Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Generally if all else fails, and in your case it seem you've tried
    everything, and it has!  Prednisone liquid is prescribed.  
    
    You seem to have tried cortisone cream, has it had any effect at all to
    the places you applied it?  That may give you an indication of if a
    steroid by mouth would have any effect.
    
    Does she have any intolerance to milk?  Sometimes a skin rash corelates
    to a milk intolerance, in some adults anyway.
    
    Good luck, a pedi dermitologist seems a good route to go.
    
    Lyn

    I also have bad excema.  A couple of the things that I have to stay away
    from when I get a bad outbreak is tomatoes and eggs.  Are these two
    things that are included in her diet?  If so, you may want to stop them
    for a while.
    
    Lori B.

My daughter had terrible eczema.  She was only about 6 months old, and
on breast milk only.  The doctor prescribed antihistamine and steroid
creme.  We also made sure everything she wore was 100% cotton, washed
only in Ivory Snow.  With all of that it was mostly under control.  Then
one day at the daycare center she touched some peanut butter and her
hand swelled alarmingly (enough so the director called me in panic and told
me to take her (my daughter) to a doctor immediately), and so we found out she
was allergic to peanut butter.  When I stopped eating peanuts, her eczema
cleared up.  We stopped all the drugs, which was a relief, and she hasn't
had any skin problems since.

So I believe that it really is an allergy, and if the cause can be found,
then you don't have to do all the drugs.

My Dad has exzema and he found a marked improvement by using a certain brand
of soap (Dial?).

We got hooked on using Neutragena bar soap (for babies) -- when we received
it as a shower gift in a baby tub (with towels, washcloths, etc. -- 
excellent shower gift idea!) ... and have never stopped using it, although
we have switched over to the CVS brand (which is a little cheaper) --
Juli's now 25 months of age.

Just a suggestion.
Dottie

    My son Evan, now 3, has had eczema since 6 months.  His eczema is
    caused by allergies (egg whites and dust mites).  At 6 months the 
    the eczema was just around the mouth and thumb (thumbsucker); at
    one year it migrated to his hands, now it's on his legs and feet 
    on occasion its on his hands. 
    
    Because the eczema is mostly on his feet, we have 100% cotton socks,
    canvas sneakers (no leather) and non-footed pajamas. 
    
    We've had several visits to the dermatologist...and have tried several
    topical medications to see what worked best (some of them were stinging
    Evan).  We're using a tar-based mediation once a day (great stuff), and
    another ointment every other day (both of these are by prescription).  
    
    The dermatologist asked me what laundry detergent, soap and dryer
    sheets I was using.  Basically the no-scent detergents and soaps are
    the best; the dermatologist was specific on what soaps and dryer
    sheets to avoid.  
    
    Evan also has a prescription, tavist (antihistamine) for itching.
    Avoiding scratching is VERY IMPORTANT - it worstens the eczema and
    can lead to infections.  Also, bathing is not the best thing in the
    world for eczema.  We limit the time spent in the tub.
    
    Feel free to call - 
    
    Ann
    
    297-2046
    
    

    FWIW - a good friend of mine made his first progress on skin problems
    by using UV light.
    
    JR

    Question - What does eczema look like in the early stages?
    
    Thanks,
    LZP
    

    Ok, here's the scoop.  We went to the doctor last week.  He would not
    perscribe any oral medications for Jackie's excema.  He said the
    cortisone creme wasn't the best and perscribed cortisone ointment (2
    kinds - 1 for "severe" excema, and one that can go on face and diaper
    area).  I also got lots of lotions to use, and found out that we were
    using the *wrong* Aveeno bath.  (Personally, I like the blue box
    better, but he said to use the greenbox.)
    
    Since last week, I have been using the cortisone ointments, lotions,
    and Aveeno bath (not consistently, though).  Yesterday morning she
    looked *real* good.  The excema was still there, but fading.  Yesterday
    at daycare, she had Peanutbutter & Jelly sandwich... lo and behold,
    last night she was red again!  The list of foods the doctor said can
    cause excema to act up in children (but not adults) are:
    
    	eggs, milk, soy, wheat, peanuts
    
    Tomatoes were not mentioned, nor was juice (I thought these two foods
    would be part of the list).  He also said stress could cause excema to
    flair up.  I questioned "what does a 17 month old child have to be
    nervous about."  TEETHING!  Her 1st hear molars are still coming in and
    have been causing her some problems.  The last one is just about broken
    through the gum and has eased up a bit.  
    
    Funny thing - we changed daycare in September.  At that time, she got
    her (almost) first PB&J sandwich and the molars started coming in.  All
    this together I guess was enough to stress her out.  She loves her new
    daycare so I really don't think that was a cause.
    
    Lastly, re: -1.  Excema on Jackie is dry, red, scaley skin that itches
    like the dickens.  It started in a small circular patch, but has become
    large patchy areas.  On the bend on her foot/leg it looks like a
    scabbed scrape.  The skin should be kept moist.
    
    Thanks for all your replies.
    Mary

    Re.8
    The skin should be kept moist? I think you mean protected?  Maybe not,
    I'm not a dermatologist, but I have excema on one hand that is
    aggravated by being moist, such as doing dishes and cleaning (isn't
    that awful??).  If I wear rubber gloves, it gets much worse! My
    dermatologist said to keep the cream on it at all times, and to
    dry-dry-dry my hands after having them in water.  I have to use
    cotton glove liners inside rubber gloves if I have to do heavy-duty
    cleaning. (I try to avoid the heavy-duty cleaning : )
    Maybe there are different kinds of excema?
    

    Yes, what I meant was moisturized with some sort of lotion for dry
    skin.  Sorry about the confusion.
    
    Re: .8.  I forgot to add another food group that can aggrevate excema
    in children... FISH.  I was surprised.  My daughter loves fish sticks. 
    Slowly, but surely, I'll figure out each food group that bother her and
    it'll be eliminated until she's older.  I just hope she doesn't become
    a fussy eater.
    
    Mary

    Re: .8  Orange juice too.  I received the same list from an Allergist.
    Re: .10 My list had not just fish, but seafood.
    
    
    Ann

David, aged 2, suffers from stress related Eczema. Adjusting to new people
behaviours seems to be a trigger. For example, starts to see a lot of another
child, other child is a bully. Another example, new babysitter, who isn't
sure what is and what is not ok for David to play with.

/Dave.

    My daughter is almost 2 and 1/2 and she has had what I think is excema
    for 1 1/2 yrs now. It is not white thouugh, you cannot see it but you
    can definately feel how rought it is. It is like you can see little
    pores, like she is getting goose pimples from being cold, but they are
    rough. No Cortizone cream work that I use or that the DR has prescribed
    so I don't know. She definately has sensitive skin, she had diaper
    rashes since she was 4 months old and even now her bush has a rash,
    we had her on all kinds of creams from the Dr. she used to get so 
    raw down there, I would want to cry for her. I bought Domberou 
    tablets that dissolve in 1/4 inch water in a baby tub that cost
    $12.00 for 10 tablets. And they helped a little, But boy you just
    hug her and she has red blotches on her arms for about 1/2 hr. 
    
    Ever hear of the pore type rash with no color??
    
    Charlene