After 14+ months of racking my brain to resolve my daughters pesky baby eczema we have finally won the battle! Olivia’s skin is finally as it should be. Perfectly smooth and clear. No more red scaly patches, sandpaper texture skin, bright red lines in her creases or irritating itch. {Sigh} It is a small issue in so many ways, but seeing it cured is such a big relief for me.
We first noticed the baby eczema when she was just 2 weeks old. I consulted my doctor 3 times over 14 months and each time Cortizone and medicated creams were suggested as the best way to cure the symptoms. I declined that option because of the toxins I would expose her to and the eczema still bothered me more than Olivia so it afforded me additional time to find a cure.
All the while, I kept thinking that a topical solution is not going to cure the eczema. It’s coming from the inside. I found out that many experts consider baby eczema to be related to food allergies, even foods in mother’s milk. Interesting enough, the largest patch of baby eczema was on her stomach, corresponding to her digestive system.
(if you are short on time – I highly recommend a very thorough e-book: Cure Child Eczema which will address EVERYTHING you need to know about baby & child eczema, including our special eczema cure: addressing the FOOD sensitivities!)
So How Did We Cure Her Baby Eczema?
After 14 months of exhausting every possible external irritant, we finally addressed food sensitivities as a possible cause.
I was hesitant to eliminate foods – but decided to begin with the #1 irritant first – dairy. I first made the switch from cow dairy to goat dairy, including cheese, milk and yogurt. Basically, we removed all cow dairy from our diet and switched over to all goats dairy. Goats milk has exactly the same fat content as cow dairy and it contains all the same nutritional qualities as the standard recommended whole cows milk. One interesting thing I learned is that growth hormones are not an issue with goats as they are not as “industrialized” as cows. We found a local farm nearby so I was able to discuss at length about hormones and synthetic fortification that occurs with conventional milk.
(The other thing to consider is the cow dairy present in almost all formula brands. This is also enough to trigger eczema in some children. I do NOT recommend Soy based infant formula and parents should consider if DHA and ARA are safe in infant formula. I was surprised to read that many parents are beginning to make their own formula. Here is a great recipe for homemade baby formula, plus, read how one mother nursed her “failure to thrive” son back to health and provides a goat milk formula recipe.
Although we did not introduce cows milk (the standard recommendation) at 12 months, I overlooked how my own dairy consumption could effect her through breastfeeding. I don’t drink milk myself, but I didn’t even consider the yogurt in my diet because I view yogurt as being a “good” dairy. I love yogurt!
I have to add here, that I do not recommend weaning your baby to cure baby eczema, a more likely solution is to simply reduce high risk foods from your diet while breastfeeding and monitor results.
When we switched to goats dairy, I did notice a significant improvement, but the baby eczema still remained… mostly as dry rough patches in all her creases and face occasionally flaring to bright red. I weaned her at 14 months when I became pregnant with our second child. I noticed, in hindsight that her symptoms improved again after weaning – however we were still experiencing flares.
My second child is born – and his perfect skin slowly becomes more baby eczema to deal with!
10 Months later – I gave birth to my son and his skin was perfect…never dry, never requiring cream…absolutely DREAMY SKIN!
My son’s skin was perfect until….6 months when I began to introduce food. He was however, slow to take to food and I continued to nurse him as his main nutritional supply. By 9 months, he began to eat a little more food and this was the time we introduced yogurt and some sprouted whole wheat toast in addition to fruits and veggies. I still nursed him 5-7 times a day!
When my son was around 9 months, my daughter (2 1/2) began to experience a lasting dry cough that would wake her at night. This dry cough went on for 3 months!
During this time both of their faces were red, blotchy, felt like sand paper and shiny.
I finally took her to our NaturalPath Doctor to treat the chronic cough, realizing that this was NOT a virus – and he gave my daughter a food sensitivities test.
The test confirmed that she is highly sensitive to cow dairy (goat fine) and also wheat, Kamut and Spelt and a few other things. It’s interesting because I reached this conclusion about cow milk while she was a baby but reintroduced dairy (raw milk) as a toddler again. I had also been baking quite a bit through the winter with the natural the “offending” flours. Needless to say, both Evan and Olivia’s skin look terrible during this winter.
The Naturopath placed all of us us on a wheat and dairy free diet.
What can I say – The results have been amazing and I am proud to say the eczema is cured as well as the chronic cough and dry red cheeks!
After 6 days her chronic cough disappeared completely. No lingering coughs at all. Gone. But that’s not all. Her skin went from being red and blotchy to BEAUTIFUL. (see pictures)
In addition, her moods (as a toddler) have also smoothed out. The tantrums are gone and she seems really comfortable in her skin. The change in her is remarkable and hard to describe. I have also been on this diet and feel excellent. So much so that I don’t want to eat any more wheat! In researching wheat free diets, many have reported the same benefits in mood and skin.
This is Olivia’s skin while she’s had the chronic cough and what I now call “her wheat & dairy face”
This is Olivia’s skin two weeks later. To date we have not seen any redness or blotches, unless she has dairy or wheat, kamut and spelt.
and finally here’s Olivia today, enjoying some RICE pasta – thank goodness for that!
More amazing “eczema cure” photos!
My son’s face (which was much more irritated than Olivia’s at 9 months) also cleared up withing 2 weeks!
Aren’t these picture worth a thousand words!
This is his red blotchy face before….no fun at all!
Here is he is again 2-4 weeks later…almost all gone.
and finally – this is how his face looks normally – unless we have dairy or wheat!!
I’m convinced food sensitivities are the cause for most baby & child eczema
If you are dealing with eczema I highly recommend taking a food sensitivities test or at the very least, eliminating wheat and dairy from your diet for minimum 2 weeks – if you go cold turkey you’ll see results right away. The Vega test does not hurt and is available through a Naturopathic Doctor. One way to tell food sensitivities is by “allergic shiners” which are basically dark circles under the eyes. You may not see them much on your baby, but as they grow they will show up if they have food sensitivities.
Now, here’s the tricky thing I’ve learned about baby eczema:
What works for us may not work for you – and I’ve found you kinda need a strategy to address ALL the multiple possibilities that may be causing it.
I am a resourceful natural mom – and if you’ve made it this far on my article, you are pretty resourceful as well.
I was not willing to accept that there was nothing I could do, and I was not willing to accept that cortizone was the only solution from doctors who have no idea about the body from a holistic perspective, and no nutritional background.
I used to have a list of things to consider on this page from soaps & creams to clothing and matresss, but I have found that there is so much to consider….from essential oils, to soaps, food, mites, vaccines, probiotics, immune system boosters etc etc…that it’s easy to get confused -and who has all that tie to browse the web for hours with small children!
Rather than spending countless hours on the internet researching every last suggestion and driving yourself crazy, you can read it all in one book – written by a natural mom like us!
I knew there was a solution that would not compromise my natural and healthy values as a mom.
But,
It takes time to go through the information….
I want you to have the same amazing results that I did!
I wanted to bring light to the food sensitivities and baby eczema – because I did not find anything on the internet that addressed the stomach, intestines, immune system and food the way I experience it in our home.
But I also know that you will have to explore each avenue and so I would like to highly recommend the following e-book. It’s the most natural and extensive book I have found that will walk you through each thing to consider with your baby’s eczema.
Cure Child Eczema is a step by step NATURAL guide of all the things you should consider to cure your baby’s eczema once and for all. This book covers everything, it will lead you through all your options. All the same things I looked at, until I finally found our solution with food sensitivities! It’s the only book I recommend for eczema at this time. It’s because it contains all the information I would include in a book PLUS so much MORE!
(Please note: I LOVE this e-book with ONE exception: I do NOT agree with the SKIN CARE recommendations for baby eczema. “Burt’s Bees” is not a product that I recommend because of their use of perfumes, which is not recommended at any time, especially with baby eczema. Other than the skincare recommended, I feel this book is the best on the market right now for Natural Moms who want to cure the eczema without drugs and from the ROOT cause. 
Baby Skin Care Products that Don’t Irritate Baby Eczema
The last thing that I’ll leave you with is suggestions for natural products you can trust. I have spend more money that I care to remember trying to find products that don’t irritate baby eczema and also help to cure, from the inside out.
You already know that very few skin care products are effective in not irritating the dry red cracks on the skin and keeping skin hydrated. On top of that, I have a major problem with nearly all products I come across because they contain ingredients that I don’t think should be on anybody’s skin, especially a baby’s. This article has been edited a few times because I am never satisfied. Here is the list of baby skin care products we are currently using at home:
- Dr Bronners Unscented Baby Mild Castile Soap – This is about the purest line of products you are going to find.
- Lafe’s Organic Foaming Shampoo and Wash – This is pure enough for a newborn. No scent at all. Very pure.
- Lafe’s Organic Baby Lotion – This is the one I use for daily use. A little goes a long way and it is very light and fresh.
- California Baby Super Sensitive Bubble Bath – No fragrance at all.
- Burt’s Bees Diaper Ointment – As I said, I’m not a fan of their other products but this one is good for Bum’s.
- California Baby SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion – I wanted to the safest possible, even though it goes on a little white it works great.
Health Supplements To Support Baby Eczema
One thing I wanted to address with curing baby eczema is to have a look at the supplements you may be using for yourself and baby/toddler. Now that my daughter is a toddler, I have found that certain vitamins irritate her cheeks and make her skin dry. Although I am a very healthy mom, my philosophy around supplements is very simple.
When you address issues that do not seem to have a specific cure, it is best to focus on the immune system instead. Our immune system is directly related to the stomach and intestines so the first product I always consider is a probiotic. Then I add a Vitamin D, flax oil and an omega oil. The other products I have listed I also include in our diet with discretion, meaning that I will include for a time, and then take a break.
I am not a health “professional” but these are examples of products that have been recommended to me over and over by natural health professionals.
- Probiotic – This is a great brand because it is not from a diary source, rather it comes form the earth!
- Flax Oil – I use this flax oil in all our salad dressings mixed with olive oil as well as a bout 1 Tbs into their smoothie.
- Omega Oil – This is an excellent brand for DHA, I alternate days with this. I used their oils for pregnancy as well.
- Vitamin D - Carlson is a good brand. I also use “AOR” drops for kids which I love.
- Greens Powder – these green have an excellent blend of ingredients including chia seed. I use 1 Tbs into a shake each day that we all share. So good.
- Quality Multi-Vitamin – chick here to view the pure ingredients. This is a great choice for kids 4 and older, although I break in half for my toddler son. It is hard to find a multi that does not contain fructose, sucrose etc. and also has vitamin levels high enough to actually support health.
Curing baby eczema can be very complicated and no single cure works for every baby.
In my own experience a process of elimination was required to get to the root cause. I worked on the environmental factors first and then closely observed the internal factors, namely her diet. This is where we were finally rewarded with a lasting solution.
I hope these suggestions will lead YOU in the right direction.
Many Blessings – I wish you much success in curing your child’s eczema!
I’m confident that you will get to the bottom of it.
These are my thoughts on living a healthy and simple life. I'm a modern mom with some simple ideas, a little common sense and a natural philosophy. This is the sanest way I know how to navigate the 21 century.
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Excellent post. My now 8 year old son suffered terribly with excema as a child. His sheets would literally be soaked in blood in the mornings as he just couldn’t leave it alone. He had it from top to bottom and it was the most awful experience for all of us. We too finally got to the bottom of it when we realized his excema was directly related to his food allergies. Once we got the food allergies under control, his excema did in fact clear up. To this day we still deal with not only a dairy allergy but gluten, eggs, nuts, peanuts and fish allergies as well. Thankfully we no longer deal with excema.
Org Junkies last blog post..We are rounding up the entryways today!
I have friends who’s kids suffer from excema and although I’ve told them time and again it’s related to foods, they never listen. You know, cause my kid never had it so what do I know?
I think I’ll be forwarding this over! Such a great post with great info.
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Great post. Yes, Donielle I agree people never believe you or me or the next person (usually) they go with what the doctors say. Good for you Monica for searching and trying to figure it out. Liv is a lucky girl.
I’m glad that you got this sorted out! My kids have been tested for cow milk allergy since they were young and they have been drinking goat milk ever since. Sometimes, the solution is just right in front of us and no drugs are needed. Using more medications is not always the answer!
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We battle with it as well. Our 8 year old daughter, we thought, got rid of it until we moved here a month ago. We’re back to square one in some respects. We are still armed with our arsenal, we went about it a slightly different way, but we are starting to eliminate certain foods – here’s to hoping that’ll help!
Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parentings last blog post..Wet Toddler Alert!
Excellent, informative post!
One more thing to consider – tagless tags – not a problem if you are buying organic clothing, but if you aren’t, many parents have reported skin reactions to the chemicals in the tagless tags, which can contain phthalates, formaldehyde and polyisocyanate.
Great post! We fought very ugly eczema with my youngest- we tried many of the things you mentioned here- I found the most success with simply changing to cloth diapers! It affected her entire system!
I really like how you thought outside of the box and decided to find an alternative. This shows what type of a thinker you are.
I found my daughter’s cradle cap went away when I switched to natural and organic shampoos. Great tips here, thanks!
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Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo
My daughter now 2 years had terrible eczema and would scratch herself until her skin would bleed and was terribly uncomfortable her entire first year. While I agree with all of the recommended natural switches, which I have done. In severe cases do not be afraid to use steroid cremes had I done so originally I might have avoided the terrible staph infection she got on her skin. I absolutely agree with the fact that eczema is related to food allergies as we have also removed all dairy and nuts from her diet and she is considerably better……not cured unfortunately.
I’m so sorry to hear how bad your daughter’s eczema was
but glad to her there is some improvement.
Yeah, I think if steroid creams were a one time thing I would agree that it is OK to use if all else fails, however, many times they need to be used over and over and I’m not sure this is of benefit if the condition does not clear up. Addressing the root of the problem has always been my mode of operation.
I am so glad that you too have found help for your little one’s Eczema! It is awful – our son had it so bad since he was a baby and when he was two and had become steroid dependent – we began looking into more alternative approaches. We are so happy that we found a children’s chewable probiotic that he not only LOVES, but it has nearly cleared all of his Eczema and he can eat so many more foods that he would once react to. It has been a miracle! You ahve such a cute blog and I am really glad I found it. I too have a mom blog called smilinggreenmom.com and it is all about natural green living and allergy-free living.
Excellent post! I will bookmark and pass this along to moms who call me with eczema in their breastfed babies. You present pertinent information in a wonderfully non-threatening way.
We have dealt with eczema for years in our house. The babies were all cleared of it through me stopping dairy, but strangely enough, my own case has developed…and gotten out of control! I came across your blog as I was searching for solutions. Thanks!
Smilinggreenmom- Thank you! The suggestion of a good probiotic was actually confirmed by my ND today! He related skin, the digestive and respiratory systems together today, especially in small children.
One mention that he reminded me of was the benefits of dry skin brushing using a natural loofah brush and starting with the legs, brushing towards the heart. We will do this for our daughter to help clear up the remaining dry bumpy issues we have.
Angela – Thank you for your compliment, I feel very gratified to be able to share my experience if it helps another in some way
I hope you find a solution to your eczema soon – probiotic – yogurt, BIO K, Kefir? I know I said cow dairy was often a cause, but fermented or cultured dairy can have a healing effect if you are sur ethat an allergy does not exist.
My 8 month old daughter was recently diagnosed with eczema. She’s still breast feeding and we restricted her to just rice cereal because of her condition. I’ve created a food and product journal for myself tracking what I eat each day, the products I used, as well as, whether my daughter had a flair-up. Just wondering if you noticed the flair-up right away, a few hours later, or day(s) after your baby ate the food she was allergic to? Any help is greatly appreciated.
i suffer from Eczema and what i do is just take as much vitamins A, C and E supplements plus some topical corticosteroid to remedy the itch.
Michelle – I noticed a flare within the same or next day. Good job on tracking, I know it’s really confusing. If you are sure it’s not environmental, food is the next step. I highly recommend a food sensitivities test for you both at some point. It’s been hugely successful for us. Rice cereal is good to get back to square one,but see if you can make your own by making brown rice and then pureeing with your milk or water. IMO, the store brands are so refined and not a great first food. Thanks for visiting!
Our infant son was diagnosed with baby eczema, atopic dermatitis and a host of allergies—at least 20 allergies verified by a skin prick test. He was allergic to regular baby formula, cow’s milk, goat’s milk, soy milk, citrus, soy, egg whites, egg yolks, wheat, green beans, spilt peas, lentils, seafood, shell fish, dry air, dust mites, black cat dander, and peanuts among others. From the time he was born until these past months, he has had a rash on his face or on some part of his body. If we fed him split peas or lentils he would immediately start rubbing his eyes, scratching his neck, then break out in hives with red blotches and bumps covering his face and body. For us this meant carefully evaluating his food and avoiding many types of food. It meant preparing special meals for him and bringing them to wherever we traveled or on airplanes. It meant bringing a hot pot so we could boil vegetables for him during our travels. It also meant swollen lymph nodes due to increased infection through his broken skin, hospital visits, discomfort on his part, and lack of sleep on ours. It meant carrying an epi pen and bronchial expander in case our son went into life-threatening anaphylactic shock. But God changed that as He healed our son.
For 10 months, Pamala Schwarz treated our son using NAET at the Schwarz Wellness Center (Schwarzwc.com) using both physical and laser treatment to stimulate his central nervous system and strengthen his auto immune system without medicines, chemicals, steroids or crèmes. The results have been phenomenal. He was able to drink cow’s milk, eat cheese, entire eggs, wheat, and green beans. Split peas and lentils (legumes), which had caused the most violent reactions, continued to give him problems until he completed the most recent set of treatments. Two weeks ago we tested our toddler on spilt peas- he passed. A few days later we fed him lentils – he passed.
Then we put some peanut butter on his skin- no reaction. The next day we put some peanut butter on his lips – no reaction. The next day we gave him a pea size amount of peanut butter- no reaction. Finally we gave him a teaspoon of peanut butter with no reaction. He did sneeze once, but that might have been anything. We will continue his treatments to reinforce his immune system. We are so thankful to the Lord, to Pamala Schwarz and to the many people praying for our son throughout this journey. We will still carry the epi-pen and Benedryl as a precaution for new foods, but we sense that the true danger is behind us.
i have had 3 kids now who have suffered with eczema from the beginning due to food allergies(sensitivites?). each one has been a bit different in their own way but still u would think i would have had it all under control by the 3rd one. no. my 3rd is now almost 11 months. i am getting so frustrated with the eczema. i feel bad for her as you can see that it is affecting her quality of life. i just confirmed by reading articles on-line that of course she doesnt sleep well due to her itching. she has flare ups behind the knees, inner elbows, back of neck, cheeks, her ankles, and her hands look horrible. they crack and are so red and dry with some of the cracks being pretty deep. i have used mild steroid creams as a last result although i am usually the type of person/mother to get to the source of the problem. saw that the creams were not helping at this point so i am back to mild lotions and petroleum jelly. along with giving her zyrtec to help her alieve her itching. i have been breastfeeding since day one and i have had to alter my diet in terms of milk. i still find it hard to eliminate milk entirely due to it being in many foods. i switched to almond milk, but then again, maybe that is also a problem. (my eldest daughter has a peanut allergy). wheat is also suspected and i switched to a sprouted no flour bread from trader joes. is that good enough? i dont know. i am still waiting to see my ND so that i can get her tested for her allergies and in the mean time i am just so fed up with all of this. i feel that my diet is truly effecting hers because i dont know what her other allergies are at this point. she has had trouble eating solids the past few days from being irritable from the itching. its exhausting and frustrating and hard to see them suffer. my other 2 grew out of most of their food allergies and the eczema was under control for the longest while. yay! however, recently my 3 1/2 yr old son has had a flare up(which he hasnt had in maybe a yr or longer?) and then my 6 yr old has been suffering with a severe flare up for a weeks now. i truly believe that it is from them not taking their probiotics pill. after reading articles today, i see how important that is for them! i had stopped just because it was getting expensive and then i would buy it on sale here and there. i truly believe that it coincides with the reason they started having a flare up. i am starting religiously today to give all 3 of them their probiotics every day and hopefully that will be a good start. i hope to get this all under control for everyones sake but especially for my 11 mo old who has suffered more than the other 2 it seems. also i am preg with #4 so maybe i will get it right this time as to help them before it gets out of hand? sometimes i feel stupid for not having been able to get this all under control. also, its not easy for us parents because there is so much conflicting info that we get from different drs. i have not had much help from conventional drs and they have at times provided misinformation and have disregarded things that i knew where nothering my children in terms of their allergies. we all have to be our own advocate for our children by doing long hours of research because it truly is mother who knows best and we are the only ones who are going to try to win battles for our children so they dont have to suffer so much. then we can pass that info to all those who are new to the sufferings of eczema so they may not have to suffer as much as we have. God gives us these challenges for a reason, but He also expects us to help others as well. =)
OK. I’ve read plenty and institiuted many diet changes trying to find out the source of my son’s (2) eczema. I thought it was food and outdoor allergens. From March through Oct of last year he was miserable with it. Then it magically went away. I kept him off of all the offending foods though the winter, but it came back with a vengence just a few weeks ago as the pollen etc started up again. His diet never changed. Any recommendatiosn from anyone. Is there anything natural for this type (non-food related, I believe) of eczema. I am desperate and so is he. He doesn’t talk a great deal, but he can clearly say the word “ITCH.” Feet – tops and sides-, some on calves, behind the knees, inside elbows, back of neck and now cheeks. Thanks for any help…..
Amy – It’s so frustrating, I know. All I can say is that a comprehensive allergy test would be a good idea. I was recently talking with a man who told me that is daughter was allergic to sun! Can you imagine? Each year she got red rashes on her exposed skin and they were mystified, until they tested for sun. There is such a sea of possible irritants so I recommend professional help. For myself, I would try to avoid medicated solutions and focus on bolstering his immune system. A naturalpath doctor is my choice for these issues. Best of luck! Thanks for commenting and adding to the conversation.
Thank you, thank you! This post brought so many things together for me! My 8 month old son has mild eczema and in the last month it has gotten much worse. I’ve now eliminated yogurt (cow’s milk) from his diet and am trying to avoid dairy in my diet as well (breastfeeding) – I believe his recent flare-up may have coincided with the introduction to yogurt. How many days/weeks until I can expect that the dairy has left his system? I’ve also switched his soaps from organic to more mild/naturally organic brands. I’m most excited about using coconut oil for an all-over, everyday lotion. I’ve even been told that coconut oil acts as a natural sunblock (still need to research this statement) – what do you know about coconut oil? So happy to feel empowered and thrilled to think that we may be able to resolve his eczema so quickly, before it gets out of control. Thank you for bringing additional clarity to our situation!! I’ve just discovered your blog thru this post and am really enjoying your insights, as are a few other friends
Hi,I have a 5 month old baby who has suffered with eczema from newborn.We are using emulsifying ointment(as soap) and emoilent cream as prescribed from doctors.It had pretty much cleared up and then over this last week has got really bad again,particuarly on his face and legs.During the last week it has been really hot which i thought that could be the cause but i have also started weaning and although only giving baby rice (made with my milk-breast feeding) wondered if this hasnt helped either.Would be grateful for your advice as hate seeing his skin so bad bless him.
My daughter was just tested for allergies and came out negative on every one. I had concluded that she is allergic to cow’s milk, seafood, eggs, nuts and potentially potatoes, wheat, soy. All tests at the allergists were negative. Doctor suggested I reintroduce the foods to her and see what happens. I am not willing to do that. Recently she had salmon and had a flair up. her ezcema worsened adn she had what you have described as allergy shiners. I did not know what they were until I just read here.
I am going to seek out naturopathic doctor and get some more testing done. She is currently breastfed and supplemented with alimentum formula. I want to know how to proceed with her diet to keep her allergies at bay.
What a great site! I was just wondering what all of you are doing for clothing in the summer time. My 16 month old daughter scratches at her skin constantly. I cover her hands at night but during the day I usually just keep all of her skin covered (except face and hands) so she can’t get to it. Now, though, with temperatures rising, I don’t know what to do. Any ideas?
She is allergic to dairy, eggs, wheat, carrots, apple, dogs and cats. Although we have totally eliminated these from her diet/environment, she is still itchy and has a couple of sores on her trunk (she IS 90% better than she was before the elimination). I noticed sensitivities to other foods but as long as she doesn’t get them regularly they seem to be okay.
Also, does anyone know of a good, natural sunscreen that typically works for babies with eczema?
Thank you and best wishes to everyone who is dealing with this issue in their lives. It is a tough one!
WOW Everyone! Thank you all for posting such interesting information. I have taken lots of notes. Perhaps still feeling reluctant to change my own diet, but I am honestly willing to help my daughter, she is 8 and a half months. Rubbing her eyes at night means she doesn’t get much rest. I went to Napiers, the herbalist and found chamomile cream which is soothing and instantly I can see the results on Iona’s flair ups. As many of you my despair gets me at times and want to buy the whole pharmacy!! however I know isn’t the solution, so few days ago went for herbal remedies and we’ll give it a go, trying first for her digestive system, we’ll try the chewable probiotics too!! THANK YOU AAAALLL!!!!
Forgot to mention. For those determine babies to scratch (like mine) I bought a cheap leather handbag (charity shop) and cut the size of 2 little mits. I swed them. Iona likes to suck her thumbs so on that side of the mit I only swed half (leaving plenty of space for her thumb) + attached 2 straps to tie around the wrist.
The fabulous thing is that if her face or body is quite damage, you can inhibit that hand -or both- and allow the skin to heal (even for one night is a great difference). Leather is gentler than anything.
That’s me!
You wrote a great article, thank you, and yes – we have eczema in our family too ): I feel like we’ve tried everything…but of course there is always more we can do. So on we go. You’ve given me a couple of new ideas.
Actually while we thought we used fairly natural products most of the time we’ve recently realised how much we were kidding ourselves. So are just in the process of going ‘very’ natural. We’ll see where that takes us.
I’m really glad to hear that you’ve had such success and the photos of your lovely daughter were a very good illustration of that. Best wishes.
Eczema really sucks for mother and baby …!! but it can still be cured so one don’t have to lose hope. Try going for Herbal treatments as dermatitis are prescribing it now quite much as they do’t have side effects.
Our health care system will never acknowledge Naturopathic medicine. This would destroy the great revenues awarded to all the pharmaceutical companies that supply those with eczema and other ailments the medications that will only control their condition. Nothing permanent.
But There is way to completely become eczema free and it is an all natural way, through enviromental condition adjustments, diets and many more ways. These concepts are the things the Health care system will never let you know about.
.-= eczema free forever´s last blog ..Eczema Free Forever – Is It Possible Without Creams or Prescriptions =-.
Great article, but I wasn’t able to open the link to best diet for pregnant and nursing mothers. HELP please!!!
I have a now five year old daughter with severe eczema. We have been dealing with an increase in her symptoms (rash, scaling, hives, infections) since I stopped breastfeeding her at 9months. Her eczema has been so bad at times, she had trouble walking. Every step caused her physical pain and alot of mental pain for her mum. What I found works for my child is giving her condition my TIME. Parents of children with severe eczema need to find the time to adequately assess and moisturise the skin morning and night. This is not a condition you can leave for a day – it needs constant assessment and consistent interventions like moisturising and applying steriod creams where required. My daughter is also allergic to dairy and eggs. When you have other children, sometimes it’s hard to not get her the ïce-cream she so desperately wants. However, each time we have given in, it’s always with some regret later on as her skin will object. We also tell her to avoid picking leaves, flowers, and playing in dirt and sandpits. While we can’t identify what she’s allergic to outdoors- there is something, and when she avoids doing/playing in these things she is generally better. Hope my experiences might help someone. Cheers, Julie
Our six year old has suffered from eczema since he was a baby. At three years old we accidentally found out he was allergic to tree nuts, but he hadn’t eaten them before so it wasn’t the cause of the eczema. People have said to try a dairy-free diet, and I had but it seems to get thrown off by “accidental dairy incidents”.
After reading this I am going to try the cow dairy free full force. We must get rid of his eczema as it has been absolutely horrible for weeks now.
Thank you for this very informative post! Love your blog.
Our six year old has suffered from eczema since he was a baby. At three years old we accidentally found out he was allergic to tree nuts, but he hadn’t eaten them before so it wasn’t the cause of the eczema. People have said to try a dairy-free diet, and I had but it seems to get thrown off by “accidental dairy incidents”.
After reading this I am going to try the cow dairy free full force. We must get rid of his eczema as it has been absolutely horrible for weeks now.
Thank you for this very informative post! Love your blog.
I think my 3.5 mth old has eczema (well I know she does, as she has cradle cap on her head). I just can’t stand seeing her claw at her skin and scalp. So this week and for the next 3 weeks I’m cutting out out all dairy, eggs, wheat and soy. I swear after one day her cheeks lost their redness and she wasn’t scratching at her head. I’ve read that it’s the protein in the milk that causes the issues and that the protein can stay in your system for up to 10 days, but she already seems better. After 3 wks I’ll reintroduce items one at a time. For a moisturizer I’ve been using a locally made lotion which works wonders: http://www.broodychick.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=6
Monica, bless your heart for making this website, for the optimism you give other mothers whose kids have this condition. I was desperate (or rather depressed) for awhile reading the negative things about infantile eczema and learning from pediatricians that it ‘never goes away’ and how it is a ‘recurring’ condition, etc. Same old story in my case: 2 peds told me to use cortisol cream – the one with steroids. Of course I declined to follow their suggestions. In two weeks I will see a naturopathic doctor, and in the meantime I started giving my son pasteurized goat milk – I just add water to it, so it’s not too strong for his fragile age. Later we’ll add the necessary vitamins in his goat milk (once we talk to the naturopathic doctor.) One question I have: did you give Liv all the recommended vaccinations? I ask this question because my 4 month old son seemed to have developed eczema after his 2nd month and then 4th month – right after his immnizations …
V.
Hi Veronica! I’m excited to hear you will consult a ND. It was very helpful for us. We are actually totally off dairy now and this seems to be the best for my kids. Even little bumps on her arms go away when we stop dairy. There are exceptions but as a general rule I refrain. The nutritional standpoint for dairy does not hold much water for me anymore because I cannot get past the fact that it causes inflammation…so how can that be good?
Your question about immunizations: I stopped vaccinating Liv after the 4 month shots. She had eczema from two weeks so I don;t attribute it to the vaccines, however my personal viewpoint is that I don’t believe vaccines on the whole are immune supportive even though they report them to be. I have seen children who develop more problems after vaccines because their bodies are already trying to sort out their existing issues. If you “search” my blog for “vaccines” you’ll find an extensive article on my reasons for avoiding them with both children.
So happy to have you comment and share your journey! Thank you.
I want to clarify the difference between detergents, sodium lauryl sulfates (aka surficants) and soap in regards to being a skin irritant for babies and children with conditions like eczema, which I too believe is a food allergy (or allergies in the case of my own toddler). I did a lot of research on detergent and a good amount of what I now believe and practice can be found on the site solveeczema.org (which I am not affiliated with in any way, but I think a citation is necessary). I’m still dealing with the allergy side of things (one of the issues with babies under 2 is that they have a high false positive rate for allergy blood testing and supposedly their nervous and muscular system is not quite developed for the ND muscle tests. For this reason, many babies are found positive for several allergies and over time it comes down to one or just a few.- they don’t grow out of the allergies as much as they do stop testing positive for the allergies per the ND muscle tests as well as the more mainstream IGE testing. At any rate, my comment is less about this and more about part of the management system I use for my daughter, specifically in regards to what we wash our clothes, her person and also our home with.
The molecules found microscopically in detergents, SLSs and surficants are structurally different than those found in plant based soaps and oils- the detergent molecules have actual sharp or elongated and protruding shapes. They in fact pierce the skin. Couple that with their chemical nature and propensity for over-drying and taxing the skin’s own system of oils and bacteria fighting microbes and you have a fine recipe for trodding all over sensitive skin.
Plant based soaps have molecules of a rounder shape and being oils found in nature, they to varying degrees and manners, interact more gently with skin in general. So to reiterate your point about natural shampoos- I want to go further and urge people to carefully examine even the contents, and sometimes unlisted contents of even many natural and organically labeled products. Anything that has SLS (or those in that family of differing names) or even plant based surficants (which are plant oils so chemically altered they are no longer round molecules) should be ruled out. I look for saponified oils and I also happen to avoid peppermint, rosemary and tea tree as these are harsher for babies’ skin.
**For the rare hair and skin cleanse for my 18mo old, I use Oregon Soap Company’s Sunflower Suds Aloe Baby Wash.
**For all of our clothes I use Ballard Organics or Vermont Soap Works All Purpose Liquid Foaming Soap along with baking soda in the hot or warm water. As a bonus- our clothes are way softer AND brighter now that the detergent residue is gone (and that residue was a ‘green’ one, Bio Kleen). For Haven’s clothes, I washed them 8 times or so after super washing my machine (google that!) and feel confident all the detergent residue is gone from her clothes. I do similar for new or used clothes that I introduce.
**For my house, I use sray bottles with a mix of water and the above mentioned Foaming Soap, sometimes cut with some vinegar. I use baking soda as a scrubbing agent.
**For the dishes, the foaming soap and I use Soda San in the dishwasher with a few drops of the Foaming Soap.
All these products are strong and effective at keeping things clean, but mild on our systems.
And for moisturizing her skin I highly recommend Shi Kai’s Dry Skin Lotion with Borage for children – 2-3 times daily. And Alba Botanicals No-Petroleum Jelly for after the bath.
And then I also give her an Omega 3 oil consisting of a mix of flax, fish and borage as well as some hemp oil.
When I am very vigilant, all these practices really help give her skin the best chance against her food allergy caused eczema – which we are still trying to hone in on via elimination to varying degrees of success. It helps ease the itchies (as we call them) and keep her skin from drying out so severely.
My son had eczema when he was 6 months old until we started giving him a supplement. That was the only thing we changed. His eczema went away without any lotion or anything and he has never had it since. The same with my daughter. It works like a charm!!!!
My 9 month old baby is having eczema for 2 months now. The doctor recommend hydrocortisone lipocream which I use for several days now. My concern is, if this product is safe for infant.
Thanks Monica for all the info. You’re a great help.
Hi Monica,
Congrats for your child.
I just want to let you (and your readers) know that there is this scam product called “eczema free forever”. One of the commenters here actually promoting the product (with the name “eczema free forever”).
I just want to let you know. Here is a blog post revealing about this scam:
http://dotcomfreedom.blogspot.com/2010/11/eczema-free-forever-scam.html
Hi monica, your website is wonderful. It is great to share valuable information with other parents. My baby also used to suffer from eczema however I was fortunate enough to find a book that describes causes in detail but mainly outlines the practical steps parents need to follow in order to eliminate their baby’s eczema for good. The book has been a godsent for our family and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is called Heal Your Baby’s Eczema and has been written by a naturopath Lucie Nunez. What I like about the book is that it tackles eczema holistically and provides brilliant information about boosting the baby’s immune system. I normally do not write reviews but I thought that my suggestion could be the one that helps others parents to finally eliminate their child’s eczema.
Good luck!
Hi~
So happy to hear about your daughter. We had the same experience with our son who is now 18 months. From 6 months-12months, he suffered greatly from eczema and had cheeks (though adorable) that looked exactly like your little one’s. After much research, I realized it started when we introduced solids and decided to eliminate and reintroduce each one of the major potential known trigger foods. Sure enough, it turned out to be both wheat (not all gluten) and soy. He has had spotless cheeks ever since! Beware though to anyone else- it often does not show up on allergy tests and the allergist we saw recently didn’t even take us seriously. Quite disappointing. Anyhow, good luck everyone!
Hi Monica,
I am so glad that your little girl is doing well.
I love this article. It gives me hope that my 9 month old son might outgrow his eczema some day. I was so surprised to find that he has food allergies. Coming from India, I have never even met any one with food allergies. I hate to see him itching constantly but we are seeing an allergist soon to figure out exactly what is causing the issue. I am starting to look at the positive side that I can at least give him rice and curries which he loves. It is stressful and I have tried the meds and natural lotions etc. I just need to eliminate Wheat and dairy for sure. I have tried Raw Milk and love it! I even did a skin test on my son and he did not break out but I need to do a cleanse myself and eliminate the allergens.
Thank you for a wonderful post
i was curious how long it would take to know if the no dairy and no wheat works for the eczema. i used to eat that way before baby #2 and got all off during my pregnancy. now i have baby #3 and he is 5mo. he has what i think is eczema. i already use only natural products and keep him moisturized thru the day. there have been a couple times i got lazy and could tell a difference in his skin so quickly. the eczema isn’t too bad at this point but i want to do what i can so it doesn’t get itchy and bloody. i am so glad i have found your blog…a mom after my own heart:)
Thank you for this information. I find it very useful. I have three children, and my youngest is almost 18 months. She started with a few eczema spots showing on the crease of her inner elbow at about 15 months. I didn’t worry about it, and my pediatrician assured me it was not a big deal, she didn’t scratch it or both with the small irritation line. However over the past two months it has gotten much much worse, and spread to other areas. I have read and read and researched all I can. Most people say to “get a steroid cream” — my husband and I are not big fans of medication, and did NOT want to put a steroid on our young daughter. I kept thinking it was something I had done, and needed to figure it out. Mind you my older sons (6 and
have never had any type of allergy, and neither my husband or I have any allergy issues— all of my children have been breastfed, and my daughter was the longest all the way to 12 months—which is an accomplishment for a full-time-work-outside the home mom.
I finally stumbled on to something that made sense—we had always given our daughter yogurt. Since she was about 5 months old, just like the boys. However–around November it became an occasional thing. Upon reading an article about probotics helping clear eczema, it clicked that when we stopped daily yogurt the skin had gotten worse! I have now been giving her yogurt again each day for a week, and have seen a huge improvement. She had recently developed patches on the backs of her hands, under her eyes, and occasional bumps on her torso. These are all gone now, with one week of daily yogurt–only one arm crease is still “bad” and I hope it soon improves.
Due to your advice I will have her tested for further allergies though. Thank you!
My granddaughter has Systemic Eczema which we cannot see but which causes her to scratch any exposed skin. I found wonderful cotton pajamas which completely cover her hands and feet but I could only find them in England. Does anyone know of a company that sells pajamas with hand and feet covers in the US. She now wears 12-18 months.Thanks,
Good day
i would like to know which food , imcluding milk to give to my 2 year old son with Excema
regards,
Susan
Hi Monica,
My son is 5 months old and has had ezcema since he was 2 months old. The severity has been going up and down and I am not sure what would be the cause of it. His last flare up was so severe on his face we had to opt to use hydro cortisone cream which help clear it up 90%. I have also done the elimination diet since I am breastfeeding him right now by cutting out Dairy, Soy, Eggs, Nuts, Shellfish and Fish from my diet and its been a little over 3 weeks so I introduced eggs yesterday and it seemed to flare up through the night. My question is whether or not my son is too young to go to the ND and get allergy tested? I havn’t been that strict on the elimination diet eating foods that have some traces of the allergetic ingredients were part of my diet such as cookies containing egg or butter.
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