Name: Meme
Problem: My 10 month old daughter was born with a skin condition called Seborrhea Dermatitis aka Infantile Eczema. When she was born she came out with a horrible red oozing rash on her body and she was in pain. I was expecting a healthy baby so you can imagine my shock. She still needs a strong hydrocortisone cream on her body everyday on infected areas. Very often she is still in pain and at least uncomfortable. The doctors tell me that she will outgrow it in 1-3 years. But sometimes I get so frustrated and have a hard time believing that. I would like to know if anyone out there has ever heard of this before and would be willing to share what they know.
Solution posted by Mildred from Brevard, NC: Both of my boys were born with Infantile Eczema. My four year old did outgrow it at about age 2. For my one year old, I have found that applying the cortisone lotion and then applying a cream called Eucerin(sp?) has worked best. It almost completely eliminates the eczema when I apply it on a regular basis. My older child seemed to have no particular "cause" for his eczema. However, my one year old's is aggravated by certain foods so you might want to be alert for possible food allergies. I do understand your frustration - everyone always had a "cure" for my son's problem and I, of course, needed to try their cure no matter what the doctor had said. Good luck and hang in there. Hopefully, it will all clear up soon.
Another solution posted by SusanMcT from Newport Beach, CA: My 20 month old son has a mild case of eczema. I got a wonderful prescription from my pediatrician called Elocon. It takes care of the problem almost instantly. However, I hate to use it on a regular basis so each evening I use a wonderful handcream that I had bought for myself. I was very pleased with the results. His skin feels great by the morning. The lotion is called "Ahava", and I buy it at both Neiman Marcus and Caswell-Massey (which I know also has a mail order catalog). Buy the Hand cream; it's the richest. Good luck.
Another solution posted by Jackie from Norcross, GA: My 3 yr old son was born with a skin condition called Icythosis (sp?). I have tried everything!! My husband found a cream (sold at WalMart) called 'udder cream'. It comes in a white jar with black spots (similar to a cow). I smear this on my son at night before he goes to bed...no smell, no allergic reaction and the result is smoother skin.
Another solution posted by "Leigh": I have an 18 month old son who has had eczema since birth (though not as severe as your child). After everything the doctor prescribed failed, I resorted to asking the pharmacist and he suggested we use plain old Vaseline petroleum jelly. After my son's bath at night, I grease him down and put his pajamas on him. When he wakes in the morning, although the eczema is not gone completely, it looks much better and not as red and dry. I do feel that it makes him more comfortable and less irritable with the itching. You should check with your doctor if you feel uncomfortable trying something new. It does seem to work for us.
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