Eczema???

Aliliv

What causes it?   Does anybody know?   Could it be new foods, teething, simply dry skin???   Natalie's eczema has flared up again and I'm wondering what else I can do to prevent/treat it other than creams, oils, etc.    Or, if it's just "one of those things" what creams/lotions/oils/bath products work best for you?

j-w

We just talked about eczema at DS's 18 month appt because he has a few spots.  Our Ped said first and foremost, it is simply really dry skin and very common in winter/coming out of winter.  At this point, we have no reason to suspect it is anymore than that. 

We have to do baths in tepid water, no scents in washes/lotions.  She said the best washes are Basis, Neutrogena, Dove, and Cetaphil.  Pat, do not rub, dry, leaving a little moisture on the skin.  Then, we use a 1% hydrocortisone ointment instead of cream.  On top of that, our Ped recommends either Eucerin, Lubriderm, Vaseline, or Basis lotion.  HTH  Oh and keep hydrated.

EliseB0323

It's an auto-immune thing. There is a link between eczema and food allergies and eczema and asthma, but you can also have one without the others. Aveeno lotion worked the best for us. DS used to have horrible eczema that would get infected all the time. His skin is almost perfectly clear now, so he seems to have outgrown it. The thing that made the biggest difference was putting couple of spoonfuls of Clorox (yes, Clorox) in his bath water. It sounds weird, but two different dermatologists recommended it to us and it cleared up his skin almost immediately.

Aliliv

j*w*:

We just talked about eczema at DS's 18 month appt because he has a few spots.  Our Ped said first and foremost, it is simply really dry skin and very common in winter/coming out of winter.  At this point, we have no reason to suspect it is anymore than that. 

We have to do baths in tepid water, no scents in washes/lotions.  She said the best washes are Basis, Neutrogena, Dove, and Cetaphil.  Pat, do not rub, dry, leaving a little moisture on the skin.  Then, we use a 1% hydrocortisone ointment instead of cream.  On top of that, our Ped recommends either Eucerin, Lubriderm, Vaseline, or Basis lotion.  HTH  Oh and keep hydrated.

This makes sense for us right now - we're just coming out of winter and the climate is going up and down - which coorelates with her outbreak.   Before, it was usually just in a couple of creases - now it's on her trunk at well.   It's not too bad, but looks horrible.  Doesn't seem to bother her much, though:)

DandelionMom

My kids eczema was all caused by foods they were sensitive to.  Their pedi said that is often the cause of it.  The biggest foods to watch for are dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, and wheat. 

Also make sure you're using a laundry soap that is dye and perfume free(consider using a double rinse on the kids' laundry), don't use dryer sheets or fabric softener, go easy on soap, take tepid baths, use a lot of unscented lotion (preferably alcohol free too). 

punkrockmommy

I've had eczema for years, and been through (almost) every possible treatment. I've found that aveeno body wash works well paired with aquaphor ointment (when I'm broken out/really dry) or cetaphil lotion when my skin is doing better. I also use prescription creams, but what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. I hope these suggestions help, and it never hurts to have a good dermatologist on hand. Hope your LO feels better soon!