Itchy Skin

My son is very similar! He has dry sensitive skin & possible allergies. His ped. says he has mild eczema(you need to ask if this is the case for your son)but he doesn't need a prescription. My child hates lotions especially sunscreen and would rather itch than have the hydro cortisone ointment on really itchy spots. They suggested 1%hydro cortisone ointment for super itchy red and dry spots(because it is more moisturizing than lotions or cream), zyertec(when we spend a lot of time outside), dye free/frag. free laundry soap, and no soap baths. Anyway we have noticed that his skin is easily sensitive to dryness, bumps and itchiness with many lotions, soaps, and sunscreens. I have wasted so much money on things that just don't work for us! Here are some things we have found to be helpful for his skin issues, all the products can be bought from local stores. We don't wash his hair everyday just when needed with Johnson and Johnson(yellow) or Aveeno (clear)baby wash. Instead of soap or body cleansers on his body we wash with just water, at the end of his bath I use Aveeno's In-shower & Bath Oil the "dry skin relief" moisture oil(I tell him it is soap, "wash" all over and then rinse off) since I can't get lotion on him after baths anymore. It works well with no irritations, just be careful it's slippery stuff. "All" free and clear laundry detergent seems to clean and smell better than Arm & Hammer's free but both are good bets, watch out for detergents with fabric softeners they could be a problem. 1% hydro cortisone ointment (preferably with out the added aloe)for behind knees, in elbows and for the eczema spots. I put it on when he is sleeping or he will rub it off which makes everything worse. You may not have sensitivity issues with sunscreen but we do, Aveeno's faces sunscreens and Eucerin Sensitive Skin Everyday Protection face lotion with 30spf sunscreen work nice but you have to reapply often and I'm still looking for a better waterproof option for the beach. If I can get some lotion on his body I use Eucerin's Dry Therapy Calming Creme Daily Moisturizer or the Calming Itch-Relief Treatment. Also I read that yogurt is helpful for dry skin and eczema so I encourage it for snacks, but not the super sweet ones. It seems that to many oranges or citrus can give him eczema flare ups so I limit those things. I try to buy soft cotton clothing too. I know this is long but maybe it can save you some time, frustration, and money.

1 mom found this helpful

We use a great toxin-free product in our home called Renew. It uses the natural healing power of tea tree oil or melaleuca oil to help with itchy, irritated skin. There is also a bath oil that works well with this lotion. It's also much less expensive than other lotions on the market.

If you'd like to know more, please feel free to contact me. I'd also be happy to get you a sample size to see if it works for you. Good luck & hope this helps!

1 mom found this helpful

If it's constant, it's probably not "just dry skin" so I'd guess it's an allergy. You could try washing clothes in a dye-free, fragrance-free detergent, but if the itch is in places that the clothes don't touch, that's probably not it. Soap is drying anyway so try to limit bath time and don't use soap at all if he's not that dirty.

I'm going to guess that it's eczema which is usually due to a nutritional imbalance. Don't feel badly that you're doing something wrong - it is SO hard to eat "right" when so much food is processed and even produce/health foods are grown in depleted soils with fertilizers and contaminants. I have a bunch of friends whose kids got rid of allergies by using a nutritional supplement called Kids Now. You can buy it thru distributors who give you great help on an ongoing basis. It's patented (so no one else makes it, and what it says on the label is actually in the product!), safe for infants and pregnant moms, and made here in the US. One friend's 9 year old also takes a pinch of the fiber product from the same company and that seems to control the eczema. The mom had really bad eczema on her hands (they would bleed so much she couldn't even tie her kids' shoes). That has cleared up completely for her by using the adult product. She'd be happy to talk with you, and so would another friend whose kid had 50 allergies and they are all gone now. I'd be happy to give you more info and connect you to them.

I don't blame you for not wanting to give Benadryl a lot, and I agree that shots are a terrible idea in a little one. Besides, those things and even the topical creams are just treating the symptoms and not addressing the cause. You want to get to the bottom of this. You can spend a lot on doctors and tests, or you can try a supplement for a few months and see what happens. You've got nothing to lose!

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My pediatrician told me to try putting fish oil- or some other oil, but for a boy avoid Flax seed oil- in his food. The skin is the body's cleanser so he might just be reacting to something and he might well outgrow it.
Check what laundry detergent you use. My son always reacts to everything. I use ALL free and clear and that seems ok. I also avoid putting anything next to his skin that isn't a natural fiber. When I put a shirt on him that has polyester in it, he tends to get itchy. So I stick to 100% cotton next to his skin.
Also just make sure that the Dove soap is free of fragrance. For some reason even some hypoallergenic stuff still has fragrance. That always irritates my son's skin.
Lastly, in order to get my kids to use lotion, I tell them they are "having a massage." They get to put lotion on me too and give me a "massage." I use Eucerin cream on my son's skin. It is that thicker stuff that comes in a tub. My daughter got to choose her lotion from a variety we had in the house, but I am more conservative with my son because his skin is so much more sensitive.
Good Luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi A., Have you looked to your laundry detergent? Have you tried the "free" versions, that don't contain fragrances or dyes? Even if you use those, be sure to try an "extra" rinse to be sure there's no detergent left on his clothes..........it could be something as simple as this! You never know until you try! Also, if his skin is dry, does he drink enough liquids each day?? Good luck..............

Hi there,
Itchy skin is so tough. If he scratches too much and breaks skin, you have to worry about infection (we know this all too well). My daughter has allergy induced excema, and between the allergist, dermatologist, and pediatrician, we've got things under control. We use the most basic allergen free stuff to help her...

Cetaphyl skin cleanser is awesome.
Give him a bath every day, and as soon as he comes out, layer on Vaseline as though he just sat in a tub of it. It REALLY helps.

Also-ALL free and clear for laundry.

We use steroid cream and benadryl when she has a flare, but if you can manage it with these other things, hopefully he'll be more comfortable. It works for our daughter anyway.

Good luck.

Ditto Sheila C.!! Renew is an awesome product and has worked wonders with my itchy dry skin aka eczema! No more steriod creams for me!!

My daughter was the same way...try changing your laundry degtergent to Dreft. Rewash ALL of his clothes & bed linens, stuff animals etc. I still use it and she is 6.

I had this problem with myself and tried everything (soaps, lotions, detergents, including going to the dr and being tested for everything possible, etc). A few months ago, I decided to start taking omega-3 gel caps and it stopped IMMEDIATELY. So weird...

My kids both have eczema, the bar soaps still leave a film on their skin. What has worked best for us is the Arbonne baby lotion and wash. Along with changing our detergents. We took awa anything that touched their skin that had any chemicals, dyes or fragrances.

I can send you a sample of the Arbonne baby lotions and wash if you'd like. They are botanically based. I know adults that even use it because of their dry skin. It is very good!

You can check it out online as well.

https://secure.myarbonne.com/arbonne/kimking.nsf/p1/1?Ope...

Have you tried Aveeno oatmeal soap? It helps my friend's daughter relieve her itchy dry skin. Aveeno has helped my sons when they had chicken pocks. They have a bath soap to put in the tub and they could soak in it.

Hope it helps
T.

OK, I know this might sound odd, but a simple way to figure out if it's something to do with soap or bathing him is to not bathe him - maybe for a week or so. Wipe him down with a damp cloth if you need to, but really, he won't smell that bad.
Just soaking in the tub (no soap) more than 2 or 3 times a week would get my son complaining about itchiness in the wintertime.
Lotions, too, will often make things worse rather than better.
Good luck!

My sons eczema was/is directly related to his multiple food allergies. He was itchy all the time. I use Avalon Organics baby wash on his skin and Aquaphor as a 'seal' on his skin. When I got to the root of the itching by eliminating all traces of Dairy, eggs, soy (and many others), his skin cleared completely. My son does get hives when he is allergic to stuff, so that is how i knew about his allergies. Some foods don't cause hives, but would cause his eczema to flair up.

Also, beware of sunscreens that say they are hypo-allergenic. They are still loaded with chemicals. I use Jason/Earth's Best sunscreen for kids.

I would definitely switch to more natural body products and detergent, like has been recommended - detergent by 7th Generation or BioKleen would be good for this. Dove for Sensitive Skin still has questionable ingredients (check it out on www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) - I would go with something totally natural like California Baby (which they now carry at Target!) and look at diet - are common allergens bothering him? Can you add fish oil, which tends to help a lot with skin issues?

You can try adding baby oil to the bath, no lotioning required and he can't help but get slicked up. (I would only try this if he and the tub water isn't filthy :) FYI, slippery when wet.

We have all kinds of allergies in our home. What I suggest is switch your laundry soap and anything else you use to Dye Free and Perfume Free -- that will help. Stay with the same soap but does he have scally skin like Eczema? Aquaphor which is made by Eucerin works like a charm but your really going to have to have him understand that the lotion will help his itcy skin. I don't recommend shots either but you could have a visit with an Allergist

Hi A.,

ask your doctor about the possibility of your son needing an Omega 3/DHA Essential Fatty Acid supplement. I recommend Carlson's Fish Oil for kids--you can give it as a soft gel or a flavored liquid. Helps with skins, brain development, and clear ears.

I think it's good to take an approach where you look at your son's external environment while at the same time boosting his internal environment.

Best of Luck!

my friends use Arbonnes baby wash and lotion on their childrens skin. It is botanically based so there isn't anything in it that will harm their skin. Their children have gone from dry patches to healthy looking skin! It is worth a try and Arbonne has a 45 day guarantee on all their products. You can buy it at seethedifference.myarbonne.com Good luck!