Ezcema

[tabbysmum]

Hi there

My daughter has what appears to be ezcema. Started off as a few isolated patches on her legs but is now quite extensive and has also now appeared on her arms. It doesn't seem to bother her at the minute and I'm loathe to take her to the doctors as I don't what to use steroid creams unless I have to. Can anyone recommend any alternative and effective creams that are kinder to the skin?

Many thanks

TM x

[gizmoracer]

The normal first cream given is usually Aqueous cream, you can get this at a chemists and isn't usually too expensive. I can't remember the name of the ones I used but you can also get some stuff to put in the bath water that helps but be warned they are generally very slippery. A Pharmasist should be able to recommed something. In my experience the GP won't give a steriod cream unless it is very bad or upsetting LO alot. Don't be too concerned about using them though, when needed they are very good. My son had a tube of steriod cream that I used for 2 days and it cleared up some very nasty ezcema, I think I only used it a couple of times in the space of a year.

[tabbysmum]

Hi Giz,

Hadn't thought about Aqueous cream, i've got some somewhere. I'll give that a go first. As long as it doesn't seem to be bothering her or isn't weeping i'll keep her away from the doctors I think.

Many thanks

Love TM x

[phild09]

Hiya. My LO (7 months) suffers very badly with eczema.
Basically there are creams that control it (emollients, like moisturisers) that the GP can prescribe. And if it gets really bad and infected there are steroid creams which you do have to use sparingly with LOs.

My LO has Diprobase cream on twice a day, which is great stuff, keeps the skin smooth. And if it is really bad and sore, we use a bit of the steroid cream (Fibrocet). We had to use it because at one point the eczema was so bad it was weeping pus and I picked him up in the morning, to see it had leaked through his vest, babygro and cover. It was awful!

I would take her to the doctors tbh - they won't prescribe steroid cream unless it is REALLY bad like my LOs is. They will just prescribe either aqueous cream or a moisturiser like Diprobase/doublebase.

HTH. Eczema is awful! xxx

[phild09]

Oh & just to add it's probably a good idea to just wash her in plain water, as Johnsons and similar baby products are quite heavily perfumed which can irritate the skin more. You can get something called Oilatum (the fragrance free one) that you can use in the bath or the GP will prescribe it. My LO has it on prescription, however I find it irritates his skin and makes him scratch like mad and scream when he is in the bath, so we just use plain water which is much better xx

[tabbysmum]

Hi Phildo9

Thanks for the advice, at the minute I'm just using a bit of Sudocrem and although her skin still feels very sand papery it doesn't seem any near as angry or inflamed as it was, if it flares up again I'll have to take her to the doctors.

Love TM x