleeding. So:

Humidifier. It is so dry out with the cold weather you need to put moisture back into the air. In her room and in the major living area. One with an adjustable humidistat is helpful. If you have a medical flexible spending account, get the doctor to write a thing for it.

Cetaphil soap. Most soaps are very harsh. People think baby soap is gentile, but why do you think there is that clean baby smell? It is all the perfume in it that irritates delicate skin. Cetaphil was recommended by our doctor, was the best for my boy, and just a few weeks ago cleared up the eczema on my husbands skin.

Petroleum Jelly. Non-scented. Thick layer right after the bath keeps in all the moisture.

Don't use products with lanolin either, like eucine???(I know, slaghtered that word)

Short baths. Long soaking baths deplete the body of natural oils.

All Free & Clear and no fabric softener.

Hope that helps.

My son had eczema so bad or the first 7 months that we have no baby pictures of him without scrathes on his face and head! Finally we got a referral to a demotologist who prescribed two different steroid creams. Within 5 uses of the cream everything was gone!!!! That was almost three years a go, I call it my magic cream. After the patches left we only used the cream as needed. We still need the creams during weather changes as other lotions do not work. We also revert back to using purpose, made by Johnsons and Johnsons. It was also recommended by the demotologist.

Hi L.,
My son has severe eczema due to food allergies. He is 3. We've tried everything. I hated using the steroid creams as well. The one product that seems to work for us has been California Baby "Calendula Cream". We use California baby sensative skin body soap and day cream. If you look up californiababy.com you'll find the website and can read all about their products. I've also seen it on the shelves at Whole foods and Raisin Rack.

If the eczema continues, I'd recommend seeing an allergist... It unfortunately goes hand in hand with food allergies.

Good luck..

Hello!
My son suffered from severe eczema when he was an infant. Now, at age 2, he still has a few patches during the winter months. Although I have yet to pinpoint the exact cause, I belive his is caused partly by contact with certain fabrics and materials--spcifically, anything made with wool--especially the wool used in carpeting which unfortunately is everywhere. Believe it or not, we had the best luck with vaseline/petrolium jelly and water. An ER doctor told us to completely drench his patches with water and immedietly coat them with a thick layer of vaseline and leave it like that for several hours. This holds the moisture in the skin. It's messy beyond belief (my son's face and head were the worst--imagine the greasy mess) but it really worked! We saw a huge difference with the first treatment. The hardest part was getting him to leave it alone. We had to be persistant and do it daily for about a month but it was worth it. Most of it went away and the few patches that were left were manageable. We also had luck with Aquaphor Baby liquid soap (soap free, tear free, fragrance free, etc.)and still use it today. Good Luck!

Hi L...
Two of my sons have horrible eczema and we've tried tons of things, from the steroid creams (that I refuse to use on them anymore) to the more natural remedies. I'm currently using the Psoriasoak, Extreme skin oil and Midnight Magic from nimbusskinproducts.com. They do seem to be helping after a week of use. The steroids hurt so bad when we use it on them and these natural products don't bother them at all. Another thing I am going to try (we have city water that is heavily chlorinated) is a deionizing ball (with a filter inside) that you put into the bath water. It is good for about 100 baths I think and is roughly $40. My sons are 4 and 2 so they've been on whole milk (which I'm sure you're daughter isn't), but when I took them off that their skin cleared up tremendously. Patty at Nimbus Skin Products was great and knew lots about eczema. She told me that most people w/it have a food sensitivity to wheat, milk, nuts and one other thing that I can't remember at the moment. I'm sure you could talk to her and she would help you too. Also, the book Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis Balch is a great all natural remedies book. You may also want to try the homeopathic sulphur to see if that helps. Let me know if you need more help or if you see any improvement. As a mom of two w/eczema, I know what you are going through, how hard it is to see your little one suffer like this and how frustrating it is to find something that helps. If you have any luck w/any other remedies, please let ME know!!!!

My 7 month old daughter also has eczema. Between advice from my pediatrician and a pediatric cardiologist relative and research on the internet, I have implemented a bunch of environmental changes. However, just this week I've started using 1/2% (it's the lowest over the counter amount) of hydrocortisone cream available, and it has cleared up the remaining "tough" spots. You only need to use it VERY sparingly and not more than a week. By that time, it should be cleared up and using all the following will hopefully keep it under control, and only during flair-ups will I have to use the hydrocortisone again (I'm assuming the prescription stuff is a lot stronger than the OTC hydrocortisone). Hydrocortisone can thin the skin - that's why they don't want you to use it for long periods of time. Anyhow, here are the things that I've been doing that seem to keep it under control:
1) Bathe her at LEAST once a day (if you can, bathe her twice a day). I find if I skip one day, her skin is horrible the next day
2) Use oil in her bath water (I've been using AveenoSkin Relief Shower & Bath Oil with coloidal oatmeal
3) When she gets out of the tub, do NOT dry her off completely, keep her as moist as possible and SLATHER her with Aquaphor or Vaseline (or some other ointment). Ointments are better than creams that are better than lotions (lotions are too watery to be much help). In fact, I was away for a weekend and my husband used only Cetaphyl LOTION on her, and her skin was HORRIBLE when I returned, but once I started with the Aquaphor again, it got SO much better within 2 days.
4) Since I've been using hydrocortisone, I rub a very thin layer of that before I put the Aquaphor on her.
5) Keep her cool (you do NOT want her to sweat - that irritates the skin)
6) Run a cool-air humidifier in her room (the cool air and moisture will help
7) During the day, I do try and rub cream, lotion or more aquaphor on her, as I'm changing her diaper, but unfortunately, I don't do this as often as I'd like.
8)Use only fragrance and dye free laundry detergent - rinse your wash a second time if possible and do NOT use any kind of fabric softener or fabric sheets in the dryer.
9) have her wear ONLY 100% cotton clothing - no fleece (that's made of polyester).
10. Keep her fingernails as short as possible, so when she does scratch, she doesn't draw blood or make it worse.
11) Warm baths - Not Hot water

My pediatrician did have me change to soy (lactose-free) formula, which I don't think made a difference at all. But she has seen most kids with bad eczema are usually allergic to milk (but often grow out of it).

Sorry this is so long - but I've been dealing with this for almost 3 months now, so I know how frustrating it is and I'm trying not to use the hydrocortisone either, but sometimes you need it just to get it under control and then if you implement all the environmental factors above, you can usually keep it under control (at least that's what I'm told and I'm hoping).

Old school (which is probably what a lot of "older' pediatricians are recommending) was bathe them less - the new school is bathe as much as possible.
I have also heard good things about Arbonne products, but I haven't tried them yet, I may try that next.

Hope this helps, C.

My daughter is almost 3 and still has eczema - I make sure after every bath that I lube her up well all over w/ oatmeal lotion - I use the baby kind STILL. I also don't bath her every day - I've heard it makes it worse.

Might want to try tea tree oil, vitamin E oil or olive oil. I In Biblical times, oil was used quite a bit on the skin and scalp. I LOVE tea tree oil. I know there are salves made w/ vitamin E oil, honey, etc that are used for dermatitis (another name for eczema)

Might want to buy a copy of ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR HEALTH AND NATURAL HEALING FOR CHILDREN by Weber and PRESCRIPTION FOR NATURAL HEALING by Balch. Both are GREAT user friendly resources.

I have done extensive research over the years and I have yet to come across andy ailment, disease or health concern that does not have a nutritional link. It is either a toxicity (rare) or a deficiency. If you suspect allergy....DOCUMENT EVERYTHING THE CHILD IS EATING AND READ LABELS EXTENSIVELY. You may not be aware of a chemical or additive or dye that the manufacturer might be using. Another great book is FEED ME I'M YOURS which addresses feeding infants and toddlers.

Precautions for eczema........Add brown rice and millet to the diet
Avoid eggs, peanuts, soy foods, wheat and dairy. Take away one at a time and see if the condition lessens or goes away. Otherwise, you won't know if it is, in fact an allergy to a specific food. Avoid sugar, chocolate, white flour, fried foods and ALL PROCESSED FOODS.

My son has the same problem, especially in these dry winter months. My pediatrician told me to throw away the J&J baby wash and use Dove bar soap. I use the unscented. It worked almost immediately. Good luck!

My son also has eczema. We have used steroid creams...I didn't like that either. We also use Aveeno soap to bathe him. He is now 2 and still has it and we are also trying to figure out if he has allergies.

I have 3 daughters who all suffered from eczema. They have however, all out grown it by the age of 2 or 3. They all had the symptoms you are describing. I switched to all free and clear laundry detergent, cut out all softners including dryer sheets, switched their shampoo and body wash to a very gentle baby cleanser that could be used for both body and hair. I also was prescribed a steroid cream. After making these changes and using eucerin cream on the aggrevated areas I didn't need the prescribed cream. My daughters had pretty severe cases and these small changes made a HUGE difference!! I'm sure you will do just fine. Good Luck, Candace A

Hi L. - When my daughter was about your daughter's age, she also got eczema behind her knees. Her doc said "The good news is that the rash won't bother her much. The bad news is that she will probably have allergies or asthma when she gets older" and he was exactly right!

As I remember, the ecezma cleard up without treatment. She had "pneumonia" at 2, but when diagnosed with asthma at 3, the doc said the "pneumonia" was probably really asthma.

She's now 11, and has pretty mild allergies and mild asthma.

You don't mention how often you bathe her. My 7 month only has problems with blotchy dry skin patches when bathed every day. I've gone from bathing everyday to twice a week and he never has problems. We just wash his 'dirty bits'(hands, feet, diaper area) with a wet wash cloth daily. The pediatrician approved and actually liked this solution. Also, if you are using scented bath products or laundry detergent, you might want to change to unscented. We use Seventh Generation baby detergent on his laundry and their lavender on ours, it's better for the environment and the only time the boy gets rashes now is when his paternal grandma and grandpa come to visit(they use highly scented detergent and softener)Hope these ideas work for you!!

The good news is she'll most likely grow out of it, or at least most of it. My now 4 1/2 year old had eczema all over her body when she was a baby and now only has occasional outbreaks that usually occur in the winter when the weather is extremely dry.

Use the steroid cream for bad outbreaks. A humidifier helps. Don't use soap in the bath - water will do the job - and put lotion on her while she's still wet to help seal in the moisture. Keep bath time short.

Whole Foods has some good lotions, but they're expensive. I use them on bad outbreaks. I've used unscented Aveeno for years. My sister uses Aquaphor on her daughter and likes it. I find it too greasy, but greasy lotions feel better on their skin. I always had to get her steroid cream mixed into a greasy base vs. a lotion base because the lotions sting. Most lotions have too much alcohol or something in them that stings their outbreaks, so if your daughter is fussy putting on the lotion, that's why. She should be happy to put her lotion on because it makes her feel better. If she's not, it's the lotion that's the problem.

Some foods made my daughter break out more than others. One culprit was oranges. It was never consistent though. Just keep her skin well hydrated with lotions and humidity, and wait for her to outgrow it.

Good luck!

My son who is 5 months old today had eczema. His doctor precribed hydrocortazone cream. You can use cream all over affected areas up to three times a day. His eczema went away a couple of months after using the cream.

I have eczema and so do 2 of my kids.. well not really anymore. Thanks to Arbonne products for my kids it was the ABC line. I have now used the products for 18 yrs and just LOVE them. I started sharing them about 3 yrs ago as I loved them so much. I have a sample if your interested in trying it. They products are botanically based and vegan certified.
____@____.com
www.passion4more.myarbonne.com
I also have some great articles about Cancer causing ingredients in baby products (lists the products) and I have just seen tons of articles on other chemicals in baby products.. so sad.

We love the Gentle Naturals products. They have an eczema wash and a Baby Eczema cream. We used them on both of our girls and it seemed to help.

L.,

I too when I was little use to get Eczema and also as a grown up. As you mentioned it is allergies and if you go to a health food store you may find something that is healthy.

I have a child with eczema from birth. Here's what I found worked for me. Bathe your baby without soap of any kind except maybe for a small amount of baby shampoo. (Babys really aren't that dirty...) Then after the bath, pat the baby dry and immediately use the mild prescription steriod cream for the areas that are flared up. Coat everywhere else with Aquaphor. (It's greasy, but it doesn't cause a reaction, like all the lotions do, even the ones listed in other repsonses cause flare ups for us.). In winter months this regimen needs to be followed, or it will get out of hand. Good luck! ps. we also have to wash her clothes in Dreft. She's 6 now and we still use Dreft.

Hello L..
My close friend has a son with eczema. My daughter (5) has a few patches too. We have found that Gold Bond Lotion is the best. I also have a perscription I put on her when it is really bad. I make sure to put lotion on her 2x's a day and she doesn't get baths everyday. With it being winter (and a cold one at that...) Hope that helps you (and her!)

Looks like you have enough responses, so I'll just add that we don't use fabric softener at all, we just have those blue dryer balls you can get at Bed bath and Beyond or Linens N Things and they make things soft enough for my son:) They're only $10.

My daughter had eczema. The most likely food-allergy related cause is milk, soy, eggs, nuts, & peanuts. I had to go off of those when I was nursing. Plus we switched our detergent to Dreft and only used hypoallergenic and fragrance free lotion (Cetaphil) on her. Also, Aquaphor does wonders (see the skin care aisle) on eczematous patches. That's what a pediatric dermatologist recommended. We never had to do steroid cream and I'm glad since it thins the skin.
Also, I only gave her a bath once a week to prevent her skin from drying out/itching and used a hypoallergenic/fragrance free body wash/shampoo.
Good luck!

My daughter struggles with eczema too. I have found some of her triggers to be wheat, pork, and citrus. I have found a product from Melaleuca that works great. It is a great nautral company. If you are interest email me at ____@____.com

Also my dr recommended not using dryer sheets. The particles stay on the clothes and irritate the skin. Try using liquid fabric softener.

Hope this is helpful.

Hi, I, myself have had excema for years and have avoided, as much as possible, using steroid creams. I just read in the Plain Dealer's "People's Pharmacy" section that Milk of Magnesia (of all things) when applied to the skin can help with peeling and itchiness. I have been meaning to find out if that would have any side effects, but I am not sure who to ask.
Also, someone at a health food or natural food store might be able to give you information.

You might want to look into getting baby lotion from Arbonne. It's 100% botanical and works great. I use the baby oil and lotion after my little girl's bath. You can look it up online to find a consultant near you. It may look expensive but you've mentioned you've already tried many other kinds so you've already wrapped up some money trying to find something that worked. I would be very surprised if this didn't work. They also have some great diaper rash cream too!

Take her off of dairy and replace it with Soymilk. You will see the difference in 4 days. I promise. Eventually, you will be able to add dairy to her diet. Get rid of those steroid creams because doctors don't make money unless the prescribe them and she is too young for all of that.

Dear L.,
Everyone in our family has or has had an excema problem. My husband got diagnosed this week! My daughters started as an infant with it complicated by impetigo. We all react differently to different products but the "free" laundry soapsand dryer balls make the most noticable differences for all of us. Be careful of antibiotics. I think my eldest daughter has had more complications in many different aspects of her health because of overuse.

Hi L..
My baby has the same problem since he was 5 months old.He is 9 months old now.We tried the Nystachin cream which the doctor prescribed but it ddint work.Then he increased the dose and asked not to bath the baby often.And seems to be working.In winter skin gets more dry and loses moisture than any other months so avoid using ANY kink of baby wash and shampoo on your baby.I bath him twice in a week now and it seems to be helping him.Also I give a massage twice a day to lock in all the oil and moisturize his skin. Then after his bath I apply baby moisturizer generously on him then apply his ointment which the doc. prescribed.Before bed do the same thing.And the baby should be fine.
I always cover my babys legs because his irritation is worse on the legs,so make sure to cut the babys nails or it will get worse.