How to Heal Your Child’s Eczema

Find out what eczema is, what causes eczema, how to treat your child’s eczema, and what products to use for treating your little one’s eczema.

Baby with eczema

Let me let you in a little secret if you haven’t already figured this out. Recommendations from the medical profession change, and change often.

Just think back over things like when to introduce solids and if babies should sleep on backs or tummies.

Advice for how to best treat eczema is no different. There is “traditional” advice, and then there is the more “contemporary” advice that not all doctors have even really been updated on yet.

My third child had eczema and we took a long path of figuring out how best to treat and heal her eczema. It is not a simple solution.

This post contains information on how to help treat eczema. I will share all the advice I know, and some of it will be conflicting. What works for one baby will not work for another.

WHAT IS ECZEMA?

The term eczema covers a broad spectrum of things. Basically, it is skin irritation.

With eczema, no matter the cause, the skin will get irritation, inflamed, and often has a rash. Skin is often dry. It can blister, crack, and bleed.

Eczema is typically itchy. Eczema is itchy before the rash appears. I found this picture on Wikipedia. It states this is a mild case of eczema:

WHAT CAUSES ECZEMA?

There are lots of theories on what causes Eczema, and the exact cause isn’t exactly known.

  • Eczema is itchy before it rashes. The rash comes out after it has been itched, rubbed, or irritated.
  • It might be caused by the body overreacting to some trigger.
  • For some, it is an allergic reaction. Many times, this happens in families where asthma and hay fever are common. It can be a reaction to a food allergy or another allergen.
  • For some, it is caused by an irritant like the type of laundry detergent used.
  • Dry weather can have an effect.

With McKenna, I think the dry weather has a negative impact on her skin. I also have noticed that skin that gets rubbed a lot flares up into eczema. Her forearms get it now that she crawls. Before she was a crawler, it was her back right where I would hold her.

HOW DO I TREAT ECZEMA?

First of all, Eczema is not contagious. Second of all, it cannot be cured, which is why I titled this section how to “treat.”

The problem with eczema is that it is itchy and sometimes painful. If the person with eczema is capable of scratching, she can scratch to the point of causing an infection in the skin. Let’s take the treatment one section at a time.

BATHING

The “traditional” advice on bathing is to bathe as little as possible. The idea is that it dries the skin out and makes everything worse.

The modern advice is to bathe as often as possible–at least once a day. I have read articles that say dermatologists will tell you to bathe daily, while many pediatricians are still saying bath as few times as possible.

A study published nearly a year ago used diluted bleach water each day. Half of the group used bleach and half a placebo. The bleach worked so effectively that they terminated the study early in order to provide the other half the relief.

So how do you decide what to do? I think you just need to experiment and see what works best. I created an Eczema spreadsheet to help me track things.

For about the first six months of McKenna’s life, we bathed every day. That has always been my routine with my children. Around 6 months it got to be a challenge on school days, so we went down to bathing four days a week.

When she was about 8 months old, she developed Eczema. This was around the time of year it got cold and the heater came on a lot more. We live in a dry climate.

On days she has a bath, her skin is amazing and much better than on days she doesn’t. So for us, I believe bathing at least every other day is best, and I plan to try out every day soon.

I have dry skin. It isn’t eczema, but it is really dry. My skin gets really bad if I don’t shower every day–even if I apply lotion. Putting lotion on damp skin is much more effective than putting it on dry skin.

Another thing to consider with the bath is the temperature of the water. You don’t want it too hot or too cold. Lukewarm bathwater is pretty universally suggested.

I think the best thing to do is to try out different intervals of bath and see what works best.

Of course, you need the right soaps and such for bath time or else you will irritate the skin more.

Treat your child's painful eczema pinnable image

Soaps/Body Washes

First, note that true “soap” is not a good idea. It is drying. Body washes/creams/cleansers are what you are after. There are a lot of soaps out there. A lot. And they are expensive. Unless you have a lot of money floating around, it is hard to figure out which one is “best” for your child. For that reason, I created the polls on which worked best.

I think there are a lot of products because different products work for different children. If there was an overall bad product out there, it wouldn’t be long before it was out of business. But seeing a poll might give you a good starting point. For bath wash I did the following poll on which bath wash worked best:

Aquaphor: 42 votes (24%)

Aveeno: 62 votes (36%)

Burt’s Bees: 3 votes (1%)

California Baby: 9 votes (5%)

Cerave: 7 votes (4%)

Dove Soap: 14 votes (8%)

Other bar soap: 2 votes (1%)

Other: 30 votes (17%)

Total of 169 votes

We have Aveeno, Aquaphor, and Burt’s Bees. Those are the products we have tried thus far. Aveeno works best for McKenna, but I think Aquaphor works fine, too. I don’t see problems with Burt’s Bees, either.

This is my opinion about the soaps. I think so long as you get something that is fragrance-free, you should be fine. I think of all the products, the soap is the least critical so long as it is fragrance-free. I also think you don’t necessarily need to wash your child with soap every time they take a bath unless they are actually dirty.

Shampoo
If your child has eczema, she might also have dry scalp, dandruff, cradle cap, etc. While I don’t think the soaps matter much, the shampoos do.
 
Aveeno: 68 votes (25%)

Aquaphor: 26 votes (10%)

Burt’s Bees: 15 votes (6%)

California Baby: 24 votes (9%)

Coconut Oil: 6 votes (2%)

Dermamed: 1 votes (0%)

Gentle Naturals: 7 votes (3%)

Head & Shoulders: 30 votes (11%)

Olive Oil: 23 votes (8%)

Other Oil: 17 votes (6%)

Other: 51 votes (19%)

Cerave: 4 votes (1%)

Total of 272 votes

I highlighted the top two vote getters–other than the “other” since that doesn’t give you anything concrete. My vote on this poll was for Burt’s Bees. We had tried Head & Shoulders and Burt’s Bees at the time. After seeing the results to this poll, I decided to try Aquaphor and Aveeno.

Burt’s Bees prevented her scalp from getting worse. It didn’t get better, but it also didn’t get worse. I would brush her head with a stiff bristle brush before the bath and use Burt’s Bees and we kept things as they were.

But the Aveeno did the trick! Aveeno is my new vote, hands down. I no longer brush her head and the dryness is 100% gone.

Another thing to consider with baths is the softness of the water. We got soft water about a month after McKenna’s symptoms showed up. It made a huge difference! It has gone out since, and when it did, her skin got much worse, then improved when it was fixed. With the water softener, I only have to lotion her once a day. With hard water, I need to lotion her twice a day.

Post Bath
I wrap McKenna in a towel and just pat her dry. Do not rub. Make sure the towel is washed in appropriate laundry detergent, as discussed below.

This is how I do post bath. I lay her on her towel and wrap her up. Then I carry her in a cradle hold. As I walk to her room, I rub her head to dry her hair. Once we are in her room, I pat her diaper area dry. Then I put her diaper on. Then I start the lotioning. I don’t need to dry any other area of the skin.

LOTIONING

Creams/Steroids/Antibiotics
Medicated Creams, steroids, and antibiotics need to go on before you apply any lotions. When McKenna has a flare up, I use Hydrocortisone Cream. I don’t use it every day, but do when she needs it.

Lotions
Once your creams and steroids and all that (as needed) have had a minute or two to set in, start the lotioning.
With lotions, choosing the right product is important.

Aquaphor: 67 votes (26%)

Aveeno: 56 votes (21%)

Burt’s Bees: 11 votes (4%)

Cerave: 7 votes (2%)

Deramed: 0 votes (0%)

Eucerin: 26 votes (10%)

Prescription: 17 votes (6%)

Other: 57 votes (22%)

Total of 256 votes

I have used Aquaphor and Aveeno on McKenna. They work so well that I haven’t gone any further. I use both. I first load up the Aquaphor, then follow up with the Aveeno. If I could only buy one, I would use the Aquaphor. I should mention that I have read to not put any sort of lotion over something like Aquaphor, but I have had great success with it, so I do it. Take this into consideration as you figure out what works best for your baby.

If your baby’s skin has a rash, I suggest you lotion morning and night until it is gone. If there is currently no rash, try lotioning only once per day and see if that controls it.

This stuff is expensive, yes. Here is the good news. As I write this, McKenna has been using it for over four months. She is still on her first tubes of these items (all of them). I used the lotioning stuff twice a day for two months. So it does last a long time. A baby’s body is small 🙂

DAILY LIVING

There is definitely more to do beyond the bathing and lotioning.

Diapers
If your child has eczema, you will find some diaper rash creams/ointments definitely work better than others. There are a whole lot of options out there, and you will notice that there are not really a high concentration of votes like in the other polls:

A&D Ointment: 14 votes (5%)

Amolin: 2 votes (0%)

Aquaphor: 62 votes (24%)

Balmex: 6 votes (2%)

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste: 27 votes (10%)

Burt’s Bees: 11 votes (4%)

California Baby: 16 votes (6%)

Desitin: 21 votes (8%)

Desitin Extra Strength: 6 votes (2%)

Dr. Smith’s: 2 votes (0%)

Grandma El’s: 0 votes (0%)

Hydrocortizone Cream: 19 votes (7%) or try this cortisone eczema cream

Other: 23 votes (9%)

Triple Paste: 18 votes (7%)

Vasoline: 7 votes (2%)

Weleda: 6 votes (2%)

I think this result just adds to the value in purchasing Aquaphor. Something to consider with this choice is how you diaper. Some of these are much better for clothe diapering than others (so I am told 🙂 ).

I have never used Aquaphor on the bottom, but I am thinking I should try it.

I have used Balmex and don’t like it at all. I would never pay money for it.

I love Butt Paste. It was so fabulous for Brayden and Kaitlyn; however, it did not work at all for McKenna.

Burt”s Bees is our current use for McKenna. I really like it. It works well.

I LOVE the Lansinoh. Really love. It is impossible to find where I live, so I need to order it online. The next time we need to buy diaper ointment for McKenna, I think I will try Lansinoh and try it in the context of eczema. I have not complaints about Burt’s Bees, but I want to see if I like Lansinoh better.

I have to put diaper ointment on at every diaper change.

You should probably also watch the brand of diapers you use. Some will be more irritating to your baby than others.

Laundry

When you do laundry, make sure you wash your child’s clothes, sheets, towels, etc. in “free” detergents. I use Dreft for McKenna and that has been fine–no problems.

If you want to use a fabric softener, you can use Bounce Free.

For my babies, I always use a baby-friendly detergent. I wash their clothes separately for the most part, though I will add pinks and reds to the girl’s pinks and reds. I typically do this for the first year, but for McKenna, I will extend it as long as she has eczema. If she continues to have eczema (many stop having issues around 18 months), then I will switch the family over to All Free and Clear.

I just don’t use fabric softener for my baby clothes, but I am thinking the Bounce Free sounds like a good idea.

Dressing
When dressing your child, try to use 100% cotton clothing. It breathes better. It is a natural fabric. Avoid scratchy materials like wool. You also want to avoid overheating your child.

Humidifier
Use a humidifier if you live in a dry climate.

Supplements
There are supplements you can try. One is fish oil. You can take fish oil supplements if you are breastfeeding and it will transfer through your milk. It is fat soluble, so it will take a couple of weeks to make it through. If you are not breastfeeding, you can try adding it to bottles or food, but be sure to consult with a doctor first. You can also feed your child fish if she is old enough. Studies have found children who eat fish do better with eczema.

A recent study suggests that Vitamin D3 helps improve skin. This vitamin is found in the sun, so during the winter, many people will not get enough. Again, if you are breastfeeding, you can take about 2000 IUs a day. It is also fat soluble so expect two weeks before seeing improvement. One of my best friends growing up had eczema, and her skin always got better if it had some exposure to the sun, so I believe this has some validity to it. If your child is not breastfeeding, talk to you pediatrician about ways to get more D3 into your child in the winter.

SUMMARY
As a summary, to treat eczema:

  • Figure out the best way to bath baby and which products to use.
  • Figure out which creams and lotions are best. Use steroids if needed (as discussed with a doctor).
  • Find the best diapers for your baby.
  • Figure out the best diaper rash ointment for baby. You will likely need to use it at every diaper change.
  • Do laundry in a “free” detergent.
  • Dress in cotton as much as possible.
  • Use a humidifier if needed.
  • Try to find the cause of the eczema. If it is caused by an allergy, then you can greatly diminish if not eliminate eczema. Most babies with eczema just have eczema, but some have it because of allergies.
  • Take supplements as desired

Conclusion

Please feel free to share what works and doesn’t work for your child on this post. Like I said, there are many things that work for some and not for others and the more info moms have, the more likely they will be able to find what works.

I will be taking all previous comments from readers on eczema and putting them into their own post, so if you have posted your tips before, don’t feel like you have to do it here. You are welcome to, it won’t bother me in the least, but you don’t need to.

There is also a lot of great info in this group on Babycenter. You don’t need an account to read the info, just to post questions/comments.

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33 thoughts on “How to Heal Your Child’s Eczema”

  1. Great post! I wish I had had it a year ago when David's eczema was bad. We love all the Aveeno products (diaper cream, baby wash, lotion), but I've never tried the shampoo. We totally will if our next baby has head issues like the boys did.We also LOVE the bounce free dryer sheets. My boys have some fleece blankets and pjs that get so staticy (is that a word?) if I don't use fabric softener, and those sheets do the trick! I have sensitive skin too (although not eczema), so we just do all our laundry completely frangrance free. Hopefully McKenna's skin gets better soon!!!

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  2. We love all of the Aveeno products as well (and you can watch for some good coupons on these things online). One thing that I have noticed with my eczema, as well as my girls, is that we do better with liquid fabric softener than with the "sheets." Our dermatologist explained that the oil used on the sheets can be quite irritating, even if it is of the "free" variety, and suggested using a "free and clear" version of liquid fabric softener! What a difference it has made!I have lived with eczema my entire life, and I have to say that your advice was spot on! I use Cetaphil with an Aquafor layer on top when things get really bad…and use Aveeno products for daily use between flare-ups. I also think that a little sun can do wonders as well. There are so many different ways to treat this chronic problem, it is really just about finding what works for you. Lots of trial and error. I have always been told that it is caused by an overactive immune system, so I try to keep this in mind when the body begins to make a reaction. Often it is being caused by an outside factor, such as a bug bite, reaction to a dry climate, or even just sleeping on someone else's sheets washed in different detergent. When things are really bad, I do my best to remove all of the outside factors and slowly bring them back in. Controlling your environment is key.

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  3. Wow! This is an amazing post on Eczema. Very thorough! And I am so glad that you clarified the whole discrepancy about the frequency of bath for me. I had read in two places (which I can't remember now) that everyday bath is best, but then my husband (who did a pediatric residency before his current field) as well as my older son's pediatricians have all told me that less the better. BUT! a big but, here. i've found that both my older son and 6-month old baby did better with more frequent baths. Glad to know that I was mistaken. Since I too have an older child's school and other activities, I can't bathe everyday, but we do it every other day at least. If I miss one or two days, I immediately notice the difference on the baby's body. However, this isn't the case for my toddler. He is three now, but about a year ago, we noticed that times we had to skip baths, he actually looked better. And since then, we've limited his bathing to twice a week. Now, from my distant memory, I thought the frequent bathing was beneficial when they are infants or very young because the actual immersion in water somehow acts to hydrate their skin cells. Is this true? Again, because I don't remember where I read it, I can't confirm this. I feel like that's been true for our boys. As for skin lubricant, I'd used Aquaphor for my older son all along, and just recently switched to hydrated petroleum (Hydralatum – kept in the back of pharmacy counters though not prescription.) As long as the baby isn't having a break-out, this cream-like stuff works even better than Aquaphor. It's a little cheaper – $9 vs. $15 per tub. BUT if there is a break-out or redness due to scratching(contact dermatitis,) then I actually use Aquaphor over it. It seems to hold better against all the rubbing that my baby does over his ears and face. And one last thing, from hubby's suggestion, I have used Selsun Blue on his head and body when he has a break-out or cradle cap outbreak. A little pea-sized drop over wet washcloth to dilute, and rub is all over his head and body part with break-out(his chest and thighs for us.) It's done wonders for us. The baby ends up smelling like an old man, but that's a price I'm willing to pay. 🙂 Thanks again for this post. I hope you won't mind if I put a link of this post on my private blog. If so, do let me know.

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  4. thank you for such comprehensive study! I had lots of skin disorders when I was a kid and surely if my mom had such info as you provided, I can only wish 🙂 My skin conditions really improve with a lot of oil! Omega 3 from fish and flax seed. I have been taking a combination, high dose throughout the pregnancy to help with depression and through breastfeeding. Also, I started giving it to my son, 1 cap quality fish oil, like Solgar, once a day in his porridge. He is so used to taste, he does not mind! And flax seed he gets in his milk, 1 tbsp a day, in combination with 1 teaspoon olive & 1 teaspoon coconut oil, all raw, organic. And I can see when his skin gets dry, he needs a bit more. I do not rub him with lotion and use very plain soap as well. My skin stayed amazing through pregnancy, no stretch marks at all, used only almond oil for tummy in addition. Also, I love ozonated olive oil: i used it for my son the moment I detected any skin problems and its a miracle on fungus, eye infection and so on. As you say, different things work for different people. And for vit D3 – it works for sure! My father has scaly skin, the only relief is that he starts tanning in January, at the window. One just needs to be so careful to be exposed to mild sunshine. I hope your little girl will outgrow this condition very soon!

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  5. I love your blog! Thanks so much for taking the time to share all of your info/experiences with us!My twin girls (14 months) both have eczema, and now that we're wearing short sleeve shirts, shorts and dresses, it seems like their eczema is much worse – I guess due to the exposed skin. I use Aquaphor all over them as often as I can and it seems to work best. I also use it with EVERY diaper change and it prevents diaper rash very well. A friend of mine's daughter (20 months) also has eczema and she was told to give her Omega-3 supplements (for toddlers). They said that her eczema went away within a few days. I asked my pedi about it and she believes that it was probably a coincidence. Have you heard anything about Omega-3 for eczema? I think I might try it just to see.

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  6. Don't forget to investigate reactions to dairy products!I discovered that my son had eczema when he was about 4 months old. His pediatrician recommended that I stop eating all dairy products to see if that would help him (my son was exclusively breastfed for 6 months).This was VERY difficult for me because I used to drink at least two glasses of milk per day, had milk in my cereal, LOVED cheese (especially quesadillas), and would eat a lot of yogurt. Looking back, I definitely had too much dairy in my diet anyway. I quit dairy cold-turkey and my son's skin improved dramatically within a few days and was perfect within a week. It was amazing–I couldn't believe it! I didn't eat dairy until he was 12 months old (when he was weaned) and his skin continued to look beautiful. I noticed that my skin also improved and I felt healthier when I didn't eat dairy, so I still limit the amount of dairy that I eat. I have substituted Unsweetened Silk for milk, eat an occasional soy yogurt, and use cheese sparingly in recipes, though many of the meals that I most often cook do not contain dairy. I take a great multi-vitamin each day for Vitamin D and Calcium.I have my son (now 20 months old) on a Toddler Soy Formula so that he gets more vitamins than just through soy milk alone. I know that dairy is the issue for him because of random exposures to it. For example, my mom made muffins while we were visiting a few weeks ago. She was very careful to use soy milk instead of real milk in the recipe. However, my son developed some eczema, including very red, chapped cheeks–a telltale sign that he has eaten dairy recently. The only exposure that we could discover was that the cooking spray (yes, the minute amount of cooking spray) had milk in it. Yikes!So, please do yourselves (and your kiddos) a favor and look for any type of allergies that might be causing the eczema. It is so much better to prevent the eczema than to just treat it!PS: This blog is so great! I love how much information you post. I have been following Babywise since my son was born and he, literally, slept 8 hours through the night by 3 weeks old, without any effect on his weight gain. It was such a blessing for me and my husband as well as our baby–a good night's rest is the best thing you can give your baby!

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  7. Thanks so much for the detailed post and all the poll results! I have dry skin and Tobias has had cradle cap for his entire life (he's 21 months old and still has it) so I'm going to try some of these remedies and see if they help.For the cloth diapers, actually no diaper cream is okay, they will all cause residue to build up and can cause urine burns. But a simple strip of fleece fabric between the paste and the cloth diaper will keep the cream out of the cloth diaper. Fleece is cheap so I simply toss it after use. We rarely use diaper creams though, thankfully. And for us All Free and Clear detergent has been a lifesaver for my sensitive skin and Tobias' cloth diapers! He's had allergic reactions with urine burns to 2 other kinds of soap so we stick with All detergent now. Also, we don't use fabric softener on anything anymore. We use vinegar instead. What we did was buy a downy ball and I fill it with vinegar and toss it in the wash. Vinegar naturally softens and brightens fabrics and cuts any smells (even in cloth diapers). It's 100% safe and natural and has never irritated our skin. So for those of you who can't use fabric softener that's a great option.

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  8. Thanks so much for the post! My 4 month old has had some eczema patches on his cheeks and now I'm seeing it on his arms and tummy. This is my first experience with eczema so this post is super helpful. One questions: when you say you used Aquaphor for bathing – do they make a soap? I'm in South Africa where they don't carry it so I'm wanting to tell some friends who are coming over what to get. I have the healing ointment. Just wondering about the soap? Thanks!

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  9. I am a dermatology healthcare provider and give all this advice to mom's w/ kids w/ eczema everyday. This is very detailed and easy to understand. I love the CeraVe cleanser/cream but we all love Aquaphor, too! One thought on the laundry detergent- if the child's face/cheeks breaks out as lot, consider washing the adults clothes in the all free/clear, too. The baby'face touches your clothes all day long.

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  10. Very informative! My DD has mild eczema that flares up very rarely. It did this winter, even in FL, due to unusually dry cold weather. We didn't know what it was, and she was very irritated when we brought her to the doc. Doc said for her to take children's Zyrtec at night before bed to reduce the itching. That way it could heal faster. We also got a RX for strong steroidal cream. Now that I know what it is, if there is a flare up coming, I hit it with hydrocortisone cream covered with Acquaphor and it is gone in less than 24 hours!

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  11. This was a great post. My son had terrible eczema til about 15 months. It got really bad at times(to the point of bleeding) in his upper bottom cheeks of his diaper area in the back and front too sometimes. We never tried Aquaphor, wish I knew about it then! Here are some of my suggestions thoughts on your post.1. If the eczema is really bad in the diaper area try cutting up one of your husbands soft undershirts or t-shirts. After cleaning well and putting on your cream of choice, place the cloth piece over the irritated area. Change frequently at every diaper change. REALLY HELPED US with the healing process!2. While FISH OIL is so great for some people please do your research and ask your doctor! I took this about 4 months last year after reading about all of it's good benefits. I failed to read about who should not take it. I realized I began to bruise terribly on my legs and developed bursting patches of blood cells on my arms and shoulders from no trauma. I came to find out since I am taking steroids and Imuran (for my autoimmune disease similar to Lupus) they suppress the immune system and also have blood thinners. Do not take FISH OIL with other blood thinners (steroids, aspirin, coumadin, plavix etc.) without discussing it with your doctor. They all reduce your blood's ability to clot. Fish oil and ginkgo have blood thinning effects. I stopped taking it and stopped bruising. I wish I could take it for it's good benefits :)3. I definitely believe that we need to figure out the cause of the eczema for our children's sake and for future generations. Auto immune diseases (diseases where our bodies attack itself from environmental factors such as food, plastics, chemicals) are becoming more and more prevalent. It seems to me that this is similarly linked. Doctors just don't know what to tell us.Rachel http://www.rhapsodyattic.com

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  12. I just read this today after reading your post. It says do not use lanolin if you have eczema. I haven't researched this yet. Something to look into. :)http://www.allure.com/magazine/2010/02/winter_beauty_mistakes#slide=4

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  13. You are welcome to everyone!And thanks to everyone who added info and links!Rachel, thanks for the info on fish oil being a blood thinner. That is good to know.

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  14. mtmommy, thank you for adding that about washing adults stuff in "free" if needed. I was going to add that, but forgot, so thanks!Along those lines, adults need to monitor the soaps, lotions, perfumes, etc. they use. The link to BBC has a mom who says if her son can use it, she doesn't.

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  15. Kristin, yes, Aquaphor has a body wash. If you click on the link under the body wash section that says "aquaphor" it should take you to show you what it is.

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  16. Kristi H, Omega 3 is the fish oil, so yes, I have 🙂 You can get omega 3 through foods.Beans have it (soybeans, navy beans, kidney beans).Fish has it (salmon, halibut, tuna, and scallops).Winter squash has it.Olive oil has it. Canola oil. But you don't want to fry omega 3.There are also nuts that do, but not safe for baby :)Some eggs do (they will be marked)…Anyway, thos are some ideas 🙂

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  17. Kristi, so far as I know, Aveeno doesn't have a shampoo…I just use the body wash. Isn't that nice? Only one thing to buy 🙂

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  18. Aveeno actually does have a shampoo. I just bought it today. 🙂 But, it is "lightly scented". I did really like it though when I used it tonight.

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  19. I have eczema (mostly on my hands) and so does Tre. I have no allergies, so mine is just kind of there, and I'm assuming that Tre inherited it from me (sorry buddy!). We took him to a dermatologist because it was completely covering his body. His skin literally felt like sandpaper and was a pinkish red. Luckily, none of the blisters popped, which is what makes mine so itchy. The dermatologist recommended oatmeal baths (we used Aveeno Baby packets) and CeraVe lotion. Within weeks it was completely under control. Now we only lotion him after a bath (1-2 times per week). We use All Free and Clear detergent for all of our clothes, and tennis balls in the dryer instead of fabric softener. His face really the only bad thing any more. His chin is red and bumpy because of all his drooling. I've noticed that if I spend extra time wiping his face off after he eats, it looks better than when I just do a quick job.

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  20. My boys have all had major skin issues and my youngest still does. DH has has problems all his life and still suffers. DH has tries the bleach bath and he finds relief from that although I hesitate to do that with my youngest (just turned 2). We use all free and clear and bounce free for the dryer. We have taken my youngest off dairy for variuos reasons but that has not seemes to help the skin. We use cetaphil to bathe him and vaseline all over his body and that seems to work best for him (and my other 2 as well when they were suffering). However we have to put him in footed sleepers because he will scratch behind his knees while he sleeps until he bleeds.

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  21. I would just like to say that first and foremost, I LOVE your blog. Secondly, my 5 month old has had eczema since the age of 2 months. I tried Aveeno, Aquaphor, and eucerin. I swear they all made my son's eczema WORSE. The Aquaphor was basically a joke to me. I know it works wonders with others (so I hear), but I put it on my son's face and chest with each diaper change, and he broke out even more. The only thing that had worked for him at ALL was the prescription cortisone cream (2.5% was prescribed), but I didn't want to keep using a steroid on his face and body, and the pediatrician said I need to stop using it and find another option. Anyway, a friend of mine recommended Vanicream. I am amazed. Beyond amazed. We have been using it for a month now, and it is the ONLY product apart from cortisone cream that will keep my son's eczema at bay. Some days are better than others for sure, but this stuff WORKS. I found it at Walgreens in the cosmetic aisle (where all the other creams like Eucerin are) on the top shelf. There are no dyes, lanolin, fragrance, masking fragrance, parabens, or formaldehyde. It's used as a compounding cream in some pharmacies, and the Walgreens I went to said I could mix it with a little of the OTC 1% cortisone if he started to flare up again. Just wanted the moms out there to know about this stuff, as it has seriously been a lifesaver for me, and a skinsaver for my son! 🙂

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  22. Keep away from direct contact with allergens and detergents.- Don't use soaps that include fragrance- Stay away from irritants and allergens.- Put on clothes fabricated from cotton and never synthetic fabrics.- Don't scratch your skin, no matter how tempting it may be. Your eczema will only become worse and it may even spread all over your face or body.- Avoid certain kinds of foods that will trigger allergic reactions to you, like: peanuts, caffeine, seafood, soy, citrus fruits. In fact, your body could react to foods that are not mentioned above, so it might be a good suggestion to maintain a food diary. This way you can know precisely what food might have triggered your allergic reactions.Cures for Eczema

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  23. Ings, thanks for sharing that product! I am sure that will help a mom out there :)Thanks for your thoughts Ryan.

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  24. My son also has this skin condition starting around 2 months of age. He threw up a lot as a baby too. I nursed him and wasn't sure what was causing it. His face broke out worse than any other place. When I stopped nursing him at 11month the throwing up stopped and his face cleared up. I soon found out that dairy is a huge factor in his breakouts. Anytime he eats any milk, cheese, chocolate etc his legs now break out really bad.SunlightFish oillots of waterfewer bathslotion after a bath special detergentall helped him keep his skin clear.Thanks for this post!

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  25. cellent post and wonderful blog, I really like this type of interesting articles keep it up. Nice job I really like it! Eczema sample nursing care plans

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