Excezema help, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

israel22

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 2:58 pm

My almost 5 year old has gotten stricken with the worst case of excezma I have ever seen! I went to my pediatrican told me what creams and stuff and what medicine to give her, went to dermatoligist for second opnion we are more or less doing what they told us to do, now it got better sort of at least started to before it got worse again and its a nightmare for her for me for everyone!!!!!!!!!!! any ideas advice anything!!! starts towards evening and its te whole night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks all!

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 3:15 pm

israel22 wrote:

We're working on it here too.

1) Has she been checked to see if there is a bacterial infection hanging out on the eczema? My son is currently on antibiotics for this.

2) I just read that sealing moisture in after a bath has to be done within 2-3 minutes after patting the area dry. Use an ointment like vaseline, vanicream, aquaphor, or eucerin.

3) You can check into the possibility of allergies going on as well. Some things (environmental) there is little you can do about; other things you do have more control over.

4) There is also medication available to be taken orally to reduce the itchiness so that she won't scratch while you're trying to heal it.

bradybunch

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 3:28 pm

If it's truly eczema--warm bath every day, pat dry and immediately put on a cream that seals in moisture. This is the only thing that keeps my son's skin mostly clear. I also second the suggestion to have it looked at for a potential infection--the broken skin can get infected and then it's very difficult to clear up without antibiotics.

But I wonder what you mean when you say it starts in the evening and lasts all night. Is she developing hives or something like that? Does it change at night somehow? This doesn't sound like eczema.

An allergist might also be a good idea as well.

Chayalle

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 3:44 pm

Pineapple wrote:

Try taiking her off excema triggers (gluten, dairy, eggplant) or cut down on them I find that helps

Not all eczema is triggered by foods. My DD does not seem to be bothered by food, but try using anything on her skin that is not all natural, and she breaks out horribly.

She uses special shampoos and conditioners and soaps, even toothpaste (she can break out on her chin from drooling a bit of crest...) I only use Melaleuca or Shaklee detergents and softeners in the laundry. And with all our efforts, she will still break out every so often...

israel22

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 4:14 pm

the creams above posters mentioned we are in israel so I never heard of them, curretnly I am using somthing called aquosom and a cortizon cream, we give her medicine to make the itc less and it sort of helps and I put this oil at the end of her bath to help her skin.

at night the excecma I belive just starts itching worse maybe its not, but the drs we went to said it was...I am at my wits end since its not so simple to get an apoointment with an allergist without waiting a long time for apointments and I need something now! someone did tell me tonight about an alternivtive dr but not sure...

we tried takign off of milk I don't think its helping in the least bit
thanks everyone for ur input! keep it coming!

israel22

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 4:16 pm

e_plus3 wrote:

its interesting you say bath everyday my dr said bathe her as little as possible... IM SO CONFUSED!!!!

bradybunch

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 4:29 pm

israel22 wrote:

e_plus3 wrote:

its interesting you say bath everyday my dr said bathe her as little as possible... IM SO CONFUSED!!!!

I think this is a common misconception. Because if you bathed her often but didn't immediately put a cream on her skin, she would get much worse. However, bathing every day with the moisturizing cream right away allows her skin to retain more moisture and ought to help it get better.

ra_mom

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 4:41 pm

Pineapple wrote:

Try taiking her off excema triggers (gluten, dairy, eggplant) or cut down on them I find that helps

I agree. But I would try eliminating eggs and tomatoes along with the dairy and eggplant before going gluten free.

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 5:15 pm

Because tomatoes and eggplants are both nightshades...

Re: the bathing. As a kid, my doctor also told me to bathe less frequently, but the allergists told me that my son should bathe once or twice a day (!!) with the ointment put on immediately after. I think the medical advice has changed, not that it's a "misconception"...

MinnieMa

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 9:18 pm

My son had horrible eczema, used to scratch and bleed all night and be up all night. The reason it's worse at night- is probably because she is not busy, she is laying there and eczema, as my allergist said, is the itch that scratches(or visaversa). Meaning the more you scratch, the more you itch. Like everyone has been saying, the allergist said to bathe him and then right away put vasaline all over body and then cotton pajamas. Also, like previous poster said to put damp cotton pjs and then a dry one on top to lock in the moisture. You have to remember, the creams the doctors are giving you have cortizone/steriods- they are not safe to put on so often. You should use very little at a time. One doctor failed to tell my friend about the creams as being unsafe to use tons, and my friend shmeared it on like vasaline.
Is the eczema something new? She has never had it before? if so, can it be something new that you may be using in the house- like a new detergent, soap, shampoo....... or can it be she is having something new- some type of new food in school or at home, which is what she may be allergic too. My son had terrible allergies along with the eczema. Hang in there, I know how hard it can be. Hope this post helps a little.

shnitzel

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 10:03 pm

Taking a bath dries you out but putting cream on damp skin locks more moisture in than putting it on dry skin. So it is good moisturize right after a bath. Try changing your detergents. Stress can also be a huge eczema trigger.
The thicker the cream the more effective it will be so tubs are better than bottles. Minimize cortisone use. There are some new miracle creams out there but they are linked to cancer.

cbsmommy

Fri, Feb 17 2012, 12:44 am

Other thoughts:
1) Get it biopsied. I can't stress this enough. DH had HORRIBLE 'eczema'. It was psoriasis. Totally different animal with regards to certain aspects of treatment.

2) I second the 'secondary bacterial infection' posts. Open skin is an invitation for bacteria to set up camp.

3) Eczema tends to be an allergic response to something. It's not always clear-cut what that allergy is though. I found soy to be a big culprit. Get rid of soy, no more 'itchies'. My cousin has kids that couldn't tolerate corn without getting splotchy. Some kids are having dairy issues. Maybe gluten. Maybe it's nightshades. The problem is that while allergy testing is great, if it's not an IGE mediated response, it's not going to show up. Consider a food diary and a MILD elimination diet (knock out everything processed, dairy, gluten, eggs, and soy for two weeks. then add back eggs. See what happens. wait a week. Next add back another item, see what happens.)