The Eczema Tribe - Page 7

[JaneS]

[lisabc311]

Introducing myself.

Hi, I'm Lisa. I have a son who is 3 1/2 years old that gets excema in the crooks of his arms. When it really flares up I sometimes find patches on other parts of his arms, as well.

DS's excema has been classified as "mild". But it still really itches him and hurts him when he scratches too much.

We've had some success with OTC hydrocortisone cream (although I hate using it) for flareups and Kindheartedwomen shea butter for maintenance.

The doc also gave us stronger, prescription creams. But I am not comfortable using them.

I'm looking for dietary/envrionmental ideas to fix this problem. Thoughts? Resources?

Thanks!

Oh, and thanks to Jane for directing me here!

[InfoisPower]

Another useful discussion that may have interest for you.

Link to Excema information on the Vaccinations board:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=401136

[InfoisPower]

Bump

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

Just wanted to drop in and say...my 17 month old son has had some mildish eczema on his cheeks for months and months. We went to an applied kinesiologist and he told us it was because of problems with his lungs. DS has had pneumonia and one asthma attack, and other breathing issues. We've had him on aloe vera juice on the recommendation of the AK since the beginning of Dec and it is working...however if we forget for a day or two, it starts coming back. We're going to see him again in March and I'm going to corner him about all this

[NoraB]

When DS gets sick, he often gets an eczema flare up (usually on his left cheek). This last time, I started putting coconut oil on it several times a day. I also put lanolin over the CO after a day or 2 b/c I kept forgetting to put on the CO as often as I wanted. The eczema went away much quicker than before (last time, it took a couple of weeks to get rid of the flare up)...I think it took less than a week. Now, I'm putting CO all over his body about once a day. I'll keep you all posted as to whether this helps w/ flare ups.

[wendy1221]

I don't think I've ever posted to this, but... My eczema, which I've had all my life, has completely disappeared! My secret?.... Read my sig. I think I have more food allergies than I knew of. (I know milk eggs and tomatoes.)

[momofcutie]

My son got a red, raised, itchy rash after we switched from baby detergent to regular detergent when he was 18 months old. He's always had sensitive skin, but he doesn't get dry, cracked, or hardened areas like a lot of people mention. In fact, the only time he gets a rash on his body is when he's exposed to regular laundry detergent or dryer sheets. He was diagnosed with eczema at the time of his first rash, but I wonder if it's really contact dermatitis. Wouldn't he have patches unrelated to exposure to detergent or dryer sheets if he truly has eczema?

He also gets rashes around his mouth from tomato sauce and ketchup and from Ranch dressing. When he was younger he got little rashes when snaps on clothes touched his skin. And he has local reactions to mosquito bites. They get hard and hot and swell.

He was diagnosed with allergies and asthma later, and I know the 3 usually go together, but I can't help wondering if he truly has eczema or if it's more of a contact dermatitis thing.

What do you think?

[chevy974]

My dd got a rash on her hand at the end of Dec I think from using a hand sanitizer. Seen the Dr said it was contact Derm well it itched in the real red spot that went away and it had the look like it peeled. Fast forward her hands no longer itch but are slightly redened in certian spots they dont really look dry to me. Went to Derm yesterday and he said its eczema Can it be eczema with no itching anymore. He said It looks to be almost cleared up. She doesnt have any other problems Oh except on her feet sometimes. I have real dry skin but it doesnt get red or itch. Her hands dont itch anymore but the skin in the spots where it was real red looks pink and kinda wrinkled if that makes sense her finger tips seems to be slightly redend to. The Derm said it was normal nay of you moms experience this does it sound like a mild case of ezcema or should I take her back again.

AMY

[cobluegirl]

We have eczema here that doesn't itch....

I would suggest homeopathy, oils, and possibily allergy testing.

[chevy974]

we have had allergy testing and she was allergic to absoulutly NOTHING lol. He test 46 things. She got the rash or redness after using a hand sanitizer. The itchiness of it is gone but during hte day on and off it will appear red or pinkish I have read thats common. I just wanted to see what other moms have experienced this is her first time having anything like this. I didnt think the redness could last this long he (Dr) said could last 6 mo to fully clear up.

thanks
amy

[cobluegirl]

hmm..what kind of allergy testing? I have heard that certain types aren't as reliable as others. It might just be that she is sensitive to the sanitizer. We use extra vigrin coconut oil topically if itching gets too crazy....works nicely.

[chevy974]

well she was test on her back and reacted to nothing however I know she is sensitive to dairy cause her ear and sinuses become plugged but she didnt react to it on the test. I think the eczema is caused by the hand cleaner maybe enough of hte right factors at the right time you know.

Thanks
amy

[JaneS]

All about dietary fats and eczema, including milk discussion:

The Miracle Fat for Eczema--GLA
http://www.mercola.com/2003/may/28/eczema.htm

Also, I wonder if our success in treating eczema was also the reduction of vegetable fats with omega 6's

Too much omega-6 in the diet "uses up" the delta-6 desaturase enzymes needed for the omega-3 pathway
http://www.price-pottenger.org/Artic...staglandin.htm

Omega 6's the main component of vegetable oils -- the current fad in supposedly healthy diets. (Canola, safflower, soy, corn oils are not healthy for this reason and others). When a large part of the diet of is fats from omega 6's it causes a deficiency in other fatty acids.

Fats are one of the components of breastmilk that is directly related to the mother's diet, for example if you eat trans fatty acids, the show up in your BM and also compete with omega 3's.

Learn more about fats here:
Know Your Fats
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/index.html

[Beeblebrox]

Hello there,

Jessie, mama to my sweet DD who is suffereing from eczema on her legs and a small patch on her chin. I realized something while reading this thread. Something really simple that never clicked with me before. When DD is nursing or going to sleep she kicks her little legs around. I used to think it was just a cute quirk of hers. I now just realized that she's probably trying to scratch her legs! I feel so bad it didn't dawn on me before. My poor baby.

Our pedi suggested that her eczema was due to weather, but I don't think that is all it is. She's had reflux for most of her baby life and is just now getting better. I suspect food allergies in my diet. I'll be starting to eliminate foods this week. I already eat practically no dairy, so that'll be the first to go completely. Then, probably wheat.

Every day I apply a homemade lotion bar to her skin. It contains, beeswax, cocoa butter, vitamin e and olive oil. She really seems to enjoy it and it does help her some. I hope to get this under control. I just feel so bad seeing those red little patches all over her and knowing that they must hurt

ETA: I also take 1, 1000mg flax seed oil pill daily. Just started this and hope it helps as well.

[rainsmom]

Just want to say Ive had great luck using a natural herbal salve..... ITs called Eczema Care Salve by Wiseways Herbals, available online or at a health food store. Heres there link:

www.wiseways.com

What I do at bedtime for dd who mainly has a large patch on her leg and occasionally on the inside of her arm opposite her elbows.....I put this salve on and then wrap her leg and/or arms. I noticed an improvement almost immediately using this salve. Heres an ingredient list:

Olive Oil extracts of Organic burdock, dandelion, oregon grape and yellow dock root, black walnut hull, calendula flower, chickweed, echinacea, nettle, red clover and violet leaf, lanolin, beeswax, essential oils and grape seed extract.

[5terre]

help :(

Jane -- Where in MA are you? Can you recommend a doctor? I'm dealing with a terrible case of ezcema that is just getting worse and worse and more and more painful. I am getting to the point where I'm tempted to go to my doctor or to a dermatologist just to be given a steroid (which has worked for me well in the past). But I want to find the root of the problem and fix it. I also catch colds really easily; I feel like there might be a connection there.

[bluets]

my ds has had eczema (the sandpaper-y kind) since early November. he had a mild case of rotavirus a few weeks ago and that's when i finally figured out for sure that it is related to his diet more than mine - he reverted to just nursing and mashed (raw) apples and we saw a dramatic improvement. he doesn't itch ever - just has bumpy, rough, rosy skin.

he's been dairy free for 2 weeks or so and there is some improvement. i just went dairy free last week to see if we can get it a little further. i think by eliminating dairy, we managed to eliminate a lot of junk they were feeding for snacks at daycare.

the only cream we use is weleda calendula lotion. bath is part of our night-time routine but we rarely use soap (he wants to eat the bottle, so it's just easier not to have the bottle around!).

i took ds to the allergist last week and i caved : i knew that the silly SPT would come back with negative results but i still let them torture him. and such a useless visit too. "oh well, there's nothing he's allergic to. i guess you'll have to keep experimenting with elimination diets." :

my dh has seborrheic dermatitis that flares up from time to time. i'd be willing to put a lot of money on a bet that his condition is diet-related. he won't take me up on it. grrr. he doesn't want to give up his hot chocolate, chocolate milk, or his peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches. curiously, when he has 2 blood oranges at night, his skin is better in the morning. so i'm wondering if his is an ascorbate deficiency or an acid imbalance.

i had a dairy allergy growing up (recurrent ear infections) but have never really had skin problems. this skin problem is quite puzzling and perplexing for me. i'm so obsessed with correcting it...

for those who are using CLO and other oils... are you giving them as supplements to your dc? if so, how? do the fatty acids pass through breastmilk and if so, would it be sufficient for me to take the supplements?

[cobluegirl]

I give my kids supplements. I would think your little one is old enough. you can mix CLO in anything pretty much. I think you taking it, it would transfer a little to your ds but not as much as he probably needs if that is the problem. You can apply evening primerose topically to problem areas, but doesn't sound like he really has any eruptions spots..just the sandpaper skin..my dd has the latter with a few, on occasion, epruption spots. Super Immunity for Kids by Leo Galland talks about the importance of the EFA's and which kinds are available. I like using a combo of the CLO/or fish oil & Flax for maximum benefit. Check the book out at the library...it is well worth the read. He gives dosage and other vit info too.

[4Marmalade]

I guess I'll join now

I have been dealing with my own hand eczema issues for about 4 months now and while I've read this thread, it applied to babies/children more often so I took what I could and used it. Now my 9 month old dd has had a flare-up of what has been confirmed as eczema. She had a couple of tiny spots on her chest and behind her knees that I was almost positive was eczema but they were very tiny, never flared up and I could keep it under control with just moisturizing. Now it has been flared up for about a week with new areas under her chin developing. At the same time she has been dealing with a cold and a viral rash .

Like I said, my own hand eczema flared up about 4 months ago and I am still struggling to find a cause. I tried the hydrocortisone creams with no success. Took an anti-inflammatory for 3 days before deciding the irritability side effect was not worth the little benefit I was seeing. I am off to see a dermatologist next week but I'm sure he will just prescribe another cream and/or oral steroid. I really want to see a naturopath but the initial visit will be $150 (CDN) and the second mandatory visit is another $80. If the dermatologist doesn't give me any help in looking for the cause I will probably make an appointment with the naturopath. Especially now that dd is suffering as well. I'm just so discouraged and overwhelmed. I have spent many nights crying because my hands hurt so much and the simplest tasks like picking up my dd can be so painful.

For myself, I have been taking a multi-vitamin, acidophilus and omega oils. I have tried almost every kind of lotion including plain oils like jojoba and almond. I want to do an elimination diet but because I'm breastfeeding I'm not sure how to approach it (or if I should). I know I can try cutting out one thing at a time but that seems so loooong. I have a friend whos eczema flares up with oatmeal. And oddly enough, I had 2 oatmeal cookies last night and oatmeal for breakfast and by 10am my hands were so itchy and inflamed again. Now they're cracked and bleeding. I think I may cut out oatmeal and see what happens. I should be able to do that

For my dd, we have cut out bathing with soap, switched to a natural, hypo-allergenic laundry soap and used almond oil and glaxal base lotion topically. I want to give her acidophilus and omega oils too but she doesn't really eat solids and what she does eat is finger food so I'm not quite sure how to get it in to her. The acidophilus I can try mixing with water and see if she'll drink it but I'm not sure about the oil.

I have a few questions:

1) Is there anything I can put on my hands when they're cracked and bleeding? Lotions and creams hurt too much and I'm worried of infection.

2) I'm already worried that I might have a bacterial skin infection on my hands and am wondering if the only way I can get my eczema under control is by taking an antibiotic. Seriously, my hands are sooooo painful, red, swollen, hot and sore right now. My family doctor doesn't think so but my SIL had something very similar (she said, when she saw my hands) and she was prescribed an antibiotic.

3) What can I give dd or put on dd that will help with the itching? She tends to scratch at night.

I guess that's it for now. I will definitely be back. This thread has been very helpful.