?? about eczema

[MomtoMia]

Can any of you knowledgeable mamas tell me:

1. Is it possible for eczema to appear only behind the knee on one leg and

2. Is eczema itchy for the child? and

3. Can dairy be a cause?

I am trying to determine if my daughter has mild eczema without going to the dr. I've assumed in the past that she does indeed have just a small case of it, but am wondering if I could possibly be misdiagnosing here.

It appears and disappears periodically and I am going to do a test involving her dairy intake.

Thanks,
Mary

[oceanbaby]

Yes, possibly, and yes. I would test out the dairy thing first, as that is a common culprit. I have eczema, and I know that sometimes it itches and sometimes it hurts, and sometimes I don't feel it at all, so I can't say for sure if it's itchy for a baby. However, in areas such as behind my knees, where it's warm and moist, it hurts or itches more than other places, especially when it's hot out.

I avoid soap and anything with fragrance, only wear all cotton clothing, and avoid a lot of hot water. I don't know how old your baby is, but I also avoid fried foods, spicy foods, and chocolate as they seem to aggravate it.

There are a lot of awesome threads on here about eczema. Do a search with the word eczema and you will find a lot of info, from homemade remedies to diet solutions.

Good luck!

[khrisday]

Yes
Yes
and Yes

[MomtoMia]

Thanks for your responses and advice . . .

Dd is 20 months old and I've recently introduced flax seed oil into her diet, hoping that would alleviate the condition. It has to some extent but I do believe that dairy is somewhat responsible for the flare-ups.

I'll do the dairy test!

Mary

[autumnmom]

I would suggest sesame oil (natural, not toasted and filtered). Apply it before getting into shower by message.

[Noey]

My 20 month old daughter started with just a single spot behind her leg.(Dr. diagnosed) It has since spread throughout her back and chest sometimes. She loves to take a bath but I limit that a bit now and always put on oil or lotion afterwards and then put on cotton clothing. That seems to help. She does not give any indication that it itches thank goodness! Good luck. let me know what works for you.

[MomtoMia]

Thanks -

I will try the sesame oil.

Noey - my daughter gives no indication that hers itches either! Which I thought was strange, but it sounds common. Since I've cut dairy a few days ago it has not reappeared. Probably too soon to tell. In a few days I may give her dairy and see if it returns.

Thanks everybody!
Mary