Can you help? Eczema is making my daughter MISERABLE.

[NanceXToo]

***UPDATE TOP OF PAGE 6***

 

I hate this, I feel so bad for her.

 

My 10 y/o daughter suffers from eczema- she tends to get it much worse in the winter (in the warmer weather it's very mild and often goes away for long periods, but in the winter, it's just awful).

 

Here it is not even the end of November yet, and she's already getting flare ups.

 

We've been trying to do preventative measures all along (even in warmer months) by using only plain soaps like unscented Dove for sensitive skin, and she puts lotion on her problem areas regularly- these days I'm trying to remind her to do it more than once a day- and we have prescription medicine to put on if it starts flaring up even with the lotion, and we use that as needed.

 

So far that's working okay for her inner arms (like the crease of the elbow) and behind the knees, where the flare ups haven't gotten TOO bad yet and I've been keeping on top of making sure she does lotion regularly and medicine if it starts to look at all bad.

 

But she's starting to get it on her face. First the area around and especially under her eyes gets red and kind of dry/scaly looking. But now she's got redness on her cheeks and around her mouth, too.

 

It itches her so she starts clawing at it, and of course that makes it worse.

 

What can/should I put on her face?? We have this Eucarin calming lotion here that I tried, and a couple of other unscented lotions, but it seems no matter what I put on it, she starts getting really upset and saying it burns AND itches...I finally put the prescription medicine on her face to see if that helps it overnight, and of course she says that burns too, and that it still itches...she's miserable, and I feel awful for her.

 

Oh, and her hands are starting to get irritated too.

 

(We used to use elidel, which her pediatrician initially recommended; now we're using something that says "fougera triamcinolone acetonide ointment, USP, 0.1%." which a dermatologist prescribed).

 

The pediatrician doesn't seem to be able to do anything else for her other than prescribing the medicine to use as needed.

 

The dermatologist (we eventually asked the pediatrician to refer us to a dermatologist to see if he could do anything more than what the pediatrician could) seemed kind of snotty when we saw him and basically lectured me on that we have to stay on top of preventing it to begin with by using lotion regularly and mild soap and so on. Well, we're doing all that. And the kid is still miserable. I don't THINK an allergist would be relevant since this seems weather based, and not like food based.

 

Is there someone else we should be seeing? Something else I should be doing? Something I can do for her face in particular? (And as an aside, did anyone's kid deal with this but outgrow it in their teens/adulthood, or is she going to suffer with this forever?!)

 

Thanks for any advice or help you can give us.

 

***UPDATE TOP OF PAGE 6***

Edited November 20, 2010 by NanceXToo

[delaney]

I only know from my experience with my kids that eczema is a symptom of an allergy and not an actual thing to be treated. My one Dd tests negative to milk allergy yet her eczema flares when she has dairy. She is allergic to everything in the environment in terms of trees and grasses and it manifests itself in eczema. Same with my youngest son. If I so much as eat a peanut butter cup his feet get all red and irritated! I suggest getting her tested for allergies first.

[gingersmom]

I have year round eczema. I feel your daughter's pain.

 

The only doctor who was able to help me was an environmental dermatologist. I saw one in New York City.

 

The first thing he did was allergy testing. Turns out I am allergic to gold and all metals :confused: As soon as I stopped wearing all jewelry my eczema was significantly better.

 

I am jewelry free but unfortunately not eczema free.

 

There are hundreds of different non-steroid eczema medicines that a doctor can prescribe. I went through at least 4-5 before finding one that works.

[newlifemom]

You should get a lot of helpful responses here. For me, when the flare up is at its worst, I resort to benadryl. I hate it, but it helps b/c the itch is internal. Jojoba oil/cream is good too. I do not put any steroidal things on the face if I can help it.

 

My friend [and fellow boardie] insists on having your child come out of the shower and then slather crisco on them before drying off and then wrapping them in a towel for around 30 mins. We have tried that and it did help.

 

I am sorry and totally know what you are going through. I have 4 kids with moderate to [at times]severe eczema.

[Lolly]

Go straight to an allergist. My dd had eczema from the time she was a baby. We found out a couple of years ago that she has a tremendous number of food allergies as well as environmental. She was also allergic to an ingredient in the lotions she was using. And the soap. Now, she uses no soaps. We make her toothpaste. She only washes her hair about once a week. No more lotion. Eczema is gone.

[Farrar]

I've also suffered from eczema. My understanding is that sometimes it's allergy related and sometimes it's a susceptibility to certain bacteria that are causing it. Using lotion and keeping the skin in good condition can help lessen that susceptibility, but sometimes only killing the germs will actually get rid of it - therefore sometimes you need antibiotics or anti-fungals from a doctor to fix the problem. But it depends on the variety of eczema.

 

The other thing I've read about is the bleach bath. If it gets really bad, it's certainly cheaper to try than seeing specialists about allergies and infections.

[LittleIzumi]

I know many people like CJ's BUTTer for it. http://www.cjsewingroom.com/?p=327

[LisaKinVA]

My 4yo has year round eczema. She has an appointment with an allergist at the end of the month. 1 tsp. of Benedryl keeps the eczema at bay, although I still use Aveno shampoo/baby wash, no bubble baths, etc.

 

We know she has a food allergy... and I wouldn't be surprised if she's allergic to something in our environment.

[Daisy]

Is there a reason you stopped using the elidel? I ask because my daughter uses that on her face for eczema. I'm wondering if they are recommending against it now or something.

[Hedgehog]

DS5 used to have terrible eczema as a baby and toddler. It was because of a dairy intolerance (DD11 was also intolerant, but it manifested itself as acute colic). When I cut out all dairy while breastfeeding my DS, the eczema disappeared; if I had a little bit, it came right back. It was always worse in colder weather. I weaned him onto goat's milk, which he was fine with. It's only been since this summer that he's really been ok having any dairy products. I was waiting for him to flare up, now that it's getting colder, but - touch wood - he's fine so far, so maybe he has grown out of it. We'll see.

 

Please do get your DD tested for allergies. It could be so simple to deal with.

 

A word from my naturopath - "eczema is often caused by an internal reaction to a chemical of some kind, that has been ingested or absorbed through the skin. It makes no sense to treat this with yet further chemicals, in the form of pharmaceutical creams and lotions. To be really successful in treating eczema, you must find the cause of the reaction, and remove the problem from the source." He does however advocate the use of plain Vitamin E oil, or flaxseed oil, either taken as capsules or massaged gently into the affected areas. Although I don't have eczema as such, my hands do get rough and cracked in the winter and I take flaxseed oil capsules when I notice this beginning. It's really a life-saver for me, as having cracks all over the hands and especially at the ends of the fingers makes it so hard to do anything with your hands! Even gross motor actions are difficult!

 

HTH.

Hedgehog x

[Imprimis]

One thing we have used with success here with my two eczema-prone kids is Rooting Bear Rub. It has cleared up eczema in progress.

 

Also, look for less harsh detergents--dye-free, scent-free, residue-free.

 

As for outgrowing eczema---my now 15 yo had more problems with it when she was younger (about your daughter's age); but she still has occasional outbreaks.

[DianeW88]

Elidel scares the crud out of me and my ped also agrees with my assessment that it isn't very effective. Whatever you do with that stuff, don't use it beyond one year. The long term potential effects can be very serious.

[Caitilin]

Is there a reason you stopped using the elidel? I ask because my daughter uses that on her face for eczema. I'm wondering if they are recommending against it now or something.

 

Yes, this is now being considered unsafe for use on children, last I heard. Sorry. :(

[Luckymama]

Dd15 uses elidel on her bad patches. She actually was at the allergist this morning for a rash on her face which he doesn't think is eczema. He told her to start with cortisone cream first (it's itchy and hurts) then use the elidel sparingly as the rash is completely covering her face. If there is no improvement by next Friday, she's to stop the elidel and see a dermatologist.

 

This rash is unusual for dd15. Since she was diagnosed with her food allergies three years ago, her eczema has all but disappeared except for small spots during the winter.

 

I think you should take your dd to an allergist to rule out food or environmental causes.

[NanceXToo]

Is there a reason you stopped using the elidel? I ask because my daughter uses that on her face for eczema. I'm wondering if they are recommending against it now or something.

 

You know, I don't know. It was always what was prescribed to us and then one day I asked for a refill but they gave me something else instead, and the something else worked just as good so I didn't question it... this stuff I'm using now DOES definitely help if I put it on before it gets too bad (and even if it is bad a few applications usually gets it more manageable). But I just hate to put the stuff on her FACE regularly if I don't have to and I don't know if there's something else I should be doing for her face.

 

Being as she tends to get this mainly in the winter, does it still seem worth seeing an allergist? I guess I have nothing to lose by it! I will call her ped and see if they can refer us to one.

 

I feel so helpless. Blah.

[Hedgehog]

Being as she tends to get this mainly in the winter, does it still seem worth seeing an allergist? I guess I have nothing to lose by it! I will call her ped and see if they can refer us to one.

 

I feel so helpless. Blah.

 

:grouphug: I'm sorry, it is awful when your children are suffering.

 

I would say that it's definitely worth seeing an allergist; I think the aspect of it flaring up in colder weather is not going to determine what's causing it in the first place. Your DDs skin is sore and sensitive for some reason, and colder air is irritating that sensitivity. I think some types of eczema are just like that.

[Imprimis]

Is there a reason you stopped using the elidel? I ask because my daughter uses that on her face for eczema. I'm wondering if they are recommending against it now or something.

 

My daughter was prescribed Elidel a few years ago, but I decided not to have her use it because of this warning: Elidel.

 

I do understand that that there are instances when Elidel would be necessary, but our ped prescribed it before we tried anything else.

[justamouse]

Long ago I read something about this when I thought one of mine had it, too, and wow, since then it's taken off!

 

Here you go

 

http://www.barneysformula.net/

 

I hope it helps.

[Daisy]

My daughter was prescribed Elidel a few years ago, but I decided not to have her use it because of this warning: Elidel.

 

I do understand that that there are instances when Elidel would be necessary, but our ped prescribed it before we tried anything else.

 

Yikes! Well, thankfully she only used it for a couple of months last winter. If her eczema flares up again, I'll ask for something different! Crazy. Man, it is a bummer because so far it has been the only thing to work and the eczema shows up around her nose. Tough thing for an 11yo to have deal with.

[NanceXToo]

Ok so I will ask my ped to refer me to an allergist...

 

and I'm going to order some of that CJ's Butter stuff mentioned to see if that helps...

 

and in the meanwhile, we'll keep up with our routine of regular lotion/medication as needed as best we can... I hope SOMETHING helps, because this really stinks! It makes her feel so miserable, not to mention self-conscious when she starts getting it on her face of all places.

[bookfiend]

My oldest son has very much the same presentation you describe, manageable during the summer and then bam - cracked and bleeding in the winter. We use A&D ointment at night with great success. He slathers it on his hands and any other hot spots. Totally clears up the problem.

 

I haven't tried this but a friend of mine whose son has year round exema does Epsom salt baths/soaks. It works for them. I think this has the same effect as the bleach baths mentioned earlier but with less toxic effect.

[newlifemom]

Yikes! Well, thankfully she only used it for a couple of months last winter. If her eczema flares up again, I'll ask for something different! Crazy. Man, it is a bummer because so far it has been the only thing to work and the eczema shows up around her nose. Tough thing for an 11yo to have deal with.

 

You know Daisy, it is like any other drug. If the benes outweigh the risks. . . .

I have a tube of Protopic [it carries the same warnings as Elidil.] Doc gave me the script and said, "When it is out of control, use for a few days to get it under control." That is what I do. I try to keep things from getting to that point, but I gotta say, if it does, I will use it. I have taken all of my kids to an allergist, but honestly, they did not do anything extensive. I wonder if there are better ways to determine which environmental factors affect each child.

 

[sigh] I hate winter.

[texasmama]

Haven't read all the replies, but often eczema is food allergy related. Cold weather is drier and aggravates it, as well. I dealt with it to some degree with my three youngest kids. My fairest child (third-born) had it the worst. For my kids, dairy was the worst offender.

 

What I did that worked/helped: No soaps at all. Soaps are drying. Have her soak in a tub of warm water (no soap of any type) to absorb the moisture. When she gets out, dry off quickly and lightly and then apply the presription cream followed by a barrier (we have used vaseline and coconut oil) to lock in moisture. Get rid of the dietary offenders. Bathe daily in plain water and repeat the moisturizing.

 

I had a small patch of eczema on my leg a few years back which persisted and drove me nuts. It went completely away when I stopped eating gluten. Everyone's triggers are different. Also, wash her clothing in a free and clear detergent - no perfumes or dyes.

Edited November 20, 2010 by texasmama

[treestarfae]

I hate this, I feel so bad for her.

 

My 10 y/o daughter suffers from eczema- she tends to get it much worse in the winter (in the warmer weather it's very mild and often goes away for long periods, but in the winter, it's just awful).

 

Here it is not even the end of November yet, and she's already getting flare ups.

 

We've been trying to do preventative measures all along (even in warmer months) by using only plain soaps like unscented Dove for sensitive skin, and she puts lotion on her problem areas regularly- these days I'm trying to remind her to do it more than once a day- and we have prescription medicine to put on if it starts flaring up even with the lotion, and we use that as needed.

 

So far that's working okay for her inner arms (like the crease of the elbow) and behind the knees, where the flare ups haven't gotten TOO bad yet and I've been keeping on top of making sure she does lotion regularly and medicine if it starts to look at all bad.

 

But she's starting to get it on her face. First the area around and especially under her eyes gets red and kind of dry/scaly looking. But now she's got redness on her cheeks and around her mouth, too.

 

It itches her so she starts clawing at it, and of course that makes it worse.

 

What can/should I put on her face?? We have this Eucarin calming lotion here that I tried, and a couple of other unscented lotions, but it seems no matter what I put on it, she starts getting really upset and saying it burns AND itches...I finally put the prescription medicine on her face to see if that helps it overnight, and of course she says that burns too, and that it still itches...she's miserable, and I feel awful for her.

 

Oh, and her hands are starting to get irritated too.

 

(We used to use elidel, which her pediatrician initially recommended; now we're using something that says "fougera triamcinolone acetonide ointment, USP, 0.1%." which a dermatologist prescribed).

 

The pediatrician doesn't seem to be able to do anything else for her other than prescribing the medicine to use as needed.

 

The dermatologist (we eventually asked the pediatrician to refer us to a dermatologist to see if he could do anything more than what the pediatrician could) seemed kind of snotty when we saw him and basically lectured me on that we have to stay on top of preventing it to begin with by using lotion regularly and mild soap and so on. Well, we're doing all that. And the kid is still miserable. I don't THINK an allergist would be relevant since this seems weather based, and not like food based.

 

Is there someone else we should be seeing? Something else I should be doing? Something I can do for her face in particular? (And as an aside, did anyone's kid deal with this but outgrow it in their teens/adulthood, or is she going to suffer with this forever?!)

 

Thanks for any advice or help you can give us.

If her skin gets dry in the winter you need to get a filtered shower head and take less showers. Also Dove is terrible for sensitive skin. I have sensitive skin without eczema and I can tell you that that Dove and Eucerin won't work. For her face go to the mall and get a Clinique bar of extra sensitive skin soap it runs 8-9 bucks for a big bar. Do not use perfume or perfumed products around her. Get a humidifier so her skin does not get dry and crack. I would put plain Vitamin E oil on the aggravated areas.

[Mabelen]

In my daughter's case the eczema was related to the fat in whole milk. Once we stopped whole milk her eczema improved greatly.

 

Also, you mention how her eczema is better during the summer months. That could be related to humidity levels. How is the humidity level at your house in the winter months? I presume you have central heating which dries out the air; do yo have a humidifier?

[mcconnellboys]

Bathing in Dead Sea salts has helped us....

[fairfarmhand]

try cutting out all cows milk dairy and products.

 

This is what cured my dd's eczema. Yes it's expensive but it is SO worth it!

[cjbeach]

Eczema has consumed much of my life. I started seeing a dermatologist for it when I was 6 weeks old. When I was working (RN) I was on steroids a few times a year for it primarily for my hands (constant irritation from gloves on/off and handwashing).

 

I have heard good things about taking "Trace Minerals." I know a few people who swear by it as having cured their eczema. Mine is under control for the moment so I haven't resorted to it. I have used every steroid ointment on the market. Blech. When Elidel first came on the market I all but slathered myself in it ((shivers)). I once sat in a derm's office as he showed me the "top" steroids (topical) and I was already using 2 of them! He had no choice but to order oral steroids (Medrol pack).

 

Here's what works for me, sounds whacky but it works for me:

Do not shower daily. Try to go at least 2 days. When showering (versus bathing) make sure the water is not too hot. QUICK tepid to warm showers. I can't use body soaps or gels or body washes, etc. I'm better off with no soap, period. Get in shower, wash hair, rinse body off, and get out. When she towels off apply CeraVe *the moisturizer in the tub, not the lotion.

Two of the biggest culprits for me is dishsoap and nail polish (the minute it goes near my eyelids...ugh).

Nutritionally I would try a good probiotic (!!!), cut back/eliminate dairy, then play with eliminating gluten. Dairy irritates my skin but gluten irritates my gut. I definitely had yeast issues a while back - probiotic and eliminating dairy helped.

 

When I was in my mid20's my eczema was completely unbearable but my diet was bad and I was trying to handle acne, while not causing eczema flare-ups with the acne products. Ugh. What worked for one, broke out the other.

If you do not have Prescription for Nutritional Healing check it out at the library and copy down what they recommend for eczema!!!!!! The book pretty much saved me when I was in my 20s. By the time I was 27 I finally learned how much of eczema was nutritionally related. I think just starting a good multivitamin, adding Zinc and Magnesium really put me on the right path. I wish I would have had non-prescription CeraVe *then* to add to it. Aquaphor did NOTHING for me. The only thing OTC that did was hydrocortisone (back to the steroids). Oils in baths did nothing either. Btdt tried it all.

 

Good luck. Think nutritionally and eliminate any possible allergens/irritants. Oh, if it's cold where you are and you have the heat on definitely look into a humidifier. We had to put a hamper size on in our hallway just to put moisture back in the air - for me. Any time my skin dried out it just started a flare up.

Some areas she is just going to have to address daily. FOr me it's my inner elbows, the base of hairline on my neck, around the bottoms of my ears, my eyelids and my hands. Oh and the lovely spot- above my upper lip. I have to apply CeraVe and watch these areas, daily.

 

Good luck!!!!

Edited November 20, 2010 by cjbeach

[smrtmama]

Has she been prescribed Hylatopic? It's a foaming emollient and is absolutely the BEST THING for eczema. It's quite expensive, roughly $130 a bottle, but it was the only thing that finally calmed my daughter's all-over eczema.

[peacefully]

Dh would absolutely hate that I'm trying to pass along "medical" information on the internet, so please take what I say with a grain of salt, do additional research, speak to your doctor, yada, yada...

 

I just wanted to say that dh is a family practice doctor who also has eczema. He successfully treats his own eczema and that of several of his patients with a high-quality fish oil. One of his patients is a young girl who has severe eczema. The body produces an inflammatory response (to allergens, but also other triggers), and apparently the omegas and other factors in the fish oil lower that inflammatory response.

 

Just adding another idea to check out.

[cjbeach]

Dh would absolutely hate that I'm trying to pass along "medical" information on the internet, so please take what I say with a grain of salt, do additional research, speak to your doctor, yada, yada...

 

I just wanted to say that dh is a family practice doctor who also has eczema. He successfully treats his own eczema and that of several of his patients with a high-quality fish oil. One of his patients is a young girl who has severe eczema. The body produces an inflammatory response (to allergens, but also other triggers), and apparently the omegas and other factors in the fish oil lower that inflammatory response.

 

Just adding another idea to check out.

:iagree:Totally, lots of info floating out there on fish oils and eczema.

[Amy in NH]

Lansinoh

[Ellie]

try cutting out all cows milk dairy and products.

 

This is what cured my dd's eczema. Yes it's expensive but it is SO worth it!

Cutting out dairy products is expensive? How so?

[Tap]

I have a friend who used to put tube socks on her sons arms when he went to bed to keep him from scratching them bloody by morning. :( His skin just looked so painful, I can imagine what it really felt like.

 

She tried everything in the US and finally found a cream, brought from an Asian country to her, that was made with ground up beetles and other ingredients. It cleared his skin almost instantly.

 

If you have exhausted Western's medicines best....maybe it is time to try a different approach.

[kwg]

I am not sure what other posters have said but ds has it bad and the ped said no lotions- creams only.....2-3 times a day, immediately after baths. Keep it up too once the flare ups are gone b/c they flare back up really quickly and often parents stop before it is time (in her experience I guess).

 

I read through the first page. I guess I need to ask about allergies. Is this odd- but ok, so if he has an allergy and this is the only symptom and it is controllable is there any point in getting testing? Do allergies get worse or better as you grow up? Is it harmful for person to be exposed to whatever they are allergic to?

 

Hope that doesn't derail the conversation too much.

[HappyGrace]

Ds had it as a baby-high quality fish oil worked WONDERS-took it away and it never came back. Also flaxseed oil (Barlean's is best) would be good to add in, just another essential fatty acid that will help the skin from the inside.

[wapiti]

I have a relative with severe eczema that is exacerbated by an ongoing staph infection (when he scratches, staph gets in and makes it worse). One thing he does is bleach baths to kill the staph.

 

I would see an allergist. Good luck!!

[fairfarmhand]

Cutting out dairy products is expensive? How so?

 

 

soymilk is twice the price of cows milk. we manage since it is just one kiddo. We've considered getting a goat...

[cjzimmer1]

soymilk is twice the price of cows milk. we manage since it is just one kiddo. We've considered getting a goat...

 

:iagree:regular milk here is about $1.99 a gallon. My youngest drinks almond milk and it's 2.79 a half gallon. And that's just one product. I don't buy others very often because of the price, but when you think about yogurt, ice cream, etc it gets pricey fast.

[Tap]

Cutting out dairy products is expensive? How so?

 

It isn't expensive to cut it out....it is expensive to replace cow milk items with goat, soy, rice, coconut, almond etc items.

 

 

1 lb of cheddar is $3, 1 lb of goat is $8

1 gal of reg cow milk $2,50, 1 quart of rice is $2.

1 single serve cow milk yogurt .50, soy $1.25

 

 

There are many, many foods that have cow milk in them. For example, most crackers are cheese or butter flavored or have it as an ingredient to give them a rich flavor. To find alternatives for many common items is very expensive, since 'Dairy Free' is usually only found in items specifically designed to be dairy free, they are priced at a premium.

 

Simple things like granola bars, cereal bars or other quick snack foods for kids are not available in Dairy Free unless you buy the high end snacks at $1 per item.

 

 

So, while yes you can just not give the child dairy, it is virtually impossible to still shop in traditional stores and buy convenience items,

 

Even cooking from scratch can get expensive. You can replace butter in a cake recipe with oil, but then there are the texture and flavor differences. For me, I find the best replacement is coconut oil...at $6 for 12oz.

[Corraleno]

DD8 had terrible eczema as a baby, all over her body and face and sometimes into her hair. I had to put her on a special goat's milk formula. It's much better now, although she still has occasional flare-ups. What has helped:

 

(1) No dairy (she's partly outgrown this and can sometimes have dairy in small amounts, but if she pigs out on ice cream or something, the inside of her elbows and back of her knees will get really bad)

(2) A good multivitamin, plus fish oil (we use Coromega), plus extra vit D3

(3) Epsom salts baths (the magnesium is absorbed through the skin)

(4) Pure (unrefined) coconut oil instead of lotions and creams

 

A lot of the creams that are recommended for "sealing moisture in" (like Aquaphor or vaseline) are petroleum-based, which can make it worse. Unrefined coconut oil not only seals in the moisture, it literally "feeds" the skin. In the winter I slather DD with coconut oil when she gets out of the shower, then she waits a few minutes for it to be absorbed before she puts on her pajamas.

 

My DS also had a bout with eczema on his hands (allergic reaction to handling wet hay with cold, chapped hands, I think). They were red, scaley, cracked, and bleeding. I slathered his hands with coconut oil and put cotton gloves on him at night, and it cleared up the eczema quite quickly.

 

Jackie

[NanceXToo]

Thank you for all of these replies. There are SO many different things to try, so I'm going to start with a few of them and see what happens.

 

First, I'm going to ask her ped to refer us to an allergist. I'm going to wait on cutting out dairy or any other products until she's been tested for allergies.

 

I have ordered that CJ's BUTTer stuff to try and LET ME TELL YOU, she is SO NICE!!! I placed an order for one tube just to try it out, on her website last night. And in the "additional comments or instructions" thing I left a brief comment that said:

 

"I have heard good things about this product- I have my fingers crossed it will help with my daughter's eczema. It gets bad in the winter and the poor kid (age 10) is miserable as she's starting to get flare ups now, and it's not even the end of November yet. Will this be safe to use on her face? Thanks!"

 

And this morning I awoke to find an email from her that said:

 

"Dear Nancy,

 

*** Yes, it's most definitely safe for her face. I'll throw

in a stick o'BUTTer for her backpack, too. :) ***

 

Respectfully,

*** CJ ***"

 

:):):)

 

Now, if only it does help, I'll be so happy!

 

Also I just wanted to say that my daughter has had eczema since

she was a toddler and it used to only ever be on her inner arms

(creases of her elbows) and at her wrists. Then one year it

showed up behind her knees, too.

 

But LAST year, at age 9, it was the first time she'd EVER had it

on her face (oh and also some by her navel). It was the worst

year she'd ever had. And now here it is only November this year

and she's already got it on her face again.

 

You know Daisy, it is like any other drug. If the benes outweigh the risks. . . .

 

This is how I feel. It did work for us and help us for quite a while.

 

If her skin gets dry in the winter you need to get a filtered shower head and take less showers. Also Dove is terrible for sensitive skin. I have sensitive skin without eczema and I can tell you that that Dove and Eucerin won't work. For her face go to the mall and get a Clinique bar of extra sensitive skin soap it runs 8-9 bucks for a big bar. Do not use perfume or perfumed products around her. Get a humidifier so her skin does not get dry and crack. I would put plain Vitamin E oil on the aggravated areas.

 

We already do limit her showers...I will try looking for the soap you mentioned...

 

In my daughter's case the eczema was related to the fat in whole milk. Once we stopped whole milk her eczema improved greatly.

 

Also, you mention how her eczema is better during the summer months. That could be related to humidity levels. How is the humidity level at your house in the winter months? I presume you have central heating which dries out the air; do yo have a humidifier?

 

We will try a humidifier, thanks!...

 

try cutting out all cows milk dairy and products.

 

This is what cured my dd's eczema. Yes it's expensive but it is SO worth it!

 

I am thinking at this point I will see what the allergist says before going that route (She doesn't go crazy with dairy products but they never bother her like April through October so I am just struggling with the idea of that if she gets eczema in November-March it has to do with dairy? I don't know, but I will def request a visit with an allergist and see what they say. If it does come to that, what do you do to replace any vitamins/nutrients/calcium etc that she would have gotten from the dairy products...?

 

Dh would absolutely hate that I'm trying to pass along "medical" information on the internet, so please take what I say with a grain of salt, do additional research, speak to your doctor, yada, yada...

 

I just wanted to say that dh is a family practice doctor who also has eczema. He successfully treats his own eczema and that of several of his patients with a high-quality fish oil. One of his patients is a young girl who has severe eczema. The body produces an inflammatory response (to allergens, but also other triggers), and apparently the omegas and other factors in the fish oil lower that inflammatory response.

 

Just adding another idea to check out.

 

Thanks for this... I don't know ANYTHING about fish oil... where you get it, what you do with it, how you know how much to use etc, any other tips on this?

 

Anyway I wish I could reply to everyone separately but that would get long lol...everyone is being very helpful and there are so many DIFFERENT ideas in this thread that I'm just going to try a few and see what happens for now! But I've made a list of some of the other tips, too.

 

P.S. I'm attaching some pictures we took of her eczema last winter (Feb 2010), on her face, neck and arms (and behind her knees would look pretty much like her arms).

 

That was when we took her to the determatologist. And he gave us the prescription for the medication I use now as needed and we managed to get it cleared up quite a bit by being pretty aggressive with the medicine for a while there, and then he said to just ALWAYS use lotion to prevent flareups, and to use the meds as a last resort if the flareups came, and we've been really diligent about that, but already, here we go again.

 

I hate winter.

[Blueridge]

:grouphug: I've not yet read your replies, but please do some research on fungus conditions in the body. They have been linked to these skin conditions, and can be helped tremendously with a diet change...no sugar, white flour, etc. Also dairy allergies have been linked. Eczema is the skin's external reaction to (a lot of the time) an internal imbalance.

[Luckymama]

Poor baby!

 

Yes, please see the allergist. After dd15's soy allergy was diagnosed and we started avoiding soy (that was a steep learning curve!), not only did her eczema clear up but she felt so much better overall. She didn't realize that she had been that tired, that achy, that irritable before. She just thought that was how she was, you know?

 

As you see from this thread, people's eczema is linked to many factors---soy in our case, dairy, gluten, environmentals, etc. I'd hate for you to eliminate something from your dd's diet that you don't have to, if you try to figure this out without allergy testing.

[LittleIzumi]

I have ordered that CJ's BUTTer stuff to try and LET ME TELL YOU, she is SO NICE!!! I placed an order for one tube just to try it out, on her website last night. And in the "additional comments or instructions" thing I left a brief comment that said:

 

"I have heard good things about this product- I have my fingers crossed it will help with my daughter's eczema. It gets bad in the winter and the poor kid (age 10) is miserable as she's starting to get flare ups now, and it's not even the end of November yet. Will this be safe to use on her face? Thanks!"

 

And this morning I awoke to find an email from her that said:

 

"Dear Nancy,

 

*** Yes, it's most definitely safe for her face. I'll throw

in a stick o'BUTTer for her backpack, too. :) ***

 

Respectfully,

*** CJ ***"

 

:):):)

 

Now, if only it does help, I'll be so happy!

 

 

 

She really is wonderful :). I need to order some more soon myself. I hope it helps your dd!!!

[Debbie in OR]

This is what we did for our dd, who had it so bad she looked like a burn victim: our dermatologist told us to soak her in very warm water for about 20 mins. until she was pruney. Dab her dry with a towel and here's the most important part: within 3 minutes of getting out of the tub, rub Vaseline all over the affected parts. Put clean, cotton pjs on and then to bed.

 

You have to do it in under 3 minutes or it won't work.

 

She had it for about 3 years prior to this and we had done/used everything out there for her. It cleared up after the first treatment of this but we did it another time (maybe two) just to make sure.

 

She hasn't had any problems since.

[Wyndie]

Your poor girl! I have to say my eye gets like that and it is yeast related. All three of my children used to have severe eczema and they were all food related. Different foods for different kiddos.

 

I use coconut oil on the affected area for immediate relief while tracking down the allergy through journaling.

[jak of in]

My dd has had eczema since she was a baby...she's now 18. It was bad when she was little...her feet sometimes looked like they had been burned! It was awful! She would get staff infections on her skin from scratching it raw. We used to grease her up and put socks on her hands so she couldn't scratch at night. I don't think she slept very well then.

 

The dermotologist suggested lukewarm baths a couple times a day, pat dry and eucerin lotion within 3 minutes of getting out. We used protopic (don't know if they make that any more) and triamcinolone, which kept it under control. Oh, and oatmeal baths to sooth the itch.

 

Here's what else we did: free & clear laundry detergent, very mild soap (cetaphil), no perfume at all. She tested positive to milk and citrus sensitivity. I always noticed if she had milk or orange juice...her neck would get rough, red and scaly and itch like crazy. I would definitely look in to food allergies or sensitivities.

 

There's so many things that can cause an eczema flare-up that's it so frustrating and makes us moms feel helpless! My dd's allergist said think of allergens as going into a bucket...when there's enough of them it overflows and that's when you have reactions. So he suggested work on controlling and limiting allergens as best you can so the "bucket" doesn't overflow. There's no way to eliminate all the allergens, or even know what triggers flare-ups so it's very frustrating.

 

Now, at 18, my dd's skin is fairly clear. She has flare-ups and puts triamcinolone on them. And she lotions well after her shower. She uses Cetaphil cream now. She can eat some dairy and some citrus, just not too much. She recently had the same rough, red and itchy patch on her neck after drinking apple cider several times.

 

I don't know if this will help, but know you're not alone. It's so hard to see our children suffering and not being able or know how to help.

 

jak

[ktgrok]

I have excema on my face and arms. It is aggravated by dairy and pollen allergies. It is helped by vitamin D and sunlight. The ONLY ONLY ONLY lotion that works is Aveeno Baby Soothing Cream. Not the regular baby lotion, this one http://www.aveeno.com/baby-care/soothing-relief-moisture-cream. I have used the adult one and it is NOT the same. I am 34 and this is all I use, even on my face. I have to put it on the INSTANT I get out of the shower. If I wait even a few minutes the itchy and burning and redness set in. Also, warm showers only, not hot. And NO soap. None. There is no need for soap at all. I tried all the mild ones, even cetaphil, they all aggravate it. what works best is just water. I actually haven't "washed" my face with anything but water in probably 3 years. And no breakouts. And I wear make up sometimes even. You don't need it, just water. So warm water, the aveeno soothign baby cream, and put it on INSTANTLY, before drying off all the way even.

 

Hope that helps. It's cheap at least, so worth trying.

[Quad Shot Academy]

My son had eczema that was far worse for years. It kept getting infected and Neosporin wasn't working anymore so we were having to do bleach baths. I took him to a specialist at Children's and he told me that it would never go away unless I started giving him Zyrtec twice a day. I was so against giving around the clock meds to a young child, so I put if off and treated it with tons of lotions and topical steroids. Once it started spreading to his face, I gave in and went with Zyrtec. I gave it to him twice a day for about 6 months and then started slowly weaning off. I only give it to him when he starts itching now, about 4 times a year. He has not had any eczema since a few weeks after starting Zyrtec!