Need Help with DD (4 month old) Eczema.

[novbaby]

My daughter is 4 months old with a bad case of eczema. She has had it for sometime but was recently just diagnosed. It comes and goes but is on her face, lower legs and back of head. Her head is so ichy she has a complete bald spot the shape of a smile in the back for her head. Sometimes I don't even see the redness but she still flip her head side to side. I feels so bad for my little one. The dr. has her on Hydrocortisone 1% and 2.5% for 2 weeks cycles. On for 2 - off for 1. For the week she is off - the eczema comes back with a vengence. She hasn't been comfortable since. Any suggestions? We are also using Aquafor 2-3x daily and soak her in oatmeal baths. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Also - do you think the eczema also causing her crankiness, crying, not being able to sleep well (She is always figity and flip and flops like a fish out of water) Need help! Thanks! Note: we also switched her to soy formula and cotton clothes. still no significant improvement.

[HIU8]

DD is 9 months old and also has eczema bad. I put the 1% hydracortizone creme on along with aquafor as well. Plus, I use two really good Mustela products for dry and eczema prone skin. They are called Stelatopia. I use the cream cleanser for hair and body for her bath and wash around. Plus, over the hydracortizone creme and the aquafor I use the Stelatopia moisturizing cream. DD's breakouts are getting fewer and the cleanser and cream really seem to help as a daily routine. I get mine at Buy Buy Baby. They don't sell this at Baby's R Us, just mostly specialty stores, but I'm sure you can also order it online.

HTH

[MontrealMum]

In addition to all that you may want to switch detergents (Dreft, not regular Tide for instance, tho I'm sure there are other gentler choices) and use a humidifier...especially if you live in a dry climate. Eczema can be quite painful, I used to bleed from it when I scratched myself and didn't know. I wouldn't be surprised if it causes crankiness in babies :(

[HIU8]

Oh, also, I use all free and clear. The doctor said that was the best one to use for eczema. He told me not to use baby detergent because they all contain frangrance (dreft, target baby detergent for example) that can irritate. I actually use all free and clear most of the time and sometimes Tide free and clear which is almost as good in my opinion.

[MontrealMum]

Oh, also, I use all free and clear. The doctor said that was the best one to use for eczema. He told me not to use baby detergent because they all contain frangrance (dreft, target baby detergent for example) that can irritate. I actually use all free and clear most of the time and sometimes Tide free and clear which is almost as good in my opinion.

Thanks for that...I am not familiar with what is available in the US anymore and didn't want to suggest something from up here that the OP couldn't get. We use something special and also some sort of Tide, but it's DH that does the laundry so I am not sure of the names!

[mamicka]

Eucerin *cream* (the thick stuff in a tub) instead of Aquaphor. For us, Aquaphor is better at prevention, Eucerin is better at moisturizing. Apply several times a day. In the past we've also had luck with Aveeno Baby. If I were you, I'd cut out all detergents to see if that will help. Just wash your DD's clothes in hot water (maybe with Baking Soda) & an extra rinse.

Yes - she could absolutely be cranky because of it.

Hope she feels better soon.

[Mermanaid]

How often are you bathing her? Our ped said no more than 2x/wk unless absolutely necessary. The baths just dry out the skin more causing the eczema to get worse.

Also, if you think the eczema a symptom of a food allergy then the soy formula may not work. Often, if there is a intolerance to regular formula the same will apply to a soy protein formula. You may want to try a hypo-allergenic formula like alimentium or nutramigen.

Good luck!

[SummerBaby]

My older DD has had very bad eczema since she was 2 months old. We've recently been using the new Triple Paste eczema cream and it's been great. I haven't had to use any hydrocortisone on her since we've been using it. I hope you find relief, I know how hard it is!

Val
DD1 7/04
DD2 7/07

[alexsmommy]

I think everyone's covered what we do. I have eczema as do both DS's.

Wash in Free N Clear, extra rinse, no dryer sheets
Bathe DS2 (8mo) only 1x week - use Cetaphil and slather on Eucerin
Dr just added the two week on two week off rx steroid for worst spots
Keep house humidity high
Mostly wait for winter to END. All three of us saw almost all symptoms go away during a trip to Florida - I can't wait to be able to get the kids in the sun a bit here.

I definitely think the itchiness can interfere with sleep. I remember waking up itchy and scratching and DS2 wakes up scratching/pulling at the spots on his tummy.

Hope things get better soon.

[loudouncntybride]

Soy formula may not help b/c the proteins are so similar to milk proteins. You may want to try non soy/dairy formula. My 4 1/2 mo old son has ezcema which only improved once I stopped BF'ing and put him on Neocate--Nutramigen did not work (he's very allergic and there's still dairy [casein] in it).

We use All Free & Clear detergent, Downy unscented fabric softener, Aveeno baby wash, Head & Shoulders for hair (cradle cap) and Cetaphil cream to moisturize, humidifier in his room, sometimes Cortisone when it's really bad, but the Neocate has helped the most. It's very expensive and it is not at all like Nutramigen/Alimentum. It has also greatly diminished his reflux symptoms.

[dsb22]

Aveeno has a couple of new Eczema care products, a moisturizer and a body wash. They're not specifically for babies but the label says gentle enough to be used on babies' skin. I've only used the body wash a couple of times so far, but I love how the moisturizer sinks in really quickly. We were using Aquaphor but it seemed to just coat the top of the skin and not do anything for the problem. It took me a while to find the Aveeno moisturizer--turned out to be in the first aid aisle. I think they're starting to locate the products in the moisturizer section now as well.
Can't wait for spring!

[ilovetivo]

if allergic, could be a different food. it'd take a while for the food to get out of the system.

i agree w/ pp's - milk and soy may be too similar. Many kiddos allergic to 1 are allergic to the other

excema can definitely effect mood, behavior, sleep..for sure!

call a ped allergist if nothing you try helps

trust your gut above all!