Children and Eczema

[Tammi]

Thanks for your reply I will try Dermasalve. The aqueous cream I mentioned seems to suit his skin (we have tried lots!) It was recommended by a friend and is only one pound per pot! but only is available in small tubs. Another friend's daughter had a great result with Freederm but again this didn't help for my son. Good luck

[joriddle99]

My 3 year old daughter was diagnosed today and i need advice.She has had a rash on her wrist and elbow for a week, but I have never seen her scratch it or heard her complain about it. It would now appear to be on her shoulder and chest but only a tiny amount. Doc has prescribed aqueous cream, but I would love some advice on other things to do. Her clothes are all washed in non bio powder and I have been using the same one since she was born. I will stop using bubble baths as I believe this can be a trigger. Any advice anyone can give would be gratefully recieved.

[gavinsmom]

My 2 year old was diagnosed at 3 months old. It is fairly managable and related to food allergies. It turns out he was allergic to peanuts and when I would eat peanuts and breast feed, he would have a break out, we didn't know it a the time though. Today, he gets a small red rash on his writsts, fingers and the back of his elbows and knees on occasion and sometimes around his mouth. I bet your daughter would benefit to very mild soaps, if any, and very few baths, try every two days. I use detergent with no dies or perfumes. A humidifier also works.
Good luck.

[busymom4]

Hello everyone. I have two kids dealing with eczema. My 1 1/2 year old has been dealing with it since he was 3 months old. He has is pretty severe. It's on his face all around his mouth and chin, his fingers (has ruined his cuticles), tops of his feet, arms, stomach, behind knees. The worst is his face. People always says, "what's wrong with his face" and "oh, he has koolaid on his face". It breaks my heart. He is on Hydrocortisone ointment, mometasone/Aquaphor mixture, and an oral Hydroxyzine. It's strange though because I can have it totally cleared up and you can't even tell he has it and them bam, it's horrible. I have no idea what triggers it. I'm wondering if it's something in the enviroment. My 6 year old has it also. She didn't get it until she over a year old and never had it on her face. Just her arms and legs where her elbows and knees bend and also on her fingers. Hers seems to be better then when she was younger but she still has flare-ups and I can not figure out what causes them. She had all the allergy testing when she was two years old and they came up with nothing. I would love to talk with others going through the same ordeal. It seems like eczema is running our lives and making my children miserable.

[AnnaB]

Hi

I too am a Mum of 2, aged nearly 2 and 4, both developed severe eczema within days of birth. It definately feels like eczema runs our lives!! Creams, steroids, medicines, wet wraps, repeat prescriptions, doctors appointments, hospital visits, skin prick tests, skin patch tests, IgE blood tests, buying only cotton clothing. The list is endless. I agree, you get on top of it and feel like your child looks normal, then within hours your back to square one!!! That seems to be the really cruel thing, that you cannot keep using what works. I hate people's comments. My son suffers with his face big time. He often looks burnt. On holiday we were just about to eat when the waitress asked if he had painted his face!!!!!!!!!!

[mummyof3]

I have a 9mth old son and he has suffered from eczema since he was 2 mths old,he has been on steroid cream since his diagnosis we have tried just about every other possile remedy but nothing works.He becomes immune to a certain steroid cream after a few weeks so we have to keep changing back and forth from creams,He is wet bandaged everywhere but his face and has to wear mittens or he scratches til he bleeds.I know exactly how you feel when it comes to stares and rude remarks,his face is completely covered in eczema and he also gets it in his hair as i am only 22 yrs old and a young mum i have been treated very cruel at times with remarks that have made me burst into tears on the spot.I believe that we are good mums and try our darndest to control this condition and we know this so no matter what people say don't let it get you down if only they knew what we went through and how hard we worked for our children??? When people say things to me i just look at my baby and think if only he could understand what they say??how would he feel??? I guess what i'm trying to say is forget what they all say you and your child know you are a good mum and you are doing your best and one day they may just find a cure for eczema that's what i hope for.

[AnnaB]

Thank you. People are so cruel. How helpful is all the support, tips and advice on this site.

[kellie]

Hi all!
I also am a young mum, I have two beautiful girls, 2 & 7. My 2yo has mild eczema, but my 7yo developed severe eczema as a very young baby mostly around her neck & on her face. Her eczema is much more under control now but flare-ups still occur, particularly when she sweats. But, like you, alot of the time I just dont know why. They also have issues with extremely dry, itchy & sensitive skin and also with hayfever. When the eczema is under control, the hayfever will pop up & they start to sneeze & itch uncontrollably, or its windy and their eyes water up & go red, etc etc, it just seems to never end for those poor kids. Dry skin & eczema are linked but I also live in a dry area with very low humidity. So I find myself moisturising them top to toe twice a day, I also have to use a barrier cream before they go swimming so the water wont dry them out. They cant swim too long at the beach as the salt water starts to burn their skin. Obviously because of their sensitivity I have to be really careful with sunscreens, washing powders, everything, but its all trial & error. Even when I think they both look great & eczema-free I get knocked down again with comments like "is she sunburnt?" or "whats wrong with her face?" I try and explain but most people just dont seem to understand & it gets really tiring. I just feel so bad for my kids, who must feel like they're constantly being examined & made to feel they're strange. Its harder on my 7 yo being in school. The other kids will make comments just out of curiosity but its still upsetting. Even the parents will comment to her instead of me which makes me so mad. But in saying that, none of this has stopped her from being really outgoing & funloving. She has alot of friends that adore her & shes a very strong girl. But being a normal mother I just want to be able to fix them and I cant. Its really hard to come to terms with. I worry myself sick about things like sleepovers, school camps, trips to the beach with friends, all these things and how they'll cope. Ive spoken with doctors, chemists & dermatologists, Ive researched endlessly on the internet, I spend a fortune on creams & lotions & shampoos etc. Trying to keep these skin problems at bay is a full-time job, and none of it phases me at all I just want my kids to have a normal life, or at the very least for people to simply understand what Im going through & that Im doing all that I can. So its a huge comfort to read your stories & hopefully mine will be to you!

[AnnaB]

Today my 4 year old son said "I don't like eczema mummy and you cannot make it better"

I was gutted. At such an age you think you can look after them and make things better. But eczema doesn't play by those rules. I sat on the floor with him and we hugged and I explained how all the creams and wet wraps that he screams at are my attempt to make it as better as I can.

I think this is the first time he has voiced something negative other than the pain. I was not pre pared for it.

[lottie_day]

Why do strangers think they have a right to pass comment on a child. i was in Tesco's with my daughter when she was 3 months when some old lady asked me if i had scalded her with boiling water! My daughter is now nearly 4 and understands that she cant do all her friends at nursery do, she can't eat dairy products or nuts, cant touch anything with proteins in or wear leather shoes, and her nails on her fingers and toes fall of at will. But for all that she is happy bright and her skin flare ups are nearly controlled by medication. i hope and pray she will grow out of this.