Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

My 1 year old has had eczema her whole life and it comes in waves (some days better, some days worse - but it never fully goes away).

We initially thought it was a dairy allergy, so we tried Similac Alimentum but her eczema still came in waves, so we switched back to the normal one.

We've been using hydrocortisone 2% everyday basically.
We are currently using All Free & Clear as her detergent, we tried some all natural powder detergent but it didn't make a difference.

We got her allergy tested back when she was about 6 months old (using a prick test) and they said she was allergic to eggs (both egg white and yolk).

The doctors always said that it will get better in the summer (since its not as dry as winter), but it hasn't improved much. Some days are ok, some days are worse.


So now I want to start figuring out if it could be food related.
Currently she eats just about everything, such as:
yams, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, squash, cucumbers, zuccini
pasta, oatmeal, rice, cereal puffs, baby mum mums
chicken, beef
apples, bananas, watermelon, grapes (peeled)
drinks 1/2 milk and 1/2 formula (normal similac) twice a day

Whats the best way to start figuring out if foods could be causing the eczema?
Eliminate all foods and go back to the Alimentum for 1 week?
Then give her one food at a time?

These days, you hear about so many allergies and gluten intolenece and so on, I'm not sure what to start cutting out.

Are there some foods that "nobody is allergic to" ?
Maybe we can give that and see if her eczema clears up?
I've tried to keep her away from stuff that I heard people are allergic to (Peanut butter, strawberries, blueberries, avocado, mango)
But I think her foods are all pretty non-allergic, but then again I've been lucky in that I'm not allergic to anything so I'm not familar with what people are allergic to.

Thank you all.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

No advice - but my ds is the same way. Some days the eczema is non existent and other days it is raging.
Part of me thinks it isn't a food allergy because when he was just on allimentum it came in waves as well.

Good Luck - I am hoping he grows out of it, but it is still ongoing and he is almost 2

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Can you have a blood test done. Not sure if it will test more things but my guess is yes. Dd has eczema that comes and goes and her blood test showed a mild dairy allergy. I still gave her the dairy items she didn't react to bc I read it can help them grow our of it faster which seems to have worked but I don't know if it makes her skin worse or not. I definitely think it can be really difficult to pin point food allergies unfortunately. My bil is allergic to raw carrots, dd was uncooked milk and cheese, my sister was told she'll likely never figure hers out and that it could be a reaction between foods and environmental allergens. She still had bad eczema had an adult as do a few of the women in my family. It stinks.

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

I don't know why the doctor would say that, but that's crazy about summer being better for eczema. My brother has had it his whole life, my DH suffers from it, HEAT aggravates it more than anything else. Keeping DS cool and his AC on at night and not exposing him too much to the warm has done wonders for his eczema. It's not ALWAYS a matter of a dietary allergy.

Message edited 7/29/2015 3:25:45 PM.

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

We're in the same boat with our 15 month old DS. At 13 months, I cut all dairy, eggs, nuts, and strawberries from both of our diets for 3 weeks and his skin showed no improvement. I also now only use free and clear detergent for us. I also use dove soap for sensitive skin as well as vaseline to moisturize his skin. At 14 months, he had allergy testing - both the skin test and the blood test - for all major allergens as well as a few other foods. It was determined that he was allergic to nothing. It is so frustrating, but I think a lot has to do with heredity. Apparently, my DH had it when he was younger and now both of his brothers are dealing with it as adults.

The allergist prescribed DS an anti-itch cream as well as zyrtec. If he is having a bad flare up, I give him zyrtec and benadryl and within a few hours, his skin looks better, but I feel like NOTHING helps with the itch. The allergist also said we could do a moist wrap at bedtime 1-2 times a week in the areas where he is itchy. The problem with this for us is his whole body (neck, torso, legs, arms) are all itchy. She said to get a long sleeve onesie and use that. I have yet to try that.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Dr. Kristal (New Hyde Park/East Setauket) is an awesome Pediatric Dermatologist that help kick my DS's very stubborn eczema (also since birth). I have eczema myself and was able to get rid of /maintain it. We both have extreme cases of it. We also have food allergies, but our trigger is more contact. We use Earth Mama Angel Baby Non-Scents Head to Toe Wash (order from Amazon, lasts forever!), 7th Generation unscented/sensitive Laundry Detergent and hand soap. No Fabric softener! VaniCream (in the tub/pump) twice per day is a must. Also keep a Rx Steroid Cream on hand and use as needed/prescribed. Eczema can be horrible, its extremely itchy and creates an opening for bacterial infections to invade (impetigo). You have to keep up with the routine to maintain it and keep it at bay....

We see Dr. Strauss (Commack), pediatric allergist/immunologist, and he is awesome too...

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

I wouldn't necessarily rule out a dairy allergy. DD had a severe milk protein allergy (gave her eczema and bad stomach issues) and nutramigen (same as alimentum, different company) wasn't broken down enough for her. She needed elemental rx formula. Also, FYI, many allergic to milk are also allergic to soy. Soy is in a lot of prepared foods.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

High doses of a quality probiotic. We use klaire labs. Also bone broth soup every day, the gelatin in it is super healing especially the stomach lining. One line of thinking is eczema ia caused by a leaky gut which some children are both with.

I follow kula mama and wellness mama blogs. Both speak a lot about eczema. My dds ezcema is currently gone!

Some other suggestions...Looks into the GAPs diet. I would start with eliminating gluten or dairy. But only one at a time. Both are very inflammatory. Definitely avoid soy always. 95% in the USA is gmo.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Message edited 7/30/2015 6:57:08 AM.

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Well, I can only speak to what helps for us. Aveeno eczema has been helping s great deal. So, I say try what YOU feel comfortable with and if that works for you, go with it.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

this may be helpful...but it just shows that it could be anything

eczema triggers

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Posted by Dani

this may be helpful...but it just shows that it could be anything

eczema triggers

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

MrsT809
>>Can you have a blood test done

Supposedly blood allergy tests don't work on kids under the age of 3. Something like the allergens haven't had enough time to build up in their blood or something.


jessnbrian
>>I don't know why the doctor would say that, but that's crazy about summer being better for eczema

He said that the winter is too dry and dryness makes the eczema worse. He said that in the summer it will be more humnid.


PitterPatter11
>> At 13 months, I cut all dairy, eggs, nuts, and strawberries from both of our diets for 3 weeks and his skin showed no improvement

could it be other food allergies?
Not sure what other types of foods can cause allergies (nobody I know has food allergies other than lactose intolerance)
We bought the no scratch sleeves for DD. At the very least it prevents her nails from cutting into her skin as she scratches while sleeping.


LiveForMoments
>>Wanted to add that baths are GOOD for eczema

But alot of articles I've read said that baths are bad because it strips away the moisture in the skin.


The only thing making me think its not a food allergy is...her poop is normal. I heard people with food allergies can have runny or explosive poop or even blood in it.
Her pooping has always been normal (once or twice a day) - pretty solid, etc.

Thanks everyone

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

and the thing that makes me think its not a skin thing...we tried All Free and Clear and also some all natural powder detergent. (we also put vinegar in the wash, supposed to be a natural disinfectant)

Her eczema still comes in waves...if it was a contact allergy, I ASSUME it would be constant. It would get 80% clear but then get bad again.

I hope its a age thing and she will grow out of it soon

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

NewlywedT

maybe speak with a naturalist? If I thought any of our babies could sit through acupuncture, I would say do it, but I don't see how, lol. Baby skin is so sensitive, eczema is INCREDIBLY common, and it's normally grown out of (I say this because I've seen it). We keep DS in mittens at night when he's having a flare up, makes it so he can't scratch at all. I slip them on after he's fallen asleep.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Have you taken her a dermatologist? If not, it's definitely an avenue worth exploring. They should actually be able to tell for the most part if its allergic eczema or an isolated skin condition. I recommend taking pictures when it's bad to show the doctor.

A lot of things I read and thought I was doing to help, like limit baths, no soaps, were actually myths. I was told to let them soak in tepid water, pat dry and moisturize within 3 minutes. It absolutely made a difference in how her skin felt.

When I say my kid had severe eczema, I mean completely covering her body, except maybe her hands and feet. She needed antibiotic creams, steroids, her head was oozing so bad it was literally dripping - gross I know, but I'm just trying to relay that we went through the wringer with this. We did an aggressive treatment with different steroid creams for different parts of her body. It cleared it up mostly, but of course it still comes back. And even if it's only in a few spots it gets bad. They usually outgrow it by age 2. I'm pretty anti-medication so putting steroids on my baby was a tough call, but it had to be done. I know how frustrating it is to see your baby so uncomfortable

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

I can't imagine that bad!! As parents it's so hard to see our little ones in pain, I can't imagine witnessing that.

I can say from personal experience (not with eczema but with athletes foot) that sometimes western medicine isn't the answer. I had SEVERE athletes foot from the time I was about 8 years old until I was 22 (severe with blisters, boils, cuts, etc covering the bottoms of my feet, I was in such constant pain and itching I wanted my feet amputated). I tried every prescription cream under the sun, every non prescription cream, doctors were on the verge of giving me an oral medication for it where I would have needed my liver BW checked monthly. My step-mom recommended Borrus solution soaks and tea tree oil.... It cleared up in less than a month and I haven't had a flare up since. Definitely check other avenues.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Message edited 7/30/2015 12:38:00 PM.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

My daughter (14 months) battles eczema as well, has since one month old. She's been on a million different steroid creams. She had allergy skin testing at 4 months for major allergens, showed she was allergic to milk, eggs (yolk & whites) and peanuts. I cut all that out from diet (I was exclusively nursing) but we didn't see much of an improvement. Got blood testing done at 6 months, showed she was allergic to a whole bunch of other foods--I cut out all of them as well--I just stopped nursing at 14 months. She'll be retested at 18 months for everything. She still struggles with flareups--some days are fine, some are terrible--but I feel like she's been showing some improvement.

I give Zyrtec or Benadryl when she seems very itchy, like preventing-her-from-sleeping itchy. I also bathe her EVERY night for 20 minutes--this was recommended by her dermatologist and allergist. I use Cetaphil 2 times a week--the other nights are just water, no soap at all. Immediately after the bath, within 3 minutes, I use a generous amount CeraVe cream AND Aquaphor on top of that. If she has a bad flareup, I use one of her Rx creams on trouble spot(s).

One thing I'm learning is that it isn't ALWAYS a reaction to something. She can have no new anything (foods, detergents, etc.) and still have a flare up.

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

Re: Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

My son has eczema and it can get bad too. We haven't explored food as a trigger. What made the biggest difference for us was being very careful of anything that came in contact with his skin- soap, lotion, sunscreen, laundry detergent etc. Even products that were supposed to be good for kids with eczema irritated his skin such as Aveeno wash or Babyganics sunscreen. We use Free and Clear laundry detergent and no fabric softener or dryer sheets, cerave baby wash and lotion and Blue Lizard sunscreen. It's made a huge difference.

Eczema/food allergy help needed (what to eliminate)

I don't think there is anything no one is allergic to. If Alimentum didn't help, you might consider Elecare or Neoocate. No one is suposed to be allergic to them, but still some people are :)

There is a group on babycenter you might like to look through - i think itt's called babies and childrenI with skin problems.