Anybody have a baby with eczema and skin rashes linked with food allergies/intolerances?

[Pudding]

My now 12 month old baby is continuing to suffer from bad eczema and allergic skin rashes from food. She has no dairy, no gluten or any grains for that matter as she seems to react to them all inc buckwheat, millet, and rice. She has meat, veg and fruit. We also just discovered on wednesday that she reacts with more what seems a contact urticaria from peach.

She currently has a hydrolysed milk formula but i am currently questioning whether this is contributing to her rashes nad severe itchy skin. She spends so many times in the day and at night scrubbing her entire body and face it's so distressing to see.

Would love to hear from anyone else who is going through or has been through the same thing. We are under the paediatrician who is next to useless and our GP is supporting me through this weaning process. She did mention at one point referring us to an immunologist but must have changed her mind. What routes have other people gone down?

Thanks you

[Hidden]

I had this with my youngest daughter from six months. She is now a 25 year old and still has eczema, but her allergic reactions seem to have lessened now. I remember well the dread of trying something new and then spotting her rubbing her eyes, out came the Phenergan!(Piriton syrup is given nowadays) Our GP never mentioned seeing an allergy specialist, but it was the late eighties and not as much was known about it as there is now. I would insist on seeing someone, don't wait, your daughter could be missing out on essential nutrition because of all this.

As for the eczema, I'm assuming that you've tried all the usual lotions an dpotions from your GP? Have you gone down the natural route yet? Oatmeal is meant to be good for it, in the bath, somethign to do with the way it releases a milky substance in the water. Aveeno is good, smells horrid, but it's gentle and works. Another way is to give her Piriton at night and that will ease the itching as well as help her to sleep.

Do you or anyone else in your family suffer with allergies? It may be worth looking into a genetic link.

Good luck

Jayne

[Pudding in reply to Hidden]

HI Jayne,

thank you for your reply. Yes weve tried many different lotions etc but they dont seem to get to the route cause of the problem. We tried aveeno cream but she reacted to the oatmeal and i knew it was a risk as she reacts to oats when eating them.

Yes we do have a family history of allergies, such eczema, hay fever and asthma - though no food allergies (that we are aware of).

Ive just had to ring the dr again as i think shes reacting to the hydrolysed formula milk shes been given - so he's suggested cutting it out for a few days to see if it makes a difference - but its a b it worrying as she depends on that to bump up her nutritional intake!

I'll have to push for them to have her seen by someone who knows what they are doing

Thank you so much for your message

[Hidden]

Hi again,

Oh no! I remember it so well, it's awful seeing your little one suffer, especially with something so potentially life threatening. GP's seem to shrug it off as "just allergies" but it's much more than that! I started to have reactions and eczema in the past 5 years at the ripe old age of 46! I reacted to kiwi with severe anaphylactic shock and then 18 months ago I ended up at the local hospital with it again, this time I have no idea what I reacted to! I now have an epi-pen taht I carry with me everywhere...Oh! And I've all of a sudden developed eczema!!! 52 and I'm a wreck lol

Seriously though, so push for your little one to be referred to a specialist in allergies. Either that or just turn up at A&E with her when she's reacting to something, sometimes that's the only way to get things done.

Take care

[chandora]

Hello pudding,

I can fully sympathise with your problems and those of your little baby. My son developed eczema at the age of 8 weeks and my doctor told me it was because I was breastfeeding and I was passing my eczema on ??? As I knew no better I took her advice and my Son was given a soya milk formula called Wysoy. It made a huge difference. There are many soya products on the market.

Another thing is to make sure your little one doesn't get too hot. Keep her quiet towards bedtime and use only cotton clothes and sheets. The smell of lavender can calm our nervous systems which will help with the irritation. I know they can de expensive but a humidifier in the bedroom at night can help to keep the air moist and helps to drop our skin drying out.

I really hope you can find some relief for your daughter and she improves soon.

I think eczema is one of the most misunderstood illnesses ever and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

I was covered from head to foot in eczema all through my 20's and was in and out of the skin hospital numerous times. I would have friends (who have never had it) saying "why don't you just put some cream on?" Oh if only it was that simple.........I would be going through so many tubs and tubes of creams every month, I wanted to ask "what do you think I've been doing?"

I was lucky that I had a good GP back then and he referred me to a private dermatologist who became my hero. He understood all his patients and didn't make me feel like I was wasting his time as my illness kept recurring.

Keep up the good work - you're a wonderful Mom

[xavier]

Hi Pudding,

It is distressing to see a child with eczema and yours does seem to react to a lot of allergens.

Stick to a diet that is as simple and natural as possible,avoiding milk and gluten and by all means try and get an appointment with an immunologist. Avoid steroid creams. To avoid skin drying out use BioOil or the much cheaper alternative Recovery Oil . Your child might enjoy a massage using it as well !!

Xavier

[tracynoe Volunteer]

Hi

Have you tried this website it also has a forum on with a specific area for children.

allergyuk.org/

[bubbles1708]

hi my ds is 2 now but he has had bad excerma since weaning he has no dairy and has to be careful how much wheat and gulten he has in diet but we have found out anything citric like oranges, lemons, etc have a effect and tomatoes. also Alpro milk 12 months plus have to buy yourself but only thing worked on my ds he reacts well to antibiotics but within 45 hours of stopping them he itchy dso they have said maybe get him healed then us a wash on him and nose to get rid of the strep bug that can cause food allergy in children. every child is different but thought i share and say i know how you feel. we are getting scratchsleeves.co.uk/ been told they are great hope it goes well and he has grown out of it