Need some allergy/formula advice...

[gatorsmom]

SiSi has always had really bad eczema. It is all over her arms, legs and trunk. She is terribly uncomfortable at times and even the prescription strength hydrocortizone cream can't do more than keep the eczema at bay. So, I'm fighting the itch with the hydrocortizone cream and am about to start Claritin.

So, at her 9 month appointment I asked the ped to do an allergy test and the poor baby is allergic to dairy. Since I"m allergic to soy, the ped decided to switch SiSi to Nutrimigan Lipil formula which is for babies with colic due to cow's milk protein allergy. We thought that this might bring down the intensity of her eczema.

So, I tried giving it to her 3 times today and she won't drink it. Even when I know she is hungry, she won't take it.

Should I give up on this new formula and give her the old, milk-based stuff, or just keep giving her the hypoallergenic stuff in the hopes that she takes it eventually to relieve her itchiness? wwyd?

[Laurel]

Alimentum ready-to-feed worked for DS, he will not drink Nutramigan. If she has true a milk allergy, you really don't want to keep giving milk. I'd stick it out with the hypoallergenics, as foul and expensive as they may be.

This is a great resource for food allergies, and worth every penny for membership:
http://kidswithfoodallergies.org/eve/forums/a/cfrm/f/3440057262

[mamicka]

I'm surprised that the ped didn't want to at least give the soy a try first. It seems unlikely that a 9 month-old would easily make the switch from milk-based formula to allergenic. I would think all other options would have been exhausted before going there. I know that often the dairy & soy allergies go together, but not always. What kind of allergy test was it? Can they not also test for soy allergy?

I'm sorry you're going through this.

[ThreeofUs]

Poor little one! I'm so sorry she and you are going through this!

I'd certainly not go back to dairy, if she has a demonstrated allergy, but I would try the other hypoallergenics (first) and then the soy.

FWIW, DS is allergic to dairy, but not soy - in fact, DH's entire side of the family is like that.

GL!

[gatorsmom]

I'm surprised that the ped didn't want to at least give the soy a try first. It seems unlikely that a 9 month-old would easily make the switch from milk-based formula to allergenic. I would think all other options would have been exhausted before going there. I know that often the dairy & soy allergies go together, but not always. What kind of allergy test was it? Can they not also test for soy allergy?

I'm sorry you're going through this.

I'm not sure what type of allergy test she did. The ped told me the test she was given was more reliable than a RAST test, but I can't remember the name (I didn't sleep much the night before so I was kind of in a fog). I think I remember she said that Sisi didn't come up allergic to anything else, including soy (but I"m not sure about this now since you bring up a very good point- why not try soy formula first?). But since me and Cha Cha are allergic to soy and the rest of the family is allergic to dairy, we just thought we should keep her away from all of it.

After I posted, my husband came up with the idea of gradually diluting the milk-based formula with the new one. I got a bunch of the Nutrimigan from the ped so it would be nice if she took to that before I go buy the Allimentum. What do you think- good idea?

Fortunately for the family, SiSi is sleeping fine. She's just very wiggly and irritable when she's awake.

Thank you too, Laurel, for the link to the allergy website. Since it appears that more and more of my family is having issues with food, I think I"m going to join that website.

[LarsMal]

After I posted, my husband came up with the idea of gradually diluting the milk-based formula with the new one. I got a bunch of the Nutrimigan from the ped so it would be nice if she took to that before I go buy the Allimentum. What do you think- good idea?



That's what I was going to suggest. If she has a dairy allergy you should get her off the milk-based as soon as possible, but if she's not taking the other (which tastes like cr*p, BTW!) slowly switching is a good plan.

When DS's milk allergy was finally identified (at 10 months, thanks to a major reaction after 2 bites of yogurt) we switched from milk-based to Alimentum. I had to do the gradual switch as well b/c DS wouldn't drink it. I think it took a few days, not longer than that.

I felt like a horrible parent- within a week of switching his formula the eczema he had had for several months cleared up and he's hasn't had it since! Then, at 1 he was put on soy milk. My ped told me soy formula was a last resort (not sure why- something about developing an allergy- I can't remember). So, we stuck it out with the super expensive stuff for a few months, then put him on soy milk. I guess you'll probably want to consider rice milk at a year instead of soy, though.

Hugs to Sisi AND you! I hope she gets some relief soon.

[gatorsmom]

I think it took a few days, not longer than that.

I felt like a horrible parent- within a week of switching his formula the eczema he had had for several months cleared up and he's hasn't had it since! Then, at 1 he was put on soy milk. My ped told me soy formula was a last resort (not sure why- something about developing an allergy- I can't remember). So, we stuck it out with the super expensive stuff for a few months, then put him on soy milk. I guess you'll probably want to consider rice milk at a year instead of soy, though.

Hugs to Sisi AND you! I hope she gets some relief soon.


I'm glad to hear that it won't take more than a few days. I did half and half tonight and she took less than half an 8oz bottle- she usually takes a good 6 ounces before bed. I guess I"ll have to put a bit more dairy based stuff tonight when she wakes up hungry from not having finished her dinner bottle!

And thank you for answering the question I forgot to ask which was, "what does she get at 1 year?" We already drink rice milk at home so that will be an easy transition for the entire family.


Thanks for all the hugs, guys. Your advice has been very helpful (as usual). :)

[LarsMal]

I'm glad to hear that it won't take more than a few days. I did half and half tonight and she took less than half an 8oz bottle- she usually takes a good 6 ounces before bed. I guess I"ll have to put a bit more dairy based stuff tonight when she wakes up hungry from not having finished her dinner bottle!

If you make her a 6 ounce bottle, I'd start out with 4 of the milk based and 2 of the new stuff. Do that for a couple bottles, then start changing the ratio.

As my mom always says, "When they get hungry enough, they'll eat!"

If she still refuses the Nutramagen, I'd try the Alimentum. I know several people who had to go that route, and all their kiddos did better with Alimentum.

GL!

[egoldber]

I would discuss the use of rice milk with the ped. Rice milk is very low in fat and protein (although typically calcium enriched) so make sure she is getting a lot of fats elsewhere in her diet.

[mamicka]

We already drink rice milk at home so that will be an easy transition for the entire family.


I'm not an expert here, but we had issues with dairy & soy also. At a year, we did a combo of rice milk & goat's milk (not mixed). Ped didn't suggest it but wasn't opposed. I felt better about the fat, etc in the goat's milk.

HTH.

[bubbaray]

If you use rice milk, you need to add canola oil to it -- its too low in fat otherwise. Canola oil also adds omega 3 (which is a good thing).

Is the dr only treating her with hydrocortizone? IME, that does squat for severe eczema.

DD#2's initial protocol was 2w Keflex (cephalexin?) to deal with the whole-body infection she had from open eczema. Topically, we used betamethasone from head to toe (b/c she had eczema from head to toe). We also have a host of other ointments. Seriously -- we have every ointment prescribed for eczema. We also used some antihistamines, but Benadryl worked better than the prescription ones. BTW, Eladil is black-boxed for children under 2 and it stings like a bugger, so I would use that carefully.

You can PM if you want. I pretty much know all there is to know about treating severe eczema in an infant. Ugh.

BTW, I would demand to go to a pediatric dermatologist. And a pediatric allergist. Both.

Oh, and we've been told that food allergies do not cause eczema, in fact, the latest science is that it is the other way around....

HTH

[LarsMal]

Oh, and we've been told that food allergies do not cause eczema, in fact, the latest science is that it is the other way around....

HTH

Oh great! Now I feel even worse! DS was combo BF and milk-based formula starting at 3 months. The eczema kicked in about one or 2 months later. Didn't clear up until we stopped all milk-based formula. I hadn't heard that the eczema could have *caused* his food allergies.

The whole eczema/allergy thing is so fascinating (although I wish we'd never had to deal with it at all!). DD has some eczema, though mild, and after her food testing the other day the allergist said, "Well, at least we know her eczema isn't caused by a food allergy." I wish the docs could all get on the same page!

[bubbaray]

Yes, the latest research indicates that eczema causes food allergies -- the open lesions/flares provide an entry for food allergens into the body that is not supposed to be able to happen. With eczema, your skin as a barrier is "breach" and allergens can enter the bloodstream directly, as opposed to going through the digestive tract like the body is designed....

I'm dumbing this down b/c that is how DD#2's pediatric allergist and pediatric dermatologist explained it to me.

Apparently, objective scientific studies have proven that eczema is not food-related. I *know* others here either don't believe that or have been advised otherwise. But, that is the advice we have received.

[ThreeofUs]

We already drink rice milk at home so that will be an easy transition for the entire family.

Lisa, I'd be careful about the rice milk.... I'm sure you'll get deluged with advice about this, but rice milk has been implicated in nutritional deficiencies because it lacks the fat and a few other things young children need. Around here, at least, it's not recommended. Check with your ped on what to do at one year.



Apparently, objective scientific studies have proven that eczema is not food-related.

Melissa, I haven't seen these studies; most research I know about points the other way. The vector you cite (skin breached so allergens can immediately affect the body) sounds reasonable to me. If you happen to get the chance, could you get a citation or point me to the research?

[bubbaray]

We specifically dealt with rice milk with DD#1 just prior to 1 year. The pediatric allergy nutritionist (how on earth do I keep all these specialists straight??) said rice milk wasn't optimal, but if you add 1 tbsp canola oil to a 6oz sippy of rice milk, it ups the fat content to about that of formula.

[gatorsmom]

Is the dr only treating her with hydrocortizone? IME, that does squat for severe eczema.

BTW, I would demand to go to a pediatric dermatologist. And a pediatric allergist. Both.

Oh, and we've been told that food allergies do not cause eczema, in fact, the latest science is that it is the other way around....

HTH

She's been seeing a pediatric derm for a port wine stain on her face. At the ripe old age of 9 months she's already had laser therapy several times. Next we'll be giving her botox (just kidding). He's the one who prescribed the hydrocortizone valerate .02% as well as Atarax (I just looked at the names of the prescriptions). I think he's been trying to err on the safer side.

I think you are right in that we should take her to a pediatric allergist too. We have a good PPO so we won't need a referral.

And may I just say my jaw dropped with that last bit of info. Eczema causes food allergies? So then what caused the eczema? And if you don't know what caused the eczema, how do you get rid of it? And if you get rid of the eczema, can you get rid of the allergies too? very confusing...

[bubbaray]

And may I just say my jaw dropped with that last bit of info. Eczema causes food allergies? So then what caused the eczema? And if you don't know what caused the eczema, how do you get rid of it? And if you get rid of the eczema, can you get rid of the allergies too? very confusing...


You don't get rid of eczema, there is no cure. You can only treat the symptoms. I think the best summary is that dr's don't know exactly what causes eczema, though there are various risk factors (such as the parents having allergies themselves).

So, I just pulled out our basket of eczema goodies, from strongest to mildest:
Betamethasone valerate 0.1% (Betaderm)
Mometasone 0.1%
Amcinonide 0.1%
Hydrocortisone ointment 2.5%
Fucidin H
Hydrocortisone ointment 1%
Bactroban (not for eczema, but for the ensuing staph infection)
Vaseline
Aquaphor
Vaseline Creamy
Moisturel

Remember, ointments are your friend, creams are not. Creams sting. It was probably 6m or so until we could use a cream of any sort (started with Vaseline Creamy and that is still what we use daily) without screaming b/c it stings.

We use a lot of Vaseline around here, LOL. Put the prescription ointments on first, immediate after bathing, on the affected areas. Then vaseline from head to toe (yes, including the scalp and ears).

If you want, I can type out the instructions we got from the dermatologist, but that's basically it in a nutshell.

[randomkid]

So sorry you guys are going through this - we've BTDT. However, DD was so sensitive to the milk that she has horrible gas and pain, so we figured it out sooner. She also had eczema. At 8 weeks, we switched her to Nutramigen and had no trouble with her taking it (likely because she was so young). She was like a new baby after the first feeding. Eczema was completely gone in a few days - such a relief!

It's likely that your DD's irritability and eczema are related to the milk. However. wouldn't a true allergy cause other symptoms like hives, etc? I know many kids who had problems with cow's milk when younger, but are fine now. It's a sensitivity to the milk protein, not a true allergy. We started DD with yogurt and cheese shortly after a year, then went to milk around 16 months and she's been completely fine with it. Maybe you can have her tested further when she is older.

FWIW, I agree with you about staying away from soy. The proteins are very similar to cow's milk and many infants are unable to break down the proteins of either. Soy was far worse for DD than milk. We tried it before going to hypoallergenic and I totally regretted it.

If your DD just won't take the Nutramigen, I would go to Alimentum. I've heard it's tolerated better and if you use powder, I think you don't have to pack the scoops (at least that's what I found out after DD was off formula). Be sure you read the directions. Nutramigen powder has to be packed, Alimentum does not. I was giving DD diluted formula for the first couple of days until I read the label more closely! If Alimentum still does not have to be packed, you get more formula for your money.

Hope it all goes well for you all!

[bubbaray]

Melissa, I haven't seen these studies; most research I know about points the other way. The vector you cite (skin breached so allergens can immediately affect the body) sounds reasonable to me. If you happen to get the chance, could you get a citation or point me to the research?


I don't have the studies, though I have been shown them by both the ped. derm and ped. allergist (on their computers/internet). Even my GP friends and coworkers tell me that the latest evidence that eczema is not caused by food allergies, but the other way around. The specialists we see are at BC Children's Hospital and do a lot of research in the area....

Having said that, I've been to a naturopath and a different ped. allergist (who completely misdiagnosed DD#2 and MISSED her fish allergy, which led to fish anaphylaxis, so I don't trust him worth beans) both said that they thought there was a link between eczema and food allergies.

Anyway, that's what we've been told. Frankly, I did try a food elimination diet after the quack/1st allergist told me to and it did NOTHING/nada/zilch. In fact, DD#2's eczema got worse.

Within 24 hrs of resuming my normal diet (I was BFg) and starting the treatment prescribed by the pediatric dermatologist, there was a HUGE improvement.

[bubbaray]

Lisa, Atarax knocked DD#2 out cold. I should have saved it for travel use, LOL. Seriously, she was totally loopy.

We've done benadryl a few times, but it didn't really stop the eczema, just the itching for a short while.

The betametasone is a miracle ointment.

[gatorsmom]

So, I just pulled out our basket of eczema goodies, from strongest to mildest:
Betamethasone valerate 0.1% (Betaderm)
Mometasone 0.1%
Amcinonide 0.1%
Hydrocortisone ointment 2.5%
Fucidin H
Hydrocortisone ointment 1%
Bactroban (not for eczema, but for the ensuing staph infection)
Vaseline
Aquaphor
Vaseline Creamy
Moisturel

Remember, ointments are your friend, creams are not. Creams sting. It was probably 6m or so until we could use a cream of any sort (started with Vaseline Creamy and that is still what we use daily) without screaming b/c it stings.

We use a lot of Vaseline around here, LOL. Put the prescription ointments on first, immediate after bathing, on the affected areas. Then vaseline from head to toe (yes, including the scalp and ears).



Holy cow! you could open a pharmacy! I can't imagine how severe your daughters' eczema must be.

Yeah, that is the routine I go through with SiSi right now. We have one of those monster size jars of Eucerin and are going through it pretty quickly. Good to know about the creams, though. And yeah, SiSi has it in her hair and ears too, poor thing. She's usually so wiggly but just loves it when I rub that medicine and Eucerin on her. She sits so still, the little sweetheart. I can tell she's just been aching all day to get that rubdown.

I will definitely be seeing a pediatric allergist about some stronger ointments and about the rice milk issue. Thank you for your help. I may be posting or pming for more info about this.

[MamaMolly]

I just wanted to add that if you go to the Food Allergy website mentioned by a PP and do a search for wet-wrapping I think you might find it a beneficial technique to help with the eczema.

And we love this ointment called un-petroleum. It is like Vaseline but is plant based.

And a big thanks for the idea on the canola oil in the rice milk. I've been doing half rice milk and half soy milk because I'm not thrilled with either. I'm going to get some canola oil tomorrow!

[bubbaray]

OK, I will go grab our instructions and post more in a min.

but, you know that moisture and rapid application of barrier ointments is a good thing, right? Old school was keep the eczema dry, new school is keep it moist. At first, we were told to bathe DD#2 twice a day. Apply the Rx's immediately after the bath, then Vaseline or Aquaphor. There was a reason not to use Eurcerin for us, can't remember what that was. But, honestly, Vaseline works the best of the non-Rx stuff and its cheap (we go through a LOT).

I would try bathing at least daily, preferably 2x/day. It d/n have to be a "bath", even just a shower or dunking in water works, as long as you apply the barrier after.

Oh, and NO SOAP. Cetaphil is what we used.

Lastly, we had to eliminate all fabric sofener (used vinegar in the rince, now I use nothing) and find a good "free" laundry detergent (the Arm & Hammer Essentials dye & perfume free and Tide Free work well for us).

[bubbaray]

I only cook in canola oil now -- DD#2 can't have fish, so none of us eat salmon any more and we're lacking in omega 3s.

I can't remember why, but there is a reason why eczema treatments are petroleum based. One of the specialists told me, but I can't remember. I tried all sorts of plant-based "remedies". None worked for DD#2 -- only the list above.

I try not to think about having all these potent steroids being used on a baby, not to mention the petroleum products. We had no choice though -- she had a serious staph infection over something like 90% of her body. It was horrible.

[bubbaray]

I'm just looking through our instructions from the ped. dermatology clinic. Basically what I said above. Bathe 2x/day in lukewarm, not hot water, no bubble baths or scented products, either Cetaphil or Dove sensative (which, BTW, gave my other DD a horrible burn, so we never used it with DD#2). Dry gently (ie., blot), immediately follow with the prescribed steroid on the affected areas, then the moisturizer (unscented Vaseline, Aquaphor, white Petroleum jelly 50%/mineral oil 50%, Creamy Vaseline, Glaxal base (which IIRC is not sold in the US, but is a Canadian product), Moisturel cream, Eucerin cream). In bold, it says Ointments are better moisturizers than creams or lotions.

We were also told that we could apply the moisturizer (not the steroid) as many times a day as we wanted -- and that she should look like a little shiny greaseball. Which she did. We should have called her Slick. j/k.

Yes, the amount of Rx we have for her is insane. And, they are so strong that every single time I'd go to the pharmacy, they would have to double check with the dr that they were OK prescribing it for an infant, and even then, they would tell me not to use it on her. I stopped listening to the pharmacist and went with EXACTLY what the dermatologist told me to do -- that was the only thing that worked.

[DrSally]

We gave Similac Alimentum (also hypoallergenic). It was the only thing DS knew other than BM the first few months before we could get back to exclusive bfing. We just did BM from there on, but I'd say at about 7ish months, I tried giving him a little of the Alimentum to drink out of a cup, and he would have absolutely nothing to do with it. I think those hypoallergenic formulas are bitter b/c of the processing. I can see why an older baby who can express a preference would reject it if they haven't had it up until then. I wonder if you tried the alimentum if she might like it better, or if it would be the same. What about trying soy, did she test positive for soy allergy? Eventhough you're allergic doesn't mean she will be (although there is a high concordance with dairy allergy).

ETA: Agree with pp's about the rice milk. If she isn't allergic to soy (let's hope), Costco sells Kirklands brand organic soymilk in bulk and it comes out to about $1 per carton! This is what DS has been drinking. We've slowly been transitioning to skim milk since he outgrew the allergy. He loves the soymilk still though.

[bubbaray]

I should also add, I have NO experience with food allergies and eczema in a formula-fed baby. When DD#2 first had eczema starting at 2m, I was EBFg. I EBFd her through the worst of it -- part of the time on an elimination diet of basically rice and chicken and nothing else, no fruits, veggies, etc.. Made no difference to her (though I was plenty psychotic).

I don't know if the dr's advice to not worry about food allergies and eczema would have been the same if I was FFg. They told me in no uncertain terms that the food allergen proteins did not pass through the BM. They told me the same thing after DD#2's fish anaphylaxis too.

[gatorsmom]

but, you know that moisture and rapid application of barrier ointments is a good thing, right? Old school was keep the eczema dry, new school is keep it moist.


Oh, and NO SOAP. Cetaphil is what we used.

Lastly, we had to eliminate all fabric sofener (used vinegar in the rince, now I use nothing) and find a good "free" laundry detergent (the Arm & Hammer Essentials dye & perfume free and Tide Free work well for us).

Yes, I know that moisture is better for SiSi's eczema. What's funny is that in the summer time, ChaCha's eczema gets worse behind his knees where he sweats. In the winter when it's so dry here his eczema clears up. But, anyway, that doesn't appear to be the case for SiSi.

As for the no soap, you mean not at all during her bath? I use California Baby on her right now. But I mean, how do you get all those lotions/medicine residue off their skin without soap?

Thank you for letting me know about the betametasone. I'll have to ask about that.

And yeah, it's possible the pediatric dermatologist has been giving us the weaker steroids because I"ve been so vocal about my hesitancy to give such a tiny baby strong steroids. But in your case, with a staff infection like that, I wouldn't hesitate.

[bubbaray]

Honestly, if I had to do it over again, I should have not worried about the potency of the steroids. My sanity and her health was not worth it, KWIM?

Betamethasone is an older steroid, but it works like a hot damn. The nice thing is it works so quickly that you aren't using it for long periods. Once we got DD#2 cleared up (it took about 1-2m), we just dealt with flares (a couple times a week) -- the betamethasone would generally clear them up overnight. I think that is our derm's thinking -- clear the infection, hit the flares hard, but not for a long time.

I have some California Baby, but I've never used it on DD#2. I've used a Canadian product (president's Choice), but only started that recently. We used Cetaphil and only Cetaphil (the liquid cleanser, not the bar) for over a year. We still only use that on her face. For the longest time, we couldn't use shampoo (which wasn't a huge deal as she had no hair, from all the scratching and rubbing).

We also weren't prescribed steriods and sent on our merry way. DD#2 was going to Children's every 2w for quite a while, then monthly for about 6m, then bimonthly and now we are down to bi yearly (though we've since added visits to the ped. allergist. sigh).

[bubbaray]

A bit OT, but I had a coworker recently tell me about her severe eczema. She's about 55 or so and has had it since she was a baby. Now, she does phototherapy, which is kinda like fake-baking in a tanning booth, but at the hospital in a monitored environment. She says the best thing for her is sun and salt water.

We noticed that in the summer, DD#2's skin improved when we didn't use sunscreens (b/c she's allergic to every.single.one). It was weird. We thought she'd burn, she didn't (though we are very careful and don't have her out between 10-3pm, keep her out of direct sun, etc).

Anyway, I'm gonna ask the derm about that in October at her next visit.

[gatorsmom]

A bit OT, but I had a coworker recently tell me about her severe eczema. She's about 55 or so and has had it since she was a baby. Now, she does phototherapy, which is kinda like fake-baking in a tanning booth, but at the hospital in a monitored environment. She says the best thing for her is sun and salt water.

We noticed that in the summer, DD#2's skin improved when we didn't use sunscreens (b/c she's allergic to every.single.one). It was weird. We thought she'd burn, she didn't (though we are very careful and don't have her out between 10-3pm, keep her out of direct sun, etc).

Anyway, I'm gonna ask the derm about that in October at her next visit.

I think if I put salt water on ChaCha's summer eczema, he'd scream bloody murder and hit me. He has it right now behind his knees and I'm just waiting for winter when the lack of sunshine on his legs and the dry air here will clear him up. And that's probably what will make SiSi worse.

Again, thank you so much for the excellent info. I have a whole arsenal of tools to use now on SiSi. it's very much appreciated.

[MontrealMum]

A bit OT, but I had a coworker recently tell me about her severe eczema. She's about 55 or so and has had it since she was a baby. Now, she does phototherapy, which is kinda like fake-baking in a tanning booth, but at the hospital in a monitored environment. She says the best thing for her is sun and salt water.

We noticed that in the summer, DD#2's skin improved when we didn't use sunscreens (b/c she's allergic to every.single.one). It was weird. We thought she'd burn, she didn't (though we are very careful and don't have her out between 10-3pm, keep her out of direct sun, etc).

Anyway, I'm gonna ask the derm about that in October at her next visit.

It's interesting that you bring this up. Years ago, before I went on the pill, and before we were all so worried about tanning and skin cancer, I always noticed that my eczema cleared up in the summer - with the usual teen tanning mania. It was my favorite time of year because it ended the rash, itchiness, and bleeding. My dad, who has eczema as well as psoriasis, was actually told by his derm (for the psoriasis, which was MUCH worse) to buy a tanning lamp and sit under it at least 15 min a day. This was back in the 70s/80s, and is not in vogue as a psoriasis treatment anymore. But maybe it had some merit. It did help, at the time. I can't remember why he stopped. It'd be nice to see some newer studies on sun exposure and dermatitis.

[BabyMine]

Another great website
http://www.babywhispererforums.com/
They have a food allergy forum that is wonderful.

[ThreeofUs]

I don't have the studies, though I have been shown them by both the ped. derm and ped. allergist (on their computers/internet). Even my GP friends and coworkers tell me that the latest evidence that eczema is not caused by food allergies, but the other way around. The specialists we see are at BC Children's Hospital and do a lot of research in the area....

Thanks! I'll check with them.

I know there are there are quite a few vectors and/or conditions here show up as eczema.... And, personally, I've seen cases where diet changes, keeping things dry and/or sending folks to the hot salt-water beaches has cleared things up. But I've also seen cases like you describe, where no amount of diet changes make a difference, and it's really only using steroids that help. So I'm really not sure I can lump all eczemas into one treatment category works for me - but I'll look further into it.

Thanks for posting all this great information.

[lablover]

Just wanted to post what works for my DD. Her eczema was never severe and never infected, but it got pretty bad during the spring pollen season. Once we got religious about doing this her skin cleared up beautifully and she only has an occasional mild breakout behind her knees. We bathe her nightly mostly in water and then immediately coat her with Vanicream. In my area you have to buy it from the pharmacy but it's not a prescription. Initially I had to call them and they ordered it (arrived the next day), but now they usually have one in stock. We took her to the allergist at Johns Hopkins this past July, and he said it's one of the best products to use for eczema. Also, when she had a mild breakout I would pierce a capsule of evening primrose oil and rub it into her skin before bed and most of the time it would be clear in the morning. Good luck - it's hard to deal with skin issues. And whether or not food allergies cause eczema, I've found that eating an allergic food can exacerbate eczema in my child, so hopefully once she is off dairy you will see some sort of improvement.

[Elilly]

I have a child that is now anaphylactic to dairy. There is no way that I would continue giving an allergic child something that they were allergic to by choice. I know that it is a difficult transition, but she will take it if she is hungry. I agree that alimentum RTF is better tasting than the nutramigen. If that doesn't work, there are elemental formulas that are non dairy and non soy. We used neocate since Graham is allergic to both dairy and soy. I also recommend the POFAK website. Those mamas are truly informed and helpful.

[gatorsmom]

I have a child that is now anaphylactic to dairy. There is no way that I would continue giving an allergic child something that they were allergic to by choice. I know that it is a difficult transition, but she will take it if she is hungry. I agree that alimentum RTF is better tasting than the nutramigen. If that doesn't work, there are elemental formulas that are non dairy and non soy. We used neocate since Graham is allergic to both dairy and soy. I also recommend the POFAK website. Those mamas are truly informed and helpful.

We started to wean her off the dairy formula and she's drinking down bottles that are 75% hyperallergenic and 25% dairy. She's been taking this dairy formula for the past 4 months and I don't want to scare her by taking it away cold turkey. The gradual weaning has only taken 1 day and I expect her to be dairy free by tomorrow. yay!!

[gatorsmom]

We bathe her nightly mostly in water and then immediately coat her with Vanicream. In my area you have to buy it from the pharmacy but it's not a prescription. Initially I had to call them and they ordered it (arrived the next day), but now they usually have one in stock. We took her to the allergist at Johns Hopkins this past July, and he said it's one of the best products to use for eczema. Also, when she had a mild breakout I would pierce a capsule of evening primrose oil and rub it into her skin before bed and most of the time it would be clear in the morning.

We LOVE Vanicream! It was developed by Mayo Clinic in Rochester (Minnesota) so I can buy it at our local Walgreens. My husband started using the bars of soap and his skin issues have nearly cleared up. Yeah, that is a great brand.

I will have to ask the allergist about the evening primrose oil. I'd never heard of that before and it sounds promising. Thank you for the info!

[kijip]

I have nothing but :hug: to offer. I am sorry your baby is having to deal with this. :hug:

[kellij]

Poor baby! This isn't really your question, but I found something that helped us a ton with avoiding eczema. Do you use dryer sheets at all? My mil told me that she never could use dryer sheets with my husband. I was going crazy trying a ton of different ointments and medicines until she mentioned that. She didn't ever actually get my DH diagnosed, so I don't think she made the connection. Both of my kids had it and once I stopped using dryer sheets it cleared up and never came back. The son claimed the medicine burned him, so we were avoiding that. So now I use ecos for my laundry and no dryer sheets. Ecos is supposed to be good for sensitive skin and it's all natural. I went to the local organic store to purchase it and then I discovered they are selling it at Sam's! (For a fraction of the price).

Anyway, the absence of dryer sheets is such an easy thing to try, I feel like everyone should know about it!

[randomkid]

We started to wean her off the dairy formula and she's drinking down bottles that are 75% hyperallergenic and 25% dairy. She's been taking this dairy formula for the past 4 months and I don't want to scare her by taking it away cold turkey. The gradual weaning has only taken 1 day and I expect her to be dairy free by tomorrow. yay!!

I'm glad to hear it's going so well! Hopefully, this will take care of her eczema as well. I tell you, as soon as DD was off dairy, hers started clearing up and never came back. I hope that happens for you guys as well.

BTW, it hypoallergenic - lol!