I feel so sad...severe excema outbreak..baby four months old

[lynny70]

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[hocuspocusdiplodocus]

lynny I'm so sorry. I don't know much about eczema, but DS1 had it - it first developed when he was teh same age as your Dd, and at the age of six he is now completely clear of it. Please try not to worry, although I know that is much easier said than done.

(I[m dinosaur, btw)

[QueenVictoria]

My DD has it. Not that bad though - she's only ever been in hospital for dairy allergies and asthma. I do really sympathise.

[edam]

Oh lynny, severe eczema is so upsetting, isn't it? Ds had it very badly as a baby (not as severely as your poor dd, though) and it was very distressing. Thank God it's much better now - apparently lots of children with eczema do improve.

[gigglinggoblin]

i have a photo of ds1 at a few months old where his face looks like one big scab. we used to have to put socks on his hands and wrap sellotape round his wrists (round the sock, not stuck to his skin!) to stop him pulling them off cos otherwise he scratched himself til he bled

he is now 6 and occasionally has out breaks (usually when upset or excited - xmas is quite bad), but generally manages it fine.

your poor baby. it does get better tho

[bakabat]

Has anyone shown you how to wet wrap? You can't do it if infected but ds1 had severe eczema herpeticum as a baby and wet wrapping made such a huge difference. (we had to clear the infection first- then we had the bliss of wet wrapping). Don't worry about how he looks- at 11 months the onl clear patch of skin was on ds1's feet- his face was swollen and like one open weeping sore- people used to scream in the street (I was often asked if he'd been scaleded). we also spent hours and hours in hospital having emergency derm appointments. Now at 6 he get a few tiny dry patches when the central heating goes on. And aloha keeps telling me he is stunningly beatutiful (actually he is the looker of the family).

BTW they often tell you just to wet wrap wehn you need steroid, but I carried on doing it after we'd stopped the steroid- just with emollient (50:50 IIRC) because it was so soothing for ds1- and with a small baby its not too difficult (not like a toddler). I also used to wet wrap ds1's hands and arms during the day.

[moondog]

Oh lynny you poor poor love!
And your babe-!

I don't know anything about excema (other than to know that there is no reason why it shouldn't be managed) but sending you a sympathetic squeeze of the shoulder.

XXX

[bakabat]

I wish I could show you photos of before and after. I was sooo worried he'd be permanently scarred- but nothing. He sounds as if he was as severe as your dd as well. Don't worry- baby skin seems to recover well.

But ask about wet wrapping for when the infection has gone. Bloody miracle.

[lynny70]

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[bakabat]

I was shown how to wet wrap at the hospital (dermatology). AFAIK some HV are trained. It's not hard but best to be shown.

[lynny70]

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[Podmog]

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[NannyL]

you poor thing, sounds awful...

i had quiet bad eczma when i was young (but NOTHING like as bad as your baby) and grew out of it around 7 years old.

Havent had it since

also in babies prone to allergies (as your baby seems) it is best to ONLY give them baby rice and fruit and veg for the 1st 6 months before you add anything else at all to their diet... (no protein / dairy or added sugars etc)

maybe that would be worth a try?

I hope you all feel better very soon!

[Heartmum2Jamie]

Oh Lynny, I really feel for you. My ds started with eczema in november last year when he was 5 months. It started as little patches on his cheeks and around his mouth and then spread like wild fire. We spent 2 days in hospital mid december for something unrelated (he's SN as well). Thankfully while we were on the ward we got to see the dermatologist. She prescribed speicaliast creams. 2 days later his eczema was severely infected under his chin, all around his neck and behind his ears. I felt AWFUL seeing him in such pain and feeling miserable. We had some community nurses come out to show me how to wet wrap him. Like one of the other poster said, the infected skin has to be completely cleared. It does work wonders, but ds hated having it done and screamed the second he saw me coming towards him with the garments!

He's 15 months now and his eczema is managable. At this time of year we cut back to 1 bath a week and regular creaming. I am feeling a bit nervous as to what this winter will bring, but we got through it once, we will get through it again if we have to. As for food allergies, ds doesn't seem to have any major allergies, apart from a possible nut allergy. He does have some minor skin reactions to some foods, but I think it is moe the colourings than the food itself.

I'm glad that your dd is feeling a bit better today. Keep up the good work.

[bunny2]

lynny, my 5yo ds had terrible eczema - it is now very well controlled and doesnt rule our lives any more. You must insist on a referral to a dermatologist and an allergy specialist. Our gp insisted he could treat ds and we didnt get a referral to a hospital. The gp couldnt treat the eczema and it got worse and worse. It was so bad, a magazine did a 2 page spread on ds in their health section. We eventually got our referral (to Great Ormond St, are you in London?) and ds finally got the help he needed. It took over a year to get suitable and appropriate treatment and in that time he went through alot of unnecessary suffering. I wish I had insisted on a referral sooner.

Good luck

[lynny70]

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[lynny70]

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[misdee]

twice a day.

i'm so sorry you are going through this. at 4months my dd1 skin was a mess. even now she flaresup regularly and she is 5. it can be very hard going. i would advise you to apply for dla as the amount of care is very tiring. i can be up several times a night calming down a itching bleeding child.

[lynny70]

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[misdee]

if it 3 months you have a regular creaming routine in palce, then get the forms and apply. seriosuly i have spent a fortune on trying new creams, specialist clothing, bedding, putting laminate floor in, getting blinds or curtains that can be washed at home, laundry costs etc because of my dd's (dd1 and 2 both have it) eczema. we have ruined loads of clothes due to their creams as well.