9 Year Old with Eczema

My daughter had a bad rash on her hands - borderline eczema - which her cousin has. Her pedi said "Let's not call it eczema just yet" and suggested we use only Eucerin "original" (not the non-greasy) lotion - he says ALL other lotions have some form of alcohol in them - thus the stinging. Also said to use only Dove soap. It has worked well. However, I don't know a lot about eczema but it seems the back of the legs is an odd place to get it - you may want to consult with the pedi - perhaps it is something else - an allergic reaction? Could she have worn pants with an irritant in them (detergent) or maybe got into poison ivy or something? (By the way, the CVS brand of Eucirin works just as well as the original Eucirin and a lot cheaper)

J.,

My doctor recommended Hydrolatum. It says it's for Eczema and other dry skin conditions. I had to ask the pharmacist at CVS for it. Not to expensive for the 16 oz jar. It says it's Hypoallergenic, alcohol free, frangrance free, gluten free, steroid free and peanut free.

L. M

Maybe these are things you already do, but:

Less frequent baths with lukewarm water.
Dove soap for sensitive skin.

I just battled eczema myself. First of all, you need to figure out what the allergic trigger is, because she is reacting to something in the diet. There is usually a flare up 1 - 6 hours after consuming the offending food. The best thing I found for topical treatment was coconut oil. I finally beat it into submission by taking mega doses of vitamin B complex. The B's are water soluble, so you can't overdose. My blend was 1000 - 5000% of the RDA. I passed this info on to a friend battling it, and hers has almost cleared up after a week as well.

Hi, My 8 year old son also has severe eczema. He had it when he was a baby and it was never bad again until this part year!? The only thing that has ever really worked is the prescription Triamcinolone Acetonide Ointment (maybe this is a steriod?) But it is great! We have tried the hydrolated petrolatum (whipped petroleum jelly type stuff) and that did pretty good but nothing really clears it up except the ointment I mentioned. We also read the bleach in the bath water article and did it once so don't really know if it works. p.s. my son also has the back of his knee really bad and it got infected it was really gross and scabbing so that is why we went back to the ointment.

My son gets winter eczema and the only thing not prescription that works is Aveno cooling lotion, its a body lotion with a mentholly smell that cools and is thick so it hydrates the patches.

Good luck.

My son had a rash on the back of his legs during the school year. We figured out it was an allergic reaction to the bolts in the classroom chairs. I put bandaids over the metal bolts, and of course, when it got cold and he started wearing pants, it stopped, too.

Definitely take him to the dermatologist. Is this the first time he's had this? I could definitely be a food allergy if it's a new thing.
Both my kids have eczema. And both cases are very different. Everything I put on my daughter "hurts" her. Just yesterday the doctors recommended only using a liquid soap vs. a bar soap because it won't leave a residue also, we've switched to the chemical and dye-free laundry detergents (I only use on the kids clothes because it's expensive). Also started using the Arbonne baby lotion, hair/body wash and oil on them. It's botanically based and very soothing on their skin. It's great! I have to admit a couple drops of the oil in the tub seems to work the best on my very difficult daughter. But we've just gotten away from chemicals all together for things that touch the kids skin. They are very sensitive. If you want to try a sample of the Arbonne stuff I'd be happy to send one.
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Good Luck!
Good luck!

Good Morning!

We have had eczema issues and have tried many lotions, oils, etc. The only thing that has worked for us has been a lotion called Renew. I get it on-line.

Jenn

I'm 33 & have had ezcema for as long as I can remember. I have 2 little ones now & do not like using the steroid creams any longer. I found a brand called Waleda. It has calendula in it. Have been using it for about a month now & have seen a great improvement. No stinging or burning either. Sometimes my ezcema is so bad on my hands that I would scratch until they bled. This has made them heal & calmed down the itching. Hope this helps.

I was able to clear my sons eczema with hydrolated petrolatum. You buy it in a big tub at the pharmacy counter, it is OTC but they keep it there. It is non steroidal, and ionized with water which makes it different from vaseline. You apply it while in the bath, daily, until it clears up. It is important to apply it while the skin is wet, it traps the skins moisture inside the layer of cream, but repels moisture like sweat, which aggravates eczema.I was of the school of thought that fewer baths was better since the water seemed to make it worse. An allergist rec'd this to me 13 years ago and it works!HP has no medicine, perfumes, dyes or chemicals.
also, try plain dove soap or aveeno anti itch baby wash.

My daughter (age 6) has eczema and it seems to be exaserbated by allergies (dairy, pollen, etc). We've had really good luck with an oil called RoBathol. I bought it at the advice of a dermatologist (found it online at Amazon). She bathes every other day with a capful of it in the tub. (It does make hair greasy so wash before you add it or use fresh water for hair washing.) Initially we did the baths every day and the rash cleared up within a week or so. Now we do the tubs every other day to maintain.

Try taking her to a dermatologist because pediatricians usually just say ... it's eczema. My son had ring worm on his bum from visiting a petting zoo and it took a month of using "jock itch" cream to get rid of it. The doctor took one look at it (it was almost gone) and said, that's eczema, but I knew better because none of the eczema products were working.

My oldest son uses Renew Lotion. His eczema started when he was about 9-years old and our doctor asked me to discontinue using the laundry detergent we were using and suggested I use Borax for his clothing, bedding etc. That really helped, but once he was out on his own, his job requires lot of traveling, he started using Eucerin daily and had been for years. Now he uses Renew 2 to 3 times a week. The Canadians did a blind study and it was clinically proven 2 be 7X more effective and last longer than Eucerin. If he is on an assignment and forgets the lotion, he knows he is good for several days. He says, because it's not oily, his skin is softer and looks healthier; remembering back to his childhood days before eczema came into his life. With his experience, my youngest daughter uses it on her baby to prevent diaper rash.
I know someone suggested bleach in the bath water, but since learning about toxins, bleach is very toxic. Our skin is like a sponge and absorbs everything and putting bleach in the bath water could cause problems later in her life. If you have ever seen workers moving bleach, they are covered from head to toe with protective gear.
Good luck.

Consider seeing a dermatologist for some alternatives to cortisone creams. I have found small changes by avoiding milk products, but it was only temporary. If you have a chance to get in the ocean that does wonders. Good luck!

I used to get this. Make sure you use only detergent that is "free & clear" of perfumes. Do not use fabric softener. Do not let her use soaps on her skin (except on the soles of the feet and the hands. Water cleans just fine (doctor says all the soaps and body washes are a scam to make lots of money). Do not let her put lotions on her skin. No perfumes at all (make sure to be careful with shampoo too). Get rid of all these things and it should clear up very quickly. I suffered badly from rashes until I followed this advice from my dermatologist. Good luck!

Not really any great ideas.
I have one son, from the time he was two when spring came and he went outside he would get a raised , more or less flat rash that tormented him with itching.
I would put him in oatmeal water tub, baking soda tub...vinegar tub to try to alleviate this itching.
Worked for a bit.
Docs said he was allergic to something outside and they could not determine what it could be.
Now, at 47 years old he was told he has an allergic excema.
He washes only with either Dove bath stuff, or pine tar soap. He does use a cream, but he finds that a beeswax cream works about as good as the store steroid stuff.
When he has a severe attack he takes an antihistimine.
Woth a try, yes?
Best wishes and God bless
Grandmother Lowell

Hi Joan,
My son (1 year old) have been battling with eczema since 6 weeks of age, we tried a lot of moisturizers out there and currently I found unrefined pure shea butter to work the best. Good luck, hope it won't stink her.
M.

I have eczema that only came on when I was a freshman in college. It was the high levels of chlorine in the water that irritated my skin and caused my first outbreak. It was on my shin, which I still get a patch there every year. I also have a small patch on my hand that has been extremely inflammed in the past. First thing they recommend is to avoid anything harsh. Try to use perfume, dye free products for laundry and skin. My pedi told me that Eucerine was good for my daughter who also suffers from eczema. My grandfather used the udder cream that comes in the green tin (its like a petroleum jelly). To me the steroid creams work the best to calm it down, but you also need to practice regular care of the skin to prevent flair ups. They also suggest that eczema is related to allergies so avoiding certain foods may help, but it depends on the person as to which foods to avoid. Always keep the skin hydrated with lotions and avoid prolonged exposure to water like baths.

this time of the year are you positive that its eczema my kids get it and never complain that it stings usually itch but not sting. You might want to take her to the doctor for a correct diagnosis. My kids get a few days of hydrocortisone cream on their skin when their eczema flares up but it usually clears in a day or 2 when we use it its available over the counter.

Hi Joan
Have you tried Vanicream? It is an over the counter lotion but you'll have to request it from the pharmacist. You can also order online. My nephew had eczema and it was the only thing that worked for him. In addition to the lotion, he used the soap and shampoo and had really good results.
Good luck!

Hi J.,

I'm sorry to hear of your struggles. I know of others that have been in similar situations and they have found relief from a product called OPC-3. It's a super antioxident that helps with both eczema and allergies. I have access to a line of nutritional supplements that were designed specifically for children. The line is called "Might-a-Mins Spectrum" and OPC-3 is one of the varieties available. You can find more information on these products as well as a number of testimonials on my website. It's www.beckyzinn.com. Feel free to email me if you'd like to discuss this further. I wish you the best in finding a solution for your daughter.

My friend's daughter who has eczema was told to avoid sugar, it tends to aggravate the condition.

My daughter had a horrible case of eczema at one point and we used Aquaphor, which you can buy in any CVS or other drug store. It's over the counter and does not sting or irritate in any way. It cleared it up fast and I'm never without it in the house.

One of my cousins has eczema and swears by the eucerin cream lotions. When she's home, she uses the one that comes in a tub but keeps some of the tube lotion in her purse when she is out. Both were very helpful to me when my hands got really dry and cracked while I was working day care (washing hands 50+ times a day and having to wear gloves a lot). I know from buying them, it can be exensive to buy them but the best prices I found were at walmart (if I remember correctly, it cost me $8-$12 for the tub and about $5 for the tube).

Eczema can sometimes be due to food allergies. My 2 year old daughter gets it if she has dairy and we're still trying to figure out about wheat. I've heard of other kids with the same reaction to dairy. You could try to limit her dairy or take it away completely for a couple weeks and see what happens. With the products available these days (rice/soy milk, veggie cheese, etc), it's actually pretty easy to live dairy-free.
I used to also have awful eczema on my hands. I went to an allergist and she asked me what types of things my hands normally touched and when it started. We dtermined it was probably a reaction to my trumpet. I had started playing the trumpet in 8th grade and that's the time the eczema started and got worse when I got into high school because of the extra band practices. I don't know if there's anything that could possibly cause it on the back of the legs by contact, but I just thought I'd mention it.

My 7 year old has had ezcema forever and we use Eucerin (the thick goopy one in the tup not the lessy goopy one in the pump) and it really helps. We use the hydrocortisone sparingly and save it for when he gets really bad in the winter by the cold. Sometimes, eczema can be related to allergies--food, enviromental ---I don't know if you already but try a tragrance free/dye0free laundry detergent and don't use fabric softners. I t really helped my little guy, who was allergic to oatmeal(which we also elimated along the Aveeno- and saw some improvement)-- Good luck

I do not blame you with steroid cream, I have found an awesome lotion.cream for eczema, also swithing laundry detergent and bath products help a lot!! I use Renew Lotion which is 7x more moisturizing than eucerin and no CHEMICALS which irritate their skin. contact me for more info on where to purchase these! i do not check back here often so shoot me an email!

M.
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I don't blame you for not wanting to use steroid creams! They are only treating the symptom of the problem anyway, and they can cause problems. I'm not sure about the suggestions to add bleach to bathwater! It's so hazardous and it's so bad for the environment (groundwater) that most sources are telling us not to use these pollutants at all. I have many friends who have gotten great relief by using a nutritional supplement to balance the body from inside so the eczema never appears to begin with. My friend had bleeding rough hands for 40 years and now has nothing, and her child no longer gets eczema either. It's safe, patented, and it gives them so much nutrition too! I'd be happy to have you talk directly to them to hear their results.

I just saw a recent study that said adding a tiny amount of bleach to their regular bath greatly reduce the symptoms of eczema. I don't have a reference but perhaps you could google it and find something. Good luck!

Hi Joan,
I am a rep with Arbonne International and we have a great line that can maybe bring your daughter some relief. I have recommended these products to people (family included) that have had great results with eczema and psoriasis. Our products are 100% Vegan and are pediatrician and dermatologist tested. I would be happy to send you a free sample to try if you like. I can be reached at 1-###-###-####.

I have been using our Baby line on my son since he was 3 and he is now 6 1/2.

Regards,
C.

My daughter had a little patch on her arm and I used Aquaphor (from Eucerin) and it clear within a few days.