The Eczema Tribe - Page 13

[chasmyn]

Originally Posted by kallieb

I have a 2 month old son, and it's looking more and more like he's going to inherit my genes He rubs his eyes and face constantly, he's been really stuffy at night, and he's got some dry patches on his cheeks and the creases of his elbows and knees.

My 9 month old does this, too - rubs his eyes and face constantly. What does it mean? I've been trying to figure out.

[KestrelDream]

Rubbing eyes & face

My almost 7 month old does the same thing. I think his face gets really itchy...even his eyelids get all red.

[sarahariz]

Originally Posted by chasmyn

My 9 month old does this, too - rubs his eyes and face constantly. What does it mean? I've been trying to figure out.

It sounds like some kind of allergy to me. Have you read, "Is This My Child" by Doris Rapp? http://www.drrapp.com/

[chasmyn]

No, but I'm about to see if my library has it so I can. Thanks

[DharmaDisciple]

Originally Posted by JaneS

Amanda,
Where are you getting the mattress? I'm in the market for a new one.

I am actually buying a futon mattress to go on my king size bed, it is a 9 layer one and it has some foam just in the core to hold its shape, but the rest of the layers are natural. I don't want to sleep on metal sprung mattresses any more.

Need to declutter my bedroom and cut down any excess fabrics around that dust mites can live in (will probably help my asthma too). Am off to buy some organic sheets and blankets for my bed, throw out the old- probably dust mite filled duvet!!!!

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by jackie75

How do I give coconut oil to DS? How do I melt it, & how much do I give to kill the yeasties?? I was thinking coconut oil was more of a supplement, & it was going to say how much to give....like my omega 3/6/9 oil....

Work up to 3 T. or more yourself... the Medium Chain Fatty Acids go through your breastmilk. CO will increase the beneficial lauric acid in your bm.

Use it exclusively to cook with, stir frys, baking, etc. Put in smoothies. Use coconut milk to make soups or smoothies (the canned full fat coconut milk is very high in oil).

[kallieb]

Originally Posted by chasmyn

My 9 month old does this, too - rubs his eyes and face constantly. What does it mean? I've been trying to figure out.

At least with my ds, I think it's because he itches. I still rub my face like that somtimes. I definitely think he has an environmental allergen but I'm still working on trying to figure out what it is.

[KestrelDream]

Jane...I love you!!

[JaneS]

Effects of trans fats

Passwater: Why are trans fats a problem?

Enig: The various mechanisms through which the trans fatty acids disrupt function are related in part to the ability of trans fatty acids to inhibit the function of membrane related enzymes such as the delta-6 desaturase resulting in decreased conversion of e.g., linoleic acid to gamma-linolenic acid or arachidonic acid; interference with the necessary conversion of omega-3 fatty acids to their elongated tissue omega-3 fatty acids; and escalation of the adverse effects of essential fatty acid deficiency.

This latter effect was shown especially by the work of Dr. Holman and his colleagues at the Hormel Institute at the University of Minnesota, the other effects have been shown by many researchers including the University of Maryland researchers.

http://www.mercola.com/2000/jun/10/trans_fats.htm

Trans fats are transferring thru breastfeeding as well.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by jackie75

Jane...I love you!!

: thank you, I try!

[sun-shine01]

There are 250 posts here and I've read them all - several times now and I'm so confused & depressed trying to figure this all out. My tiny baby (4 months today) is a scratched up, oozing bloody mess head to toe and I just want to cry.

Probiotics, EPO, Elim diet, calendula cream, emu oil, coconut oil, flax oil, fish oil, 100 cotton, no fabric softner, extra rinse, blah, blah blah. I've tied it all.

I'm doing the elim diet with no results (I know it can take months) but damn!

I want my baby to feel better and not be scratching all night long. I want to stop spending HOURS on the computer reading about eczema. I want to stop scanning his nails for any sign of growth so that I can race in with the clippers. I want people to stop saying, "Oh! What happened to him?" I want my Derm to stop pushing steriods down my throat. I want to quit freaking out if my 3 year old daughter kisses her brother with peanut butter lips or touches him after she has just eaten a bananna incase he's allergic to them. I want the BLEEPING cat to stop napping in the co-sleeper when I forget to block her requiring me to take the entire thing apart and scald-wash the thing. I want to be done with eczema and I'm terrifed that we've only just begun. Above all, I just want my baby to feel better.

Okay - I think I'm done. Whew. Midnight rantings.

[cobluegirl]

(((hugs)))

[mamajessica]

Originally Posted by sun-shine01

There are 250 posts here and I've read them all - several times now and I'm so confused & depressed trying to figure this all out. My tiny baby (4 months today) is a scratched up, oozing bloody mess head to toe and I just want to cry.

Probiotics, EPO, Elim diet, calendula cream, emu oil, coconut oil, flax oil, fish oil, 100 cotton, no fabric softner, extra rinse, blah, blah blah. I've tied it all.

I'm doing the elim diet with no results (I know it can take months) but damn!

I want my baby to feel better and not be scratching all night long. I want to stop spending HOURS on the computer reading about eczema. I want to stop scanning his nails for any sign of growth so that I can race in with the clippers. I want people to stop saying, "Oh! What happened to him?" I want my Derm to stop pushing steriods down my throat. I want to quit freaking out if my 3 year old daughter kisses her brother with peanut butter lips or touches him after she has just eaten a bananna incase he's allergic to them. I want the BLEEPING cat to stop napping in the co-sleeper when I forget to block her requiring me to take the entire thing apart and scald-wash the thing. I want to be done with eczema and I'm terrifed that we've only just begun. Above all, I just want my baby to feel better.

Okay - I think I'm done. Whew. Midnight rantings.

Oh mama, I am so sorry
As time passes, he will get better with all of your holistic, amazing work. It just takes so darn long. I think you should hop over to healing the gut tribe. It will be an extra leg of support on top of this one.
Can your cat go stay with someone for a week or so to see if that relieves some of your stress????? I just imagined myself in your scenario and the cat would put me over the edge

[sarahariz]

to sun-shine01

Oh my gosh, you and your little one are going through a lot! Have you tried either NAET or NMT? Some people have success with those when nothing else works. It might be worth it since you've been through everything else with little luck. Here's one thread that discusses NAET
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...highlight=NAET

If you go to the allergies forum under health and healing, you can search using NAET or NMT and find other threads.

Here are the main websites about each technique:
http://www.naet.com/
http://www.neuromodulationtechnique.com/

Seems like different practitioners do it differently, but the NAET practitioner we went with was going to have to "clear" me of everything first to use me as a surrogate to treat dd. While I was being cleared, dd was going to have to be in another room! for 45 minutes-at 5 mo of age, that was not going to work. The NMT practitioner we went to was way more flexible and we only had 4 treatments. I think it did improve the situation, although she also gave us this wonderful Chinese Pearl Powder creme to use which also worked well.

Something will work for you, I am sure!

[KestrelDream]

Does anyone here know how to make their own lotion? I can't find a simple lotion, so I decided to try to make my own. I plan on getting some vegetable glycerine & other things from mountainroseherbs.com. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[mom2olivia]

Originally Posted by jackie75

Does anyone here know how to make their own lotion? I can't find a simple lotion, so I decided to try to make my own. I plan on getting some vegetable glycerine & other things from mountainroseherbs.com. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I found a great lotion at www.lucky-ducky.com and it was formulated with eczema in mind. I mix in some emu oil with it. It seems to be working nicely for my dd.

[Mommiska]

Originally Posted by sun-shine01

There are 250 posts here and I've read them all - several times now and I'm so confused & depressed trying to figure this all out. My tiny baby (4 months today) is a scratched up, oozing bloody mess head to toe and I just want to cry.

Probiotics, EPO, Elim diet, calendula cream, emu oil, coconut oil, flax oil, fish oil, 100 cotton, no fabric softner, extra rinse, blah, blah blah. I've tied it all.

I'm doing the elim diet with no results (I know it can take months) but damn!

I want my baby to feel better and not be scratching all night long. I want to stop spending HOURS on the computer reading about eczema. I want to stop scanning his nails for any sign of growth so that I can race in with the clippers. I want people to stop saying, "Oh! What happened to him?" I want my Derm to stop pushing steriods down my throat. I want to quit freaking out if my 3 year old daughter kisses her brother with peanut butter lips or touches him after she has just eaten a bananna incase he's allergic to them. I want the BLEEPING cat to stop napping in the co-sleeper when I forget to block her requiring me to take the entire thing apart and scald-wash the thing. I want to be done with eczema and I'm terrifed that we've only just begun. Above all, I just want my baby to feel better.

Okay - I think I'm done. Whew. Midnight rantings.

Oh- hugs to you. Eczema is just awful, isn't it? You so want your baby to just feel comfortable.

I second the recommendation to check out the 'Healing the Gut' tribe thread. I have been fighting eczema with my dd for 5 months now - and trying everything you've mentioned, as well as eliminating just about everything from my diet, but I resisted the SCD because I didn't have any of the symptoms.

But I finally started it this past week, and dd's face (where she gets her eczema the worst) is almost clear. I really am amazed, but I so wish I'd tried this earlier.

It might be just a fluke, I guess, as she has cleared up a bit in the past and then gotten worse again, but this is the clearest her skin has been and the longest it's been clear, so I'm hopeful.

Hang in there...this is such a tough one.

[rareimer]

subbing

[rareimer]

oops double post

[sarahariz]

making lotion

Originally Posted by jackie75

Does anyone here know how to make their own lotion? I can't find a simple lotion, so I decided to try to make my own. I plan on getting some vegetable glycerine & other things from mountainroseherbs.com. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Yes, it is pretty easy to make your own lotion. It is basically an oil/water emulsion, like making mayonnaise, if you have ever made that.

A basic formula for cream comes from the book "Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair" by Dina Falconi: 6 oz. liquid oil, 3 oz solid oil, 1 oz beeswax and 9 oz distilled water. Heat the oils plus beeswax in a pan on the stove until melted. Have the water in a blender with the center of the lid removed (if possible). Once the oil is melted, take off the stove and let cool slightly-if you start to see anything congeal, go to the next step immediately. Turn on the blender and slowly-in a stream-pour the oil into the water while it is blending. You will see the liquids turn into cream! Store the lotion in the refrig. and take out small amounts as you need every few days. For clean up, wipe utensils w/ a rag then wash in hot soapy water.

If you want the lotion to be thinner, use less beeswax. Also, you can try using a little grapefruit seed extract in the water mixture or add Vit E oil (from capsules) near the end of blending to act as preservatives... but I still find if you leave all the lotion out at room temp it will start to go bad before you can use it all up. Some liquid may separate out of the lotion as it is stored.

You can find almond oil in the food section of a grocery store, as well as other oils like apricot kernel oil. For solids I like shea butter, coconut oil, and cocoa butter. You can use aloe vera gel for part of the water potion. Every time I make mine I vary the recipe slightly and I have yet to find a favorite combination of things!