eczema- what to put on baby's face? - Page 2

[FAmom]

I'm so convinced that most doctors are simply rattling off a list of things they memorised from their medical textbooks, and only a handful of really good ones will actually look closely at the skin, and consider the interplay of genetics, skin, environment, and daily care routine.

I kind of agree with you.  I would also add, that for me, a good doctor is one that will work with you if they don't know.  I can appreciate a doctor if they are willing to realize that as a parent, you might know something, and won't dismiss the fact that we are the ones living day in and day out trying to figure things out.  We see all the subtleties, and they get a snap shot. 

I agree too with really how different every individual can be with eczema..... and I can imagine that climates figure in too.  All three of my kids all have had different experiences with eczema.  Thankfully only one had it so severely.  

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by 1iberty 

I went to the dr, and the dermatologist, but both said it was unrelated to food/ allergies (and I don't feel convinced about that), and the derm. said to use the steroid cream as needed- but that would be far too frequently!!  I am getting a referal to a pediatrician.

 Eczema is from food allergies/intolerances or environmental allergies. Are you keeping a very detailed food journal (everything the child is eating and whatever you're eating if you're BFing, and ALL symptoms: sleep habits, poop habits, skin (use a scale of 1-10), gaseousness, hiccuping, neediness, tantrums, etc)? common triggers are dairy, soy, gluten, corn, and eggs. But it could be from anything. What was the first kind of doctor? A pediatrician is probably going to say the same thing. I've had them say that folliculitis wasn't from food intolerances (it was corn), the eczema wasn't from food intolerances (again corn), the leg pains were growing pains (nope, that was milk), night terrors (milk again), lip rash (from soy, which the allergist said was "impossible"), see a pattern here?
 

[FAmom]

The above post got me thinking.....

Here is a good link, with some good descriptions and categories for eczema vs other allergic skin conditions.

http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/allergicskinconditions.stm

For us, the main thing that relates to that, is seeing an allergist vs seeing a dermatologist.  And, again, I agree with the above poster that a pediatrician might say the same thing as the dermatologist, but a good pediatrician will also refer you to an allergist.  

Finding doctors that are willing to treat more than the symptoms is important for long term successful management of eczema and allergies in general.  

BTW, as an aside, we've had an allergist tell us based on a skin test one of our children had outgrown their allergy, only to say they were still allergic when they failed an oral challenge.  Doctors don't know everything, and good ones, again, will work with you.  They have their tools... things like skin tests..... and will continue to work with you when an oral challenge proves the skin test wrong.  

Definitely not an exact science with all of this allergy stuff I think.

[kjbrown92]

But the main point was that food intolerances can also cause eczema, and it won't show up on a skin test (or a RAST blood test) and I haven't met an allergist yet who believes in food intolerances causing anything. A food journal is key for that (or alternative testing: IgG/intolerance, muscle testing, etc.)

[1iberty]

Thanks kjbrown92,  could you please tell me: what is an lgG/intolerance?

There is someone locally who does muscle testing, but does anyone have experience with that?  Does it really work, and how does it work?

[kjbrown92]

An intolerance is a food that causes a reaction (whether it's a stomachache, eczema, rash, headaches, muscle cramps/spasms, insomnia, bedwetting, the red ring of doom [around the anus], "colic", vomiting, night terrors, "growing pains",  ear infections, or any number of other symptoms) that does not show up on an IgE allergy test. My son, for example, has a soy intolerance. He gets a rash on his upper lip about 20 minutes after exposure, and it stays for 10 days, and he has horrible tantrums those 10 days. He's 11yo so not exactly in the tantrum kind of age. For my youngest daughter, eating (or even touching) corn would give her eczema on her inner thighs and/or folliculitis on her butt, and she'd wake up and scream during the night. Keeping a food journal (by ingredient) is a good way to figure out culprits. The top 4 food intolerances are dairy, gluten, soy and corn. Another common culprit for eczema is eggs.