By Adam on Wednesday, May 05, 2010 - 12:35 am:

Hi,

I used to suffer from really bad eczema, It tore apart my confidence and broke me. My skin was falling apart, spilitting, I was riddeled with it. and I tried everything!! They gave me steroids and anti histamins and 50/50 creams which made matter worse and it came out even more agressive. I nevwer felt worse! I was in tears! I thought my life had finished!!! when I had business meetings or spoke to women it was hellish! I suffered paranoia!!

I then did some reasearch and came across something. I got the mixture made up, with a vasaline base and OMG!!! its never come back.

The very next day the itching stopped, then my skin started to smooth and 4 months into this my pigmentation went back to normal. and my confidence came back! I could finally look people in the face instead of looking at the floor.

it changed my life. Its funny how when we look away from conventional medicine, we find the answers.

iv been helping out fellow eczema sufferers. giving them samples to try out, one of them is so thankful. I get the ointment made from scratch and its all natural!! thats the best thing.

its changed my life!!!

I am willing to give free sample tubs away.

email me if you want basir_nazar@hotmail.com or adam@vip-minds.org.uk

By louise on Friday, May 22, 2009 - 05:44 pm:

hi i have a 1 yr old with relly bad exma she was playing up at cream time so i have got a sticker chart and fingers cross it has been working at the min. dose any one no of anythink to put on my childs facit is weeping and bleeding my doc said she cant not have much for her face thank you for your help if u can give me some i will be so grate full

By eczemababy on Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 01:25 pm:

Hi,
Dont get down about it. I have three children with eczema and I really used to get very upset and would often cry when they would be infected and sore. Holidays are the best thing the sun vitamin D, the sand exfoliates (spelling) and the sea heals with salt water. What ever you do dont wrap them up as the doctors would tell you to do. Also Ive heard if you dont eat fish when you are pregnant you are likely to have a baby with excema. Ive found Mackeral fish really good just watch out for the bones. Clears the skin really well. Also not all creams work my children have different creams the ones that seem to be good are Eparderm and Ungentum M.

Good Luck and dont feel down it gets better.

Carol X

By Rachel on Thursday, August 07, 2008 - 07:44 pm:

Goodness. It is great to hear Im not the only one!!!!Due to the fact that many creams actually burn the children they soon resist any effort to put on creams/ointments. I can not beleive that no one has found something that realy cures eczema. I had a run in with the school principle the other day accusing me of not doing enough to help my child. I wish people would just stop and think before they trough around accusations, I have realy tried everything including the contravirtual Scio machine. NOTHING seems to work.

By CONCERNED-MOM-2 on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 02:11 pm:

HI I HAVE TO CHILDREN WITH EXCEMA. I JUST FOUND OUT MY SON WHO IS 22 MONTHS OLD HAS INTERNAL EXCEMA, AND I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE HIM THESE CREAMS. THEY HAD ME USE ONE STEROID ON MY DAUGHTER AND THEN 2 YEARS LATER A STUDY CAME OUT THAT IT CAUSES LIVER CANCER.. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO HELP MY SON , I AM A SKIN THERAPIST BUT WHEN IT IS INTERNAL HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THAT. DOES ANYONE HAVE CHILDREN FIGHTING THIS TYPE OF EXCEMA! MY DAUGHTER HAS EXTERNAL AND I FINALLY HAVE HER SKIN CALM DOWN. WE EAT ORGANIC FOODS. BUT IF ANYONE KNOWS HOW TO HELP MY LITTLE MAN THAT WOULD BE A GREAT HELP. THANK YOU

By pamela317 on Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 04:49 pm:

Thankyou Louise for ur message I am talking on here more than my mom is!


p.s
thats a good thing

By Louise on Wednesday, May 07, 2008 - 12:18 pm:

Hi Lauren!
Don't get too down about your eczema-you sound like a lovely person with a good support network of friends and a mum who loves you. Be glad there are people who see you for YOU and not your skin. I get eczema and feel sad sometimes too. Its nice to know there are lots of people on this site who understand what it is like.

By pamela 317 on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 04:06 pm:

Dear Shara,
I will use your advice and also today I told my class about this site and will show them your messages.

I hope all the best to ur sisters and sons

from lauren

By Sarah on Monday, May 05, 2008 - 10:31 pm:

Stick at it Lauren, you a top girl! Don't worry about what other people think, they are ignorant.And remember, your mum wants the best for you, and loves you very much. She'll make decisions on your condition with the very best of intentions, just keep talking to each other.

Everyone has their own stories and experiences and one day your own experience will help & inspire other sufferers.

I can't promise it'll get better with age, but my sisters improved tons around the age of 16. My son has severe eczema (hence on this site). Try alternative therapies along side conventional. My 7 month old sees a homeopath and cranial osteopath and it really helps. For suffers over 7 try kineseology.

By pamela317 on Monday, May 05, 2008 - 09:10 pm:

my name is lauren, i am 9 yrs old i am glad to find out i am not the only one with really itchy skin. i know what it feels like to have eczema . At the moment i have infected skin. I am miserable, itchy and sore, and i try so hard not to scratch because i know my arms and legs will never heal if i do, and i am scared they will be scarred badly. I feel left out at school, when the other children do swimming, and i have to stay alone in the classroom doing work. also at times my legs are stiff, i cannot bend them, if i do they bleed and weep.I am afraid to go the hospital in case i get a telling off for scratching. i do have 4 very good friends who play with me and look after me, to them they are not bothered i suffer from eczema. some people can be cruel though. I hope i get rid of it before im 14. nice talking to you from lauren

By pamela317 on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 05:58 pm:

my daughter lauren is now almost 9, and a dont think i have ever had a good nights sleep. at the moment her skin is really bad when she was small it was a struggle as you all mention with bathtimes and creams that sting etc. however now she has a mind and a will of her own , i find it even more of a problem. i did after a lot of bribery last nite manage to get her into wet wraps... but woke this morning to find her legs have bled and weeped and so bandages have stuck. so lots of crying, blaming mom and no school, doesa this get any better? all i seem to get is oh she will grow out of it . i hope so, i hate seeing my little girl go through this

By Katrina and Roj on Friday, January 04, 2008 - 07:43 pm:

This place is fantastic

At last we are not alone. To hear that somebody else is going through what we are going through is somewhat of a comfort. Our daughters who are 5 and 6 both suffer with sever eczema. Our 5 year old still kicks and screams whenever it is bath time and the guilt trips we have to put on her to wet wrap her are terrible. After a stay in hospital with her though things have slightly improved. Our other daughter has been in hoispital with her skin infections three times in 2007. She had the cold sore viruse last xmas and then in June her infections were so bad she couldnt bear us touching her and she couldnt stand up. It turned out that she was now infected with MRSA. Things are looking up for her now though. She has been on a course of Prednisolone for a few months and although she has gained alot of weight (2 stone in a few months) and she has molluscum contagiosumshe is finally happy and enjoying life.

Also have found a fab shop. Its pricey but the pjs are great. it is eczemaclothing.com. It is a u.k site and my girls love the pjs as usually they are very fussy.

good luck all of you

By E.T. on Monday, June 18, 2007 - 06:22 pm:

To itch his/her own. Glad to know such a helpful
website exist to remind us that we are not alone.
I have just got through a rough patch which caused me to be emotionally drained, numbed and
frustrated.My girl who is 5 yrs old must have very bad experiences with the many different types of creams,lotions,bath oil and moisturisers used on her chronic eczema condition. Like Abi, i went through all the struggles and fights with my girl every moment i try to put moisturisers or bathe her. So difficult to convince her let alone persuade her making me feel so much a failure as a caregiver.
Anyway, having spent so much time out at different pharmacies, reading through each and
every product for eczema and spending time thinking through which one to buy and try was really trying as each time it turns out to be the rejected item by my girl.Not only wasting so much money on the barely useful products, i was
sent on a guilt trip of not having been doing my
part to moisturise her (doc think of this as poor
compliance on my part as caregiver).Now i managed
to simply use white soft paraffin as moisturiser
on her face,scalp,all over her body, esp at night
spreading generous amount several times while she is sleeping(into the wee hours of the morning,ended up i m deprived of good sleep).To see some positive results of extremely dry and thickened skin to be cleared was encouraging.since we need to use moisturisers so often, it is advisable to ensure that it doesnt
burnt a hole in our pockets.white soft paraffin is very inexpensive compared to specially formulated ones.worth trying and persevere until u find something your child is comfortable using.
it must soothe and not hurt the skin.

By Jessica on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 01:35 am:

Please Help!!!

My son is 10 months old and has eczema. Our doctor told us to apply eucerin 7 or 8 times a day. But it is so thick and greasy, and he kicks and screams the entire time. He is getting stronger now and i can barely hold on to him. Maybe it will be easier when he's older and i can reward him. But I need help now...any sugestions????

Thanks for any help,
Jessica

By beth on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 01:50 am:

I forgot to mention apple cider vinegar in the bath. My son now loves his bath time and doesn't scream that the water stings his skin. This stuff is AMAZING!!! Try it tonight!

By Beth on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 01:46 am:

Wow! What a great site! As you all are, I am also happy to find other parents in the same situation. My son just turned 6 and has had severe eczema since birth. We have tried just about everything including steroid cream. We have also had many many tantrums regarding the treatments. Currently, I'm working on his diet. Has anyone dealt with this?

I also have some very good suggestions for the stinging, crying, etc when using creams or ointments. First, I found that the petroleum based products just didn't do the trick. My suspicion is that they are designed to trap moisture into the skin, not moisturize it. My son's skin is so dry, that they do nothing for him. Also, any traditional moisturizer is uncomfortable for him in a variety of ways (stings, too cold, etc). I think that there may also be some additives that irritate his skin. I recently began making my own moisturizer and want to share with you all. He loves it and also loves the massages he gets when I really lather him up.

The recipe:
In a double boiler, melt shea butter, vitamin E oil, jojoba oil, and olive oil. You can play around with the amounts of each, but basically, I use equal parts of the oils with a small tub of shea butter. Put it in the fridge to harden again, and use liberally. I suggest that he use it any time he begins itching. Not only does it help moisturize his skin, but helps to distract him from the scratching. I have also read that a mixture of peanut oil and olive oil works great. He's allergic to peanuts, so I hesitate to use it.

Also, he adores getting a massage. I've been reading up on that and it seems to have a positive effect for many eczema patients.

Now, on to the behavior issues.... My son is such a good kid, but when his skin is inflamed, he can become a monster too. I can only imagine from experiences with severe reactions to poison ivy how miserable he must be. Of course he'd be grouchy, grumpy, and overly emotional. Massage, again, helps him to settle down when he gets like that.

I know I sound a little new-agey, but I promise that I'm not. Our desperation has forced us to consider some serious alternatives. We've even tried homeopathy to no avail.

I'm very hopeful about the diet changes, but it takes a lot of work to avoid processed foods, tomatoes, peppers, red meat, and sugar along with ensuring that he gets plenty of good healthy fruits and vegetables. It's worth it, though if it works!

Thanks for the lovely messages and I hope something in this long message is helpful to someone.

By CR on Monday, November 07, 2005 - 11:27 pm:

Hi Teresa
Normally boxes of tubifast have instructions on how to wet wrap and I have watched an instruction video too which I was allowed to borrow from my allergy clinic.I used tubifast greenline for arms and legs and yellow line for body when my little girl was 2, firstly bath your daughter in immolient ie Aveeno Oil I found great, apply lots of immolient when skin is still damp ie Aveeno Cream/lotion and only if advised some steriod cream (the bandages intensify the effect of steriods and can be too much) apply one layer of tubifast wet on top of creams, then a second layer of dry tubifast to hold the moisture.Its worth measuring the limbs and cutting out lengths first, cutting sections out for arms etc as the process does take time and if your child is like mine you may have to catch her first! bribery works! then making small holes in the top of the arm/leg sections and body section you tie them together with small sections of wrap.When I first did this I was horrified and unsure how she would sleep damp and eventually they made the sheets damp too however they are brilliant, she actually asks for them when her skin is v.bad it cools, treats and protects all in one and all being well you will both have relief. Good Luck CR

By Teresa on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 11:58 am:

Can someone tell me how to do a wet wrap for my 2 yr old daughter?

By Vic on Monday, June 13, 2005 - 12:22 am:

Hiedi: Just some thoughts:

Bribery - she has her creams and then a treat of some kind.

Checking that the creams aren't stinging - if they are, then can they be changed, or does she need some pain killers before hand.

Is the temperature of the creams right? Warming or cooling them can make it more pleasant.

Do you always play/read a story/sing a song/watch a favorite video together as you are doing the creams? Try giving each of the creams a silly name, or voice?

Do you let her put creams on you? Or on a doll or washable teddy bear? She might just laugh herself stupid if you have to strip off while she puts creams on you. Also, always let her choose where you are going to put creams - hands or tummy first? It gives her some control.

If your daughter has really got stressed about creams, can you just do the really bad areas first - and then stop, and try and build up the amount of time you spend on creams gradually? When my son is very stressed we just do the quickest job possible, and if it isn't perfect then at least he's got some on somewhere.

Hope these ideas spark some ideas of your own!

By Hiedi on Tuesday, June 07, 2005 - 03:21 pm:

Thanks for the advice given i'll give them both a try, today is a particularly bad day so to read your lovely messages helps a bit to take my mind off her itching and making herself bleed.

By CR on Monday, June 06, 2005 - 11:42 pm:

Hi Heidi, my daughter is 3 and a half too and sometimes resists creams which need applying often especially at this 'pollen' time of year. I have let HER apply her immolient to the areas possible, I dont know about yours but my daughter insists on being 'a big girl'! which is fine if it gets it on, so she does the barrier and I do the steriod creams. The other way is stickers! they work for all sorts of frustrating situations and as you are probably aware at this age they can be very stubborn! I have a sheet of lovely appealing stickers which she can choose from as soon as the creams are on, we have a chart & she gets a sticker every time she co-operates. If we have a good day she gets a treat at the end of the day, we use anything from a special story together to chocolate, whatever appeals. You probably feel like screaming at times, I know I do, but it is best not to make an issue if possible because it makes the whole thing a huge battle, easier said than done!
Good Luck CR

By Peter on Monday, June 06, 2005 - 04:32 pm:

Hiedi,
Do you let you daughter run around nude- you might find that it helps to control her eczema and you can apply cream without creating a scene by having to undress her first. I find that by far the most effective way of dealing with my eczema is to wear clothes as little as possible. Young children are born naturists and they have to be indocrinated into wearing clothes!

By Hiedi on Monday, June 06, 2005 - 03:49 pm:

Hello if anyone out there reads this can you help? My daughter is 3 and a half and has quite bad skin at the moment and we have been advised to cream her up every 2-3 hrs but she has paddys about us doing this. Has anyone got any ideas to make it more easier on her?

By ruth on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 12:54 pm:

penny - i know you say that petroleum based products might be causing a reaction - but i would strongly recommend that if stinging is a problem - then go with plain old vaseline(petroleum jelly). i know that it is greasy - but because it doesn not have the alcohol component in it that so many moisturisers e.g. sorbolene cream do i find that it doesn't hurt as much (personal experience plus my daughter's). a lot of the steroid preparations come in a choice of cream or ointment - and you will always find that the ointment is less stinging than the cream. some people dont like to use the ointments because they are greasy. i have found from going through the same sorts of problems you are faced with that sorbolene is ok to use IF the skin is DRY AND INTACT - which is often not the case with eczema. once it is broken and irritated - rubbing sorbolene into it will sting like hell. anything rubbed into broken,irritated and itchy skin will initially aggravate it - but i have certainly found vaseline to be a lot more gentle and soothing. maybe worth another go ??

By Penny on Sunday, March 21, 2004 - 10:16 pm:

DESPARATE FOR SOME HELP PLEASE!!!

We suspect that our 3 year old is having problems with any creams/ointments that contain any petrolium or alcohol ingredients. (Even steroid ointments and Protopic) We have just tried Elenas night cream and day cream. Ingredients sound good, but she says they sting, and also trying Bioskin (this stings aswell) Getting very desparate again about what to use. Currently on antibiotics just to rule out infection. Skin typically very dry and itchy. Any Ideas very welcome!

By Pinky on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 05:05 am:

PAULA,
I went through your message that your daughter has both eczema as well as ichthyosis vulgaris.My daughter has eczema from her father's side but I myself have ichthyosis vulgaris.Ichthyosis is a dry scaly condition which worsens in winter but it'll turn a lot better after 16 years of age.For ichthyosis i put diluted glycerine(you get glycerine from chemist shops over the counter) but as she has eczema probably ypou can mix some pure petroleum jelly with glycerine and try if it works.

Good luck.
Pinky.

By Penny on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 09:59 pm:

We use Boots own brand or Sure Care from most supermarkets. Weve tried getting a recommendation from dermatologists but all they will say is "Non Bio" and rinse well!

By Kez on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 10:31 pm:

Fairy Non-bio Liquid (not powder) is good and remember to put your childs clothes etc on a second rinse again after the cycle has finished. Good luck!

By niamh on Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 10:37 pm:

Does anyone know of a particular brand of washing powder to use for a child with severe eczema?

By CGllchr on Saturday, April 05, 2003 - 11:35 pm:

I have just found this site on the net.It good to know you are not alone.Ihave a four year old son who has severe eczema since he was born.He needs to be wrapped up in wet wraps every night,i change his wraps every morning and it can be afight to get them off as they are usuall stuck to his skin i always change his leg ones and keep them on all day as this can prevent him from scratching.He hates getting cream on one mention of the word and he's in tears,i feel so helpless sometimes i have tried everything at the moment it's doublebase and protopic.The protopic would help if he could stop scratching,if only they could find a cream to cure the itch.He currently goes to Jan de Vrias where he gets drops that ican dilute in water,found it has helped a little but then the itch kicks in and you are back to the start.Thanks for listening its good to know you are not alone

By paula on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 09:14 pm:

i thought my three year old was the only one with such a severe temper.now i can see it is because of the eczema.her mood changes dramatically in the blink of an eye,sometimes she scares me.she refuses to have her creams on,often they make her skin feel very hot.wet wraps help,but she rarely lets me do them.now the winter is here,i know it will get worse.her dermatologist has now diagnosed another skin problem as well as the eczema,it's called "itchythyrosis vulgaris" has anyone else heard of this,and if so have any information that could help us?

By Sam on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 01:43 pm:

Thank god for for that ! Im not the only one with a 3 year old who switches from angel to devil in the blink of an eye. Mention creams or baths and all hell breaks loose, everything stings,makes her itch more and turns her skin into a furness, there must be something significant here. ive tried all sorts of ways of distracting, persuading, bribing but it just doesnt get any easier, star charts worked for a while as did a 2 week stay in hospital, but then things go back to the normal tears and tantrums, (me and her and the rest of the family.)
Our whole life revolves around eczema and a good day is based on whether she is scratching or not.

By Jackie on Saturday, October 19, 2002 - 05:03 pm:

My daughter is nearly 3 now and about a year ago we had to bath and wet wrap her every night which she put up a fuss with but after a few nights was fine with when the weather started to get a bit warmer we decided it might be best for her if we left them off for a few nights big mistake! Her skin got really bad again but she then refused to have them on and pulled them off after we managed to eventually get them on we kept on putting them on but it was getting exhausting she will not keep them on and the nurse said we shouldnot force her to wear them but she would benefit from them she is the same for medicine when her skin gets infected and she needs antibiotics she will just spit it out. She is now a nightmare to get in the bath she cries and says the water stings her even with nothing in the bath. I dont know if it is just her age but the doctor says what can you do? She sounds like a proper little madam I know but she is gorgeous and I love her to bits she has to put up with a lot as she has severe excema and doesnot get much sleep with waking up scratching every night. We have good days and bad days and very bad days as you will all know. She is not bad for letting me put on her creams at the moment we have found epaderm to be the best moisturiser and then various strengths of steriod depending on the severity of her skin at the time, although epaderm is really greasy good for her but not for clothes and furniture!

By Darla on Wednesday, October 16, 2002 - 05:21 pm:

I can totally relate to Karlyn because I have been going through the fits and tantrums for many years. My daughter is 9 years old and has had severe eczema her entire life. It puts such a stress on the whole family. In fact, because of her problems we decided not to have anymore children. We feel it would just be too hard for her and us, especially since we both work. It is such a chore to get her to put on her ointments and believe me, we've been through the gamuts of ointments,and treatments, and wraps, and hospitalization. It is such a nightmare when we have to put on ointments. She cries and whines and promises that she'll do it later. Then she'll yell at me and sometimes I yell back. I pray to God every night to take this away from her so she can have some peace. We've tried just about everything (protopic, elidel, synalar, wet wraps, oatmeal baths, natural stuff, probiotics, diet, UVB, replaced our carpet with tile) and now she's on cyclosporin an autoimmuno suppressant. New things work for awhile and then her body adjusts to it and the inflammation comes back. But on the bright side she's very smart, and artistic, and funny,and extremely brave to be able to put up with the stares and the things children say to her at school. I think most kids with this disease flourish in other way that most kids wouldn't. I'll keeping hoping that we find a cure or that it lessens as she gets older. In the meantime, I'll just be the best Mom that I can be. That's all we can do. Thanks, for letting me get all this off of my chest. I'm glad I have a place to do that.

By lisa on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 12:15 am:

Karlyn my 4 year old daughter sounds very similar to yours,I have the same difficulty with her behavior it is very much the same when her skin is flaring up she is defiant and rude and refuses to have her cream on,I have found that she responds better if i praise her when im applying her cream telling her that she is a brave girl and even giving her reward after seems to help calm the situation.

By clair on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 09:48 am:

Dee

Speaking as someone who still can't take pills herself at the grand old age of 28!

My little girl is only just one, so I stir the EP capsules into her food, but then she can't really say she doesn't like the taste at that age.

When I was younger I always used jam, or chocolate spread, and stirred in the horrible medicines - perhaps you can break the capsules into a spoonful of food like this or with milk and banana syrup into a milkshake? Or perhaps giving her something she really likes immediately after swallowing the EP from a spoon, might be an incentive? Have them both ready when you start (think tequilla slammers here)

Good luck

By Dee on Wednesday, October 10, 2001 - 10:38 pm:

My 9 year old daughter has been given Oil of Evening Primrose capsules by our GP. This is quite an effective treatment but now she refuses to take the oil from a spoon because she doesn't like the taste. I have tried to show her how to swallow the capsule and even sticking it in jam/jelly but it will not slip over her throat. Has anyone any suggestions?

By deborah on Wednesday, September 19, 2001 - 08:46 pm:

karlyn
My daughter sophie used elecon cream when she was about 2.Soon as I put some on her it burnt her skin, awful stuff if your child is going to have a reaction against it.Stick to ointments they are better than creams.

By Maria D on Wednesday, September 19, 2001 - 01:20 am:

Karlyn,
Whilst reading through some of the posts on this site I saw a couple from mothers wondering if steroid use was causing behavioural problems in their children. If you want to read them click on Creams, Steroids and Suncreams, then Steroid Creams, and then Behaviour linked with Steroids. Maybe you could get a dialogue going with these mothers. Hope this is of help.

By Maria D on Wednesday, September 19, 2001 - 12:42 am:

Karlyn,
I'm sorry to read that you are having such a hard time with your daughter. On another eczema web site a mother mentioned that her child found Elocon stings, he called it the "stingy cream". Maybe if this cream stings her she has conditioned herself to believe that everything will sting her. Also, I don't know how long you have been using Elocon because it is a potent steroid and should only be used for a few weeks at a time, just to get the condition under control. Then a weaker one should be used. It is not very suitable for such a young child. Perhaps you could get you GP to review your daughter's medication. I know her problems may be more complex than changing a cream but it is a small start. Best of luck.

By Karlyn on Friday, August 17, 2001 - 07:21 pm:

My 4-yr old daughter not only puts up a tremendous fight when it comes to using her creams or ointments (I have probably at least 5 or so), but complains that Elocon cream in particular stings. I only use it when she hasn't scratched an area raw. However, it has been the most effective for minimizing the eczema. I can't get her to even use lotion on her body after a bath. I've gotten the expensive kind of soap/non-soap and she still even cries when I wash her hair--that the soap will get on her and hurt (her skin and her bottom). The real reason I've put a message on this board, though, is her behavior right before a flare up or during a flare up. She is an absolute demon to us, she is rude, belligerent, sassy-mouthed, and uncontrollable, both physically and emotionally. She will cry hysterically about having to brush her teeth or put on a piece of clothing or go to bed. It doesn't matter what the issue, she will balk. Normally, she has a pretty good attitude and is average in her compliance with parental and house rules/requests. But she will turn like a she-devil in a split second and leave us gaping mouthed at the change in her every time. We never know when it's coming, what triggers it (we've tried diet therapy, avoiding heat, moist heat, detergents, etc.) and we are left dumb-founded when she begins this demon-like self. These episodes last about 2 days to a week and then go away. When we try to correct her behavior, she cries and says she can't help it and after 2 years of this I'm beginning to believe her. I think something happens and puts her out of control. It's always related to eczema flares and of course the specialist says it's because she's feeling bad (itchy). I know it's more than that. I just can't find a causal relationship. No one believed me that she could be so awful--until they saw it first-hand. I told them I wasn't exaggerating. So, for the past two years, we've been living a bit of a precarious and hellish existence. Our poor second child (who doesn't seem to have the 1st's emotionality) is just as puzzled by her "crazy" sister. It's very draining on all of us. Has anyone else ever experienced this or am I just dealing with a child who has a disorder needing other medication? Oh yes, we've tried antihistamines and steroids with no lasting luck. I need some advice, commiseration and help!

By Cath on Friday, June 15, 2001 - 11:55 pm:

Abi, I have a 7 yr old that has had moderate eczema from birth. She can't tolerate E45 or aqueous and complains that Diprobase stings her face. i mix it with some liquid paraffin and soft white paraffin (50% mix that I get on prescription) . It is very greasy and gets in her hair! but it works! I'm new to this site and have been searching all evening for a site that i can use for ideas and support. Like i read somewhere on this board somedays you can't see the wood for the trees - it's nice to know I'm not alone!!!!!

By Maria D on Sunday, May 20, 2001 - 04:45 pm:

Abi

I read this tip on another website that may help your daughter agree to putting her creams on. Put the creams into small containers decorated with something that appeals to her, such as cartoon characters or telly tubbies etc. She can then choose the cream she wants to use each time. She may feel more in control and less likely to refuse.

By Abi on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 09:57 pm:

Thanks Jen..and you're right..since posting my earlier message in Feb (under 'bathing' at first) I've been to see our GP, who, I might add has been very understanding. I confessed to being so 'tired & emotional' I couldn't see the wood for the trees. Now I've just stopped making such an issue of using the creams - if it stings, I stop and we have a cuddle then agree to try something else, a different cream or a bath. If she refuses full stop, I have to comply, after all, it's her skin and getting cross is only going to make matters worse, I just try to get more on her next time.She says 'no' to a lot of things at the moment, like any other 3yr old testing the waters, and I love her for that. We've managed to get some more sleep recently, and I feel so much better for it. Someone suggested 'star charts' however, it's not really my thing, has anyone else tried it?

By Jen on Saturday, March 03, 2001 - 11:42 am:

Abi,
Have you considered that the creams ARE actually stinging your daughter. It's often us parents who are the last to realise this.Which creams are you using? Aqueous cream ususally causes stinging, also anything with fragrances and chemicals can cause reactions.
Maybe it's time to go back to your doctor and try changing them.

By Abi on Wednesday, February 28, 2001 - 09:54 pm:

I'm getting so stressed at the mo because my 3 yr old is now refusing to get dressed in the mornings, refusing to put her creams on - she shouts 'No!' and runs and hides. I find her sitting picking and scratching under the table. This makes the school run problematic as I have a 6 yr old I need to get to school, but really I need to apply her emollients 10 times more often than I do but it's becoming so difficult! I warm the cream,(she says it's cold and that it stings..), try to distract her, cuddle up in bed together with a pot of cream but she's becoming so cross. I'm really worried that this is going to spoil the good work so far we've done with her skin. I shouted at her today - and of course I feel awful. I'm really worried about starting a cycle of resentment towards her treatment. Any tips anyone?