Baby excema

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone with experience of baby excema can help with suggestions of the best way to treat it. We have a 14 week old baby who is breast fed only (so it can't be a food allergy) and since she was 6 weeks old she has developed severe excema. on her face, arms and now it's spreading. The facial eczema was treated with antibiotics because it started to weep.We have been referred to a consultant but it takes time. We've been given all the usual creams and steroids to no avail. I'm now getting to the stage where I'm desperate. None of our other children had this so it's not genetic. Has anyone got anything that maybe worked for them. I'd be interested in anything that could soothe the babies skin because so far nothing but steroids has worked. and they can only be used short term and then it all starts over again. Thanks for reading.

Dizzy_Ditzy

There's a lot in the press at the moment about Child's Farm - I use the baby moisturiser and it's been the best thing I've used so far. It costs around £3-£4.50 but it goes far so you don't need to use loads

DEV1L

Thought excema was basically cured by oats... I maybe mad but there seems to be a lot of moisturiser creams with an oat base for excema skin.

Have a google around and see if its ok.

#notadoctor

coffeehound

Sorry to hear this. Also have you looked into eliminating allergens such as pets, housedust mite, moulds from your home? Using extra rinses to ensure no detergent left in fabrics?

angela110660

As baby is breast fed- is it something you are eating or drinking or started at 6 weeks after the birth, that is reaching baby through your milk maybe? Just a thought. Wishing baby well soon.

tazwhoever

Being an adult with eczema, I won't recommend any medicines for your baby. Sorry, I know eczema can be very bad for infants, my advice is wait for the appointment with the dermatologist. In the meantime, approach your GP.

Best of luck.

GlasweJen

It can be an allergy, babies can be allergic to things mothers eat that come through in the breast milk.

Talk to your GP about an elimination diet for you to see if it helps baby. Meanwhile stop using soap, cut down on baths and get a soap substitute for bath time (they used to recommend oilatum but times may have moved on). No bubble bath or anything like that and if baby has hair get something very gentle that doesn't foam for hair washing (oilatum do shampoo but I don't know if it's safe for baby, your GP can recommend).

Make sure baby is well moisturised. At night really layer it on and cover with scratch mits and a full body sleep suit to help the cream soak in and stop baby from scratching their face.

Hopefully the derm referral will come through soon, with baby being so young remember absolutely nothing that didn't come from doctor on their face as you can't risk it getting in babies eyes and some ingredients can affect delicate facial skin for life and cause other problems.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Thank you all for your replies. I am going to go through my diet to see if anything is affecting my baby. Also I've bought some of the Child's Farm moisturiser and bath since it appears to have good reviews. I'll use this only on the body not the face. Going to look at everything mentioned and see if anything works. This is one situation where you feel absolutely helpless. Hopefully the consultants appointment won't be long. Once again thank-you for your suggestions.

Hermia

Aveeno do a range of products for babies. I use their products whenever my eczema is playing up and they are very soothing.

suejb2

It may well be a food allergy or intolerance. You are breastfeeding so what you eats gets to baby. Put some porridge oatsin a sock and put in bath water it will go cloudy and is soothing.

Grumpelstiltskin

What detergent are you using for washing clothes etc.?

You must be very careful with detergents.

Also as someone who suffered with baby eczema 74 years ago I could only tolerate cotton next to my skin.