Eczema Advice Please

[Anonymous]

I have a toddler who has struggled with eczema since he was 6 months. It's mostly on his cheeks at this point and the flares were getting really bad (like impetigo). We have been to an allergist and he isn't allergic to any of the common things they test for, although we'd already removed gluten and dairy from his diet. We got the standard steroid cream and are to go back in a few weeks (our appointment was a few weeks ago). So it has mostly cleared up but if I don't use the steroid cream multiple times a day it starts acting up again. My question is, has anyone successfully determined what caused it for their little one? I really don't want steroid cream as a daily ritual and something is clearly irritating him. I'm overwhelmed as to where to begin eliminating factors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a toddler who has struggled with eczema since he was 6 months. It's mostly on his cheeks at this point and the flares were getting really bad (like impetigo). We have been to an allergist and he isn't allergic to any of the common things they test for, although we'd already removed gluten and dairy from his diet. We got the standard steroid cream and are to go back in a few weeks (our appointment was a few weeks ago). So it has mostly cleared up but if I don't use the steroid cream multiple times a day it starts acting up again. My question is, has anyone successfully determined what caused it for their little one? I really don't want steroid cream as a daily ritual and something is clearly irritating him. I'm overwhelmed as to where to begin eliminating factors.

Is he drooling? My son also has eczema but he doesn’t usually get it on his face. If that’s the main place I’d work with your doctor to figure out what is causing local irritation. My son tends to be most bothered on his knees and sides, and I thought those were more typical places. Maybe take a list of all products with you to the doctor and talk more. I thought you could only use the steroid cream for a couple weeks at a time so definitely check on an alternate solution

[Anonymous]

What about mixing the steroid with aquafor so it’s not as strong, but still moisturizing?

[Anonymous]

Avene Xeracalm. Many good avene products for this if by chance that one doesn’t work.

[Anonymous]

What type of steroid are you applying to his face? It it only on his face? What allergens were tested? We struggles for years with severe eczema topical steroid addiction/withdrawal and allergies.

[Anonymous]

We solved it by just going to a dermatologist. We didn't eliminate any food. True eczema can increase the chance of getting allergies, but it isn't caused by allergies. Our pediatrician had us trying so many different products and elimination diets from 6 months to 2 years old. It was always confusing and never matched up with her flareups.

We saw a real dermatologist who recommended 3 levels of care and it hasn't been an issue ever since. Basically, there's daily creams/meds and then there's a higher level you use for a few days if there's a flare up. If that doesn't work then there's an even stronger level that you use as a semi-last resort. The doctor also gave us lots of general tips that our pediatrician didn't know about. He also told us the blood allergy tests aren't always accurate.

[Anonymous]

One time a flareup was from a laundry detergent changing their formula even though it was "free and clear". We had to rewash everything and be super strict about our brands.

[Anonymous]

Having been here, I recommend switching to a completely Unprocessed/whole food diet for a while and see if there’s improvement. That helped both my kids enormously until 2.5 when they grew out of their allergies.

(Neither kid was positive via allergy test - it was all GI.)

Look into probiotics too.

Good luck, I agree that daily steroid cream is not an effective solution.

[Anonymous]

Mine had bad food allergies it turned out. Cerave cream (not the lotion, the stuff in the pot) helped a lot. What helped most was a surprise…we were on vacation and played in a swimming pool and it cleared up almost complete within a day. My Ped had recommended bleach baths as an old fashioned remedy and this was similar with the chlorine. Worth a try.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP to see a dermatologist if you haven’t already.

We’ve had lots of luck with routine Cera ve cream ( in the pot as another PP said) and triamcinalone for flares, though at one point we did have a stronger prescription.

We also found out that DD was having a reaction to aquafor - it made her eczema much much worse. Apparently that’s not common, but something to be aware of.

[Anonymous]

mine ended up with food allergies. was a game changer. go to an allergist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What type of steroid are you applying to his face? It it only on his face? What allergens were tested? We struggles for years with severe eczema topical steroid addiction/withdrawal and allergies.

Yikes, I'm so sorry! I've actually only been using 1% otc steroid cream as a start, but was prescribed 2.5%. Only on the cheeks. It does clear it up, but he flares again when I stop. He was tested for the major allergens plus oats.

[Anonymous]

DC had luck with mustela eczema balm as a baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:mine ended up with food allergies. was a game changer. go to an allergist

Washington the allergy to something unusual? We've done the standard food panel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:mine ended up with food allergies. was a game changer. go to an allergist

Washington the allergy to something unusual? We've done the standard food panel.

her eczema started around 6 weeks and got worse - there was a cream that cleared it but it kept coming back. When she started solids at 5 months it flared really badly.
ended up having dairy, egg and peanut allergies. We've cut those out and her skin has completely cleared.