Eczema: Six Month Progress Report

There are so many potential factors that go into making our baby's atopic eczema a reality.  We're trying to take notes and not obsess. Our allergist, the internet, good books and friends--plus a little bit of trial and error--have taught us much.  We've noticed a few things that are helpful.

Smiley Shark on a Good Day

1.  Take extra baths.  For us, it is true that extra baths help. Soaking in a warm (not hot) bath for 20 minutes is supposed to be key, but that is not doable for us (more like 10 minutes tops).  We use Dove Sensitive Soap to cleanse the skin and Vaseline (unscented) to seal in the moisture after patting skin dry.  The rash will begin to flare up further if we give one bath a day. Skipping a day is not an option at all.  We have noticed that although he loves being in the bath, he starts itching immediately after he is dried off (i.e. clawing at "hot spots" like the backs of the knees).  We found another blog that mentioned this and they recommended "distracting" baby after you get him dried off and dressed as the initial 5-10 minutes post bath are the itchiest.  We have no real explanation for this, but it seems to be the case for us.

2.  Keep skin covered.  We try to keep the little man in sleepers to cover most of his body.  If skin is exposed, he will often scratch it or rub it on material (anything non-cotton) which irritates the skin.  Our theory regarding direct contact exposure exacerbating the rash is supported when we see the rash clear up on his trunk but flair up on face and neck after he cuddles with pretty much anyone other than the ever-diligent mommy.

3.  Moisturize often.  Smearing Vaseline all over his little body between baths helps.  We're tried various moisturizers.   Because they contain the least allergenic ingredients, our allergist recommends Vaseline, Crisco (yes, really), Cetaphil or Aquaphor for moisturizers.  We still had to try a few. Our baby's skin broke out from Aveeno (we think it was the oatmeal).  He broke out in serious hives from Cetaphil (citrus or macadamian nut oil?).  And Aquaphor didn't really do the trick.  It's pretty greasy, but we have been pleased with the cost and effectiveness of Vaseline.

4.  Apply Anti-Itch Cream.  When the rash gets angry, we have to apply a cortizone cream.  We have heard many others who are pleased with Elidel, but our allergist recommends a 1% over-the-counter hydrocortizone cream which is all we've tried so far.  It relieves the itching enough so that our little dude can sleep.  We apply immediately after bath (pat skin dry first) and apply the Vaseline right on top of it.  We've heard that daily use of hydrocortizone is bad for skin, so we really try to stretch out the length of time between days we use it (like one day on, two days off).

5.  Avoid Problem Foods.  Much can be said about foods.  Our allergist is sure that if we can eliminate the right foods in mommy's diet, our breastfed baby's skin will clear up.   So far, we are sure about the following problem foods: dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, oats, corn, apples, citrus. These will cause immediate flare ups.   It is amazing that these can cause such a problem in breast milk.  Such a sensitive little guy. Katrina is keeping a food diary and it has proven helpful, but progress has been slow.  Mainly by documenting foods eaten on good days and foods eaten on bad days, we are able to weed out the most problematic foods.  We've been at this for 6 months and are starting to have more good days than bad.  

6.  Use Less Laundry Soap.  Our allergist recommends using only Borax (or 1/4 recommended amount of laundry detergent) and no fabric softener on our clothing.  Double rinse the clothes and use 1/2 cup of vinegar in the first rinse to neutralize the alkaline nature of cleansers in wash.  This has worked surprising well for us.

It seems like a lot of detective work, but it is worth it to help keep our little pumpkin comfortable.  It goes without saying that a comfortable pumpkin means more sleep and more smiles for all parties involved!!!

For more detail on any bullet point, please comment below or email us privately.  We'd be happy to share with you what is working for us.

Happy New Year!

~ Christian & Katrina