Steroid Creme Alternatives?

[nicole_marie]

I am using a VERY strong steroid creme twice a day on my 14 month old son. I have been looking for an alternative replacement while we heal the underlying cause. I have tried a couple of dozen different product with no luck.

The best I have found so far is Wise Woman Herbals, Wild Weed Salve. The ingredients list goes like this: Olive Oil, beeswax, calendula, marshmallow, St. John's wort, English Lavender, plaintain, chickweed, stinging nettle and vitamin E.

Has anyone tried this product?
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Walnut-T.../dp/B0002JSQIM

[changingseasons]

Haven't tried that one, but I can tell you we tried a LOT of products on DD's eczema when she was small. (I know you were asking on the other thread if anyone wanted to share pictures- I have some of DD on my blog- click my username. They don't show her at her worst, but there are a couple where her face is open and oozing.) I can tell you that absolutely none of them worked, at all, except possibly to make the dry itchies a little more bearable. The things that worked the best for us were probably evening primrose oil and emu oil.

The only thing that actually did something for the eczema was pulling allergens from our diet. We just kept pulling foods and switching foods on the ED, and pulling more foods... and eventually the eczema went away. But it took us about a year, and we were down to less than 10 foods (for over a year before we could start adding thing back in- and we still don't have many more than that now.)

[nicole_marie]

I am just looking for a steroid creme alternative, but thank you for sharing your allergy/elimination diet (we are doing that too).

[nicole_marie]

Here are some images of my son's rash 3 weeks into starting over on the elimination diet and 9 days after stopping steroid creme. It has been this severe without improvement for 11 months.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...o/IMG_9054.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...o/IMG_9053.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...o/IMG_9052.jpg

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by nicole_marie

I am just looking for a steroid creme alternative, but thank you for sharing your allergy/elimination diet (we are doing that too).

I know that you don't want other suggestions, but you're going to get them in this forum anyway. I don't blame you at all for using the steroid cream- obviously you need to keep your LO comfortable with all that eczema. But I also want you to know that there are a lot of mamas here that have had just as severe of issues with their babes, and they can offer you support and advice. Like I said, the pictures I posted on my blog are by far not the worst, and if you are interesting in reading our story you'll see that we have been through quite a bit with this allergy stuff as well. So I completely understand your frustration that everyone is just giving suggestions, but nothing is working.

I noticed that one spot on his back looks round, with a clear spot in the middle. I have similar eczema on myself which I had self-diagnosed as nummular eczema after seeing pictures online.... but have since found that same rash (round, w/central clearing) can also be ringworm or Lyme disease. Have they confirmed this is atopic eczema?

[nicole_marie]

You are absolutely right sweetheart, thank you.

[nicole_marie]

Can someone point me to a forum that might have some information on steroid cream alternatives (topical)?

[changingseasons]

omg- I'm not trying to tell you not to post in this forum. I'm trying to tell you that the people here are trying to HELP YOU. Everyone here feels the frustration of having a baby that is in pain, miserable, and you can't do anything about it. That is why people are giving you suggestions. You are more than welcome to ignore them, but you can't very well tell people not to give them.

I'm also trying to tell you that there are NO, I will repeat- NO- topical steroid cream alternatives that are going to make the eczema go away. There just aren't. Eczema is a external manifestation of something going on inside the body, so unless you fix the root source you can't get rid of the eczema. I know that you are working on that already. But if you want the eczema to magically disappear right now, then you'll probably just have to continue using the steroid cream.

eta: Also- if you read my first post, you'll see that I did give you 2 suggestions for topical oils to use to ease discomfort.

[nicole_marie]

I understand that you feel very strongly about this. Again, thank you! I will look into getting a sample of emu oil and/or epo. Typically, oils have not been good because his rash is raised and oozing with open sores. The Wild Weed Salve is working exceptionally well while we work with our team to re-establish the ecology of his gut, which is so severely damaged that it could take years to heal. We are down to steroid creme once every 7-10 days and that is progress. We have naturally reversed his reflux which is progress (it took 10 months). In the meantime, we must use *something* topically to keep him comfortable. The Wild Weed Salve is pretty magical, but you never know if there is something better out there. After all of the suggestions from this board, my son, my husband and myself had 2 hours of sleep last night. The poor baby is in such distress that his emotional and physical development has been delayed and if daddy doesn't start to get some sleep, he could very well lose his job.

Do I sound like a broken record?

With Joy,
Nicole

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by nicole_marie

Has anyone tried this product?
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Walnut-T.../dp/B0002JSQIM

I would be very hesitant to put a nut oil on a baby based on the allergenicity of nuts. I don't have an alternative though. Sorry.

[midwife71]

I have great trust in susan weed, and have used her wise woman ways for myself, my patients and my family. I also believe local is best, and the wise woman knows that plants that grow near her loved ones are usually the best ones to try! Good luck, this is a long and winding road, but so worth it for our DC!!!

[nicole_marie]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

I would be very hesitant to put a nut oil on a baby based on the allergenicity of nuts. I don't have an alternative though. Sorry.

Great point, I totally missed that.

[nicole_marie]

Originally Posted by midwife71

I have great trust in susan weed, and have used her wise woman ways for myself, my patients and my family. I also believe local is best, and the wise woman knows that plants that grow near her loved ones are usually the best ones to try! Good luck, this is a long and winding road, but so worth it for our DC!!!

Thank you for sharing your wisdom! Someone on this board mentioned the Vitamin E may be a problem?

xo

[changingseasons]

If it's "natural" vitamin E (not synthetic), it is most likely derived from soy.

[mbbinsc]

We had success with epsom salt baths to help DD with eczema on her feet (I know that it won't help with face). Another benefit was that she slept better.

[chlobo]

There's another allergy board where I've heard many moms talk about a techique called "wet wrapping". I think you'll have to google it but the gist of it is basically lathering your kid up and wrapping them in wet fabric and it is supposed to help keep the moisture in and help the skin heal.

The website I read about it on is called "kids with food allergies". Unfortunately you have to pay to join it and you are not allowed to discuss anything alternative. However, I guess the wet wrapping isn't that far out there b/c there was lots of discussion on that board about it.

[BirthKathy]

Originally Posted by chlobo

There's another allergy board where I've heard many moms talk about a techique called "wet wrapping". I think you'll have to google it but the gist of it is basically lathering your kid up and wrapping them in wet fabric and it is supposed to help keep the moisture in and help the skin heal.

The website I read about it on is called "kids with food allergies". Unfortunately you have to pay to join it and you are not allowed to discuss anything alternative. However, I guess the wet wrapping isn't that far out there b/c there was lots of discussion on that board about it.

You can join that board without paying, but you can only see the main forum. There is info about wet wrapping in the main forum.

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/community.html

[BirthKathy]

Nicole, my son is also dealing with itchy painful eczema even with a limited diet free of all major and most minor allergens. It's frustrating to see him suffering. We used a steroid cream once a day for 2 weeks, and it was so nice to see him be able to relax. We are having some additional blood testing done, so we can't do steroids again right now. I have also been seeking something topical in the meantime.

I just ordered two new products. They were recommended by Edgar Cayce for psoriasis (back in the 1930's).

They both got good reviews on the sales sites, including some users saying they worked as well as steroids for them. Of course, the product labels say check with your doctor for children under 2.

http://www.drugstore.com/products/pr...02&catid=13140

I am trying this out today on the back of my son's knees.

http://www.amazon.com/Resinol-Medica...pr_product_top

I have not tried this one yet.

Please keep me posted on your progress with any products that help.

[nicole_marie]

Originally Posted by chlobo

There's another allergy board where I've heard many moms talk about a techique called "wet wrapping".

Great suggestion on the wet wraps! We were doing those three times a day in the beginning before we realized that our son's eczema was not "typical" [dry skin] eczema. It's more like sebbhorrea and it thrives on moisture which is why none of the eczema creams or treatments work on his rash. We put epsom salt in all of his baths now which is keeping the yeast and bacteria under control (for the most part). As much work as they were three times a day, taking two of us to keep him wrapped for the entire 15 minutes, I WISH they would have worked. It's another one of those things that we put a lot of time into and it ended up making his rash worse. I wish it were summer so that he could run around naked again...that seems to be the best treatment for him. Today he has pants, socks, robeez boots, no shirt and leg warmers on his arms. I'm letting the rash on his tummy and back breathe and it is working well. It flares up with heat, too much moisture or stress. Once his leaky gut is healed, we may find that he doesn't have many true allergies at all.

[nicole_marie]

Originally Posted by BirthKathy

I just ordered two new products. They were recommended by Edgar Cayce for psoriasis (back in the 1930's).

Please keep me posted on your progress with any products that help.

Thank you! These are so affordable too...I am going to check with our naturopath on the safety of these two products vs the steroids (which I am sure is a no brainer). If we can keep steroid use down to an absolute minimum, I would be a very happy mama!

I will keep you posted on his progress.