Try This Not That: Alternatives for Eczema Treaments, Help for Dry Skin Part 2

In my last post I reviewed some possible alternative treatments for Eczema and dry skin. We will continue to look at other options in this post.

With regard to topical ointments: it’s difficult to find things that work as fast, or as efficient as a steroid. What is great about steroids is their efficiency, they do an amazing job clearing up skin that is having an allergic reaction. What is not so great about them is the harmful side effects that can be immediate, or long term.

My girls like to feel as though I’m doing something to help them when they are struggling with the itchys. Most kids do. That is why band aids are the first thing a child wants when they have a boo-boo that isn’t visible. Children like the action of someone fixing a problem in a tangible or visible way. This is where our topical ointments come in, at least in my family. I’ve tried everything there is to try on the shelf at mass retailers and drugstores. While there are some that have been great, there are other creams, or ointments that I wouldn’t suggest anyone try.

Oddly enough two of my favorite "steroid ointment alternative" products can be found in your kitchen!

I absolutely LOVE olive oil for everyones skin: Something I’ve done for my girls since nearly a few weeks of age is to use olive oil rather than baby oil. It still calms the skin but also nourishes in a way that I think is a far better.

I try to (carefully) use it in the bath when possible with my girls. Two capfuls with a full tub of water will allow for softer more soothed skin. Obviously my suggestion is to make sure you clean the tub immediately after the bath to avoid accidents for the next in line at the shower!

The second product that I love is vitamin E. A capsule, or if you can find a health food store that sells variations, a cream that is pure does a wonderful job for healing eczema. The capsules are the best if you have small patches that need attention. Break a capsule with the end of a pin, or needle (sterilized) and squeeze the gel onto a cotton swab for easy application to the area.

The third product I love is something that I use for EVERYTHING! I am smitten with this product and I believe everyone should have at least one bottle in their homes. The company California Baby sells a product called Diaper Area Wash, this stuff is amazing. Its primary intended use is for diaper cleanings as an alternative to baby wipes. It works well for diaper changes, as well as bug bite itchys, burns, cuts, scrapes and eczema. The two things I love most about it are:

1. I don’t have to touch my daughters eczema to apply something that gives instant relief.
2. I use it for more than one thing, so if there are times that she doesn’t have eczema, it’s not sitting on my shelf unused, taking up space.

The smell is amazing, and it doesn’t take much for an effect. All of my girls swear by this product. Each of them love the fact that it is a fun spray and they like that it helps immediately! This is one of the things I suggest you get to take with you in the event of a road-trip, or day out. You’ll be glad you did!

Some other alternatives to steroids are aloe, and calendula. I know that for my middle daughter calendula is a wonderful thing. We use the California Baby calendula based creams, and their pure Calendula cream too. My oldest complains that the calendula cream doesn’t work so well for her. Since everyone is different I will mention the option. Hopefully it’s a product that will provide relief for you. You can find calendula creams on the internet (see the "My Favorites" box) and at your local health food store.

Aloe is a wonderful soothing alternative, but I will offer this caution: If you have allergies to trees/pollen/environmental allergies in general -- be careful with aloe. While research is not consistent, I have seen reports that state Aloe can cause, or worsen allergies. 


I understand very well the struggles with eczema. While the above mentioned alternatives may not work for everyone, I suggest you try them. Once you use them regularly they will likely provide some relief, and that will at bare minimum cut down on the need for steroid applications. Over the course of my natural alternative posts there will be other options that will address eczema. It's a battle that seems to never end in our home. On the days we have control over the eczema there is better sleep, better attitudes, and happier people in our home! I hope that the above suggestions allow for the same in your home!!

As always, check with your Dr. before trying any new treatment that they may not have prescribed!

Try This Not That: Alternatives for Eczema Treaments, Help for Dry Skin Part 1

One of the first signs my three daughters show of allergies is eczema. When my oldest started having trouble with eczema both the Pediatrician and I thought it was cradle cap. Once it “hung around” for a while, and her body's dry skin became more and more dry it was apparent that this was eczema. There are several reasons for eczema to occur. Please understand, I’m not suggesting that if you have a child, or you yourself suffer from eczema that you have an allergy issue.

However, this post isn’t allergy specific, so you can use the tips below to find some relief!

It’s common that the Dr. will send an eczema patient home with a topical cream, usually if not always they are steroid based ointments. While, as I’ve said in my previous post, I believe that there are some times that there is a need for a medicine; it’s not a belief of mine that eczema is always one of these cases. I have seen severe eczema with my oldest daughter, my middle daughter has a pretty strong case of it, where her skin cracks and my youngest has rough skin from time to time. I do realize there are cases where the only thing that will work is steroids. If you are in that boat, I extend my sympathy. If you are not, or even if you are you can hopefully find use of the alternatives I list here.

One thing I have noticed that helps my girls is changing the products that I use for bath time. The month after my daughter was diagnosed with allergies, I changed the products we use in our home for cleaning, bath time, and laundry. I cannot emphasize the difference it made in my children's allergies when I transferred to green products. I had an idea that it would help, but I never expected it to be such a dynamic part of their healing. I use products for bath and massage time by California Baby, they are in my recommendation box on the right of my blog homepage, under "My Favorites". Their products are amazing! They are slightly pricier than the mainstream products you’ll find in the mass retailers, but you use far less than other brands. I find their products last longer, make a big difference in the quality of my girls skin and most of all they are gentle, allergy friendly and comforting to my kids.

Method also makes a wonderful nearly all green bath line, they are not quite as gentle for my older daughter but they are remarkable for my younger girls. California Baby and Method are both gluten free product lines. California Baby steers clear of the Major 8, while Method generally keeps away from common irritants. Always read the label, yes, even on toiletries!

I have found a lot of times when my oldest has an allergic reaction, she has a severe outbreak with her eczema. During those times I try to throw her in a bath:

One bath time trick I use is an Epsom salt bath. A friend of mine suggested this a while back. I am amazed at the change that takes place in ten minutes of a bath with salts.  I purchase the store brand and mix according to the label -- do NOT use any other kind of salt! Epsom salt has special ingredients to treat the skin, healing it in a way that table, rock, or sea salt cannot. My girls absolutely adore a good “salt bath”. From a parents standpoint-- it’s easier to clean than the oats (see below) so you will likely fall in love with them too. The price on Epsom salts is hard to beat, therefore, I suggest you try this alternative first.

My second bath time trick is oats and warm water. It is an incredibly soothing experience. You’ll find that the oats take away the swelling, the itching, and the redness all at once. I always use the off brand at the store closest to me. They have several versions and there is generally a very clear label that it is for eczema. The oat baths are great, because the child can stay in it as long as they like.

A less expensive alternative to the store bought oat bath pack is making your own. If you purchase rolled, or steel cut oats just toss them in the blender and blend until they become fine and almost powder-like.

There are some reports that say you should not bathe your child nightly if they have eczema - the less time in the water the better. Other reports say that nightly baths with lots of cream is best. My experience is: it depends on the child! I have one who I think could live in the water and her skin be healthier because of it, my other daughter should really be in a tub no more than twice a week, because we begin to have severe problems with eczema. My girls that cannot bathe allot I have found love a shower just as much, and it is gentle enough to increase the amount of times a week they are bathed.

When bath time is complete I “cream them up”. Again, I use California baby products for this. Without completely drying their skin after bath time, I slather them in cream, then place long pants, long sleeve shirts and a good pair of socks on them. It makes everyone all cozy and ready for bed.

As always, check with your Dr. before trying any new treatment that they may not have prescribed!

Common Day to Day signs: It’s not the Weather and It's not in Your Head, It’s Allergies

When my little girl was a mere six months, I began wondering how people with allergies survive. My friend who had allergies, had a daughter not much older than mine, who was at that point exhibiting symptoms that she may also have allergies. I remember thinking “Oh, I’m so glad it’s not me!” I also remember thinking “ok, I get you don’t want your kid to puke, but if she does, that isn’t the end of the world-- it really is no big deal” WRONG! It is a huge deal, and I later came to find out-- it's a BIG FAT WHOPPING end-of- the-world-deal if you have a child that exhibits signs which delay growth, or even cause anaphylaxis. It is a nightmare when it involves your child's well-being, and social growth.

My daughter, even after the drug reaction, but before the second ambulance ride to the hospital, had allergic symptoms, (which I'll list below in bold for easy finding) all along and I was totally unaware. You know there are those fair headed children who have a pink look to them all the time-- I have a few of those-- I was one of them! What I didn’t know is that cute chapped cheek look, and that dry skin, or "cradle cap" that won't go away and the spit-up can all be indicators that you may be dealing with allergies. I didn’t realize that irregularity, vomiting, and diarrhea can all indicate that there is an underlying allergy. I knew snotty noses come all the time with kids, and I knew babies have croupy sounds -- but I didn’t know that when they continue for more than two weeks, that it could be allergy related. Those symptoms are common in kids that are allergy free, that is why it is difficult to find a balance, and get a diagnosis.

All the above symptoms together, or on their own can be an indicator that your child is struggling with FOOD allergies.

This is where I thought it got tricky. It’s obvious if you take a four year old out into the grass, she plays, comes in all hivey, and snotty she likely has pollen / grass allergies. That to me, was a "no-brainer". What I didn’t know is that my baby who was eating peas, and loving it, but then was an incredibly fussy, gassy, pink cheeked, dry skinned baby was highly allergic to peas. Her body didn’t get a rash for a few months, it just looked like someone had kissed her cheeks a little too much. It wasn’t until she had peas for months on end that we finally noticed a few minor blotches that came up (hives). I figured it was a “contact allergy” gave a dose of benedryl one time, and moved on. I didn’t “note it”, and I honestly thought the problem was that she had sensitive skin, after all, her cheeks were always chapped. Then the day came when I fed her peas, fish, and milk (See my previous post). THAT was clear, there was an allergy. I called my dear friend and then my Dr. and eventually 911. I never fed her peas again. To this day, she cannot have beans, peas or any other legume (or dairy/fish either). She tests off the scale at the allergist for them.

Had I realized what the symptoms of an allergy CAN be -- not what they USUALLY are-- I would have possibly been ahead of the game, and not had the experience we did.

*For more information on signs of allergies in infancy see my post "Madness and Mayhem: What Allergies can Look Like in Infancy"

Madness and Mayhem: What Allergies can Look Like in Infancy

There are so many blogs in the world that are dedicated to helping out with the “Major 8”, while I appreciate and have made use of them, please be aware that this is not that kind of  blog. While I will cover the "Major 8", it is not the sole allergy I deal with. We have in excess of fifteen food allergies, intollerances, and sensitivities in my family of five, and out of the 4 individuals with allergies, only 3 share 2 common allergies. If you want madness and mayhem for dinner - my table is the place for it. I know overwhelming in the allergy world, in some respects, far better than most, and thankfully not as tragically as some.
It has been said there is reason to believe that allergies do not "fully develop" during infancy, simply because their little digestive systems are not mature, therefore, a lot of food is difficult to tolerate. Typically, if you test prior to 12mos of age, you are more likely to have false positives. Please know, I am not suggesting that if your child experiences the below symptoms (in bold) they have definite allergies.

I am sharing my story to educate you. If you have a similar story with your baby, I want you to know that considering allergies to be the culprit is a perfectly understandable concern, and I am encouraging you to speak with your Pediatrician regarding your concerns. There are numerous links between colic and allergies in later life. For those of us parents who have experienced colic, I can say we would do anything that we could to help our child feel better, to include limiting/changing diet. I hope this gives insight to you, if you find yourself in this stage of life.

When we first began the allergy life I had no idea what was occurring. I had nights on end with an upset, unhappy, screaming baby that would cry for hours, she was in pain, and there was no help for her. I’d sit and sometimes cry with her, but oftentimes I'd wonder what was going on and why couldn’t I figure out the way to help her. My daughter had colic. She had it for six and a half months, and we had crying stints that would last up to 15 hours. The Pediatrician agreed that it was colic, and there was nothing that could be done out of the normal routines of washing machine sittings, vacuum runnings (we went through three vacuums, by the way), car rides, swaddling, stretching the baby over our knees, as our legs were bent to add pressure to her belly, and those "famous" over the counter drops.

After several weeks of this, she began to have reflux. Like any "good mother", I took my baby to the Dr. hoping for help. Help is what we got. We were given a prescription for an antacid, and home we went. I had high hopes this was the “cure all” and the previous ten weeks of crying would come to an end, and our peaceful nursing sessions could resume to what they were in the hospital. Little did I know this was our introduction to the allergy ridden world we live in today.

My daughter had (in hindsight, and with the knowledge I have now) an unmistakable drug allergy that caused her to be unresponsive for several minutes, and eventually hospitalized for three days. It gave her father and I our first grey hairs, and a deep desire to find out what was going on with her. Once every “preliminary test” had been ran, and she became the normal child she was prior, the Dr's determined that it was an allergic reaction. While it's rare for babies to have such reactions, and we had never had previous drug allergies, we were content with this explanation and hoped that we could find a way around the colic, but we would be doing it in a non-medicinal way. I happily dealt with spit up, and a conscience, unhappy-but-alive baby. At this point she was a formula fed baby because thanks to her allergy related antics mommys body quit milk production. We began the basic formula suggested by our pediatrician and became even more aware of how much of a “spitty-baby” she was. I changed outfits for her nearly 6-8 times a day, until she was about a year old, and just figured it would eventually change as her digestive tract matured.

Fast forward to 13 months of age, I made a delightful, healthy balanced dish of peas, fish, peaches, and milk for my growing girl. My daughter took three bites one of peas, two of fish, and swelled up like a balloon, with bright pink cheeks, the redness eventually spread to her body, she later had difficulty breathing, and was wheezing. At that point I realized that we were in for a bumpy ride, it was to the hospital in an Ambulance, our second one. It carried us further down the Allergy laden road of life. My daughter was on the cusp of Anaphylaxis, and I had no inkling of what that meant to our lifestyle changes we would make.

*For more information on what allergies can look like in Children over 12 months, see my blog post "Common Day to Day signs: It’s not the Weather and It's not in Your Head, It’s Allergies"