Excema and reflux?

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Permalink Reply by Lara Hamilton on April 12, 2010 at 0:23

hi
Is it possible your lo has an allergy to something? I know that this is common with milk allergies, but I would think an allergy to anything could cause this then the cream would seem to help for a bit but if lo still exposed to whatever the allergy is, it would just come back.
Laraxx

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Permalink Reply by Belinda on April 12, 2010 at 15:39

Hi ya, My daughter is 20 months old and intolarent to dairy at 14 months and then 16 months wheat and gluten. At around 13 months old, she began to have terrible nappy rash ALOT (or so I thought).
It turned out to be eczema.
This is now also on her cheeks, (a little redish rash). she is given an oil for her to wash in and a cream to follow, and it does help.
as there is a link to dairy intolarence/allergy, and reflux , and then dairy and ezcema, Id deffo say there is a link to eczema and reflux,,,, Although the way you describe your little ones area, I would not have said it was eczema.

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Permalink Reply by Matthew's mummy on April 12, 2010 at 22:42

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I do think it's a skin infection of some kind but it's never been swabbed. Our pharmacist said she thought it was fungal way back at the start and sent us to see our GP (who we were avoiding!) but he never swabbed it; just prescribed antibiotic cream, followed by oral antibiotics, then a different cream and oral antibiotic and so on and so on. He's been given an antifungal now but after initially healing a bit it's back to bleeding and weeping through the dressing and clothes again today (GRRR ARRGH!).

I wondered about an allergy as well to begin with, as my first thought was our detergent, but we changed that and it didn't help. I never really thought about a food allergy though, although I'd be surprised at a lactose / dairy problem at this point. Don't get me wrong - he has bad reflux and when it's bad it's awful - but he's not had the problems that go with it that other babies on this site have, except his weight dropping / stalling when he was younger. I wonder though if it could be something he's been getting since weaning him.

It's just so weird that it's so localised. The skin round about can get dry but not to the extent of these two specific sores. That's why I'm thinking it's not excema or an allergy, but the infection theory seems to hold.

I guess I just need to wait for the paediatrician but the poor wee mite itches so bad and since he can't reach it he scratches his sides instead, which are now getting cut.

Hopefully we'll get an appointment soon - thanks guys x

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Permalink Reply by Matthew's mummy on April 16, 2010 at 21:12

Susie, thanks so much for your suggestion! I got hubbie to call the GP this morning to ask if they would do a swab and to get a prescription for more bandages and she saw him again this afternoon. She took a swab and even let us take it to the hospital ourselves so it wouldn't wait until Monday afternoon for collection. She read me the notes from last time and I'm a bit cross because despite last GP prescribing an antifungal, he's noted that it looks like impetigo (a bacterial infection). I've since googled and discovered if it is impetigo it's very very contagious while the wound is weeping and he's been at nursery, playgroup, around his baby cousins, my pregnant stepsister, and the list goes on, not to mention my husband and I who had no idea. We're now back to using the Fucidin cream he had before as she says it definitely seems bacterial, and it's the dermatologist who'll see him. Swab results expected middle to end of next week so now I need to ring the doctor on Monday to make sure he's allowed to go to nursery. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the suggestion of getting the swab done because it makes a lot of common sense and I wish I'd had it done sooner!

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Permalink Reply by Matthew's mummy on April 29, 2010 at 22:21

Well the dermatologist at the hospital said it's definitely eczema. He was really good and took the time to explain things properly to me. If only Matthew's own GP was as good!

Unfortunately he had enough respect for me to tell me that this isn't likely to go away until Matthew's about 7 or 8 and that it will probably get worse. He reckoned it wont be long until the scratching starts in earnest but has prescribed a steroid ointment and given us some things to try.

Just wanted to update to let people know that he also said that there's very little chance a food or other allergy caused this. He told me that eczema is essentially an imbalance in the body's immune system which is why it's common in children. I know there is a lot of mixed advice out there about this and I'm only starting to hear the half of it but I hadn't heard that so thought I'd throw it out there for anyone who might find it interesting. Also to let people know that it turned out to be eczema after all as I was convinced it was something else based on what I'd seen in other kids. Hopefully it'll help someone else.

Thanks everyone! x

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Permalink Reply by Julie Ryan on April 29, 2010 at 23:51

I have a 14 month old child who has been diagnosed with moderate to severe eczema all over his body since about two months old. He also has silent reflux treated with omeprazole. He has been diagnosed with dairy and egg allergies. Dietary changes didn't improve his eczema but there is a family history. I have also been to see a dermatologist and they prescribed a regime with different doses of steroid creams, cetraben and dry wrapping his body. They worked for short periods but his skin flared as soon as they were stopped. To cut a very long story short i have tried everything possible olatium, Aveeno, doublebase and emulsifying ontment to name a few. Here are a few things i found helped (1) 100% cotton clothing, sheets, towels, if it says excluding trims on label my child reacts? nylon thread (2) Sure washing powder unfragranced for sensitive skin available in Tesco's (3)Changed all my shampoos, creams etc to simple, (4) I decided to try a natural route rather than piling on steroids, Seaweed baths from a (company called Algoo) stinks but seems to sooth his skin. (4) Natural products, intensive spray and Zeoderm cream from a company called Salcura very expensive but i have had brillant results. It seemed to help the itch as soon as it was applied, check out there website if your interested losts of information on ingredients etc. I was recommended these products by a mother of an eczema sufferer. My sons skin is finally under control, the inflammation and itching has resolved, i rarely have to use steroid creams. His condition is obviously not cured and still has occassional flair ups but its managable now after a hellish year. I hope this helps x

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Permalink Reply by Matthew's mummy on April 30, 2010 at 7:38

Thanks Julie, for your great advice. I hadn't thought about excluding trims meaning it might have nylon thread. When you say about Simple shampoo etc do you mean for yourself? I'm still breastfeeding and wonder if what i use would affect him where he's lying against me for long periods. I'll look into the products you mentioned too. Thanks, marion x

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Permalink Reply by Julie Ryan on May 2, 2010 at 21:36

Asda sell 100% cotton baby grows and vests with no tags and nickel free poppers. I changed all my products shampoo, conditioner, cleanser etc to Simple unfragranced products because my little boys face, neck and hands were particularly bad with eczema. His back was the only part of his body never affected by eczema. Heat i also found was the biggest thing to aggravate his skin. If he sweated at all his skin would become inflammed and start breaking down particularly his neck and face.I used 100% cotton sheets near his skin when he was lying into me. I also put thermometers in the rooms and kept the temperature at 18 degrees and at night even in the winter he slept in a 1 tog (summer) sleeping bag and we added blankets as required. His body temperature always seemed hotter than the rest of us, often just a babygro and sheet was enough.It may be worth considering whether your baby could be overheating when breastfeeding, position etc.
A food diary could also help you eliminate food allergies, you may notice your babys rash is worse with certain foods. I was also breastfeeding, eating dairy and eggs unaware that this was causing my little boys eczema from 5 weeks old.Surcare sensitive is the washing powder i use it on all the family's clothes due to contact with his skin. Sorry its a bit long winded i hope this helps x

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