My son was born with sensitive skin and has been dealing with skin issues since day 1. First it was cradle c(r)ap, then baby eczema, then eczema gone all bad. We’ve been at “eczema gone bad” for awhile now, and I can’t tell you how difficult it’s been. Before sharing our experiences, I need to preface that I have no solution to eczema. Believe me, I’m just as disappointed as you. My only advice it to trust your mommy instincts. When it doesn’t look like eczema anymore or it’s affecting your son’s well-being, try all the things and see all the doctors.
Has your child ever woken up in the morning with red-stained clothes from itching until blood was shed? Have you ever had to leave the bathroom because your child is crying in agony while your husband is rubbing creams and ointments on him/her? Has your child ever come home from school sweaty because he/she was too self conscious for shorts and refused to take off their jacket? Have you ever dealt with others who act like your child has some sort of contagious disease, and don’t want their kid around yours? I have. Because of eczema. And for lack of better words, it sucks. It’s heartbreaking for my husband and I.
They say the trifecta is eczema, allergy, and asthma. A few months ago, we decided to do some allergy testing. Come to find out, our son is extremely allergic to dog and cat dander. His results were so high, he’s 8x more sensitive to those things than the average person. Guess what? We have a dog. HE has a dog. It’s a bit of a cruel joke to know he’s allergic to his own pet and probably has been since the beginning.
We have faced all sort of mom/dad guilt over this. We are planning to get a weather-appropriate shelter for the dog, outside. In the meantime, our dog is pretty much in one corner of the house and cannot go into the bedrooms/playroom. Our son has to change into fresh clothes before every nap, to ensure his sleeping clothes have little to no exposure to the dander. He uses dye/scent-free soaps and laundry detergent. We do our best in the given situation, but our pediatrician tells us as long as the trigger/allergen is in his environment, the dander cannot be avoided. It gets circulated throughout the air. Before anyone wants to be judge-y, let me reiterate that we are planning a long-term solution for a dog-free, indoor environment. This is easier said than done, because a pet is part of your family.
You might be thinking, “Doesn’t your battle with eczema end with pet dander?” Not entirely. We suspect he will need more allergy testing, as there may be more culprits. But the best allergy test is going to be our son, himself. It’s a constant mystery trying to figure out what foods or environments cause flare ups, but we learn more through each exposure. Eczema varies in degrees and may look different on each person who suffers from it. My son’s eczema has changed from little red patches to a full body covered in an itchy, scaly rash. What works for one person, may not work for another. Three years later, we still haven’t gotten it under control. We do have a cabinet full of medications, lotions, steroid creams, ointments, and soaps to show for our efforts.
What eczema ISN’T? It isn’t just an inconvenience. It isn’t just uncomfortable. It is a serious condition that can affect your quality of life.
I want my son to wear shorts and not have to hide his skin. I want him to freely be a kid. So what’s next? Just this week, our trip to the pediatrician resulted in a couple more prescriptions. They are different than what we’ve tried, and will hopefully help with the itching. Zyrtec and Benadryl haven’t really done anything. All the scripts hurt this “mostly natural” mama’s heart. But the key right now is to get the itching under control, and prevent infection. He wakes up in the middle of the night crying about how his skin burns, and can’t stop scratching.
Also, we’re seeing a dermatologist. As much as we love our ped, a specialist’s expertise will be better suited for my son in this area. And of course, there will be more allergy testing. The reality is, there is no cure-all for eczema. It’s in your DNA. We just pray our son may grow out of his triggers/allergies, and we can make him more comfortable.
I have intentionally decided against sharing pictures of my son’s eczema. What stands out more to me than anything is his sweet smile and the twinkle in his eyes. That is what I hope people will notice instead of the scratched up legs and arms.
Does your child battle with eczema? Do you know the allergens/triggers? What treatment has worked/not worked for you guys?
