Eczema

[TJACK]

My oldest dd has terrible eczema but I've been managing to keep it under control until this week.  She had a big outbreak on Sunday and we've been fighting with it ever since.  Trees seem to be the trigger for her condition.  I use pure coconut oil on her skin to keep it moisturized.  Any other suggestions we may try?  I've tried oatmeal baths and salves.

ETA:  I just remembered that we ran out of probiotics a few weeks ago.  I wonder if this break-out is because of that.  I'm supporting her immune system with echinacea but maybe she needs the probiotics too.  Any other ideas?

[SarahJewel]

Emu oil is supposed to be great for eczema.

[emsplace]

My son has it badly. Always has.
Plus, he has ultra sensitive skin. He has to stay in 100% cotton clothing, including jackets. or he breaks out in hives.
We have a few things that work when the excema gets crazy.
We switched from probiotic to Danactive Yogurt drinks. He loves them.
Our allergist gave us the best stuff... but different things help at different times. I'd get professional help if I were you.
I've heard everything from folks, most don't work 100%
GOOD LUCK!

[TJACK]

My son has it badly. Always has.
Plus, he has ultra sensitive skin. He has to stay in 100% cotton clothing, including jackets. or he breaks out in hives.
We have a few things that work when the excema gets crazy.
We switched from probiotic to Danactive Yogurt drinks. He loves them.
Our allergist gave us the best stuff... but different things help at different times. I'd get professional help if I were you.
I've heard everything from folks, most don't work 100%
GOOD LUCK!

I thought I had it under control but she recently got an outbreak when our temps spiked and the tree spore count soared.  She's allergic to certain trees and that's the cause of her outbreak.  I'm finding that certain things work at different times.  Sometimes coconut oil wipes it out but this time she doesn't seem to be responding to it.  I've tried Neem oil but that only works some of the time too.  I can try the emu oil.  That's the thing, different things work on different people and you don't know if a remedy is going to work until you try it.  That can get expensive.  We kept experimenting with my daughter's naturopath but each visit + the supplements became too pricey and we weren't getting any results.

[emsplace]

Not that your doctor is not advising you correctly, but there is a difference between excema and dermatitis... or rash caused by an allergy.
Excema is way different in our house than when he has an allergic reaction, so my advise, not knowing the situation is be sure they are advising you correctly.
emily

[TJACK]

It was explained to me that my daughter's eczema is her immune system's reaction to being exposed to something that she's allergic to.  In her case, I believe it is tree spores.  I hope I wasn't given the wrong diagnosis.  I'll ask next time I take her in.  Thanks for the nfo.

[Linda]

That's interesting...I've never had it explained, but my daughter (15) gets it when she sweats and when we use Tide (which obviously we don't anymore)...she didn't develop it until about 4 years ago, and it's not horrible, but on legs and arms.  Any athletics, or going to the beach and she will break out.  I've never heard of the allergy thing, but I've not researched it much.  I am going to try the natural oils you've mentioned...

[emsplace]

Maybe I got it wrong... it's been a while since the diagnosis.
four years, in fact. lol

Anyway... not all rashes are the same.
For instance, my child has excema that flares up on his wrists, inside of his knees and a few other places.
When he gets allergic dermatitis, it is only around his eyes for some reason.
BUT he does get hives if he wears anything but cotton, and hives are not excema, they are an allergic reaction.

But here is some info: http://www.elidel.com/info/diagnosing/skin_rash.jsp?usertrack.filter_applied=true&NovaId=1178761764239044783

And here is some from the CDC. I just took info from a few slides, but you can look at the whole thing here: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/training/aeworkshop/rash-decisions.pdf  But be warned, the beginning is horrid pictures. BLAH

Eczema = Dermatitis
• General (“wastebasket”) terms
– Non-specific red, scaly, itchy rash that may ooze or crust
– Does NOT discriminate between
• allergic contact dermatitis
• seborrheic dermatitis
• irritant dermatitis
• nummular dermatitis
• atopic dermatitis
• dozens of other forms of eczema or dermatitis
– Atopic dermatitis is often called “childhood eczema” and
it is the most common form of pediatric eczema.

Atopic dermatitis
• Specific term, describing a particular rash that
is red, scaly and very itchy.
• Remitting and relapsing course with predilection
for certain body sites
• No single objective marker, but disease is
characterized by cluster of clinical findings and
multiple immunologic abnormalities.
• Altered immunology may persist beyond
apparent resolution of rash -- the likely reason
for persistent vulnerability to vaccine side effects

and there is more on the CDC site. Apparently some people classify dermatitis as excema, but then there is atopic dermatitis which is the pediatric form and can be more serious... if I'm reading it right.

[Linda]

thank you!  great information!  my daughter's attacks are inside elbows and knee and sometimes neck...pretty typical places, but it always bothers her when she would sleep on sheets washed with Tide, which leads me to think it's a little bit of both.  Much better this year than past years...don't know why.  She rides horses and usually summer is miserable because she sweats all the time...

waiting for the next miracle cure that doesn't cause cancer!

[emsplace]

Try 100% cotton t-shirt sheets.
That is what my son sleeps on and we use Tide.
But maybe you should try washing her sheets/clothes in a natural detergent (keeping in mind natural items can cause allergies too)... or maybe even Dreft.
Her skin just may be THAT sensitive.
I feel your pain Mama... hugs,
em

[michellew]

My sons excema is entirely allergy related as well. He can be fine and outbreak free for aweeks and an allergen will trigger his flare up. It is awful.
I am following this thread to get some advice for natural remedies. He's been on every medication western medicine will allow for a 2 year old. I am ready to try something new.

It was explained to me that my daughter's eczema is her immune system's reaction to being exposed to something that she's allergic to.  In her case, I believe it is tree spores.  I hope I wasn't given the wrong diagnosis.  I'll ask next time I take her in.  Thanks for the nfo.

[TJACK]

It rained and now the dry patches have disappeared.  That was one of the biggest indicators that her eczema outbreaks were environmental and not dietary.  I only wash with gentle detergents like Seventh Generation or BioKleen.  She wears natural fabrics.  I moisturize her skin with pure cocoa butter or extra virgin coconut oil.  I believe a lot of the things that I do help reduce the number of outbreaks and shorten the duration.  But I haven't been able to escape them completely. 
Michellew, the first thing you should do is identify your son's triggers.  Is it dietary?  Environmental?  When I was trying to ID my daughter's allergens, I did an elimination diet.  We cut out gluten and citrus fruits for 2 weeks.  She still had outbreaks.  At the same time, I was recording the weather patterns.  That's how I discovered that her allergen was environmental.  I explored further and found that it was specifically tree-related.  I also suspect there is a grass element.  Anyway, I can't really control her exposure to those things so the best thing I can do is protect her skin by using gentle products to moisturize and clean it.
Other things that helped were cutting back on bathing.  Baths are so drying to the skin and can really irritate an existing condition.  She gets a bath 3 times a week and we only use gentle products that are paraben free.  Become a detective and pick up on the clues as to the source of your son's eczema then attack it from there.  I know how miserable it can be.

[Aimee]

My kids have this stuff bad.  Darn Utah Weather.

We use Goat's Milk products also eucrin and some prescription stuff (I totally spaced what its called).

[TJACK]

I find that supporting her immune system, working from the inside out, has worked wonders for us.  Since I've been addressing her condition this way and letting her body naturally control the breakouts, she hasn't had any problems.  Probiotics have been particularly helpful.  Amazing how the body can heal itself if given the chance.

[michellew]

I believe that my son's outbreaks are environmental as well. He has been tested for food and pet allergies, and I have done my own elimination diets as well.
I have been using the emu oil as someone suggested. It definitely restores moisture and lessens itching, but I don't think it has helped entirely with the appearance of patches.

I have not yet tried probiotics, but have been considering it.

It rained and now the dry patches have disappeared.  That was one of the biggest indicators that her eczema outbreaks were environmental and not dietary.  I only wash with gentle detergents like Seventh Generation or BioKleen.  She wears natural fabrics.  I moisturize her skin with pure cocoa butter or extra virgin coconut oil.  I believe a lot of the things that I do help reduce the number of outbreaks and shorten the duration.  But I haven't been able to escape them completely. 
Michellew, the first thing you should do is identify your son's triggers.  Is it dietary?  Environmental?  When I was trying to ID my daughter's allergens, I did an elimination diet.  We cut out gluten and citrus fruits for 2 weeks.  She still had outbreaks.  At the same time, I was recording the weather patterns.  That's how I discovered that her allergen was environmental.  I explored further and found that it was specifically tree-related.  I also suspect there is a grass element.  Anyway, I can't really control her exposure to those things so the best thing I can do is protect her skin by using gentle products to moisturize and clean it.
Other things that helped were cutting back on bathing.  Baths are so drying to the skin and can really irritate an existing condition.  She gets a bath 3 times a week and we only use gentle products that are paraben free.  Become a detective and pick up on the clues as to the source of your son's eczema then attack it from there.  I know how miserable it can be.