Eczema in older kids

I think your instinct is likely right, food allergies are often concurrent. I would recommend connecting with a naturopath. But eczema is an externalization of internal inflammation, and typical suggests gut permeability. I would try 3 weeks without gluten, dairy and eggs, or start with one and see if you notice a change within a few weeks. 
 

Good luck! I know how awful this can feel. And it sounds like you are doing a lot to ease the external discomfort. 

First off, I am so sorry and hope that your child gets relief very soon.  I only have it on my shins but it shows up when I eat wheat and diary, without fail.  So, while the Dr said no elimination I know that these two food items are very common triggers and did not show up on a food allergy panel for me.  

I also find relief taking turmeric tablets.   Nettle tea, Olive leaf tea are great.  Aloe vera (clean plant and cut out the gel from the middle and put directly on the irritated skin but not the open wounds).  Hydration is really important water with electrolytes or coconut water (no preservatives) and taking hyaluronic acid (Pure encapsulations is a great brand).  Also Accupuncture is always really helpful for me (the may do acupressure or some Moxa treatments until the skin calms a bit). Sun exposure in the early morning, before 9. Salt water spray (again with no preservatives).  These are the things that clear mine.  I think the no steroid route is a blessing, that can go south quickly.  Good luck, sending blessings for some answers and relief

Our daughter had severe eczema when she was a toddler. The flareups lasted for several months. We saw various pediatricians, dermatologists, and pediatric allergists and also did a full allergy panel. Our allergist prescribed steroids to control the flareups. According to the allergist, the daily antihistamines and topicals will only work once you achieve a moderate baseline, which we were far beyond. After the prescribed steroids, her flareups subsided and we used the standard antihistamines and steroid creams. Our pediatrician also prescribed Hydroxyzine, generic for Atarax Syrup, for nights when the topicals don't seem to work. The Atarax syrup is given at bedtime - drowsiness is a welcome side affect. We use this for really bad nights. It's definitely nice to have for emergency use.

We also tried Eczema Honey Nut-Free Skin-Soothing Cream (which we kept in the fridge). It is pricey for such a small jar, but helped us manage the scratching. We used this for months and have finally transitioned to just vaseline. Our pediatrician recommended vaseline over aquaphor as she stated that a lot of her patients with eczema seem to do better with vaseline vs. aquaphor.

Maybe you can ask your pediatrician about steroids to control the flareups? As a side note, our pediatric dermatologist didn't help us at all. The best thing we did was see an allergist who insisted that steroids were the only option left for us. We were initially hesitant to give our child oral medicine, especially since she was so young, but now I am grateful that her eczema is under control after nearly a year of battling sleepless nights. Hang in there. You're not alone.

Hi. My eczema is not as strong,  but I usually put coconut oil ( extra virgin, food coconut oil) or lanolin on those spots.  I would perhaps not bath. Just a shower with warm but not hot water. Perhaps one day the body and an other day the head. I sometimes rub in the coconut oil first, let sit for 30min and than take a bath and after the bath put on oil again on the red spots. Perhaps silk linen might help? I've also heard of mud treatments can be beneficial. 

Grown up eczema kid here, now with two eczema babies of her own. Just took one of them to the derm at UCSF and the recommendation was what you mentioned- daily bath, steroid cream, seal with aquaphor. To reduce scratching at night (this is for a little, little kid) they prescribed a sedating antihistamine. I really feel for you, because the only thing worse than being constantly itchy myself - teased by other kids, worried about infection, afraid to look in the mirror- is watching my little ones scratch themselves bloody overnight (and the itching is always worst overnight). A few questions that come to mind - so the blood test showed not allergic to dust or pollen? How reliable are those RAST tests for something like that? More or less than skin tests? I had symptoms similar to your child and it was dust - so hard to avoid with rugs, blinds, stuffed animals, blankets, down, etc. Breathable cotton clothing?  

I encourage you, with love, to consider counseling for both your kids and yourself. I absolutely commend all the measures you and your family have taken to take care of your kid - it does shape your entire life! I only suggest counseling because treating and having eczema is so stressful and anxiety-producing. I think people don't see eczema for the seriously debilitating condition it can be because it seems so superficial (literally skin-deep) but the distress and helplessness that you mention - both for you and your kiddo - are worth addressing with a professional.  

I'm so sorry for your child's itchiness. First, are you sure it is eczema? I first developed psoriasis when I was around age 10--still dealing with it. Both my brothers also got it. I understand what the allergist told you, but with either eczema or psoriasis, dietary interventions can most definitely help. For psoriasis, I'm not saying it will 'cure' it (as current lines of research point to pathogenic overgrowth in the gut for this disease); but for eczema, it really did wonders for my son. Most importantly, you will want to eliminate gluten (to help shore up tight junctions in the gut mucosa). Dairy is fairly well-known trigger for eczema, so talk to the child's pediatrician and consider reducing it or eliminating it. This is what cleared up my son's eczema. Foods rich in glycine are helpful. Histamine is not the only thing that makes one itchy. You might also consider a different probiotic--they are not all the same, and some can make things worse. I recommend reading some books by Sarah Ballantyne or Dr. Amy Myers to help guide you. Good luck.

How difficult it is to see your child in so much discomfort and pain. You could be describing me as a child around that age and into my 20's, only I didn't have the peanut and tree nut allergies. I am severely allergic to pine nuts and insect venom and mildly allergic to cats, dust mites, a host of pollens and grasses. I am highly sensitive to a wide range of environmental toxins. The steroid creams did not work. Neosporin triggered in even worse rashes (try bacitracin).

You've said that your child cannot tolerate baths or showers. However, I found tepid (literally room temperature or only slightly warmer) 10-15 minute baths with colloidal oatmeal (http://colloidaloatmeal.com) and/or baking soda in the water (no soap or washing at first, just soaking), followed by patting (not rubbing) dry with a very soft towel, and a layer of very bland cream (CeraVe and Cetaphil make products specifically for eczema) soothing. When my skin was oozing, gentle cleaning (again soak, not rub), followed by a layer of Aquaphor and a light, loose wrapping of gauze kept the crusting under control.

Eczema is an autoimmune issue. Addressing it as a dermatology issues for many years did very little for me. What did work for me was two things:

1. Eliminating all milk products for a couple of years, then slowly reintroducing them. I can now consume milk products without triggering a rash. I'm not saying this will work for your child, but there could be underlaying food sensitivities. Once I calmed my system down, my reaction to milk products was quite obvious. While a true elimination diet is very challenging, I would consider a very simple, no processed foods diet (whole grains, legumes, fruits/vegetables, meats, cold pressed oils) while you're figuring this out.

2. Eliminating to the greatest extent possible environmental toxins from my living space, this included all personal care products, cleaning products, laundry products, no fragrances or air fresheners, etc. After several years of diligence, my system seemed to desensitize. I knew this was working for me when sleeping in a hotel or at a relatives home would trigger a rash. I continue to keep my home as environmental toxin free as possible, and can now tolerate travel. There is good information on the internet on how to do this. Brands I particularly like for personal care and cleaning products are Meliora (https://meliorameansbetter.com) and etee (https://www.shopetee.com).

Severe eczema is debilitating and embarrassing, particularly during the adolescent years. It takes a lot of effort and time to get under control. The good news is that once my system was desensitized, long term management of my eczema has been fairly easy. For the past decade or more, I've only had it in my ears occasionally, and can manage it with a desonide cream. If you'd like to connect, feel free to reach out to me via my username.

As a long time eczema sufferer, I did finally find some real relief with a treatment prescribed by Dr.Camilla McCalmont at Golden State Dermatology in El Cerrito. I have seen numerous dermatologists and had numerous steroid prescriptions over the years and she finally gave me a regimen that has been working and I’ve had some relief for the past 6 weeks. She didn’t just write prescription and let it go, she gave a real plan of care and told me how to use the items and why. I understand you might be hesitant to do the steroid treatment, but for me after ) years of pain her treatment plan was the only thing that has actually worked. It’s hard to explain how painful the eczema can be and she really treated me. 

Hi there — this sounds beyond awful, and it does sound like you have tried everything. As a Family Medicine doctor and parent of 2 kids with eczema I’m surprised to hear that the itching starts at bedtime. With my kids, the itching would get worse sometimes during the night but they never had itching that only happened at bedtime. Other people may have already commented on this, but for me the history of bedtime itching makes me wonder what role stress, anxiety and possibly habit/compulsion are playing in the itch-scratch cycle. I would seriously consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Good luck!

Hi. I myself have had eczema all my life to a greater or lesser extent. Since this seems worse with steroids and worse at night has anyone suggested looking for Scabies?

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-scabies…

I've been dealing with skin issues my entire life. I understand how much your child is suffering. Here are my recommendations:

1. Keep calling the dermatologist asking if there's been any cancelations. No one who's suffering should have to wait 3 weeks to see a doctor. Call other dermatologists also. Seeing a PA or NP is probably as good as seeing the doctor. 

2. Get as much sun on the skin as possible. At times in my life only a light box (or tanning bed) have helped me at all. I now have my own light box at home, paid for by  my insurance. My skin looks better than it has since high school. 

3. Try an antihistamine like benadryl to deal with the itching. Make sure to never scratch or disturb any of the sites. 

4. Use CeraVae cream after every shower or bath. Immediately bathe and apply lotion after swimming. Only use Ceravae or eucerin. Other lotions have alcohol in them that make skin drier. There's an oatmeal product that is used in a lukewarm bath that might provide some relief (Cetaphil maybe).

5. Consider a dietary change. I've been eating a keto diet and the flare ups stopped. Even though I don't have celiac disease, my body seems to react poorly to wheat and sugar. Excessive alcohol consumption causes flare ups too but I doubt that's an issue yet.

6. Do what you can to alleviate stress. I often have flareups when I'm stressed out about life. Then the flare-ups themselves cause stress. Maybe try listening to a guided meditation at bedtime.

7. Don't use any scented products. I'm really picky about soap, hair products, laundry detergent, etc. Never use dryer sheets or fabric softeners. 

8. Remember that no one else really cares about other people's skin issues. While we think that people notice and judge, I found that few do. I did have a roommate once who was worried it was contagious but a tiny bit of research put her mind at ease. We feel like disfigured weirdos but nobody else thinks that. 

9. Never, ever, ever go in a chlorinated hot tub. It can suck to be left out when everyone else is going in but, for me, it's almost a guaranteed flare-up if I go in and not worth it.

I would look at this in two phases. 1. Get past the Immediate flare up and 2. Long-term skin care to preventfutureflareups. . Do whatever it takes to calm your child down and get relief. Remember that stress is the number one enemy. If the thought of being in public is too stressful, see what you can do the Keep him home until the symptoms are under control. Knock him out with benadryl and let his skin heal. Harass the doctor's offices until they squeeze you in. 

There have been times in my life when I didn't want to move because I was afraid my skin would crack. Luckily I'm past that stage and haven't had a really bad flare-up in years  but I am the weirdo who won't go swimming if I can't shower and apply lotion immediately afterwards. 

My previous post was submitted with tons if unfixed typos. I'm on a mobile and thought I'd have another chance to fix my response. Sorry it's such a mess.

One more suggestion is to wear cotton gloves at night. You really want to stop further damage to the skin. If I scratch and damage the skin, the sire hurts until it's healed. Wearing gloves helps prevent further damage. I'd also keep his fingernails as short as possible. 

Good luck. I think that you can send me a message if you'd like to talk. I've been there and it really sucks.

My son is 12 and has been suffering with eczema since he was five. After trying EVERYTHING for years I finally found a naturopath dr who did extensive testing, stool, urine, saliva and we found that he had severe yeast and bacterial over growth in his gut. We are eight months into a pretty strict diet with lots of herbs and have seen great improvement. Here is an online resource https://www.dranamaria.com or you can email me for my local naturopaths contact info. So sorry you’re going through this, it’s the worst!

I recently met a woman who suffered from terrible excema and other health problems all through childhood. Eventually did an elimination diet and has seen been found to have celiac. She is vegan, gluten-free and also avoids nightshades at times. It's a hard diet but her health is restored. No skin issues, no more migraines etc.  I don't see the harm in trying an elimination diet if your child is suffering so much already.  Perhaps a second opinion on the opinion at the least.

Some ideas for you: consider baths (even just plain water, no soap) to try to decrease bacteria on the skin, as often cuts/wounds from scratching can become a super-infection and the introduction of bacteria into the skin can create an additional source of inflammation - like an additional reaction to the bacteria/infection. Also, kids can develop sensitivities to aquaphor (it has lanolin in it) so our son's dermatologist has us use Vaniply ointment (now sometimes called Vanicream ointment): https://smile.amazon.com/Vaniply-Ointment-Skin-Protectant-Care/dp/B078X…

What else... What are you doing for antihistamine? I'd use something like Claritin or Zyrtec during the day (non-drowsy) but full-on Benadryl at bedtime. If that doesn't work, your child might need a prescription antihistamine like Atarax (hydroxyzine) just to break the cycle of itching. If you can't get into Dermatology for a couple weeks, it still might be worthwhile to reach out to the pediatrician to ask about emergency meds. Also! Some kids react to Neosporin. Maybe ask for an Rx for Mupirocin, which kills staph really well and will help resolve the infected cuts/scratches. Good luck! 

Ugh, poor baby. My teenaged nephew was dealing with really bad flare-ups and started using Exederm to great results. I have mild eczema and bought some for myself and couldn't believe how much it relieved the itching--I didn't realize I was scratching so much until I used that cream and stopped. I think it doesn't presume to "heal," but just stop the itching. Sorry if this is a product you already know...I hope you find relief soon.

Just saw the dermatologist for similar situation and they suggested dupixent and it needs lab work. My son has been suffering from eczema consistently and weve done a lot with prevention slathering on aquaphor but its just getting worse. I will report back what happened.

I'm curious to hear responses as my 10 yo also has eczema, mild though and even that can be very difficult for us to manage at times. 

It sounds like you are doing so much already and I hope you get other helpful suggestions. Something that came to mind that has been helpful for us is use of silk pillowcases, there are silk sheets too. They are so much more gentle on my daughter's skin and she does not seem to get as irritated. Mommesilk and Blissy are two places we purchase them but there are others. I'm thinking also shifting the routine at bedtime and maybe in addition to silk sheets some calming music or a special kids meditation to change the narrative and help calm. Sometimes I put all the creams on and then slip a pair of very soft socks over her hands and arms if she can tolerate it, a cooling face mask, try my best to change how she goes to bed (I'm exhausted by the end of it but it helps)

Wishing you all a more restful night soon :)

Hi again, just thought of a few things to add to my post (I posted about the silk pillowcases/sheets)

We also have cotton gloves, my daughter takes Zyrtec one the more difficult itchy nights, and our dermatologist recommended the La Roche products which have been surprisingly helpful. They are pretty affordable and I like that they are not as sticky as others we have tried. Lately we have been having good luck with these two products:

https://www.laroche-posay.us/our-products/dry-skin-eczema/body-lotion/l…

https://www.laroche-posay.us/our-products/dry-skin-eczema/body-lotion/c…

I also put a wool/cotton topper on my daughter's bed, the one from Nest Bedding is washable which is nice and not as thick or $$$ as some of the others I found. It seems to cushion the mattress as when she's really itchy every little bump and tuft in her mattress makes her uncomfortable.

Hope your daughter has some relief soon. :)

Our daughter had a similar worsening of her eczema starting around 10. We saw all the doctors, took all the creams, antihistamines, followed all the protocols, but nothing really helped - as in, you can’t keep putting steroids in and on your child daily and consider that a solution. I always suspected a food connection, but no doctor would even discuss the possibility. It was so infuriating. (My husband had a long and severe hospitalization during which he was unable to eat food and his skin cleared up completely. For the only time in his life. So we knew food was likely a trigger). Anyway, we eventually stumbled upon this: Karen Fischer, an Australian nutritionist who suffered from eczema herself and then watched her daughter suffer. You can find lots of very useful info on her website and in her books, but basically she has found that foods high in histamines, nitrates and salicylates are the main triggers for itching. We followed her itchy dozen list and this was enough to get eczema under control. (She has more intense protocols for those who need them). It was as simple as that - our daughter avoids these 12 triggering foods: cow’s milk and other dairy products, grapes (incl wine for adults), oranges, kiwi, soy sauce/tamari, tomato and anything containing tomato, avocado, broccoli/spinach and other dark green vegetables, dried fruits, deli meats, eggs and junk food. She does eat some of these foods but being mindful is enough. I’m sure the reason eliminating dairy completely, for example, never helped her was that she was always eating tons of the other things - esp tomatoes, broccoli, avocado, etc.  Anyway, I really recommend looking at a diet using her research. It absolutely changed our daughter’s life. She wears short sleeve shirts! She puts her hair in a pony tail! She feels normal. Good luck!!!!!

Hello,

I'm so sorry to hear about this incredibly painful skin situation. I see there's lots of helpful comments here, especially the ones that suggest exploring diet more closely. I've had eczema since I was two years old. There's been long periods where my skin is a bit better or a quite bit worse - it's a constant negotiation. I did the doctor recommended treatments of antihistamines and steroid creams for years. They treat the symptoms but don't address what's causing the reactions. I took antihistamines everyday for a few years while my eczema just got worse. I also eventually became allergic to all the commonly available 'sensitive skin' creams. What's helped me is Chinese Medicine - herbs and creams. As well as avoiding particular foods. There are Chinese Medicine practitioners that have expertise in eczema. Most do not but you can find some that do. I've been working with Bill Schoenbart. He's based in Santa Cruz but can see patients remotely. https://doctorbillschoenbart.com   Part of Bill Schoenbart's treatment includes creams and salves from "Dermatology M". There's a Chinese Medicine practitioner who specalises in eczema, named Mazin Al-Khafaji. He seems to run international trainings and is behind the brand "Dermatology M". Some of these products work for me. There's a cooling 'soothing gel' and some moisturizers that are excellent. Even though common brands like Cetaphil don't work for me, these one do. Also, vaseline and mineral oil either don't make any difference or make me worse. So, I'm grateful to have found these. 

For many years I was treated by Dr. Jialing Yu who is truly a world expert. She has retired and there's two women in practice in San Francisco that were her students. I've had better luck with Bill Shoenbart. 

The one drugstore product that has helped me is a bath power called Baby Aveeno. It's colloidal oatmeal and mineral oil (the adult version don't have mineral oil). Also, there's a few tips on foods that are good to eat for eczema (barley, winter melon, peppermint tea) in a book called, The Tao of Nutrition. 

I hope things get better soon!

Thank you, everyone. We finally saw the dermatologist who recommended a wet therapy with topicort, which is not readily available and will come in a few days, and vaseline as well as prednisone (oral steroid medication).  We attempted wet therapy yesterday and child found it extremely uncomfortable, so it didn't last more than 5 min. We'll keep at it. We were concerned about eliminating cheese as that is the child's primary source of protein but we'll try it. We have always used free & clear, natural products but our house remains dusty. I often fantasize about not having a full-time job, so I can keep the house clean but that's a fantasy. Child seems to have developed allergy to lanolin, so no aquaphor or neosporin. I do think diet is an important component but if I I'm not sure what to give our child.