Eczema

[colleenfs]

I wasn't sure where to post this question, but this forum seemed to be the closest to my needs.

We just found out that the itchy red rash Julia's been sporting for the past week is, in fact, eczema. The dr told me to limit her baths, and when I do give her a bath to use lukewarm water. No soap or bubbles, but Dove body wash is OK. When we're done, I'm to pat her dry with a towel and slather her with Keri lotion or Eucerin. We can try hydrocortisone if the other lotions don't work. She also has a very dry scalp, so we're using Selsun Blue. My poor baby! She has scratched herself raw!!

Any tips from fellow eczema sufferers? How long does it take to respond to the lotions? Is this a chronic or occastional problem? Will it go away eventually? Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Colleen
Mama to Julia 1-10-02

[nigele]

Hi Colleen,

My son started out with eczema on his cheeks when he was a couple of months old. He has occasionally gotten it in his diaper area. We had it under control for a while but now that the weather is warmer, he has a bad eczema rash all around his neck, back and chest. I use a prescription hydrocortisone cream when it gets bad and it takes a couple of days to help. Once it clears up most of the way, I slather on Aquaphor as a barrier. We also use Dove for Sensitive Skin in the bath and pat his tender parts dry! My pediatrician told me that eczema babies can sometimes develop asthma so that is something you might want to watch for.

Good luck and I'm sorry your little one has to go through this, too - not much fun!

[ginalc]

Hi Colleen,

My daughter and son also suffer from eczema. My dermatologist suggested something a little different though. Here goes:

1. Give frequent lukewarm baths. A good indicator to use in the bath water are the children's spoons that change color. If they change color, the bath water is too warm. Frequent baths help hydrate the skin and control the itch. You shouldn't use soap during the bath, but you can certainly use it at the end, right before getting out. Sitting in soapy water can be drying to the skin. Generally, liquid soaps are less drying than bar soaps.

2. After the bath, towel dry briefly, then apply baby oil over entire body. Over the oil, apply Eucerin Cream evenly. Skin will be smooth, slick, and wet - that's OK, you're helping hold the moisture in! Place cotton clothes on child, making sure not to dress too warmly. Usually we do this in the evening as part of our bedtime routine. My 2.5 yr old loves the massage that goes with the oil and cream application. Oops! Forgot to mention that I usually place the bottle of baby oil in a cup filled with hot water during the bath. By the time she's done with the bath, the oil feels nice and warm, perfect massage temperature!

3. I notice a difference in the severity of the eczema in the winter time when the air is dry indoors. If I don't do the oil/cream treatment at least once daily after the bath, DDs skin gets red and dry. As long as I keep this up daily, we're OK. During the summer, I only treat as needed, which generally isn't very often.

4. Hand creams can be very drying as well. Many lotions and creams have a net drying effect on the skin and make eczema worse. Curell and Aveeno hand lotions/creams contain none of these agents and are safe to use on skin prone to eczema.

The National Eczema Association is an excellent source for learning about the causes/treatment and prevention of the rash that itches.

Here's the link: http://www.nationaleczema.org/home.html

Eczema in children direct link: http://www.nationaleczema.org/lwe/children.html

Also, plain old Vaseline is about as good as they come to trap moisture and treat eczema. It's cheap and seems to work really well and is also recommended for treating and managing eczema.

Eczema is a chronic problem for many people, but it can be controlled. Many children seem to have fewer symptoms as they get older.

HTH,

gina, mom to 3

p.s. there is another link that I am currently unable to locate. I'm very tired right now, so perhaps I'll have the opportunity to find it tomorrow. When I do, I'll post again! :)

[lisams]

We had a major flare up when my DD was about 3 months old. After the initial flare up, we learned how to keep her skin moisturized and she hasn't had another flare up since then. It took about 2 weeks using a perscription cortisone for about 3 days, and then Aveeno hydrocortisone for a few more days.

I have found cetaphil best for her bath (it's like a lotion soap). We also use Eucerin Cream. The cream comes in a tub and is much more moisturing than the lotion.

One thing to think about is the detergent you use. Anything with fragrance can really irritate the skin.

I just read an article about Eczema, and it stated that about 1 in 10 babies will have it, so it is fairly common and most children will outgrow it.

Good luck and hang in there, it will get better!
Lisa

[cara1]

Everything as above. Also, wash clothes before wearing. Nothing with fragrence (wipes, lotions, etc.). We use All-free or Tide-free. Paper towels insead of wipes. Cetaphil (or petroleum jelly, aquaphor, eucerin).

[ginalc]

Hi Colleen!

I found the information I was looking for. Here goes:

http://www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/treatment.html

OK, this is for hand eczema, but the information is really good:

http://www.nationaleczema.org/lwe/hande.html

Just keep browsing this website:

http://www.nationaleczema.org/lwe/seasons.html

I found them to be the most helpful overall.

Good Luck!

gina, mom to 3 with eczema!

[josephsmom]

I received the same instructions from my doc as you did from yours. When DS had a bad flare-up, we received a prescription for a cream called Elidel. It worked just great!

Helene
mommy to Joseph 12/29/01

[colleenfs]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. We've had some success with Keri and hydrocortisone on the really bad spots. I'll talk to the dr about the prescription Elidel if it persists or get worse. I just can't figure out what may have triggered this. She's never ahd a problem before, and eczema is not something that any family members have. Maybe I can blame it on the cat... (I'm not too fond of our cat...)

Colleen
Mama to Julia 1-10-02

[Sixofus]

Does anyone have experience with Eczema on the scalp? We managed to get the eczema on my son's body under control but he still has two large patches on his scalp that persist. I use cradle cap shampoo when he bathes and I often soak the spots with cradle cap oil before the bath, so I get the scaly, scabby part removed, but within a day or so it comes back.

Thanks for any info. I'll have to bring it up at his 2 year appt and see what the dr has to say.

Debbie

[ginalc]

I would check with a dermatologist, too. My pediatrician is great, but I found the dermatologist more experienced with treating eczema.

gina, mom to 3

[colleenfs]

Julia has it on her scalp too. Per dr's rec, I've been using Selsun Blue on her hair, and it seems to be helping. Be careful not to get it in the eyes.

Colleen
Mama to Julia 1-10-02

[mommyb]

My son also has eczema. We got it under control by just using the Aveeno baby lotion at least twice a day. I bathe him every day, but while the rash was bad, we did oatmeal baths every other day with no cleansers or shampoo. We tried aquaphor, but it made the rash worse. His skin is very sensitive and I suspect he is sensitive to lanolin (like his mom). I never use any soap on him, only cleansers with no soap. I never use any cleanser on his face - just water. We also use tide-free and double rinse all of the clothes. This is actually easy for me b/c I am also allergic to soap and laundry detergent. The eczema on his head has never been itchy, and I decided that since it wasn't bothering him, I would not take a chance with selsun blue. My son is also allergic to diaper creams with zinc oxide, so we use plain old A&D every time we change his diaper. I use the pampers hypoallergenic wipes, and they seem to work fine. Good luck!