Eczema

I read an old post from 2005 on eczema and saw that a bunch of moms here have kids with eczema. My older daughter has a bad case of eczema from about Sept-March and she is having a very rough spell right now. I was wondering if anyone has found a link b/n diet and eczema? My dad has read a lot about a link b/n milk and eczema. We cut milk from her diet last week and actually noticed an improvement (but weren't sure whether it was the milk, weather, or just luck). She drank milk on Saturday and ice cream on Sunday and last night was one of the worst bouts yet.

Just curious if others have noticed a connection. I would prefer not to cut out dairy since she loves milk, cheese, etc. . .unless I'm fairly certain it would really help out.

Can you get in with a dermatologist?

DH has some strong feelings about the dairy and eczema link. From people I've known who tried that it sometimes helps but still needs treatment otherwise.

There is a regimen that he has passed along to some friends that works well. I'm sure a dermatologist could help you with that and the prescriptions.

Really? I'm assuming by the he thinks that there is a definite cause-effect relationship between the two?

I have an appointment with the ped tomorrow but I'm not expecting much, unfortunately. We have to use the doctors on base right now and I have been less than impressed so far. I mentioned it at the baby's appointment last time and her response was "oh, girlfriend! you have eczema! yeah, a lot of kids have it. just keep putting lotion on it." Wow, thanks! I'm glad I didn't have to make a copay for that!!

I'll cut the dairy out for a week. I also read something about flaxseed oil. We might have to hide that in something yummy.

[rainbabies]

two of my kiddos have it, but im able to control it with a prescription cream. my mother has it so bad, her fingernails fall off.

she has started to use goat milk soap during her showers and regular hand washing. she has noticed a *very* small improvement. it's expensive, but may be worth a shot.

sorry, not much help. i do feel badly for your dtr.

[Rapunzel]

I had heard that some people thought there was a link between eczema and dairy. But, I thought it was one of those kooky things.

Is there seriously a link between the two? How does it work?

A portion of my children have eczema and we're big milk drinkers (cow's milk, that is).

[Meenah]

Does your daughter have asthma?

[Momo]

I have heard the diary and peanut thing as well.

When I got married and moved from IN to MI I developed horrific eczema on my middle and ring fingers of each hand. I was shocked because I had never had it as a child, even though the worthless Dermatologist , I saw said "oh your just having an adult recurrence of your childhood eczema." I said "but I have never had any itchy dry skin ever", she said if I asked my mom I'd most likely find out I did. WTH ? Well my mom confirmed that I never had any skin issues that she could recall.

I have since found out that there are certain types of blood tests to determine what type of eczema you may have. So that's something I want to see about getting. Mine flares up when my stress levels are high
( obviously my immune system is weaker when I'm stressed) Handling raw eggs or tomato's when cooking really brings it on as well.


I had one friend that was allergic to lanolin...they thought it was wool that she was allergic to so all wool clothing were removed from her wardrobe, as well as blankets. The sad part was it was the lanolin in the wool that caused it. So there was her mom slathering on lotions to help her, and guess what one of the ingredients in the lotion was??!! Yep, Lanolin!

The cut out dairy thing drives him crazy. I *think* that allergists tend to believe there is a link more than dermatologists but I'm not sure. I've known a few people who think that cutting out dairy helps but I don't think you can get rid of it entirely that way. IMO, if she doesn't have other signs of being allergic and it doesn't make a huge difference and there are other ways to treat it, don't cut out something she likes to eat. Kids can be picky enough eaters as it is. (That is just my opinion, not medical advice ).

If you aren't having luck with the ped, see if you can get in with a dermatologist. Generally speaking, cream works better than lotion -- if you can pump it, it isn't thick enough.

I get mild eczema when I am stressed. It is so annoying. I can't imagine having it all the time.

[DCJenn]

My friend was convinced that dairy made hers worse but I don't think she thinks it does any more (two pregnancies with multiple yogurt and milk ingestion with no exacerbation kind of made her rethink the whole thing)

Jenn

[medpedspouse]

Mine flares up when my stress levels are high
( obviously my immune system is weaker when I'm stressed).

Me too. Stress always = scaly, bumpy skin a few days later. I've had it all my life. When I was younger it was worse. I have managed it by constantly using lotion...the thick stuff. I never wash/clean anything without gloves on and I have a prescription that I use immediately after I notice it flaring up.

For an all natural option...growing up we noticed that trips to the beach (salt water) made it better. However, given the current weather/season that is probably not an option. I wonder if Epson salts might work though. :@

[Ravenclaw]

DH has it bad. Dry heat and stress make it worse. It's always been bad in the winters. In med school once, he had to leave a patient's room because it was so hot and made him feel itchy all over. Now he just gets patches in certain areas like the top of hands. He's had to use a rx-level of steroid cream to manage it when it flares up.

It runs in my family too. My 5 mos old nephew has it now on his face and hands. My sister tried to change his laundry detergent from Dreft to the one they use (Tide) and that caused it. His ped said to get a humdifier for his room and to use fragrance/color free detergent. And they prescribed cortisone for the little guy to be used sparingly.

TFQ, do you think any of those could be excerbating your daughter's?

[Momo]

BTW the Steroid creams do tend to ease the falre ups (the itch/pain), but it's a "catch 22", because Steroid creams/cortizone creams, thin the skin out, which in my case (and I have been told by others) led/ leeds to deep bleeding cracks and fissures.

[DCJenn]

Oh- I forgot to add that my mom has an allergy to lanolin and had the same issues- the creams that she was slathering all over her body had lanolin in them.

(she found out about her lanolin allergy when she was nursing my brother- the cream the hospital gave her had lanolin in it and that ultimately caused mastitis- so dad and I had a week to ourselves while she and my brother were stuck in the hospital.)

Jenn

[Ravenclaw]

BTW the Steroid creams do tend to ease the falre ups (the itch/pain), but it's a "catch 22", because Steroid creams/cortizone creams, thin the skin out, which in my case (and I have been told by others) led/ leeds to deep bleeding cracks and fissures.

Yeah that's a really good point. DH only uses when it gets bad and he wants to prevent infection (he tries not to scratch but he scratches in his sleep!)

Your poor DD!! I had mild eczema as a child but it has got much worse as an adult. I also developed asthma as an adult, and get really bad hay fever and am allergic to cats and dogs (which breaks my heart as I love them!).
Everyone is different, I have no problem with "contact" irritants - lanolin, soaps, jewellery etc. Mine is definitely an immune response as I get it all over. It seems to be randomly good and bad, this year has actually been ok. I keep it under control with occasional steriod creams, I use Protopic on my face, it is not a steroid cream but another type of method (very technical I know!). If a go more than a few days without it my face starts to flare up and get really sore. It is expensive which is why I only use it on my face. My dermatologist says it has been very successful for children. As far as the steroid cream dangers, I have always been told that you can basically use the over the counter ones freely, even for children. For me the potential risks are outweighed by the benefits. That's a personal choice though. I have also been on prednisone several times, and again it has brought so much relief that it has been worth it.
To answer your question about dairy, it depends on the person, but I really believe that it helps to avoid it. As others have said, it will only help though and not get rid of it altogether. I eat some, but not much, and I definitely pay for it if I eat too much. The most frustrating thing about eczema is that there is often no reason why it is sometimes good and sometimes bad. You can do all the things you know about - avoid dairy, investigate the possibility of links to other foods, use lots of moisturizer, warm baths, etc, but it still might not go away.
Good luck, and I hope she grows out of it like most kids do