Thanks guys.

I'm using the Aveeno (on me too!) and it is lovely. I haven't tried the oats but I thought the Aveeno oil would be the same sort of thing as it is oat based? Hmm, maybe not?

I wonder if the Fucidin H is irritating, so this is why the skin flares up while I'm using it.

Thanks Dani - I can't think of anything stressful that happened around April. In the last week we've completely ditched nappies during the day, although she seems quite happy about using the toilet, like it's an achievement.

At pre-school, they tend to give a fruit and raw veg snack, with milk or water. They do cooking but the children take their products home so I get to vet these. She only goes two mornings a week - the Grandparents are another possibility ...

No recent vaccinations - I wouldn't do anything vaccination wise while she is going through this because of possible immuno problems. She has had numerous cold viruses for the last few months - since mixing more with other kids; I wonder if this might be related too. Then she had the Slapped Cheek thing.

Argh, so much to think about! Thanks everyone for all the advice - I've taken it all in - tried the oat milk but she hated it.

Thanks again.
x

Just to add, we have an appointment for Monday afternoon and I will ask for a referral and allergy tests. It has all come on so suddenly. If we have any hassle I will try to get it done privately.

Hi

Sorry I haven't read all the posts but I immediately picked up in your first post that you are using Dermol on your little girl.

I have eczema and have used practically every cream on the market over the years. However, whilst using Dermol I had severe sore patches in the inside of my elbows...badly cracked (deep welts more than cracks, really) and weeping. I was applying the cream regularly but it just kept getting worse. Went to the Doctor and, by coincidence, the GP had read an article in a medical journal just days before that claimed that some patients were displaying an adverse reaction to Dermol. Unfortunatelym it was a long time ago and I don't recall the details but I stopped using the Dermol immediately and switched to Ultrabase emollient cream and my arms started to clear up literally within hours. I've been using Ultrabase ever since.

Of course, it may not be the Dermol that is causing the problem but I would try switching to a different emollient for a time just in case.

Awww, sorry to hear she's having probs

I used to know a little girl who had eczema, VERY bad. Her whole body was scaly, including her eyelids. Her hands bled daily, and she had numerous creams to apply at different times. She couldn't go swimming with friends, and cried when she went in the bath.

Her Mum got so sick of going to the docs and seeing specialists, she took her to a Chinese Herbalist.
I saw her a few months after she started treatment, and I'm ashamed to say I didn't recognise her!
Her skin was wonderful, it was smooth and pink and so soft!

I know she was told not to eat certain things, and had to put special creams on etc.

It may be worth a visit to one, even just for a talk!

hiya

I definetly think you should try one thing at a time, so I would say stop the fucidin as it should have started working by now and certainly shouldnt inflame the skin.

Do you have any hyrdocortisone?? I would personally recommend stopping the fucidin, put a little hydrocortisone on the inflamed part, smear as much aveeno as you can on and get a cotton bandage and wrap her arm where its really bad for nighttime and see if it calms it overnight, if it does slap loads ov aveeno on in the morning and keep putting it on throughout the day.

You could try the oat bath its certainly not going to do any harm.

It might be worth mixing the oat milk with the regular milk and gradually upping the mix - also you have to really really shake the milk with the inner seal removed so that it looks creamy when poured not too thin.

It tastes fine ( i have it myself now) and doesnt have a strong taste, so she shouldnt be too averse to it it could just be the consistency she doesnt like... so do half and half first and see if you can con her into it !! LOL

Bad colds etc can make it worse and if she had slapped cheek that definetly could have had an effect... but it should start to improve as she gets better not get worse ( unless the fucidin is making it so)

hope this helps
dani

If you need a general but good moisturiser with no chemicals in it, you can buy 'neat' cocoa or shea butter and just mix it with sweet almond oil, or food grade oilive oil and whip it...

Kind of like what you get from the Body Shop, but in a purer form, without the preservatives.

I have a list of suppliers of basic products that you can buy in small quantities and mix yourself, just let me know if you need it

Thanks ShaynLola, that is worth knowing. I also have Diprobase but this didn't do anything either. The Aveeno does keep the skin nicely moisturised though.

How lovely! I bet she was thrilled, aww. Yes, I will consider that too. I hate the idea of having to use these horrible creams indefinitely. Thanks Hevvur.


Thanks Dani - you can tell that you've had to deal with this in a BIG way. I hope Luca gets over his eczema completely, bless him.

I have some of my out of date hydrocortisone but I can always buy some more and try it. The Fucidin certainly isn't clearing it up in 7 days. Thanks for that suggestion - she kept me awake all night last night scratching at her arm. It's horrible for her.

I rather like the oat milk too. I tried again this morning and she wouldn't touch it so I added normal milk to it.

Thanks again Dani.

I'm actually starting to wonder about the vitamin supplement because I started this roughly around the time she developed the arm problem. The first one I tried had sulphites in it so I ditched that but this one has 'lemon flavourings' in it, which unbelievably I didn't spot when I bought it. I never buy stuff with artificial flavourings or additives, not even Cadburys chocolate so I can't believe I missed it. I'm not thinking it is the additives or sulphites that could be making things worse, but something to do with the fish oil content. I chose a supplement with omega 3 in.

I am going to start by ditching the vitamins completely for a few weeks and if things improve, I won't go back to them. She does have fish - tuna, salmon, sardines, white fish but I've never seen her skin this bad. I eat fish too but I got these supplements with fish derivatives in and my legs broke out too - cleared up when I stopped taking them.

Hmmmmm ...

I'm probably clutching at straws but her diet is very good so I'm sure it won't hurt to stop the vitamins.


Thanks IsoChick, I like the idea of moisturising without all the chemicals.

It could well be the supplement, again cut it out and give it about a week and see if it improves.

You dont need to buy any of this stuff, get the GP to prescribe the hydrocortisone ( just a .05 % or 1% if really bad, and aveeno and the like can also be given on prescription.

Luca gets a tube a week on prescription as we go through it really quickly. His skin is ok now, but has dry patches that come up if he has too much of any one thing, such as cheese / chocolate etc.

He is way better than he was though - loads and thats been down to getting it under control, once thats done it easy to keep it under control with moisturisers etc.

My one discovery has been what works for one doesnt work for another....

The special Ointment no 1 that i mentioned was great for getting the inflammation down and we only needed to use that a few times for his skin to completely calm, we stopped the steroids and then used the aveeno from then on, we only use hydrocortisone when / if he gets a really red patch thats starts to itch - but thats getting rarer now thankfully.

As long as the skin hasnt broken then the bandaging should work to relieve the skin overnight - if its broken you need to make sure its not infected- Luca had a wee infection at one point which the dermatologist diagnosed by a nasal swab??

Good luck for monday - dont let the Gp fob you off with a different cream without putting a referral through though as there is little point chucking different creams at it until you know whats causing it and it will be something as otherwise she would have had it before.

I forgot to say aswell dont overdo the baths as that dries the skin out even more. I have some special ointment no 1 here if you cant get it and would be happy to post it to you too.

sometimes washing powder can irritate it so try sticking to non bio powder.

my 5 yr old grandson has that so bad. he looks like his whole body is burned.this week he had to go to hospital. they wanted to keep him in. but he kicked off so much they sent him home. so now he has to have a nurse in every night to put special creams on him and bandages.
hes also being referred to great ormands street. poor little fella cant carry on like this. we dont know whats causing it to flare up. he has pure cotton bedding. i gave him some of my best sheets.
its so sad when theres not much u can do to help is there.