Exzema

[fleabones3]

My 11 yr old son just got diagnosed with exzema today. I had taken him to the doctor several weeks ago with what I thought was a rash. They gave me some cream and said it was either exzema or pediculosis. I didnt bother to ask what pediculosis was .. stupid me. I thought the cream was for exzema. Been lathering him up with it for weeks and giving him the liquid medicine they gave. He didnt get any better. It got worse. Its up in his scalp, over his ears, down his stomach and back. Took him to ther ER today and they said the cream the other doctor gave me was for body lice!!!! They diagnosed him with exzema, gave me some new cream, told me to buy Lever 2000 soap and put lotion on him after every shower and to use the cream 3 times a day.
Does any one else have this? How do you keep it under control? I read somewhere that tanning beds help clear exzema up. I know about the risks with skin cancer and etc. but he has it so bad right now and I cant get the cream all up in his scalp very good,so I thought might talk to his dr about it to so see what she says.
TIA for any advice

[Mom2-3boys]

I would talk to your Dr. about the tanning bed, I have eczema but is a mild case. I have a prescription steroid cream called Triamcinolon, every time I feel a flare up coming on I use a little and can usually prevent a flare up.. Keeping it under control can be a trial and error period. You need to figure out what causes his flare ups. Keep track of the soaps he's using and you are using on his clothes.....I've had to go to almost all unscented hypoallergenic/sensitive skin soaps and lotions, my Dr. recommended Dove. Stress is also a HUGE cause of flare up for me. If my kids are being particularly ornery I will notice the crevices between my fingers start to itch...it's crazy how fast it can come on. Extreme temp. changes can also be a factor in flare ups...cold weather makes your skin dry the way it is so if I don't stay moisturized it starts. Good luck with him....I know how miserable it can be even with a mild case!

[jasmine]

My son has exzema
We cannot use anything with with perfumes, scents, and has to be free of anything~(soaps). I found the only thing so far that works for washing him is Dove sensitive skin for baths, and the best in my case is aveeno, I can even use the scented aveeno and it doesn't break him out. The other thing also is cortaid creme~~ which if you have a prescription and it works that's fine, but over the counter cortaid gets his "spots" gone withen 1-2 days applying it twice a day. It does seem to be a little worse with weather changes. During summer when sweating. He tends to get it on his left face cheek, his legs and sometimes on his arms.
It was a real pain at first untill I learned how to control it, and the first sight of it I immediatly started cortaid to stop a break out.
Whatever you do, don't smother it, absolutely no petroleum jellies, this makes it worse. Let the rash breathe. When my son was a baby before I found out how to treat it I remember his cheek being so raw it made me cry. I even used the baby johnsons exzema cream with no help. I can also use vaseline lotion on him. You may want to switch to dye free/fragrance free laundry soap, I got my sons cloths mixed up with my daughters (she likes to use the purex), and oh my gosh, he broke out for 2-3 days before I got that cleared up.

[Jenefer3]

I'm sorry about the diagnosis. With the tanning bed, I'd definitely ask a dr. first. I hope this new cream helps him out.

[whatever]

I hate hearing when kids have this or psorasis. I have a mild case of psorasis.
I use a tanning bed. But thats my preferance. And It was also Dr. advised for me because mine is a flaky kind. Not the usual red looking.
You should consult a Dr. first before putting him in a tanning bed. Also I know for psorasis its recommended the less water the better. I mean limit his activities in water. Like no swimming etc. Anything that drys the skin out only makes it worse.

[BBELEAZAHR]

My little guy has it too :( I use gentle naturals excema cream, the Dr. gave him a cream to use, but it makes it worse. I hope you find something that works soon.

[Urban Cowgirl]

there are medicines that are better applied to the scalp...they come in either spray (like wd-40) or a foam (like a mousse) its easier to actually get the medicine to the scalp. for years I have used Kenalog spray because I have psoriasis on my scalp, but I think it can be used for eczema as well...ask your doctor. It is very expensive though.

[fleabones3]

Thanks all! This kid is covered in it.. Its all over his back, chest, around his ears everywhere. I cant even get his hair cut because his ears and scalp are so bad. Guess it means another trip to walmart to get dye free shampoos and laundry soap. I already bought the Lever 2000 bath soap that the ER recommended because like Dove its a neutral PH balance.

[jasmine]

hopefully lever 2000 will be fine for you, if not dove free/sensitive, and keep him lathered up in a good lotion, like I mentioned we use aveeno or, vaseline~~ fragrance free. I guess I've just never heard of trying lever myself because it "smells" so pretty~I'm always leary of using things that are perfumey fragrance smelling.
I hope it starts to clear up quickly for your son, I know it can be painful.

[atprm]

dd has eczema ...

you would crap if you knew what we use to control it!!

LOL


she uses the round blue tubs from Blistex called "Lip Medex" to control it -- it also stops the itching and helps it go away!

costs like $2.00 at the checkouts at all the grocery stores, but works wonders!!

Be wary of the creams they give you at the dr and hospital visits -- most contain STEROIDS!!!



The other thing that she SOMETIMES uses is called SARNA Lotion.
We don't use Lever2000 -- too much perfume in it.

For "soap" ... we use pure glycerin soap ... it helps that I make our soap, but you can buy it pretty much everywhere.

[fleabones3]

I will have to try out all these and find what works for him. I have put the triamcinolone cream on him twice today and can already see a difference! Since its on his scalp, what kind of shampoo should I use? I cant really afford to get him a $25 bottle of shampoo right now.. would a dandruff shampoo work?

[jasmine]

shampoo~~I'm treating my 1 1/2 yr. old son though, but we use aveeno baby (pediatrician recommended) It is fragrance free soothing relief creamy wash, says soothes dry skin even dry skin from eczema. I also use the aveeno lightly scented wash and shampoo, for hair and body. Don't know too much about adult shampoo though, perhaps dove makes some that is sensitive fragrance free? I'm glad he is already clearing up.
what atprm said though~ that is why I didn't use the prescribed stuff for him because it had steroids, Cortaid does wonders for us. I am glad that the cream you got is already working though. If you are trying to use the laundry soaps and stuff that are free~ remember to go through and wash his sheets and stuff.

[Jenefer3]

I don't really know what kind of shampoo would be good for his scalp, I think it's going to be trial and error. My daughter has psoriasis on her scalp and we use Dermarest (it's a scalp treatment, like a lotion that you massage in and leave in all night and then rinse out - it works better than the stuff the dermatologist prescribed her) and a medicated shampoo her pediatrician gave us. If you go and look in the shampoo aisle where they have all those "medicated" shampoos, you should be able to find some that are for eczema that aren't as too expensive (maybe $10 or so).

[Urban Cowgirl]

Didn't think of this yesterday but,

My dd 15mo has it on her cheeks. When she first got it, it was so flared up that she needed the steroid cream. After it was under control we kind of trial and errored other creams. The thing we have found that really keeps it under control is Mary kay's Extra Emollient Night Cream. Although I am not sure why this is the one for her, I suspect its the beeswax in it.

[fleabones3]

Thanks all.. I will be trying all these and seeing what works best.

[jasmine]

fleabones3

I was just wondering how your son was doing?

[YankeeMary]

There is a lotion called Cetaphil. I swear by it. Gracie had a crazy rash still have no idea where it came from or what caused it. The doc wrote her a script for hydrocortizone cream. It helped very little. He suggested Aveeno...no help, actually made it a bit worse. I then bought the cetaphil lotion and bar soap. It worked wonders. could see a huge result the next morning. I even use the bar soap for shampoo. I make sure once she has finished playing in the tub. I drain the tub, wash her and then rinse her real real good. She has such sensitive skin. I wish you the best.

[Fred12]

Pine tar soap does wonders for eczema on the skin and as a shampoo bar. Have him shampoo with it leave it on a few minutes then rinse off. Do a search and read about it.

[fleabones3]

He is doing soooo much better. The cream the doctor gave him actually was working the next day. Now he is completely cleared up, including his scalp. he looks and feels so much better. Thank you all!