mlgbug Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 we are trying to get the the bottom of ds excema. its bad, bloody bad. he was to stay in sleepers so he doesnt itch. he is miserable. its been about 6 months its been this bad. there has been NOTHING to clear it. weve gone to extreme like urine therapy. so....he had blood taken for allergy testing yesterday. in 2 weeks he is getting th allergy testing done on his back... my question, anyone see a diff in the 2 test? what was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmmom4him Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 The blood test for us is better. Honestly if they have already done it, I wouldn't put him through the pricking back test. It is miserable. our dd reacted to so many things, they had to give her benedryl in the office and made us wait another hour to make sure she didn't go into an anaphylactic reaction. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 he has the prick done already for like external allergens. but ive heard the results can vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adams101 Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 I was told by our allergist that the blood test is not as accurate. We tried the prick tests, but ds has a condition where he reacts to any abraision on the skin. IOW, every where they poked him, he welted up, so the test was useless. We didn't do the 2nd part, and they sent us for blood work. It came back with only dust mite.:glare: I know there is more he is allergic to, environmental things, but we have no idea what. It has gotten better since we moved. Apparently he isn't allergic to this area....yet.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 We just went through all of this. The two tests can vary A LOT. On the scratch test, dd was allergic to soy, wheat, and fruits. The blood test, she wasn't allergic to soy or wheat and the fruits came back elevated but not allergic. We did an elimination of soy after that and her symptoms improved dramatically. She didn't have eczema, which is indicative of a wheat allergy, so we opted to eliminate soy first. When it turned her symptoms around 180 degrees, we knew we had our culprit. Here's some websites for you: http://foodallergies.about.com/od/diagnosingfoodallergies/p/rasttestprofile.htm http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/resourcespre.php?id=48&title=RAST_and_CAP-RAST_test http://www.foodallergy.org/downloads/FoodAllergyTesting.pdf http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/rast-test.html?pageNum=1http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/rast-test.html?pageNum=1 HTH! Blessings! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 I was told by our allergist that the blood test is not as accurate This is what our allergist told us as well. It has gotten better since we moved. Apparently he isn't allergic to this area....yet. I love moving for allergy reasons, they get so much better for a year or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 I guess I also wanted to say, her pediatrician had done 2 rasts prior to us seeing an allergist and kept telling us everything was "fine." I fired her and went to an allergist. Even though the lab interpreted the results as "non-allergic," because she was elevated, her allergist determined her as "allergic." You might want to eliminate wheat in the next two weeks and see how his skin does. It won't affect the scratch test to do so and you might see improvement. Blessings! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonflyAcademy Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 We had no luck with either test.. they showed DS was allergic to NOTHING yet the poor child gets covered in hives if he eats anything corn.. the allergist we used said that allergy testing on children under age 4 is hit or miss...I agreed with that.. then he said to let DS eat whatever he wanted.. because he wasn't allergic to anything.. and just give him benadryl.. YIKES!! We never went back :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 we did this on friday, how long for results?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 My son (as an infant) had horrible eczema. We took him off milk and it slowly went away. We went to an allergist for testing (the skin prick) and he showed a reaction for milk but he was not considered allergic. He is 10 and he still gets eczema from milk. He has sensitive skin and gets rashes more easily but it is very manageable now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 im hoping we do find something cause this poor kid is a mess. he gets reacuring staph infections from itching so deep. he lives day and night in cotton sleepers. gosh i cant imagine having to take out say dairy from his diet....isnt there ALOT of things with dairy??? i mean cereal, egg, pancakes, wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 im hoping we do find something cause this poor kid is a mess. he gets reacuring staph infections from itching so deep. he lives day and night in cotton sleepers. gosh i cant imagine having to take out say dairy from his diet....isnt there ALOT of things with dairy??? i mean cereal, egg, pancakes, wow. My son has never had cereal with milk. Although for years he enjoyed bowls of cereal as a snack. I don't drink milk either so it was never really an issue. It is much easier than you think. If you have a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes near you, you will be surprised at how many "dairy free" products are out there. Plus there are a ton of cookbooks, websites, etc. Going off dairy is much easier than having to deal with eczema. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 My kids have had both skin and blood testing. For my ds with eczema, skin testing was a nightmare as he was tested for 35 foods and was "positive" to 27 of them. For their anaphylactic allergies, I prefer RAST so I have a level to monitor each year to see if it's going down, when to challenge, etc.. We've lived in 3 states, thus seen different allergist and some simply do not give options. The one we are currently with will only do skin testing. The one we started with only did blood testing and also only for suspected foods because she felt doing panels opened up a can of worms. Either way tests are simply a guide of what your dc may be allergic too, it still comes down to elimination diets, gradually introducing non top allergenic foods, going under doctors guidance for the major allergens, it's a long road. You need to keep a journal and see if there is clinically a connection between that food or not. Then you have cross reactions. :iagree: And in answer to your question on how long it takes to get the results, it took us two weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 im hoping we do find something cause this poor kid is a mess. he gets reacuring staph infections from itching so deep. he lives day and night in cotton sleepers. gosh i cant imagine having to take out say dairy from his diet....isnt there ALOT of things with dairy??? i mean cereal, egg, pancakes, wow. It's overwhelming at first. Our dd is not allergic to milk, but she's lactose intolerant :001_rolleyes: So we are on a milk free, soy free diet. At first I freaked out,but then I realized I just had to cook from scratch more and visit more healthfood stores for alternatives. There are other things out there to substitute milk, and there are some great cook books! :grouphug: Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 i already cook form scratch so maybe it wont be bad. i just hope there is something to clear him up :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 (edited) We are in the process of wheat elimination. DD5 has horrible cracked feet during the summer and eczema on her hands in the winter. The cracks would come and go. They've been treated for a foot fungus, but this didn't help. So I thought maybe wheat or dairy. One thing that helped ease her eczema was to wash her hands with dove (mild soap) and put on a lotion called Vanicream (at Walgreens in a little white tub w/a pump, near the cosmetic section). It helped within 2 days of applying. Edited September 5, 2009 by ChrisB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 ive tried the vani cream. we have tried every steroid cream. he has to take atarax for the itch, although i alternate it with benedryl. right now we are trying claritin daily, plus the benedryl at night and a course of steroids orally. i havent seen a change. the back of his legs look like i burned him. he is itchy all over. and stays in cotton sleepers, even to play outside. poor guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 ive tried the vani cream. we have tried every steroid cream. he has to take atarax for the itch, although i alternate it with benedryl. right now we are trying claritin daily, plus the benedryl at night and a course of steroids orally. i havent seen a change. the back of his legs look like i burned him. he is itchy all over. and stays in cotton sleepers, even to play outside. poor guy. :sad: Poor, poor little guy! Please keep us updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 since 7:30 hes woken 5 times telling me he is itchy. ill be sure to keep updates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 all my family gets terrible eczema if they eat oranges or lemons. milk doesn't bother them at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Just chiming in... I would go into anaphalactic shock at the slightest bit of nut ingestion...but the blood and skin-prick tests showed completely negative. I have chosen to believe my body. My recommendation is to do elimination dieting to see what is bothering your dear son. Try dairy first, then wheat, then corn. I, by the way, have been told by every dermatologist and all but one of the allergists I have been to that I have the worst eczema they have ever seen. How lovely to be good at something! I say this not as a whine but as a way of telling you that I know what bad eczema is, and that I wish I would have had less testing and more elimination diet--and sticking-to-that-diet-- in my life. I just want to agree that standard allergy tests/ doctors aren't worth much. EDS found all of my kiddos intolerances, most of which I had already found myself by an elimination diet. Jake has a reaction leading to anaphylictic shock (producing copiuos mucus as a result of his airway shrinking) it was misdiagnosed as a digestive problem b/c the doctor never saw it. Finally a nurse caught it after an immunization. Emily had a lot of spitting up and diarrhea. Avoiding the foods according to the EDS worked for both kids. With DD I tried the elimination diet first. Coffee, gluten containing grains (as a group or individually), dairy, soy, eggs, citrus, tomatoes are the most common allergens to avoid. DS is allergic to yeast. I hope you get the little guy some help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 Elimination diet may be worth a whole new thread. but, does his skin need to be clear before we start? how long do you eliminate each food? i mean i find it SO HARD but, maybe with some guidance. im not sure how long it should be before his skin is clear. if i had a camera id take some pics. oh with my phone ill try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Shot Academy Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 he gets reoccurring staph infections from itching so deep. he lives day and night in cotton sleepers. My youngest had severe, bloody eczema, all allergy tests were negative and an elimination diet did nothing. We went to see a dermatologist at Children's and he said that true eczema is almost never caused by food. It is an incurable genetic condition where the skin can not hold moisture. As the skin dries, it itches, as the person scratches a rash is made. He told us that it has been proven that the itching causes the rash and that giving anti-itch meds will prevent any rash. Allergies can make eczema worse because the allergic reaction contributes to the itch/rash cycle, but the underlying cause of eczema is still the itch. (My son had typical weepy eczema at the back of his knees, but after having an allergic reaction to an anti-biotic it turned into a bloody mess and spread over his body over the next 6 months, which is why we sought out a specialist.) The only anti-itch med he recommends is Zyrtec. I was very upset about having to give my baby Zyrtec everyday so I refused for about 3 months. We used lotion and topical steroids 3 x's a day to keep his skin whole. If I missed one treatment, the skin would break open. I finally gave in and tried over the counter children's Zyrtec. I gave it to him twice a day for a few months and then started weaning him down. I only give it to him when I see redness in the back of his knees which is about once a month. He has not had any broken skin since about 1 week after starting the Zyrtec and it has been over a year. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 answers below: Elimination diet may be worth a whole new thread. but, does his skin need to be clear before we start? NO how long do you eliminate each food? ALL of them for 3 weeks, then you add one back in every 4 days (except dairy, which takes a week) There are many sites with the information. i mean i find it SO HARD but, maybe with some guidance. im not sure how long it should be before his skin is clear. if i had a camera id take some pics. oh with my phone ill try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 For moisture, you can try crisco after bathing. You pat dry and before they are really dry, you put the crisco on and then wrap in a warm pillow type covering. Of course, I'm sure you're already careful about what you use to cleanse. Have you tried not using anything to cleanse, except for water? You know that even tap water can have stuff in it that bothers excema? My daughter had skin that wept, so we literally kept her in cotton tights for a while, because she would have such bloody/weepy legs. Here's the good news: she looked horrible as a baby. I heard "poor baby" all the time. She just turned 11 and she's almost better. I mean, to someone else, they might still see it. To me, she looks almost cured:-) Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Of course there could always be an allergy that is not tested for. My son with eczema is allergic to polyester lol. We were putting him in pjs with feet to keep him from scratching only to find out he was allergic to his sleepers. We use lotion with tea tree oil in it to keep him from reacting to the couch, the carseat, the rugs, and on and on during the summer. During the winter he is covered in 100% cotton clothes, so he is fine during that time. On the flip side my sister tested positive for nearly everything that they tested for, but she only has visible reactions to a few things. It takes alot of experimenting to find out the cause of allergies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 My ds has eczema. After numerous trips to allergists and dermatologists, all of whom told me the eczema wasn't related to food, I put ds on a strict elimination diet. All he ate was meat, fruit, veggies (except citrus), and rice products. No dairy, gluten, nuts, eggs, fish, or citrus. Within 2 weeks his skin was completely clear. Instead of adding foods back, we do a loose rotation diet for him now. The theory with this is that one food may not trigger the eczema, but a build up of a certain food may. IOW, the first week he starts eating eggs again he may be fine. But after several weeks of eating eggs his body may become intolerant. By that time so many foods have been added back that you can't figure out why he's breaking out again. (I hope I'm explaining this clearly!) HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 (edited) I forgot to mention apples as another common allergen. Personally, I'd try the Zyrtec first. ;) My cousin's baby has severe reflux and the doctor did a reflux test... negative. So he wants to do surgery!!! She mentioned allergies and the doctor insists that babies do not develop allergies that young. She switched him to soy formula and he was better withing a couple of days. Doctors.:001_rolleyes: Edited September 6, 2009 by Lovedtodeath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 We opted to eliminate one thing at a time. We started with soy because it seemed the likely candidate (milk was already out of her diet due to er lactose intolerance). We took it out for two weeks, but within 48 hours we saw improvements. Some people opt to eliminate everything for a month, and add food back in. It's really up to you and your Dr. Our Allergist is big on elimination being the key. Like a pp said, the body does not lie. The tests are just a way to guide you in the right direction. If your son's eczema is that bad, I'm surprised you're doing a scratch test at all! I thought scratch tests on kids with severe eczema was a moot point because the skin is going to react to everything at this point. Post a new thread and ask about elimination diets. The ladies on this forum are really helpful and you'll get better answers to your questions. You can also do a search and find some of the information from previous threads. I asked earlier in the summer and there have been other threads regarding elimination diets. I know this is all hard and overwhelming but once you find out what he's allergic to, you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Trust me, it will get better :grouphug: Blessings! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamapjama Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 My son was sensitive to a multitude of things when he was young. It would manifest itself in constant diarehha and hyperactivity among other things. I took him to an NMT (neuromodulation technique) practicioner and after 3 treatments he was eating dairy and all other foods and his diarehha stopped for good. He is still a very active boy but nothing like he was. Here is a website that discusses the technique and you can search to see if you have a practitioner in your area. http://www.nmt.md/ The treatment is completely painfree and non-invasive. I have referred many people to the clinic we went to and all were very pleased with the results. A friend of mine who is a vet and very science oriented went without my knowledge and she came over one day raving about the treatment. Hope you find some relief for your baby soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share Posted September 8, 2009 hes been on oral steroids for 5 days and has taken claritin everyday for the past 5 days. i dressed him for the first time and he didnt itch that bad. usually he is in sleepers so he doesnt itch. he seems to be doing good, not sure if its the sterioid or the claritin. we shall see. is it bad for the kids to take claritin or zyrtec everyday??? i opted for claritin cause zyrtec is 6 and up and hes just about to be 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgm Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 (edited) They both have side effects..the package insert will give you the details. With my son, it was red dye 40 and yellow dye 5 (food colorings) that caused most of his trouble. Turned out it was in the infant vitamin back then as well as gelatins, puddings, and icings. We figured it out because he broke out in hives when he ingested something that had no other possible ingredients that he was allergic too. It is also in some medications such as OTC cough syrup, but the pharmacist can sell you the dye-free versions that may not be carried in the grocery store. To heal the skin: go on the antihistimine long term, keep nails trimmed The advice I rec'd from the dr. was to apply vasilene and topical steriod daily so skin could not dry out. Bath on an as need basis (once every two weeks or so) with no soap/shampoo. All bedclothes washed in tide free or the equivalent. What really worked for us: go on antihistimine about 3 weeks; keep nails trimmed, keep bedroom cool at night (no sweating as it makes the child scratch). Swim in chlorinated pool daily, shower off at home and apply topical steriod (currently Elidel) with vasilene on dry spots (knees, elbows). No shampoo or soap, launder in tide free. Once skin is healed do not allow ingestion of allergy trigger. For us this meant educating the extended family and providing allergy free b-day cakes and beverages. ds also has a problem with cheap perfumes and hair products...we found this one out at school around 4th grade. Fortunately the school had a policy banning those products (so as to make life easier for fully included and those allergic), so the child that was wearing it in the classroom had to stop. Stilll cost us about $30 in copay & meds to clear up his reaction to the parents' thoughtlessness. Edited September 8, 2009 by lgm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 After they bathe, you should apply a moisturizer (I like Aquafor) within 3 minutes. Take longer than that and too much moisture is escaping. I am glad he is improving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepymommy Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 If doing a full on elimination diet seems too overwhelming, I'd try to eliminate the top 8 allergens at least. Wheat, soy, dairy, peanuts, shellfish, fish, tree nuts. I'd especially focus on dairy, soy and wheat (actually any gluten). These are huge triggers for skin reactions. Peanuts and tree nuts aren't usually skin related. It's not easy at first, but definitely do able, especially since you make most of your food from scratch. Stick to the basics- meat, veggies, fruit. (Of meats, lamb and chicken tend to cause the least amount of reactions). I feel for your dc. Ds1 would scratch so much, he couldn't sleep from all the scratching and his bottom, legs and stomach would be covered in blood scabs. Another thing that helps some people is homeopathic sulfur. If you have a licensed homeopath in-town and are open to alternative therapies, I would try to get an appt. with one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooke3193 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Haven't read all of the replies. We've fought major eczema in dd here too. I tried a gazillion different topical lotions and potions. The only thing those would do is clear it up after about a week and then if I quit putting it on her, the eczema would flare up in a day or two. I wasn't willing to put any of the meds on her *every* day for the rest of her life. We also tried Zyrtec somewhere around age 2 (maybe 3). It turned her into a little monster. This was not listed as a side effect but I have heard other people say the same thing. We have cleared up her eczema in these 3 ways: I eliminated dairy from my diet when she was an infant and her head eczema went away. We eliminated potatoes and eliminated her eczema from her wrists, elbows, ankles and feet. That left the eczema behind her knees....pretty much have that under control with Claritin BUT the key is that we give her half the daily dose in the morning and half at night (this was her allergist's recommendation...says it controls the itch better that way). When we started the Claritin about 1 year ago, it was the first time she (and, therefore, I) had slept through the night since she was born 5 years before that. I do not take lightly the decision to give a daily med to my child. But, I do believe that she is healthier and stronger on the Claritin simply because she can get enough rest that her growing body needs. Good luck. I know it is frustrating. Oh--the only eczema solutions I have heard of and not tried, (so I guess I can't say I've tried everything before coming up with our solution) is applying emu oil and having them sleep in soaking wet cotton pjs. (and, I don't think the 2nd one cured the eczema so much as it provided relief while sleeping) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 We have cleared up her eczema in these 3 ways: I eliminated dairy from my diet when she was an infant and her head eczema went away. We eliminated potatoes and eliminated her eczema from her wrists, elbows, ankles and feet. My list of the most common allergens comes from information on infant reflux. Someone else just had a blanket list of the most common allergens. I wonder if there is a list specific to eczema? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 We deal with severe eczema too. The backs of ds6's knees looked like raw hamburger the entire summer he was 4yo...it flares up like that occasionally now, but it's not as bad. He's on Zyrtec (and Singulair for asthma), and I give him fish oil daily. If I slack off on the fish oil, I see it on his skin. He also has food allergies. Shower only as much as needed and lotion-up asap. We use a Rx steriod cream for flare-ups. Using straight oil helps too - grapeseed oil, coconut oil...just be sure he isn't allergic to those before covering his body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marvin-r Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 In addition to an allergist, I would recommend you see an ENT (Ear-Nose-Throat specialist) called an Otolaryngologist. allergies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 12, 2009 Author Share Posted September 12, 2009 my guess is the Steroids are getting out of his system. things are bad again :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 We also tried Zyrtec somewhere around age 2 (maybe 3). It turned her into a little monster. This was not listed as a side effect but I have heard other people say the same thing. A common side effect of Zyrtec in kids is that it makes them really groggy. In my experience, this, in turn, leads to severe crankiness. My kids who have been on Zyrtec did much better when I gave it to them just before bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 12, 2009 Author Share Posted September 12, 2009 he was takig claritin once a day and was very cranky, but hes a cranky person to begin with. now since he goes for the back prick he cant have anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 :grouphug:How awful for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlgbug Posted September 12, 2009 Author Share Posted September 12, 2009 just called the md. the test results are in from the kids blood work, now im awaiting a phone call! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.