Hi Julie
I don't have time this morning to type out a whole email answer but here's
what I have jotted down in the past from my own and Australian Breastfeeding
Association knowledge and experiences with lots of mums. Because this was
very quick please ask if you want to know any thing else.
Cheers
Del
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Del Smith, IBCLC.
Dip. Teach, B.Ed (Secondary).
Voluntary Breastfeeding Counsellor, Australian Breastfeeding Association
www.breastfeeding.asn.au
Married to Kevin and Mum to two gorgeous boys Courtney '96 and Dylan '99
08 9414 5368
0413 383 073
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Basically there are a few common threads to eczema - foods, heat, fabrics,
soaps (including shampoo etc, soap washes for clothes, soaps for shower,
household cleaners too), stress, airborne allergens, dustmites, immune
system breakdown (perhaps toxic substance overload) and others.
An allergy specialist is likely to teach the mum about lots of the easy
ones, fabrics, heat, foods, dustmite, soaps etc and if there is improvement
leave it at that. Others will continue to investigate.
An important part of treatment of eczema might be treating the symptoms to
"break the cycle" so it might be antihistamines, or hydrocortisone creams
etc. For our son the creams got the eczema under control very quickly which
was a huge relief for him and us.
To find out for sure about foods she needs to do an elimination (take away
foods) and challenge (test the body's response by giving it a good dose)
diet. The specialists can give you the correct guidelines but basically her
need to eliminate the specified food/s (for us it was dairy, gluten, citrus,
eggs, nuts, not sure what else , I'd have to look at the notes) for one
month strictly and then one by one challenge with 3 serves within the day -
note ANY symptoms - bowel, skin, wheeze, pain, mucous, nausea etc. A skin
scratch test or blood test may assist in narrowing down problem foods but
isn't conclusive on it's own.
AND this list isn't the whole list that causes some babies/children eczema.
My boys were both exclusively breastfed 5-6 months and had severe eczema so
I was obviously suspicious it was a food I was eating - BUT that wasn't all
of it. The mum needs to look at the other things too.
For our boys it was and still is dairy, citrus, tinned tomatoes, CORN and a
few additives cause problems too. We have reintroduced a small amount of
dairy (ice-cream only really and in some cooking eg cakes) and corn as the
allergist said lots of kids grow out of eczema causing foods. They both get
some eczema still at 11 and 8 yrs but it is bearable.
In addition to foods I believe our boys had problems with dust mite and now
we use a soap wash (in with the powder) which has tea tree oil, which kills
dustmite, for all the clothes, sheets, towels. OR dry in full sun to kill
the dustmites.
We also do not have many clothes with synthetic fibres as their highest
content. The worst eczema the boys had was when I dressed them in those
fluffy (polo fleece) baby suits - oh how they got eczema when they had those
on - weeping eczema). We have also cut out as many cleaning products as
possible - I use Enjo so no soaps on the floors, much less soaps in the
bath/shower, use a natural shampoo and have found a fabulous gentle soapwash
(use
instead of soap) that can be used for skin, hair and bubblebath.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Julie Johnson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 9:18 AM
Subject: severe eczema
Ladies what do you think would cause SEVERE eczema all over a babies body?
This exclusively breastfed 5 month 14 pound girl is miserable, very very
fussy, etc. The first thing I thought of was a milk allergy but possible
more. I have not seen this baby, this is actually a friends granddaughter
from out of state and she lives in a very rural part of the state without
anybody available in person to help assist with breastfeeding. All I know
is that I got 4 voice messages today from this friend really worried because
the baby is so unhappy...she thinks due to the eczema. Any thoughts or
concerns? Thanks so much. I told her about an elimination diet but feel that
there is more causes going on since it is so severe.
Julie; IBCLC
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