I think we've got eczema!

NativeFloridian

Well, I think DD2 has eczema.  It's not confirmed, she's got her well-child checkup on the 20th and I don't think it's so urgent that I need to make an appointment sooner.  But eczema is my theory.

She's had what I thought was the most persistent diaper rash ever for a while now.  We've been treating with Nystatin cream because some parts of it seemed kind of bumpy, as with yeast.  But the cream has been completely ineffective.  And this damn rash will flare up, itch like crazy (if her frantic scratching is any indication), then heal up over a week or so and be gone, like magic.  Then, a bit later, BAM, it's back again.  We've tried rash creams in varying strengths in addition to the Nystatin and nothing has worked.

The rash is a patchy sort of thing, it looks very dry and kind of scaly.  It's also got a spottiness to it, in that it's got "satellite" spots around the patchy areas.  I've been going crazy over it, feeling like a bad mother, stripping the hell out of my cloth diapers, shaking my fist at disposable diapers, switching to the least offensive detergent I could find, etc.  Well, I finally got an indication that it's not just diaper rash.

It's on her face now.  Yesterday night one of her cheeks suddenly flared up with the exact same rash.  Today it appeared on the other cheek.  Poor thing has been scratching the hell out of her cheeks.  By the time I put her in bed she'd made them so red.  I made sure her nails were clipped and tried to keep her moisturized and clean but it obviously still itches.

I took photos and started comparing them to every rash and skin condition I could find, and when I compared it to a photo of eczema it was like a lightbulb went off.  The good thing is that treatment for eczema is certainly not going to hurt her.  In fact, it's like being pampered, really - lots of super fun baths (her favorite) and frequently being slathered with good lotion.  So I'm going to treat the rash like it's eczema and see if it gets any better.  We'll see what happens between now and her appointment, though, and I'd like a real diagnosis from a real doctor.

FX, ladies, because my poor baby is too itchy!

Rachey1082

We're an eczema family. Liam's is the most strange looking, it has a ringworm like appearance. Mine, DH's, and Jack's are all patchy scaly skin.

Oatmeal baths and super good lotion work the best. Jack gets rubbed down with lotion every single diaper change. If you can, you should try and do a quick coat of lotion as often as possible. Plus, the fewer baths, the better.

GL! I hope for you all that it's just eczema and not allergies.

NativeFloridian

Rachey1082:

We're an eczema family. Liam's is the most strange looking, it has a ringworm like appearance. Mine, DH's, and Jack's are all patchy scaly skin. Oatmeal baths and super good lotion work the best. Jack gets rubbed down with lotion every single diaper change. If you can, you should try and do a quick coat of lotion as often as possible. Plus, the fewer baths, the better. GL! I hope for you all that it's just eczema and not allergies.

Yeah, I'm really hoping it's not allergies too.

I'm going to switch out her soap to something without a ton of weird ingredients that's more suited to sensitive skin, and I've got these oatmeal bath packet thingies.  She loves those because she gets to stay in the bath longer than usual (I'm normally a "let's make this bath quick" mama), so she'll be happy about that.  I've got a couple of samples of good lotions and I'll try them all out and buy whichever one seems to work best.  I'm kind of wishing I could rush the 20th because I want to know what the doctor says!

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha

I hope the baths and lotions will bring her some relief. Poor little itchy baby.

NativeFloridian

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha:

I hope the baths and lotions will bring her some relief. Poor little itchy baby.

 

ladybugpjb

That sounds miserable - hopefully she responds well to the treatment!

JaysonandKristin

Rachey1082:

We're an eczema family. Liam's is the most strange looking, it has a ringworm like appearance. Mine, DH's, and Jack's are all patchy scaly skin. Oatmeal baths and super good lotion work the best. Jack gets rubbed down with lotion every single diaper change. If you can, you should try and do a quick coat of lotion as often as possible. Plus, the fewer baths, the better. GL! I hope for you all that it's just eczema and not allergies.

But, allergies can cause eczema.  As with Otis.

The more baths the better for Otis because his allergies and eczema are cause by environmental factors.

In any event, the only thing that makes his skin actually feel like baby skin again is Cera Ve (cream in the tub) and then a layer of Vaseline petroleum jelly on top of that.  It's been AMAZING!!  I want to cry his skin looks so normal now!!

NativeFloridian

JaysonandKristin:

Rachey1082:

We're an eczema family. Liam's is the most strange looking, it has a ringworm like appearance. Mine, DH's, and Jack's are all patchy scaly skin. Oatmeal baths and super good lotion work the best. Jack gets rubbed down with lotion every single diaper change. If you can, you should try and do a quick coat of lotion as often as possible. Plus, the fewer baths, the better. GL! I hope for you all that it's just eczema and not allergies.

But, allergies can cause eczema.  As with Otis.

The more baths the better for Otis because his allergies and eczema are cause by environmental factors.

In any event, the only thing that makes his skin actually feel like baby skin again is Cera Ve (cream in the tub) and then a layer of Vaseline petroleum jelly on top of that.  It's been AMAZING!!  I want to cry his skin looks so normal now!!

I just found a thing of Vaseline, so I'm pretty stoked.  I'll have to look into Cera Ve too.  I'm going to seriously try everything and just see if any of it works.

NativeFloridian

Crash Into Me:

Another eczema/allergy case over here.  DD's pedi says plain white Dove bar soap and plain old Vaseline for lotion. We also have hydrocortisone ointment that seriously zaps spots in no time.

I honestly don't know what's causing DD's eczema right now.  She is not exposed to her allergy foods at all-especially since she's done nursing.  She gets a bath every other night. IDK. I'm kind of lost.

Is your hydrocortisone ointment a script or is it OTC?  I'm thinking that if nothing else is working after two-ish weeks or so, I'll start pulling out the big guns like hydrocortisone.

Duckieer

One of the ladies from my IRL moms group's daughter had horrible eczema as a toddler and they found out it was because she was allergic to tree nuts. She avoids them now, her daughter is 6, and doesn't have any eczema issues to date. Just a thought.

chiogirl02

Chase just developed some on his face. Right on his chin. Chase's doesn't seem to itch him but they did have us get some cream for it. So far it's not working though.