**UPDATE** Re: Molly's Rashes

MrsAJL

We saw the pedi this afternoon. Still no conclusion as to what exactly her rashes might be caused by. We know that she has eczema and her facial rash looks like it has a secondary staph infection (great.) So Dr. B has changed over her abx to a broader spectrum one.  She's also given me a script for a topical antibiotic.

Dr. B suspected that Molly could also have something called eczema herpeticum which is eczema with an HSV1 infection, but she wanted me to consult a specialist about it. So, I made an appointment with my dermatologist to see Molly. Our appointment is for tomorrow afternoon. 

Molly seems to be doing just fine. She doesn't seem bothered by the skin irritations and her ear infections are clearing up well.  I, however, has been freaking my shizz out and have a severe case of pyschosomatic itching! 

 

mcurban

I hope the dermatologist can get you some definitely answers as to what is going on!

 

L L CG

Poor boo and mommy.  KUP!

august8080

Man, I hope you can get some answers! Poor baby!

Taytee

Nobody likes to hear this and yes, I'm a hammer so everything looks like a nail.

IMHO Eczema is a symptom, not a disease. It's an outward sign of inflammation in the body usually caused by what is being put into the body. That is to say, I think once you eliminate all external sources of irritation like scented or harsh detergents, liquid fabric softener, various overly scented "baby" washes and lotions etc, you have to start looking to food for the answer.

Dairy allergy in particular has a strong link to ear infections. It's also the most likely to cause the slight symptoms so many kids don't get hives or diarrhea or other signs to tell you that their body isn't tolerating it very well. I can't remember if you've detected any food intolerances in her already. Dermotologists are quick to write a prescription for Elidel or high dose sterosd creams, both control the symptoms but are not a cure.

I know I sound like a crazy hippie lady with most of my advice lately but just take it for what it's worth and another option to explore! I used to roll my eyes until they hurt about people and their "oh my kid has an allergy" crap... until I had a kid with allergies.

mlf625

Ugh!  Hope it's all cleared up soon.  Skin issues are a bummer, we've had our fair share with V, too.     

MrsAJL

Taytee:

Nobody likes to hear this and yes, I'm a hammer so everything looks like a nail.

IMHO Eczema is a symptom, not a disease. It's an outward sign of inflammation in the body usually caused by what is being put into the body. That is to say, I think once you eliminate all external sources of irritation like scented or harsh detergents, liquid fabric softener, various overly scented "baby" washes and lotions etc, you have to start looking to food for the answer.

We've done this.

Dairy allergy in particular has a strong link to ear infections. It's also the most likely to cause the slight symptoms so many kids don't get hives or diarrhea or other signs to tell you that their body isn't tolerating it very well. I can't remember if you've detected any food intolerances in her already. Dermotologists are quick to write a prescription for Elidel or high dose sterosd creams, both control the symptoms but are not a cure.

I suspected this.

So that being said, how do I go about eliminating dairy now that she's not breastfed or on formula?  *They* say that it's time for cow's milk but she's had a hard time in the transition.  What other "milks" can I subsititute? How do I make sure she's getting enough fat in her diet without dairy? She enjoys peanut butter and does not have a nut allergy (peanuts or tree nuts) that we know of.

My biggest concern right now with her rashes are the secondary infections, but I want to eliminate the eczema.  Any strategies for me? Should I consult an allergist first or start with an elimination diet first?

Help, nurse Taytee!

ETA: As for food sensitivities, Ben, DH, and I all don't tolerate milk well at all. I can eat hard cheeses in small doses with little effect. Ben and DH can not. Molly seems to be tolerating cheese and yogurt (other than the eczema so maybe she doesn't tolerate it), but can not drink cow's milk. 

ditzydi_2000

Poor thing!  I hope the dermatologist can figure out what is wrong.  I'm glad that Molly doesn't seem to notice it though.  

MC+KK

I hope u get some answers soon. Hugs to y'all!

MnMShaw

Good luck at the dermatologist's office!

BoxerMomma

poor girl. hope you get some answers tomorrow. 

Taytee

MrsAJL:

So that being said, how do I go about eliminating dairy now that she's not breastfed or on formula?  *They* say that it's time for cow's milk but she's had a hard time in the transition.  What other "milks" can I subsititute? How do I make sure she's getting enough fat in her diet without dairy? She enjoys peanut butter and does not have a nut allergy (peanuts or tree nuts) that we know of.

My biggest concern right now with her rashes are the secondary infections, but I want to eliminate the eczema.  Any strategies for me? Should I consult an allergist first or start with an elimination diet first?

I think it's easy enough to remove dairy from the diet without incurring a co-pay Emily tested both blood and skin negative for a diary allergy per se - but I knew from experience it was the culprit. We have been able to successfully reintroduce it in recent months. However, if you're not opposed to having blood drawn and understand the limitations of RAST testing, it may not be a bad idea to uncover anything else that may be bothering her.

Coconut milk tastes good and has plenty of fat.  You can get the unsweetened kind but if you think she may be picky about it, we always used Vanilla. It's not as high in protein as cows milk and cheeses but Emily has always eaten plenty of meat so it wasn't a concern.

bluestreet

Yes, I was wondering about dairy even before Taytee chimed in. I've suffered from  psoriasis, eczema's cousin, my whole life, and it's always responded best to internal changes. I loathe steroids, btw, because these skin conditions often outsmart the steroids and get stronger. Dairy makes psoriasis and eczema worse, and given that both you and your DH are intolerant...well. I've really been loving coconut milk, and almond butter and avocados would be a great substitute for yogurts and cheeses. Smoothies with coconut milk, almond butter, bananas, and frozen berries might be a great way to fuel her with great skin-friendly fat. Big hugs to poor little Molly!

cia

We are also figuring out rashes right now, so lots of sympathy your way!  And thanks for the updates - it is helpful to hear what someone else is doing about rashes.

I wanted to pass along info I got from another mom about clearing up a rash that she got from her dermatologist.  I didn't say anything in your previous post because you thought it was viral, but now that you said it's being treated by a topical antibiotic, I thought I'd share.

In addition to putting the antibiotic on the rash itself, treat under the fingernails and along the side of the nose [where the nose meets the face near the nostrils].  These are areas where the bacteria can hang out and you can keep reinfecting even if you're treating where you think the rash is.

 

Xtina712

I hope the appointment goes well today.  Poor little thing! 

Duckie07

Hope the dermatologist is able to figure out what's going on.  Thank goodness it doesn't seem to bother her!