Help for baby eczema
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free skin care · Fri May 27, 2011 6:46 pm

My 5 month old DS suffers badly from eczema. Despite that I am applying moisturizers on him twice daily, his skin is still dry and rough. Anyone of you have good recommendations from your experience? TIA!

free skin care · Fri May 27, 2011 8:36 pm

A lot of babies are allergic to cow's milk. Switch to goat.

free skin care · Fri May 27, 2011 9:40 pm

If you have an itchy baby you’ll know that eczema in babies, toddlers and children can be incredibly distressing for both you and your baby. My experiences with eczema and my own itchy baby inspired me to set up this website. My aim is to provide information, support and a place to chat for parents of babies suffering baby eczema. It contains information and suggestions that people have found helpful in reducing the symptoms of eczema in little people, and I hope you find nuggets of wisdom that will help you help your little one. Thanks.

free skin care · Fri May 27, 2011 10:27 pm

[quote="paulspnao"]If you have an itchy baby you’ll know that eczema in babies, toddlers and children can be incredibly distressing for both you and your baby. My experiences with eczema and my own itchy baby inspired me to set up this website. My aim is to provide information, support and a place to chat for parents of babies suffering baby eczema. It contains information and suggestions that people have found helpful in reducing the symptoms of eczema in little people, and I hope you find nuggets of wisdom that will help you help your little one. Thanks.[/quote]

Can you tell me which website that you are referring to? Thanks!

free skin care · Sat May 28, 2011 1:08 am

Most creams/moisturisers aggravate. Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Cream is the only cream that helped my skin when i had ezcema. Apple cider vinegar (with "the mother") applied undiluted to the skin on a tissue or paper towel is the very best thing to relieve intense itching.
Other than that, the best advice i can give is to(as Softskin also advised) eliminate dairy and also preservatives, as much as possible.
Good luck.

free skin care · Sat May 28, 2011 2:38 am

I am so sorry to hear your little one has to deal with this! Sad

I have used Aveeno oatmeal bath with my older child with eczema. The colloidal oatmeal helps and her doc said not to use soap, just use the oatmeal and water to clean her. NOTE: She was around 2-3 when her skin was an issue. So check with your doc on all advice on here since you have such a tiny baby.

I found prevention is the best for her skin. What i found worked (and I hope you can modify this to your little one) was first an oatmeal bath (comes in packets to add to bath water) then I'd put Burt's baby bee apricot oil on her after I toweled her off.
I believe the oatmeal helped clean and moisturize her skin and the oil helped again after the bath. I have found seasons really affect her. Winter being the worst. I really try to keep an eye on her skin, because when I don't she will get raw, itchy and bleeding (her hands) and these dry,scaly patches around her nose and corners of her mouth. Once they arrive, 1) no moisturizer seems to work and they all burn or hurt her 2) They never want to go away!

They have only gotten really bad twice, but I used aquaphor or Vaseline to help seal in moisture. I have found that to be the only thing she won't cry over. I have found that doing OCM helps reduce the scalies too. I don't know if any of this will help with such a young baby, but if you are game you could try the OCM. Just do a section at at time (easier if it is on a limb). Try a real mild OCM mixture (like 2-1 EVOO/caster) and just rub the area, then use a warm wash cloth to remove and apply a hydrating oil like the Burt's baby bee or the aquaphor/Vaseline to the itchy area.

My little one now gets dried out skin, but she doesn't have true eczema. The Dr gave us some vanicreme, but it doesn't seem to really help. I've been switching between using the aveeno oatmeal soap and Philosophy Purity Made Simple on her. NOTE: The oatmeal bath soak I have found to be very effective with my older daughter....the little one (1 year) we don't do a bath with regularly..she gets put in with the older one or the sink. I haven't been as vigilant with her baths as I was her sisters. So I bought the Oatmeal soap from Aveeno thinking it would be a good second. I haven't noticed any real difference in her skin. I will use up the Aveeno soap, but won't repurchase. The bath soak I have been buying for years and is great for itchy skin. The PMS I have noticed that her skin was less dry,but that is pretty pricey for baby wash. Laughing

I have found I like it and since I have it I use it regularly. I wouldn't rush out to buy PMS if you have a itchy baby though.

At five months, the little ones skin is still so young and it will have a hard time adjusting. Baby acne and dry patches are really common. Try to keep clothing loose and talk to your doc on your next well baby visit on ways to help keep him comfortable.

Good luck!!

free skin care · Sun May 29, 2011 8:21 pm

Just curious about this. For those whose infants have eczema, did any of you breast feed?

free skin care · Sun May 29, 2011 9:48 pm

I did. Both my kids. But my older one didn't get a full blown case of it until she was around 2-3. This was also around the time we moved to Arizona and the climate was different. I had to be very vigilant with her skin there and even then sometimes it would flare up. We have since moved again and her skin isn't as bad here. The winter is the worst season for her. She will still get a dry patch or so, but nothing like she suffered in Arizona. I don't know if it is where we live or prevention. I have her bathing in Aveeno most of the winters now and she carries with her Aquaphor and Nivea in her backpack for issues at school.

I don't know if the younger one will develop it later. I hope not!! She does get dry skin, but nothing like her sister.

free skin care · Thu Jun 02, 2011 2:15 am

I think I jinxed her by saying winter was her worst time....she has a flare up now. She gets these patches by her nose and around her mouth that seem to just appear and stay forever! I noticed last night she had two small dry spots on her face, when I got home today it looks like a ring of red scaly half circle from her nose to her chin!! <SIGH>
I do think it gets worse when she doesn't drink enough water, but I have no proof of that. Just my take on it. Milk or juice just doesn't cut it with her. She needs more water when her skin acts up. Oh, I forgot to mention a ringer (at least for my kid). My DH bought her a tin a resQ balm. I think its from Burt's bee but i can't find it right now. It was an impulse buy for him, but she does respond well to it. I almost forgot we had it. I'll look for it in the morning. I'll see how it works on face (he bought it for her hands).

free skin care · Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:48 pm

SoftSkin wrote:

A lot of babies are allergic to cow's milk. Switch to goat.

When I was a baby, my mom switched me to soy milk. I could eat dairy products but once I drank cow's milk, I would erupt in eczema. It was quite unfortunate.. *sigh*

You can always fix it on the outside (creams, lotions, ointment, etc.) but my mom and now myself through controlling my diet, just need to make sure the foods going in agree with my skin!

A friend who recently had a baby also found that when she couldn't eat ginger while breastfeeding because her baby would also get eczema!

I seriously wonder what's in our food these days... Neutral

Avocado and Jojoba oil worked for our family, but I'd strong suggest trying to figure out if it's the food/drink first.

Hope your baby get's better soon!

free skin care · Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:28 am

here is some information of natural products that can be use on babies.

http://www.botani.com.au/skin-library/skin-conditions-treatments/dermatitis-eczema-psoriasis.html

free skin care · Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:37 am

Recently I started to use Lipikar baume AP by La Roche-Posay. It's reformulated and fragrance and paraben free. The label says you can use it for babies, children, and adults. It's helped my sensitive skin.

free skin care · Tue Jun 14, 2011 1:54 pm

I have 5 year old twins and from the time they were babies one had eczema and the other didn't (they were both breast fed, so I know it wasn't a dairy issue). I also used the Aveeno Oatmeal baths and it seemed to help relieve the soreness, but my one son just had painful looking skin. I brought him to our doctor and she prescribed a low dose steroid cream. I didn't really want to use it on him, but since nothing else was working I gave it a try. I used it sparingly and only when absolutely necessary and it did work. Once he turned one I started using http://www.dimpleskinsnaturals.com/booboogoo.htm and it worked really well. As my son gets older, his eczema has gotten better, but when he gets a flare up I still use the Boo Boo Goo (which also works really well on minor scrapes). Hopefully your little one outgrows it too.

free skin care · Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:55 pm

My eight year old had/has eczema and the only thing I have found that works for her is prescription cream.

Here are a few suggestions I found, that "may" help temp.:

* Apply an anti-itch cream or calamine lotion to the affected area. A nonprescription hydrocortisone cream, containing at least 1 percent hydrocortisone, can temporarily relieve the itch. A nonprescription oral antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others), may be helpful if itching is severe.

* Cover the itchy area if you can't keep from scratching it. Trim nails and wear gloves at night.

* Apply cool, wet compresses. Covering the affected area with bandages and dressings can help protect the skin and prevent scratching.

* Take a warm bath. Sprinkle the bath water with baking soda, uncooked oatmeal or colloidal oatmeal — a finely ground oatmeal that is made for the bathtub (Aveeno, others). Or, add 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of bleach to a 40 gallon (151 liter) bathtub filled with warm water. The diluted bleach bath is thought to kill bacteria that grow on the skin.

* Choose mild soaps without dyes or perfumes. Be sure to rinse the soap completely off your body.

* Moisturize your skin. Use an oil or cream to seal in moisture while your skin is still damp from a bath or shower. Pay special attention to your legs, arms, back and the sides of your body. If your skin is already dry, consider using a lubricating cream.

* Use a humidifier. Hot, dry indoor air can parch sensitive skin and worsen itching and flaking. A portable home humidifier or one attached to your furnace adds moisture to the air inside your home. Portable humidifiers come in many varieties. Choose one that meets your budget and any special needs. And be sure to keep your humidifier clean to ward off bacteria and fungi.

* Wear cool, smooth-textured cotton clothing. Avoid clothing that's rough, tight, scratchy or made from wool. This will help you avoid irritation. Also, wear appropriate clothing in hot weather or during exercise to prevent excessive sweating.

Tue Jun 14, 2011 4:22 pm

Hi,

I never post on EDS, but I thought of something you may want to consider. Your son could have a food allergy to something you're eating. My son was (and still is at age 13) allergic to cow's milk and I had to avoid it when I was bf him. And it took me a while to learn how to truly avoid it as cow's milk is in practically everything.

Some women pass on allergens through their breast milk and some do not. I can't remember the exact term for it but it was something like "leaky _____".

Also, there are seven foods that cause most chilhood food allergies. They are: cow's milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, wheat, soy, and eggs.

HTH,
Rose

free skin care · Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:51 am

Shea butter 100% from L'occitane has helped my friend's child. Another friend was wrapping her baby's skin in wet towels, then putting pj's on top and let him sleep like that, I think in a warm room, sounds a bit uncomfortable to me. There's always steroid creams, if HC 1-2% does not work, there is betamethasone. If all else fails, when your child is older, you can use elidel, a biologic.

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