Eczema

[Trielelvan]

Ok, I am at my wit's end.
I am so fucking tired.
I have gotten a grand total of around 10 hours of severely broken sleep this past week, and unless I find something that works, the near future isn't looking any better in the slumber domain.

My 5 month old is covered in eczema. His head is the main focus - all over his cheeks, forehead, ears, scalp, neck, and his chin. He also has it all over his elbows, forearms, a few big patches on his back, shoulders, and upper arms, and on his calves. Needless to say, he is itchy all over, and is not sleeping very well himself. Poor baby >< I have to keep his hands covered in socks to prevent him from scratching his face apart. Those little tiny nails are like razorblades. He sleeps for a period of about 3 hours, and then it's up every hour afterwards. Toss in the fact that my adrenaline has kicked in hardcore after so long with hardly any sleep, and as a result, I can not FALL asleep for nearly an hour after I lay down every day now... needless to say, this is getting rather old, and it is breaking my heart to see him so uncomfortable.

Because of his age, the pediatrician will not prescribe anything other than 1/2% hydrocortisone ointment (which I abhore using on him) and an antibacterial cream for infections. I have tried various home remedies, including tea tinctures, tea tree oil, oatmeal baths, and a few other things I know to be safe on infants, and nothing seems to be working to clear it up for long.

So comes the torture >< ...
I am told that it is very possible that it might be a food allergy causing the severity of the breakouts. As he is breastfed, and I have removed all solid food from his diet, it has been recommended that I go back to stage 1 type foods myself, and slowly reintroduce foods into my diet to see what changes, if any, develop in his skin condition. I have to admit that I have watched very carefully for any signs of a pattern, and I have indeed discerned a few foods which appear to be problematic, so I have removed them from my diet as well, but this is a rather drastic change in diet which I'm not looking forward to.
Each introduction requires approximately a week to a week and a half to really see results, so it's very limiting.

It's not that I am not willing. I'm perfectly willing to do this.
*sigh*
IT DOESN'T CHANGE THAT IT WILL SUCK.
I'm not exactly thrilled about the idea of eating basically nothing but sweet potatoes and prenatal vitamins for a couple weeks (did I mention, I loathe sweet potatoes?).

So...
Have any of you actually had to do anything like this, and did it work at all? Can anyone recommend anything else I might not have tried yet?

I am still researching alternate remedies, but at this point, I am willing to just bite the bullet and give it a shot. The change in my diet can not possibly be worse for him than the hydrocortisone ointment.

[Martrae]

Have you tried asking your pharmacist?

[Trielelvan]

Yes - actually, that was who we originally asked before bringing it up to the doctor.
The only thing, according to the 3 we asked, that they are allowed to recommend, due to his age, is the hydrocortisone ointment/cream.
That's it.
They advised me that I should seek counsel with our pediatrician.

(edit: I just realized you probably meant regarding the diet approach)

- no, have not asked the pharmacist about that.
Reason being, it was our pediatrician who advised me to simplify my diet with a few restrictions to see if any of the normal key foods were the culprit (aka: peanuts/peanut butter, cow's milk dairy products, wheat products, etc).

[Jay]

No clue but I'm sorry to hear about what's going on with your son. Good luck.

[Martrae]

Cut out chocolate as well.

I'd seriously consider taking him to a dermatologist. It may be psoriasis instead of eczema since they look so similar and really only a derm could tell for sure. They'd also be able to give you more pointers on things you could do that would help.

[The Kizzy]

I know you hate the cream, but have you tried using it ONLY right before he goes to bed? Seems to me that would give him the most cofort and you can both sleep then.

The only other thing I can think of is to give him an oatmeal bath right before bed. I know you said you have tried it, but RIGHT before bed? That might help him sleep. Also maybe find an anthistamine that he can take, again, right before he goes to bed so that the itchy doesnt bother him.

Good Luck!!

[Markarado]

I've had this for several years now. It comes and goes, but if I leave it untreated it only gets worse. For me, it will not go away on it's own. I've tried many many many different types of creams. The one that I find works the best is called betnovate. I buy it here, and I would imagine you can buy it in the U.S. It takes away the itching almost immediately, and the results over night are quite astonishing. I put it on right when I wake up, after my after gym shower, and before I go to bed until the shit goes away.

Oh, by the way... just thought of this... but a really bad sunburn ALWAYS makes it go away for me. Not the best option obviously, but I thought I'd throw it out anyways.

[Trielelvan]

Thank you for the suggestions .

Sadly, chocolate was one of the first things I cut out *cry*
A dermatologist is in the works just as soon as the pediatrician gives the go-ahead (damned insurance companies...), which won't be until his next appointment, and I get his information transfered over.

He gets an oatmeal bath (it's so much more effective and much gentler on the lesions than plain water or babybath) every day before bed, and I treat his rashes 3 times a day - once after waking, again during midday, and again right before bed after his bath. Unfortunately, the relief only lasts 3-4 hours.

Thank you Mark, but it's my infant that needs relief, not me.
I'm not about to take a 5 month old out to get sunburnt lol
Unfortunately, Betnovate (brand name for betamethasone valerate) is too strong to give to a baby (as is just about everything except hydrocortisone 0.5%).

I talked to a few nurses, a few other doctors, checked a few sites, and I have some additional leads on what can help: completely removing all dust from the bedroom, washing all the clothes and bedding in scalding hot water with Ivory Snow, double rinsing, and no fabric softener (don't use for baby stuff anyway), and the list goes on. There is a strong consensus among the medical community that household allergens are a key trigger in infant eczema, and that the symptoms should improve once the conditions are rectified.

Nevermind me. I like hearing myself type... or something.

Man, I would kill for a cup of coffee right about now ><

[Martrae]

Have you tried plain old baby oil as well?

[Tikker]

Yes - actually, that was who we originally asked before bringing it up to the doctor.
The only thing, according to the 3 we asked, that they are allowed to recommend, due to his age, is the hydrocortisone ointment/cream.
That's it.
They advised me that I should seek counsel with our pediatrician.

(edit: I just realized you probably meant regarding the diet approach)

- no, have not asked the pharmacist about that.
Reason being, it was our pediatrician who advised me to simplify my diet with a few restrictions to see if any of the normal key foods were the culprit (aka: peanuts/peanut butter, cow's milk dairy products, wheat products, etc).

coal tar cream


find out about this miracle~

[The Kizzy]

I dont think the oil is good for the eczema. I remember reading about that somewhere. It doesn't let the skin patches breathe and heal, it leaves them open, therefore making it worse. I think.

[Martrae]

I only suggested it because one of the moms on my homeschool group mentioned they used it on her son at docs suggestion but when it didn't clear up they put him on the steroid cream.

[The Kizzy]

I could be wrong, I read it years ago.

[Martrae]

You could also be right and she's got a quack for a doc.

[Gaazy]

sounds shitty, sorry to hear about your son and hope you get it worked out =/ Unfortunatly I dont know anything about kids or that kind of stuff to help

[Markarado]

I really do hope your son gets better. I know how much of a pain in the ass eczema is. I fucking hate it. On a baby it would be so much worse.

I don't have any other suggestions, unfortunately. Sorry I can't be of more help =\

[Trielelvan]

coal tar cream


find out about this miracle~

My mother has full body psoriasis - I am very familiar with coal tar cream, gels, ointments, etc; It works wonders for her, but I am very leary about using it on a baby as there is quite a bit of info regarding complications with use on infants. I will ask about it when I call later and see what their take on it is.

Mart, baby oil causes severe irritation and makes the lesions seep in addition to what Kizzy said. Was a good call though, and got me looking at something in a different direction - rich emollient creams replenish the skin's barrier and help to keep out irritants, hence preventing flare-ups to begin with... so they say.
The trick is getting one that isn't full of junk that will irritate his skin at the same time. Eucerin makes several products that I can use on my son (according to their info), so I am going to call a dermatologist this morning to verify this (and try to get as many questions answered as I can). If so, I am going to start a regimen using this cream.
I've decided that I'm going to restrict my diet as well, though not to the point of the radical progressive method I was advised of - not yet, at least - but I am going to eliminate a number of things.
Good thing I like soy milk and tofu. Soy appears to have no effect one way or the other.

Thank you all for the well wishes and for the suggestions. I really appreciate it.

[Tikker]

eh

we used coal tar on our son when he was about a month old

he's just fine now, and his skin is great (no more eczema)

[Phlegm]

eh

we used coal tar on our son when he was about a month old

he's just fine now, and his skin is great (no more eczema)

His mutations may not have surface yet.

[Trielelvan]

<3 Phlegm

[Darcler]

I use Cetaphil to wash with followed by Eucerine cream lotion as soon as I get out of the tub and am still damp.

I do know that Cetaphil is safe for babies, just check with the Eucerine, though I dont see why that should be a problem. Better safe than sorry though.

[Gargamellow]

the best thing to do is to look up people with this skin disorder on the internet and see what they have to say...this skin condition is permanent and my sister in law beat it only after she was about 25 years old..she still gets it sometimes, but it is dormant for the most part...

i would ask her for you, but she divorced my brother and ran as far away as she could and nobody but him can contact her anymore...and that's only for the kids

[Tikker]

people need to quit bumping old dead threads

[Gargamellow]

I bumped this thread to give advice to my friend..seems like a reasonable bump to me..if you know the thread is old, then don't click it!

[Trielelvan]

people need to quit bumping old dead threads

+1



anyway...

<3
Thank you Sandi
Suffice to say I've been doing my homework, and slowly, but surely, we are making progress. I'm hoping he will grow out of it soon like his brother did.