Eczema

Updated on February 12, 2011
M.H. asks from Long Beach, CA
41 answers

Our 4 month old boy has horrible eczema all over his neck, chest, torso, arms and now it's moving to his face. We've been using Aquaphor and nothing else. We've also been bathing him in nothing but water (although i do use J&J shampoo to wash his head.)
Is there anything else we can put on him that will help this? It just looks so horrible and I imagine that it doesn't feel that good either.
Thanks!

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So What Happened?

2nd update: For some reason, I guess a lot of you found my eczema request and all of a sudden, my email box was full of suggestions, etc. (I posted the original request 2 months ago.) Anyway, Thank YOU to all of you for your response. His eczema is so much better. I think the heat had a lot to do with it. This board has been very helpful to me.

1st update: Gals, thanks so much for all of your input! What I used is this eczema cream I found at Target (a couple weeks ago) and then I rubbed in the aquaphor. I did purchase the Aveeno bath for babies and his eczema is disappearing..for now. If it continues or gets worse, I will up the ante and start using other products.

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A.D.

answers from Las Vegas on

Hey M., I know you've gotten a lot of replies and requested this info. awhile ago, but I wonder if you've ever heard of Renew lotion? It is awesome but is not available in stores. It has been clinically proven to be 7x more effective than Eucerin and other brands, and it isn't that expensive. I love it and highly recommend it! If you want more info about it, just email me and I'll pass along more info.

Thanks!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Allentown on

Hi M.,
This subject touches my heart because my daughter had eczema from 2 months to six months so badley that her face & arms would crack & bleed. We found a fantastic infant dematologist in the Lehigh Valley who gave her some scripts to clear it quickly and also gave us the best regiment ever. Olive oil. No really every time she gets bath or pool and sometimes inbetween, we rub olive oil all over her face, body & limbs. It is very inexpensive, completly hypoallergenic, and edible which as you know babies put their hand in thier mouths. We still bath her with only the Aveeno infant eczema soap. We have tried other soaps including the ABC arbone thing & found it is just expensive. Aveeno eczema soap bath follwed with olive oil & a hypo allergenic lotion is all we use now & she doesn't react like she use to. She has horrible egg, dairy, casenate, & whey allergies. Even with those eliminated she still reacts to something and the olive oil helps the best.

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E.M.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.,

There is this cream called Atopalm MLE which I hear is the miracle cream for baby eczema. It's expensive at around $36 for a small bottle. My nephew has a bad case of eczema and after a few days with this cream, there was a big difference!

If interested, they carry them at www.littleseouls.com

E.

1 mom found this helpful

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S.S.

answers from Portland on

I just thought I'd mention what we're doing that has really helped my DD's eczema. It's a bit unconventional, but we have her wearing a hazelwood necklace because we heard that it helped with eczema and other problems by absorbing excess acidity in the body. I guess the wood naturally just absorbs it through the pores when it's touching skin...don't ask me to explain it..I don't know! But we are sold on it because within 2 weeks of her wearing it, her eczema was basically gone and has not returned since (except when the wood wears out because it's absorbed all it can-then we replace it and it goes away again). It's also supposed to help with teething pain which is a plus! Anyway, I recommend them to all my friends since we've had such great success with it. Might be worth a try to bring your LO some relief! You can find the necklaces at www.hazelaid.com

Good luck!

3 moms found this helpful

S.C.

answers from Miami on

Are you certain its eczema? If it it, are you nursing? If so, you need to re-look at what kinds of foods you are eating because you are feeding it to your baby thru your milk. If not breastfeeding, what kind of infant formula are you using? I can guarantee that if you BABY has Eczema, it on the part of you and something that is going into his system. It could also be as a result of what you ate during your pregancy.

You should immediately elminate all processed food, milk & dairy products and all chemicals (washing & cleaning supplies). Eat 80% raw (fresh fruits & vegetables).

PLEASE WATCH THE CHEMICALLY LADEN CREAMS AND OINTMENTS. Remeber, all disease and illness begins from the inside! No matter how many creams you use, they will onlyhave a temp effect, not work or cause another problem. This is your baby, and our skin is the LARGEST ORGAN OF THE BODY! Everything you put on it topically, does filtrate into your organs and internal systems....thus illness & disease!

JOIN HOLISTIC MOMS ____@____.com...YOU WILL LEARN ALOT!

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J.G.

answers from Milwaukee on

Hi M.,

Just wanted you to know that htere is a safe alternative out there called Renew Lotion. It's made by Melaleuca.

One of my friends at work juts switched over and she has had psorisis for over 20+ years. She has been using a prescription from the doctor and it hasn't done anything. She started adding the Renew to her routine. Her psorisis is almost completely healed on her one leg. She is just exctaic.

I had another friend at work that switched to our Melaleuca store a few weeks ago and here husband had chafing on his legs from his jeans. I told her to be sure to order our laundry detergent because their are no chemicals. She shared with me yetserday that the reddness is almost completely gone!

Please note that if you want healthy skin it begins from the laundry detergents you use to the soaps, shampoos, etc.

Johnson & Johnson products have (Quaternium-15)in them. This can release formaldehyde and irritate the skin. Our daughter had excema since she was a babay. I didn't know, the doctors didn't know what was setting her excema off. I found out by accident when I swithced my household cleaners over to Melaleuca products 8 years ago. From the patches on her eyelids, the white bumps all over her little legs and arms, the red blothces under her knees & inside her elbows that were always worse at certain seasons are all heals completely

If you haven't switched stores yet, please feel free to give me a call.

I only know how much these products have not only helped to heal my baby girl who is now 18! But how much they have saved us time & money.

J.

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T.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

M., my baby had eczema also. Through trial and error I found out the following. First off Aquaphor didn't help to heal the eczema; however, it worked great to protect the skin so he wouldn't break out over and over. To actually heal the skin try Aveeno oatmeal bath (I think they have a baby one, but it is the same stuff as the adult, just a smaller size). I would use the adult one, but only put about 1/2 of the envelope in for his bath. Our peditrician told us to try Calming California Baby wash and shampoo. It does cost a little more but it will be worth it. Once he is out of the bath before completely drying the skin I put Weleda Calendula Baby Oil (not sure of spelling) to help stop the itching and moisturize the skin. I would use this morning and night not just after bath. I found both of these at Mothers Market, if you don't have Mothers near you, you should be able to find online and I have seen them at some drug stores (Longs etc). If you go outside try to put a thin layer of Aquaphor over the dry patches so they don't get any worse. Once healed I kept putting the Aquaphor on if it was cold, windy or really dry. Double check with your peditrician but the cortizone cream really helped with the super bad areas but it is really bad to use for any length of time so use sparingly.

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C.M.

answers from Miami on

M.: The answer to your baby's eczema is in Jill's response. Give her a call and you will see that by using the Melaleuca Renew lotion and swithching to safer non toxic home products the problem will go away.

Give Jill a call!!!

C.

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R.L.

answers from Tampa on

I am so glad that you found something to help your little one. Eczema is aweful enough when we are adults, but to a wee one is even worse I am sure.
I know of a great place that you can shop for healthier products and there is a money back guarantee so there is no risk.
If you are interested in better healthier products for your entire home, please visit my website at: www.livetotalwellness.com/R.
Many blessings to you and your family.

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N.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi M., My name is N..
I just wanted to share with you about my experience with my daughters Eczema/Dermatitis. I was using so many suggested products and even had to use steroids to get my daughters condition under control, until I began my business with Arbonne and tried their ABC baby line (she was 8). I cannot even tell you the HUGE difference in her skin, its amazing!!! I have also received doctor letters saying that they have never seen something work so well. There is no mineral oil added and no harsh chemicals, all of the products are Botanically based and stress the fact of being PURE, SAFE and BENEFICIAL. Please let me know if you would like more information. I can even email you the doctor letter I have on file if you'd like.
I hope I have been helpful to you and look forward to hearing back.

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R.C.

answers from Dallas on

My niece has bad eczema, so I have been paying attention to what works out there. I ran into a woman who got rid of her daughter's eczema by changing her cleaning products to non-toxic cleaners made by Shaklee. They are one of Oprah's Favorite Things (Harpo Studios uses them b/c they are Green Seal Certified.) She also said to start with a multivitamin asap to nourish the skin; Shaklee has an infant vitamin in powder form. These products are made by Shaklee, a health & wellness company. If you want to know more, just reply and I can forward you the email from the mom (she mentions more things she did) and give you the Shaklee website. I would stay away from all J&J products.

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C.D.

answers from Amarillo on

Hi M.! I was just wanting to tell you that my little boy had eczema all over his body when he was a tiny baby (now 1) also. I took him to this allergy elimination specialist who is alternative in care...so she doesn't use needles or prescription meds. It's all natural. Anyway...She cleared him up on a few things that I had no idea he was even allergic to and his eczema is totally cleared up. His skin is smoother and softer than ever before. I also had eczema when I was 10 and I went to her when I was 19 and after a few treatments I was cleared of it. For the whole 9 years I went to a lot of different dermatologists who would just give me creams that would only work for a little while and it would come back. Now 21 I don't have any signs of eczema. It's such a relief. If you want to try it out the number to the office is ###-###-####. It's waaaay worth it. Good luck.

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M.H.

answers from Tulsa on

Hi M.-
I know my reply is a little bit late, but I just saw the posting so I decided to go ahead and reply...I completely feel for you. My oldest son, when he was 5 months had eczema really bad too. It was distressing to see him in so much discomfort and we tried prescription after prescription, different lotion after different lotion. Now, this is rather unconventional, but we found our answer one day when our baby's doctor had asked me about dairy products. This is the really interesting part: My son was breastfed but because I was consuming dairy products, it was coming out in my milk and the cow's milk protein casein was what was causing my son's severe allergic reaction. I quit eating dairy products and started becoming a label reader. If your son isn't breastfed, I would recommend switching to soy-based formula. We found out about 2 1/2 years ago that my kids, and myself have a dairy allergy from my side of the family.

If you balk at the idea of giving up your beloved cheese and yogurt, go to http://www.milksucks.com and check out the info and the links within it. You may not look at milk the same way again as there are so many health problems out there related to today's dairy processing. There are a lot of problems that we face today that can be reduced if not eliminated simply by looking at it from a nutritional standpoint. I will tell you one thing about the site...it is created by a bunch of animal-rights activists and it comes from that point of view as it encourages people to become "vegans". If you just look past their biased opinion and just read up on the information and links about the dairy industry and our health, you will find some interesting stuff.

Just my two cents, I wish you guys the best!

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K.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

Go to Melaleuca.com, they have this lotion called Renew that is supposed to just about cure Eczema. I know several of my friends who have used it on their kids and have heard their testimony on how it works. You do have to sign up to become a member of Melaleuca but if it works it might be worth it.
Good luck!

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C.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

Most of the advice the other mamas gave you are right on! I have a 3 year old who had eczema and scrambled to research the cause. In a nutshell eczema is an inflammation of something going on inside the body; inflammation on the inside, inflammation on the outside. In our culture we use topical creams to treat a problem that needs to be treated from the inside. At my my store, Belly Sprout, I have seen an incredible increase of babies and children coming with their mamas who have some form of allergies. I believe it comes from the years of processed foods mama has eaten, the exposure to vaccines and the environment, to name a few. Our babies just can't tolerate all of this and their systems react.

Going the natural route will not only help to treat a babies allergies, it will boost their immune system for their entire lives. Eat fresh, whole and organic. Switch to all non-toxic, green cleaners in the home and for personal care. Find a natropath in your area and tune in to what it is your child is reacting to. Check into NAET, an allergy elimination process that has cured many, many people. Here in Fullerton there is the MOST fantastic doctor, David Karaba, at East West Medical. I send all of my mamas there!

Treat the cause, not the sympton!Good luck!

C. Funk

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B.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi M.! I just saw your post on the side while I was reading another one and I know it's been a while since then but I felt the need to share w/you my experience w/eczema. Both my boys (2 and 3) have multiple food allergies and eczema. Sometimes they even get irritable and have diarrhea if they eat something they're allergic to. My suggestion for you is to get your son tested for allergies (a simple blood test for now until he's older, then he can tolerate the skin test). My youngest son, Jacob, had what the dr. called "the worst eczema he's ever seen" from 2months until 9.5months, when I finally discovered and insisted on the blood allergy test. Yes, I thought the dr. would have already done that since he knew about the test and I didn't but my son suffered from it for months...scratched until he bled, had open weeping sores, was put on oral antibiotics twice as well as used antibiotic lotion, used several steriod creams as well as oral steriods, seen a dermatolgist twice - who recommended bleach baths. It turned out he was allergic to milk, soy, corn, wheat, egg, peanut, dog and cat. After changing his formula to hypoallergenic Similac Alimentum and removing rice from his diet as well (something I suspected but he wasn't tested for), about 95% of his eczema was gone immediately. So you might want to consider finding out what's causing your son's eczema so that you can do something about that instead of just treating the symptoms. They can also find out if there's any respiratory allergies too. Hope this helped. Take care, B.

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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

if you are bathing him everyday stop and do it everyother day (unless he needs it) also try the gentle naturals eczema baby wash and cream. i use the aquafore on my daughter but only when she makes herself bleed usually i use the gentle natuals cream and aveeno baby (one in the morning and one at night). what i would do for your baby is what i did with my twin nephews whos eczema was like your sons. after i bathed them in the morning (i bathed them everyday and scrubbed them good to get the dead skin off) then i would lotion them with the gentle naturals cream from head to toe. then at lunch i would lotion them with the aveeno baby and then again before bed (i always did it head to toe and lathered it thick on their worst parts and used the aquafor on the parts that bled like at the wrist ankles and behinde the knees). the heat can be a huge trigger and also allergies with eczema (my daughter and nephews all have asthma allergies and eczema). my nephews dr gave them a steriod cream that cleared their eczema up really well. talk to your babies dr and see what they say. also keep your baby well hydrated that will help too (i know hes too young for water so i mean with formula or breast milk). GOOD LUCK!!!

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B.S.

answers from Hattiesburg on

Remember as many of the others have said, that eczema is a sign t hat inflammation from allergies is going on. Hopefully your baby is being breast fed, and that you have not introduced him to solids yet. If so, hold off on any solids until about a year, so that he will not be introduced to anything really allergic such as cows milk, or cereals. When you do introduce solids, start with the fruits and vegetables that are the least allergenic. He may need allergy testing when he is old enough. Check with an ENT/allergist as to when they do that. If he has allergies already at four months, take great care as you do not want them to develop into anaphylactic reactions later in his young life. Simply using creams for the symptoms, will not get to the source of the problem, which is allergy immune system problems. If you are breast feeding nurse as long as you can and you will greatly minimize his problems. Sincerely, B. S. RN CCM

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S.R.

answers from Seattle on

very late in responding but here is my input. As others said do look for an allergy diagnosis, this could be foods or environmental. When you go to allergist it would be helpful for them to know if there is a history in the family.

It's tough to give advice for this because there are many varying degrees of AD (Atopic Dermatitis) and eczema is considered a form of AD -

Based on my experience (son born severely food allergic, AD from 1 week on and asthmatic) and that of the specialist we've consulted you could try to following approaches.
1. 20 minute soak in a warm tub ensuring that all body parts except for face are soaked in the water.
2. slather a sealant over his skin immediately following the bath (within three minutes) to seal in the moisture.

many times the recommendation if to use a topical steroid on the skin where the AD is flaring but some folks are more into natural remedies versus steroids so if this is the case a good sealant should be used. Vanicream is one of the best.

There are also low dose steroid creams or what they call Immunomodulators - ellidel or desonide that work great on areas you do not want to apply a stronger steroid - (groin, face, underarm areas.

3. stay away from fabrics such as wool or acrylic - some people recommend 100% cotton, but the issues with 100% cotton is that at times it shrinks and becomes tight and then no longer breathes as well so a cotton blend is also fine - easier to find as well.

These kids typically have really dry skin so anything drying should be avoided. Some of the soaps folks have recommended are good but you should only be using a gentle cleanser a few times a week - The only other time you would use a gentle cleanser is after the pool- chlorine is by nature a disinfectant so you will notice the skin looks slightly better after being in the pool but the chlorine must be washed off completely or it will cause further inflamation. (cetaphil, oil of olay, basis, oilatum, aveeno, neutragena are all good gentle cleansers)

They recommend not using lotions and no products with dyes or fragrances.

Also wash closthes in hot and dry on hot and use a dye free fragrance free non allergenic laundry detergent. All free clear is a good one - I rinse twice but my son has very sensitive skin.

The other tactic sounds uncomfortable and drastic but if it is a severe case it works. It is called wet dressing - after the bath you apply the cream of topical steroid you have chosen to use - (only one, not both- never layer) then you take your cotton blend clothing including socks if the hands and feet are affected and you get them wet with (I try to get the water as hot as I can stand it) you wring out the clothing and put it on the child, by the time it gets on him it is warm not hot and not as uncomfortable as cold wet clothing would be. YOu then put dry clothing over the wet and big tube like socks over the socks on hands and feet. I use a blanket sleeper as they are warmer - I also often put a blanket in the dryer and then wrap him in it to keep him warm-this stays on for 2 hours during the day and at night sometimes he sleeps in it. This allows the skin to soak in the moisture and it is sealed so the skin has a better chance to be rehydrated. Some of the kids with AD have skin that is very hot to the touch so the wet clothes sometimes feels good but not every child likes it. if the head is affected you can by something called curlex which is like light weight gauze and you can put this around the head to seal in the moisture -

The key is to get the AD under control - some theorists say that if you can keep the flares to a minimum in a young child for at least a year that the chances of the child outgrowing it or having less of an issue are greater.

all the folks who told you that AD or eczema is a symptom of a bigger problem are correct and there are many different triggers so you will want to work with a specialist to figure out the best course for your child.

sorry this is so late and I hope you find it helpful -

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D.E.

answers from Washington DC on

Try Freederm! My 18 mo old has been doing fantastic since we've been using it about 4 mos. Go to www.freederm.com. The pics are not lying. I was so skeptical and have taken the cream to my doc and he said it's safe. No steroids!
I was breastfeeding and stopped when i found she was allergic to egg whites. When we went from milk-based formula to soy that also helped.
She's allergic to peanut, egg white & chicken:) but must just be intolerant to milk.
Citrus aggravates eczema
Also Aquaphor sells a soap at CVS, that & the diet & the freederm should bring your baby's beautiful skin back:)

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M.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi M.,
My boy has eczema too(5yrs old and very mild)....this is my daily routine:
1.He gets a quick bath and I use Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash on his body and J&J on his hair.
2.Right after he gets out and while he is still damp I lube him up with Cetaphil Mosurizing Cream all over his body and face.
3.I put OTC Cortizone or Perscription Meds (Elacon/Cutivate/Protopic(non-steroid)or/and Antibiotic Cream (dr. prescribed)then a heavy layer of Aquaphor on the same area, then band aids if needed.
I do not use the cortizone and meds every day only when his boo boo's get red and swollen from scratching....maybe like three time a week and only after a bath and at night so it can work while his skin is clean and he is asleep. I use the antibiotic ointments because sometimes his wounds are open and I don't want him to get a secondary skin infection.
you can go to the store and by neosporin and cortizone cream till you can get to the doctor. You might also want to get you baby tested for allergies he may be allergic to something in his environment. What kind of detergent do you use? Gosh.....it could be so many things. Go see you DR. get some help. Poor Little Bubba...I hope he is better soon!
-M.

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D.F.

answers from Tulsa on

You should try ABC Arbonne baby care. It is all you will need. Mothers that have used it will not use anything else on there babies. Even grown-ups with sensitive skin appreciate the mild wat these products soothe, nourish and protect skin. And I am not just saying this because I am a Arbonne consultant, it really works. Arbonne offers a 45 day money-back guarantee on all product, to Clients not completely satisfied. So you can't loose because it sounds like you have all have lots of products on hand that did not work.

So if you would like to try them please contact me, D. @ 918/806-1204 and look know more for a product that works.

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S.P.

answers from Chicago on

Wow. My daughter suffered from idiopathic hives,eczema, water allergy and intense food allergies to over 21 common food items ( gluten,dairy,corn,eggs,meat, soy and much more). I have done everything from removing carpet to getting a water softener installed and food allergy avoidance. Finally we figured avoidance is not curing her. We have done homeopathy for her for over 2 yrs now and her eczema has not reappeared since. We still avoid common allergens, but slowly shes started not reacting to an occasional wheat cracker, a little bit of beef chili and the smell of onions frying. I know there are very few kids like her out there but as moms we need to find solutions. Try homeopathy , naturopathy and ayurveda. One of those worked for me. The other is FAITH. I have always beleived she will eat her birthday cake ONE DAY just like other kids and SHE WILL.

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T.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son has horrible eczema and none of the over counter locations worked for him. I took him to a pediatric dermotologist - Dr. Joyce Fox. She is located in Beverly Hills and it worked. We have it under control.

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C.S.

answers from Tulsa on

Dear M.
My daughter had a terrible time with exema when she was small. My doctor told me to eliminate orange juice and chocolate. I gave her vitamin C drops instead of the orange juice. It took a while but it disappeared. My neighbors were told not to give her chocolate or orange juice and this helped quite a lot. If invited to a birthday party they were so nice and she was given white cake and a non citrus drink. Good luck.
Grams of 18

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J.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi...me too! My son is now 8 months old- but right around 4 months- and it lasted for about 3 months- he got terrible excema. I took him to 2 Dr.'s AND a dermotologist- got different advice from each. I racked my brain to figure out what he could be alergic to- up til that point he had only been breastfed and I hadn't changed my diet. The week it went away here is what I did- because I had tried everything- I don't know what finally made it go- but it was probably one of these: I changed all his bath products (a squirt of oil in every bath, lotion, and cleanser) to Mustela's line for dry and sczema-prone skin (only on Internet and BabysRus), I covered the car seat with a cotton recieving blanket (cutting holes for the straps and buckles), and he went in my friend's pool which was salt water. I honestly think it may have been covering the carseat! Now I had already taken it apart and handwashed the fabric part. But I noticed after some time that the rash, while it was not only limited to these areas, it was worse on his calves, lower back, elbows, and back of his head- it got worse in the heat...I had an AH-HA moment when I realized that is what touches the carseat. Covered the thing- and bam! started to get better almost right away. I have since found out that the fabric parts of carseats are FILLED with crazy chemicals which are intended to be flame retardant, etc. I have a Chicco carseat, by the way.

I also had him alergy tested- nothing! It will go away- poor sweet baby. Good luck.

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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

M., I have had tremendous success with the babycare line from Arbonne, as well as the Arbonne skin conditioning oil. If you'd like, send me your address and I will immediately send you samples of each. B. C.

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J.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

Call the Ped in the a.m. to be sure they agree based on his age, but using cortizone for a couple days may offer a bit of relief. There are also Rx meds that are available. Perhaps that oat meal bath stuff might offer a bit of relief as well.

Hope he's feelig beter soon!

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N.B.

answers from Boca Raton on

I don't know if anyone else has told you about it, but Arbonne's baby care line is perfect for children with eczema. The biggest thing is to make sure that everything you are using is to treat it. The J&J shampoo runs down onto his body and can trigger it too. Arbonne has shampoo and body wash, lotion, oil, diaper rash cream.

If you want to find our more, email me ____@____.com luck! It's not fun, but you will get thru it.

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C.C.

answers from Reno on

I found that Melaleuca Renew Bath Oil made a huge difference. If you can find someone who is a distributor that will sell it to you, take them up on it. It might even be available on Ebay or you could post an ad on Craigslist explaining that you can't afford to be a distributor but you want to buy products from a distributor. Our son had pretty severe eczema until he was almost 4...now he has no signs of it and we only use the bath oil occasionally (back then I used it at every bath time and followed up with a the Renew lotion). I have also heard that Emu Oil is awesome with eczema but we only used it a couple times along with the Melaleuca stuff and he cleared up around that time so maybe it was the combination or just the Emu Oil. I didn't find anything in grocery, drug stores or the dermatologists office that worked but the natural stuff worked for us. Our son had raw skin areas from the eczema requiring bandages to keep bacteria away so it was pretty severe but now he has no problems with his skin at all. You might also consider having some allergy testing done because eczema is typical with allergies. Best wishes.

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K.G.

answers from Macon on

hi M.,

All of the responses sound great....however, please keep your doctor totally informed of the rashes AND the stuff you are trying!

My cousin's son had horrible (freak show style) eczema ALL over. He couldn't eat much, sleep, wear clothes, play etc. His skin cracked and bled all the time and everything made it worse. He was a walking scab for years. While this is an extreme case, it started as an infant and went until he was 7 or 8. They finally, after many complaints, tests, etc, got him tested again. He's allergic to so many things that it won't fit in a decent size posting!

No, citric acids, dairy, beef, red dyes in drink, laundry detergents (can use a certain one but I don't know the name), soaps are special as well. Even those topical things that are suppose to work, didn't and made it worse!

As many said, most of his issues were going in his mouth and causing the issues, the detergents and soaps were the only outside issues.

They stopped feeding things to him and he has the softest skin, no major scarring but does have some. He is old enough now to kno what he can and can't eat. He loves sherbet root beer floats! Can't have ice cream so this works for him. LOL His parents are thrilled that they have their rough and tumble boy and it was this simple! Just took forever to figure out, even with food eliminations.

No spaghetti sauce or pizza for this guy! Lots fish, water, some juices, chicken, pasta is fine.

I don't know all the particulars of the testing he went through but if you need it, let me know and I'll find out.

Again, this is a scary and extreme case but....he had it from a couple months old and on.

Good luck!

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A.I.

answers from Miami on

Hi M.,

Our Pediatrician had us bathe our girls with Dove the white extra moisturizing type. It comes in a bar and in body wash. I prefer the body wash. You feel an immediate difference in their skins hydration. She also had us pour pure Oatmeal, regular Quaker Oats, about a cup in the bath. That made a huge difference. Also, baths every other day.

I found that Gentle Naturals was the best moisturizer. During flare ups she had us lather her up with every diaper change. Otherwise, twice a day worked well.

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V.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

My daughter too had horrible eczema not long ago. I have done tons of research on this and one of the 1st things you should look at is "allergies". Are you breastfeeding? If so, your baby could most likely be allergic to your milk if you have dairy in your diet. Many babies who get bad ezcema are allergic to something, most of the time it is milk & other dairy products. If you want to test this, stop consuming all dairy products (yogurt, milk, cheese, eggs, etc...)give it about 5-7 days to really see any changes. If you are doing both breast & bottle switch your formula to either SOY or HYPOALLERGENIC(Nutramegin or Alimentum) - even with this you might not see the results you were hoping for it may take more time...Also, I saw an allergist for my baby at 6 mo. her cheeks were like bright red balls and scabby, she confirmed that she had dairy allergies and a few others, she is now 15 mo. and still has dairy allergies (most toddlers will grow out of them by 2 or 3 yrs). As for how to treat the skin - use Dove - hypoallergenic moisture bar soap, you can soak her in the tub with aveeno oatmel bath or aveeno bath oil (just a few drops), then when you take her out of tub and skin is moist but dry, rub "Crisco" over entire area's even face -yes the white thick stuff you grease your pans with, this will hold the babies moisture and block any other outside irridents from getting in (this treatment was prescribed by my allergist), also Eucerin lotion, fragrance free is good for skin. You may need some prescription creams to help initially, see the allergist for this because regular pediatrician is clueless with the connection of eczema & allergies. Find an allergist who works with babies and kids.
Let me know how it works - good luck.

V.

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C.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

hydrocortisone--- BUT you really need to find out the root problem & have him allergy tested. If you are nursing it is something in your diet. A simple blood test should be able to find out what it is.

Also-- use fragrence & dye free detergents.

Good luck!!

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A.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Our daughter had horrible eczema until the day we realized she had dairy allergies. No more dairy has meant no more eczema for us. If you're BF, try taking dairy out of your diet (altho Breast milk naturally contains lactose so this may not completely eliminate it). If formula feeding, switch to soy.

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N.D.

answers from Albany on

Please get your baby tested for allergies if you have not done so already. Our allergist told us eczema is related to a milk or egg allergy (our son is currently getting over both and his eczema) and if your baby has it this bad he will need to be treated by a specialist. This should be your first step. The cremes are to treat the eczema as it goes away from whatever is causing the reaction. Eczema is an allergic reaction. Also, give your baby nightly baths for at least 20 minutes a night (plain lukewarm water) to keep his skin hydrated.
Best wishes! I would like to know how things go at the allergist! N.

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A.B.

answers from Sacramento on

My 3 mo. old started to have eximaon her chicks, then it move on her legs and her stomach. I've tried ointments, they did not do good, Dr. gave Hydrocordizone 2%, it helped, but to use it all the time I did not want. I tried 0% sugarless diet for four mounth, it worked, burt by that time she was 7mo. She needed apple and whatever brother is eating. I found some vitamins,minerals and hearbs that keep her totaly clean off of exima. If you will stragle in the future you can call.916 944 46 75 A..

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D.R.

answers from Fresno on

Hi M.,

I would like to share my experience with you that my son is now 8yrs old. When he was 6 weeks old, he started out the rash all over his face, arms, chest and on the back of his legs. The doctor did all kinds of testing and nothing came back positive. He also developed asthma too. With the combination of Asthma and Eczema is common. I have tried everything for him and nothing worked. I just don't remember what I have tried to use since it has been long ago. Until then, I took him to see the Dermatologist to find what can I do for him. The dr suggested that I try soap and lotion in the brand name called Cetaphil. Ever since then, I've been using it and it worked great. He is still using Cetaphil and his skin feels so soft like a baby skin. My son has to put lotion on twice a day. He hasn't had any rash for a long time. If he stops using it for several days, he would gradually start getting bunch of dry patches mostly on his cheeks and his arms. He pretty much outgrew alot of the eczema. Your baby will most likely will outgrow it. This product is great and you can find it at Target, Walmart, and Rite Aide. They cost about alomst $10. You can also get a better deal at Costco. I hope this helps. Good luck!

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C.P.

answers from Chicago on

Talk to his doctor about giving him probiotics, which support immune system health and omega 3 supplements (fish oil)which can help his skin immensely.

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D.V.

answers from Atlanta on

Hi M.--I read through all the responses and I have 2 things that have not been talked about. Use a humidifier, mainly in the summer and winter but year round is great. It helps to keep the skin hydrated. Also, use oatmeal baths. Quaker oaks are great and very cheap. My trick is to place about 1 cup in a knee high and just put it in the tub. It will release all the wonderful things that you need and when the bath is over just toss in the trash. NO messy clean up.
Hope this helps.
D.

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M.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

they have eczema baby wash and lotion... my son has the same problem and we use aveeno baby wash and lotion. it seems to work for him. good luck

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