Can you tell me about eczema on a baby?

[emcap]

I think my six week old may have eczema (going to the doc this afternoon). None of my other kids had this, can you tell me a little about it? I'm finding lots of info but nothing super helpful online.

Does it clear up? Is it a life long battle? I read online that it's itchy, but she doesn't seem uncomfortable... Could someone please just tell me about their experience with this?

Thanks so much

[wapiti]

First, I'd start with applying aquaphor often and avoiding regular soap/babywash (there are all sorts of products one could use instead - natural products, etc., or just warm water - check the store, even Target, in the baby section; Aveeno is one that I recall may have a lot of choices for sensitive skin).

 

Next, look at what baby's eating. If you're nursing, the usual advice is to try avoiding dairy.

[joannqn]

DS10 had eczema as a baby. He didn't show discomfort until he was strong enough to be able to rub/turn his head back and forth on the blanket or against our chest while we were holding him.

 

For us (him and I), the primary cause is sodium lauryl sulfate....so soap, shampoo, body wash, and laundry detergent. It cleared almost completely after I washed every fabric item in the house with plain water. I included all bedding and blankets, all baby items like spit up clothes and baby blankets, all of his clothing, and all clothing of those who would hold him. I washed it all without soap and a double rinse. From then on, I used All Free and Clear liquid, using only 1/2 or less of the suggested amount and a double rinse for EVERY load. I used triple antibiotic ointment to get rid of a stubborn spot on his foot after a friend's father (dermatologist) explained that there's often a bacteria issue with eczema. It worked.

Edited January 16, 2012 by joannqn

[Ellie]

Poor baby. :-(

 

A number of things can cause it: celiac/gluten sensitivity, reaction to laundry products or other soaps, dairy intolerance/allergy (if you're nursing it would be the dairy that you consume, which would also be true of any gluten that you're consuming).

 

You could use something like Amway's LOC or Shaklee's Basic H for bathing, ditto for laundry (I have freinds whose dc's exzema cleared up when they began using LOC and Amway laundry products).

[gingersmom]

As soon as my son went off dairy his eczema went away.

 

He is 12 and dairy can still make his eczema flare up.

 

I took him for allergy testing as an infant just to have it confirmed and make sure there were no other allergies.

[Hoggirl]

My ds has eczema when he was a baby. It was not a long-term thing. We used some sort of oatmeal soap - sorry, I can't remember what type now and Cetaphil lotion after baths. The dermatologist said absolutely no lanolin.

[Sandra in FL]

Ds was covered with eczema for 9 months. Went to multiple dermatologists - tried Elidel, Protopic (?), etc. - nothing worked. Turned out that he was allergic to the stuff I was eating (I was breastfeeding). Once I removed the allergens, his skin was beautiful.

 

I'd try eliminating high allergen foods - dairy, nuts/seeds especially peanuts, gluten, eggs, etc one at a time - see if it helps. Do not bathe much (maybe once a week, if that) - just spot wipe.

[bbkaren]

My son (6 years old now) had a bad case of chronic eczema as a baby. My husband has it too.

 

We tried a million different things; anything with ANY fragrance would flare it up.

 

We got a prescription from the doctor for some cortizone cream, just a tiny tiny application a couple times a day, helped within a day or two.

 

We stopped using laundry detergent with fragrances (use free & clear). We don't use any fabric softener, and we use the "extra rinse" feature on every load.

 

Tried several soaps and had no luck until we started using Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild soap.

 

My son may have outgrown his eczema, but my husband must have, too. His problems, which he's had all his life, have decreased drastically.

 

We now buy Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild in the gallon jug. We use a foaming dispenser (we just bought Dial hand soap in the foamer dispenser and when that was gone, we washed it out and reused it), with about 1/5 Dr. Bronners, and the rest water.

 

Works great.

 

I'm sure there are different triggers for different people's eczema, I hope you find what's bothering your child.

 

Good luck with your little one!

[joannqn]

You could use something like Amway's LOC or Shaklee's Basic H for bathing, ditto for laundry (I have freinds whose dc's exzema cleared up when they began using LOC and Amway laundry products).

 

 

Amway's LOC is what caused DS's eczema.

[KRG]

My 16 month old has eczema. I know it is allergies but I can't seem to eliminate them all. Once I stopped dairy and he started goat milk it has cleared up a lot. The dr. has given us all the rx and they didn't make a difference. The best thing I have found to use is Aveeno cleansing bath wash and Aveeno lotion for eczema.

[Kathy in Richmond]

My son had horrible eczema as an infant, and flare-ups throughout his first 18 years. We tried all kinds of topical treatments, cortisone creams, Vaseline after the bath, no harsh soaps, etc. The eczema didn't go away till he eliminated dairy products from his diet. Very dramatic results.

[emcap]

Thanks so much for the replies. I make our laundry soap right now, the usual borax, fels naptha, washing soda, should I still try something different? Eliminate dairy??? Is that possible ?:tongue_smilie: Kidding, of course I'd do it for her.

We use burts bees and california baby wash, I'll check the ingredients on those for sodium lauryl sulfate. I would love if it were something so simple ( I know that's not that simple since it's in seemingly everything) and not a food allergy.

Thanks again.

[Mynyel]

First, where is the eczema located? My ds3.5 still gets break outs and dd14 does as well in very dry weather (she gets it in the crook of her elbow, it will crack and bleed if she doesn't do anything with it).

 

When my ds3.5 was 6 months old he had a horrible break out. Horrible. His whole bum was covered as well as other patches here and there. We took him to the doctor because he was hurting while peeing. Found out it was the eczema causing the discomfort. It was also the diaper we used. We switched diapers (we could only use 7th generation, I tried all the other chlorine free, dye free and such and every. single. one. broke him out.) and it went away. We did figure out it was chlorine when we went to my uncles one summer (he was just over 2) and went in his pool, it was chlorinated. He broke out again.

 

Now, we had a pool last summer and chlorinated, let ds get in once to see how it effected him. It didn't and he was able to play all summer last year.

 

We used vitamin E (just broke open the capsules, you can buy it in liquid form), olive oil and coconut oil. He was 6 months old when it was real bad and I didn't want him getting anything "unnatural" (like petroleum jelly) in his mouth. All the stuff I put on him is edible.

 

Dd14 uses grapeseed oil on her arms a few times a day and it keeps it at bay. She is not able to wear long sleeves though as the materials aggravate it. So that may be something to consider with your baby as well. Clothes aggravate it because of the rubbing and also "steals" your bodies natural oils by absorbing into the materials.

 

I also quit bathing ds as much. I would bath him once or twice a week. We tried Aquaphor but it was real thick and greasy, which was OK for his bum but not the rest of him really. Never tried a steroid cream on him as it was his nether regions and I read it wasn't good for uncirc's boys skin around the... area.

 

I hope this helps! :)

[bbkaren]

Thanks so much for the replies. I make our laundry soap right now, the usual borax, fels naptha, washing soda, should I still try something different? Eliminate dairy??? Is that possible ?:tongue_smilie: Kidding, of course I'd do it for her.

We use burts bees and california baby wash, I'll check the ingredients on those for sodium lauryl sulfate. I would love if it were something so simple ( I know that's not that simple since it's in seemingly everything) and not a food allergy.

Thanks again.

 

Burt's Bees products are heavily scented, as well as a lot of the other items you're using; why not eliminate the perfumes for a week and see if things improve?

 

I also strongly agree...bathing maybe twice a week is plenty for a small child. (With spot wash-ups for the stinky bits, of course.)

[meggie]

I have heard so many possible causes for eczema, it's quite overwhelming.

 

When Digby was diagnosed, the doctor said warm bath every day for about 5 minutes. No soap unless necessary and when it was necessary, I only used goat milk soap. I got mine from here. After baths, I didn't dry him off, just let the water stay on while I rubbed lotion on him. For really bad flare ups, I'd use hydrocortizone cream and then put lotion over the top. It got to the point where I don't even need hydrocortizone on him anymore.

 

I also have to keep them in cotton. I learned my lesson the hard way on this one. Baby girl also has eczema and I thought she was doing well enough that I put her in some fleece jammies. The polyester doesn't breathe as well and now she's got a rash all over her tummy.

 

It can be kept under control and they can grow out of it, but it's not a guarantee. I have a friend in her 20's who still fights it. She says she can't take hot showers. Good luck.

 

ETA: Oh yeah, I did All Free and Clear and that seemed to help before I switched to making my own detergent. I only use soap and lotion products that are unscented.

[Kareni]

My daughter (now college aged) still suffers from eczema though we/she have tried many of the suggestions listed in this thread. We wonder if trying a gluten free diet might be beneficial to her. At this stage in her life, it will need to be her decision.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[----]

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[Ellesmere]

Aveeno is great. Unless there is an oat allergy. For us (and this is just us) Burt's Bees was full of too much scent and ingredients we that were irritating.

 

Eczema is triggered by so many things, from allergies (wheat, for us) to seasonal issues. Only one of mine had it as a baby and it was from a dietary trigger. As a baby, it didn't seem to itch, but as a toddler, the skin was so irritated and raw from scratching. The good news is it did clear easily with diet changes and it only flares if there's been exposure to whole wheat or oats.

 

For me, I've had it since childhood. Mine is more stubborn. When I was first treated for it, not even my dermatologist suggested it could be allergy related. In fact, no one looked at the cause. It's been a challenge and took some time to learn to deal with it. It used to flare up on my neck, then on my leg. I've not had it in those areas since. Since I learned in my case that the main issue is what I eat, I've learned not to eat certain things, since that is the big trigger for me. I also use the simplest, allergen-free (for me) soaps and lotions that I can. Best wishes with coping with whatever it is!

[TravelingChris]

All my kids had eczema as babies but only middle child had it very bad. Why did she get it worse? Well for one thing, youngest who has the most problems as she is older, lived in a warm climate as a baby. Middle lived in a very cold climate (Ohio). All the kids have problems with eczema even as adults in cold climates. Youngest is most susceptible and she has the fairest skin and I think that has a lot to do with it. It isn't allergy related with them at all though middle will also get it with nickel.

 

WIth the middle who had it so bad as an infant, we did have to use special soaps, creams and laundry powder. I believe we had to use Ivory Soap for her laundry. No fabric softeners. She had is so bad we were sent to an allergenic dermatologist. He put her on Atarax and that finally did the trick. Her nighttime itching had been greatly aggravating the situation and with that medication, it stopped.

[Ellie]

Amway's LOC is what caused DS's eczema.

wow. That is unique. Sorry to hear it. :-(

[myfunnybunch]

Ds was covered with eczema for 9 months. Went to multiple dermatologists - tried Elidel, Protopic (?), etc. - nothing worked. Turned out that he was allergic to the stuff I was eating (I was breastfeeding). Once I removed the allergens, his skin was beautiful.

 

I'd try eliminating high allergen foods - dairy, nuts/seeds especially peanuts, gluten, eggs, etc one at a time - see if it helps. Do not bathe much (maybe once a week, if that) - just spot wipe.

 

This was our experience as well, though ds didn't develop eczema until a little older. In our case, it was peanuts. I was eating peanut butter occasionally, and his brothers ate peanut butter often. Once our home was peanut-free, no more eczema. My baby had beautiful clear skin for the first time.

 

For a little tiny babe, the first things I'd look at would be dairy, eggs, and anything that comes in contact with his skin: Detergents, lotions, soap, etc.

 

:grouphug:

 

Cat

[PeacefulChaos]

First, I'd start with applying aquaphor often and avoiding regular soap/babywash (there are all sorts of products one could use instead - natural products, etc., or just warm water - check the store, even Target, in the baby section; Aveeno is one that I recall may have a lot of choices for sensitive skin).

 

Next, look at what baby's eating. If you're nursing, the usual advice is to try avoiding dairy.

 

:iagree:

DS6 has eczema. When he was a younger, we only used Aveeno baby wash on him (the one that says it soothes dry skin, I believe - something to that effect, anyway). I'm sure there are a lot of natural products that are really good, but Aveeno worked for us and was cheaper than most natural options. :)

We're trying Burt's Bees stuff now, and it isn't impressing me.

We put the really thick Eucerin on him. It comes in a tub, and it is white, thick, and kinda greasy. But it works. He only really needs it during the winter.

DD has some mild dry skin, but nothing like DS6 has. She has a humidifier in her room, and with regular lotion (Vaseline Intensive Care, I believe) and the Burt's Bees (or any other) wash she's doing fine. :)

[Embassy]

My ds had eczema as an infant. It was especially bad on his face. Cream helped and I used steroid cream when it got really bad. I found that he needed some direct sunlight on the affected areas every day. That kept it under control for the most part. As he grew it came less and less and moved to different parts of his body. He isn't allergic to anything. Now at age 8 he needs some general body cream about once a week during the winter.

[MathGirl]

My oldest had eczema as a baby. A lot of it went away when we realized she was allergic to dairy. The rest went away when we discovered her egg allergy.

My little guy has eczema that comes and goes. He's 2 now. A lot of it cleared up when we removed dairy from his diet but I think he still has another allergy that we haven't pinned down.

I also recommend removing high allergy foods from your diet one at a time. Meanwhile, try Cetaphil and if it's really bad, hydrocortisone cream does wonders. Just use it sparingly. Good luck!

[Dandelion]

DD3 has eczema. For her, it is also related to a dairy sensitivity. As long as we limit dairy, she's fine (we don't have to avoid it altogether for her - dairy in small amounts, and not every day, doesn't cause her problems).

 

Other things that have helped are using only natural bath products (with no chemical additives, dyes, or perfumes) and using organic coconut oil on her skin. Her skin is so sensitive she can't tolerate drugstore lotions (even brands considered more gentle like Aveeno, etc.).

[Krista in LA]

My dd had it when she was a baby. It seems it started about the same time we put her on formula. The ped told us to only bathe her once or twice a week, unless she needed it. He also recommended using the really thick Eucerin cream, rubbing it in our hands, and then patting a layer of it on her as rubbing it on can actually irritate the eczema. It helped a lot and she outgrew it in a year or two.

[emcap]

I truly appreciate all the replies. I got some free and clear detergent today and I'm going to wash everything with that and an extra rinse for a while to see if that helps. I'll also switch baby wash and try to find some of the recommended lotions. I really hope that helps, otherwise I guess I'll start eliminating allergens from my diet.

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me. :grouphug:

[jennsmile]

:grouphug:

 

Not fun when little one has ezcema.

 

We would use dove in the bath for everything no other shampoo. Lotion afterwards as mentioned by others. Sometimes I would put 1 tbs of olive oil in the bath water and was told to keep the bath lukewarm.

[Sharon37127]

My 4yo had eczema as an infant- he looked like burn victim head to toe. We used Elidel- doesn't work for everyone. Honestly, for a number of reasons- elimination diets didn't help us at all. We did the laundry/ bath soap deal. the best thing we did- take regular oatmeal- grind up in a coffe bean grinder- and dump about a cup in a bath for the baby. Soak at least 20 minutes- and put lotion on wet skin within 3 minutes getting out of the bath. Stubborn spots- or spots they wount leave alone- we used wet wraps.

[Mommyof4ks]

My ds has had it since birth, and once we pinpointed a few trigger foods it got better. He is allergic to polyester, and that is hard to completely avoid, so it never goes all the way away, but it no longer bothers him.

[lexi]

My Hives in the Kitchen blog is all about this. See link in siggie. My 3rd kiddo was a terrible eczema baby. With a changed diet her eczema is under control. Send me a PM if you have questions. My blog talks about what we use and what we eat.

[amy g.]

My daughter had years of eczema caused by SLS in soap, laundry soap, shampoo and toothpaste. it is a very cheap way to create bubbles, so many products contain SLS.

[joannqn]

I truly appreciate all the replies. I got some free and clear detergent today and I'm going to wash everything with that and an extra rinse for a while to see if that helps. I'll also switch baby wash and try to find some of the recommended lotions. I really hope that helps, otherwise I guess I'll start eliminating allergens from my diet.

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me. :grouphug:

 

Even free and clear detergent has SLS in it. I have to use very little and double rinse. I still have problems from time to time with it.

 

The inside of my mouth gets rough and swollen from toothpaste with SLS in it too.

 

Just keep trying things. No fragrances (they are really bad for you anyway). No SLS. Try diet elimination. Yes, dairy elimination is possible. I've done it 3 times and we're on dairy free again now. :glare:

[emcap]

Thanks for the continued help. Yesterday doc said it looked like an allergy (really about what I expected, what can he say, right? But i wanted to make sure it wasn't something more) but didn't mention eczema. Being rather idiotic, I forgot to ask some questions. Maybe you all can help.

Is an allergic reaction manifested on the skin always eczema? Could it just be irritation? It doesn't look dry except in a few spots, will lotions or creams still help clear it up?

It's hard for me to try different things and give them a while to take effect. I guess I rather prefer instant gratification :glare:

[vonfirmath]

emcap: I'm in the same place.

 

Switching to soy formula instead of dairy has helped... some. But not entirely. I DO think detergent is part of it because she flares up at nursery, where they use Tide, compared to at home (where we use All Free & Clear for DH's sensitivities)

 

It is the worst on her face, so I don't think it is clothing fiber related or diaper related.

[Ellesmere]

Thanks for the continued help. Yesterday doc said it looked like an allergy (really about what I expected, what can he say, right? But i wanted to make sure it wasn't something more) but didn't mention eczema. Being rather idiotic, I forgot to ask some questions. Maybe you all can help.

Is an allergic reaction manifested on the skin always eczema? Could it just be irritation? It doesn't look dry except in a few spots, will lotions or creams still help clear it up?

It's hard for me to try different things and give them a while to take effect. I guess I rather prefer instant gratification :glare:

Did the doctor say there were hives? Did he mention urticaria? Can you call the office and ask if it was noted as eczema? (My office has a system where I can call or send follow-up questions about visits and a nurse or the doctor will send me a secure message if it's easily answered that way. I know that is not always available.)

 

I once had to go in for skin issues due to allergies. It was not an eczema flare-up. I had hives. So, no, it isn't always, but if it was hives, I would think the doctor would have said so.

 

Since I can't see the skin and am only a mom that has a lot of personal experience with allergies, is that you might want to eventually see an allergist if this persists. My PCP is actually prefers that our allergist take on all of our allergy issues. I think one thing you can take away from all the good input you have gotten here is that the cause is just going to vary from person to person. For example, a lot of people get relief from Aveeno. One of us is allergic and it made it worse. A lot of people find dairy triggers their eczema. For us, we definitely are not allergic to dairy -- it was wheat, oats, and soy that was triggering it. If I'm in a room with a lot of dust mites, my allergies are almost unbearable. If I'm stressed and tired from something like that, I notice my skin gets worse. It's good to hear what the common triggers are as a starting point, but ultimately it won't help to eliminate them if there's no allergy in your child to them. Take notes, keep a record of what you are doing because it is easy to forget. Hope you can figure out what works best for you child!