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Suggestions for child with eczema?

Posted , 5 users are following.

aveline
aveline

Hello!  My 7-year-old son has had eczema all of his life. He's had multiple food allergies and I think he has outgrown all at this point except nuts (peanuts/tree nuts).  But, his eczema persists. He's been diagnosed with Celiac and out went gluten but the eczema stayed behind. (GF for over a year)

I even kept a food diary and can't figure out a connection. Somehow, spring (pollen) seems to make it worse. It's never gone. His arms, legs, hands and feet have the worst of it - his torso gets it as well and it's best or non-existant on his face (although where his ear lobes meet his head there's some cracking that occurs).

We've had some success with bleach baths, prescription creams and a thick pot of cream/lotion called vanicream. Aquaphor made his breakouts worse as a baby/toddler - I haven't tried that or Vasoline in many years.  I'm wondering what else we can try. I know everyone is different and lots of what we've tried hasn't helped at all. But, I'll be we have suffering experts out there who find relief one way or another...and may not even be suffering any more!

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest aveline

    Posted

    Well if you read the patient article

    https://patient.info/doctor/atopic-dermatitis-and-eczema

    I am allergic myself but I only have had minor excema related to chemichals, but yes I can give you tips but like all this is a try and fail.

    - The main one even if your child seem to have grown up his allergy you should put him on a diet out of any known offender.

    - Yo should get him further allergy tests for inhalants, then you will know if the problem is polen or something else. I will explain that better later on.

    - Before that there are some first things to try:

    a) Change the soap to one soap bar for dermatitis surferers. Do not use any soap gel, many people are alergic to them

    b) Try for a while washing his bedding every week at 60º, if that works you should immediatly consider dust mites allergy.

    c) Try diprobase cream

    d) For the flare up try canesten hydrocorthisone or similars but this is not the best option in the long term.

    I do not thing is polen related, the same guideline I posted and my experience indicates that polen causes face symptopms like conjuntivitis, his symptoms are likely to be dust allergy but this is speculative unless you get an igE test to confirm it.

    Profesional help may be tried it first on the NHS, so you may ask to your GP to refer you to an allergic clinic 

    Be aware you must be ready to hear a no from your GP, if the case have no mercy just change it. It seems to be difficult to get that specific refer on the NHS. 

    • aveline
      aveline Guest

      Posted

      Hi, thank you for all of this, Dave!

      We have been to two allergists since he was little. He's been tested more than once for food and environmental allergies. Not allergic to dust/mites but yes to several pollens. He's on generic Singulair (Monteleukast) daily this time of year for spring allergies, and then in fall - if not all three seasons until everything freezes.  I wash his bedding, including stuffed animals in hot water & use the dryer, too - in sensitive detergent, never any fabric softeners or additives.

      We use gentle washes, not soap. The latest one we're trying is CLN and it's too soon to know if it's working, but I doubt it's worth the $25 (US) for the tiny amount...If it does work, I'd keep buying it, though - it's worth it for a "cure"!

      I'm going to look for a US equivalent to Diprobase - thank you!!

    • Guest
      Guest aveline

      Posted

      Sorry for the mix tis a UK web page but now the next step  is going back to your allergic specialist, very young is not done but at seven you may consider immunotherapy. It is even easier is he is allergic to polen because they can mix different polens in an injection, it is painfully low but at his age it should have long lasting effects. I am afraid in despite are coming to the markets new immunotherapy tablets from Europe (i.e. grasteck) having multiple polen allergies make allergic shots the best choice to try.

      In addition an allergy specialist will probably repeat tests because people with different sensitations tend to develop new ones.

      There is a lot of debate because there is just some evidence in favour for immunotherapy for treating excema but if you notice that the polen season make matters worse is pretty much the only choice to try.

      My doctor prescribed me monteleukas but I am only finishing the ones I have because I do not see much effectivity

    • aveline
      aveline Guest

      Posted

      I appreciate your help!  The doctor didn't prescribe a different medication yet, but may at the next appointment - I feel like it's helping both of my boys, but not enough. She wasn't going to repeat his tests because they were just done last year and she goes every 2 years...but I have a feeling she'll do more testing anyway.  I'm also looking into a good dermatologist.  I'm not crazy about the ones we use and they're not specialist for children...

      The diprobase isn't sold here like it is there but I've resisted petroleum jelly (vasoline) and aquphor since they used to make his skin worse.  However, I think I just might give it another go...

      Thanks again!

  • yollie074
    yollie074 aveline

    Posted

    gluten might not be his only allergy. I had a scio test a year ago and found that i am gluten, dairy, wheat and sugar intollerant...how much does that suck?? so perhaps with the eczema persisting you want to extract a bit more out of his diet.

    Also i have found a good remedy for eczema which i made for a neighbours child. Buy yourself a jar of hydro emulsion base ointment (bees wax) take an old coffee tin and put the ointment in the tin and heat slowly on the stove....add to this a rather large branch of fresh rosemary once you feel the heat and see that everything is melted.take it off the heat and keep stirring the rosemary pieces around and around till the ointment turns green. pour back into the original container and leave to harden. This really calms eczema and also stops the itch.

    You can even do rosemary baths. Your best bet is to plant a rosemary tree as you will need it alot.  I really hope you find this useful

    • aveline
      aveline yollie074

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your advice!  We did put him on an elimination diet with no change to his skin...I may take another go at it over the summer. I do like the natural idea of rosemary and beeswax. As my husband loves chicken and potatoes with rosemary, he'll like your suggestions, too!
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