Suggestions for baby eczema

[BellyBelly]

Alot of these products still have chemicals in them. Even the Lucas Paw Paw cream and sorboloene is petrochemical and thats just the tip of the iceberg. You really need to read the labels when you buy products because some wont help or make it worse. Its easy to tell, if you can't pronounce the name or need a science degree to know what it is, then it's probably a chemical. You have to know what you are looking for to avoid products with preservative and additives, even some which say natural or organic are not so.

Calendula is great for healing, aloe is soothing... but again you need to find products that aren't commercial cook-ups and the real thing. I never use body wash, soaps or anything on the kids unless they are filthy - you only need water to wash any body, little or big. If I use handsoap my hands go feral, red and raw. They actually started cracking and bleeding for the first time in ages after moving house.

[JellyBean]

Eczema is merely a symptom of 'sign' of an internal imbalance, and as such needs to be treated at its core to eradicate it entirely. Its important to understand that the eczema is not the problem - it is the side effect of the problem, therefore if you continue to only address the side effect with topical creams etc - the problem will keep returning. Cheifly this imbalance begins in the digestive tract and is often due to exposure to drugs such as antibiotics, which kill off friendly and probiotic bacteria - which are essential for assimilation and absorption of nutrients, defence against pathogens and basic immunity. Without adequate probiotic stores (generally passed on through breastmilk) your bub may find it difficult to digest foods such as dairy, and eczema is a common side effect of that.

Here's what you need to do - go to a health shop and request an infant probiotic powder - such as Biocueticals BabyBiotic 0+ years. Start adding it to her formula day and night. Deficiencies in EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids - Omega 3,6 & 9) are also common in eczema sufferers. If your child is not yet on solids this can be a bit trickier to supplement with, but as soon as you are able - expose your child to foods rich in these healthy fats - ie, avocado, flaxseed (linseed) oil and extra virgin olive oil. Various types of nuts (almond spread is good) and fish are also rich sources of EFAs but you wont be introducing them until later.
You can also apply flaxseed oil topically to inflamed skin, but make sure its organic.

You will also want to eliminate exposure to any chemicals in cleaning or personal care products to reduce inflamation. Check out the MiEssence range - its certified organic so you can be assured of its safety. If a product is labelled as organic but does not have certification from a registered certified authorative body such as the ACO or NASAA its pretty much meaningless. We call this 'greenwashing' - and there is no regulation of this in Australia. Ie - any brand can claim 'organic' and legally its fine - except they cannot claim to be certified organic unless they receive authorative certification, which is strictly regulated.

Hope this helps!!

XX

[rustygirl]

I agree with both BellyBelly and JellyBean. The problem is internal. High five for bringing that up!!! Totally slipped my mind. Sometimes you need to get on top of the problem ie creams and things to stop the immediate suffering and then you can address the internal problem. The Paw Paw ointment I used didn't have petrochemicals. It's called Pure Nutraceuticals. It has calendular in it. Google it. It's fantastic, smells gorgeous too. Pure Organic Coconut oil you can apply topically and also you can take in internally. Use it for cooking (it's the only oil that isn't altered by heat), as butter or in smoothies, the list goes on. Google that as well, you will be amazed at the testimonies.

[belfie]

well I'm gonna bypass the whole internal/petrochemical debate.

Firstly - I'm wondering why you got told to only use the dermaid for 2 days? I know from advice we were given that leaving the skin untreated can be just as damaging (if not more so than the damage done to the skin by over-treating with a medicated cream). Also, gp/paediatrican said most parents err on the side of being too sparing and the eczema drags on. If you're going to use the cream, use it properly and fix it.

I agree with what others said about trial & error & yes, moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. We also used dermeze, and on a trip away decided to make do with dermaveen. Within days his skin was flaking massively and he was being moisturised TWICE per "up" in a day (my DS was 4m.o. at the time).

Some other advice I got from the RCH allergy dept - was actually to bath MORE! Once you've bathed, moisturise straight away while the skin is warm/moist feeling (not actually wet tho), it will actually help trap the moisture in the skin. They actually told us to bath him daily and to my surprise it didn't make him heaps worse - again, trial & error with this tho. We only used QV oil in the bath (have now graduated to QV wash). Dermeze was great for for afterwards. So given the chin/neck area gets cleaned frequently, but probably not moisturized as frequently, I'd try to moisturise everytime the skin has been cleaned. I also tried moo goo and we used elocon & other medicated creams. I did a "trial" of the moo goo (one side of the body got it) and the other side got medicated cream + moisturiser. I found the moo goo worked, but took longer. In the end I went back to the medicated (partly due to cost and also due to speed of results). If you've got a few different creams, trial them to see what works better for your bub (I just had to stick a note up above the change table to remind me which was for the right and which for the left!!).

And sending you good vibes that you sort out what works for you and bub grows out of it. I remember days of moisturising 4-8 times a day. Now I don't even have to do it every day (he's 18 m.o.) and his skin is fab. GL!!!

[stillhoping]

wow, thanks for all the responses. To tell you the truth I am a bit overwhelmed by all the info. I went back to the chemist after no change with Dermaveen and the pharmacist came out to look at her and said I needed to use stigmacort to get it under control as no amount of moisturising will work until it is under control. He also said 2 days on and 2 days off of using it like Dermaid. What I didn't know when using Dermaid was that I was meant to moisturise over the top of it. So now we put Dermaveen over the top and the poor little thing is like an oil slick! Anyway her face is a little better, but not her neck. I moisturise before every sleep so about 4 times a day. She is only bathed every second day still and we now add Dermaveen oil to the water (Pharmacist said all oils are much the same) and this one has the oatmeal in it. I think I am keeping the local chemist in business

I have thought about the formula being the problem, but have also been told not to change formulas often as her gut has to get used to another one. Think I might ask about this though.

Think I mentioned before that I tried natural products with my son and it made it worse. I was trying Gaia with DD but no improvement. Luckily it isn't bothering her and she doesn't itch (not sure she would know how to at 3 months )

Like you have all said - trial and error and lots of $$$$ I think to find what works. I have it on my hands all the time due to being in water most of the day.

Thanks everyone and I do agree it needs to be treated from within so will look into those powders.

something works for her.