My baby has atopic dermatitis?

Question

my baby is almost 4 months old and last week I went with him to the doctor, cause he was so fuzzy, restless and kept waking up at night.I could tell, he had very dry skin and she told me thats probally the reason for his strange acting.
she gave me a few samples to try out and it worked great.when I went yesterday to the pharmacie, I realized the first time, what that cream actually was.I thought the doctor just gave me special cream, but its cream for atopic dermatitis.
well, I am going next week for his 4months checkup anyways, but what can I do for my little boy for right now?
I turned allready the heat up, so that I only have to put him some light shortsleave clothes on.I also have a humidifier and use the cream(atopiclair) like 3times a day!
next months I probally start with babyfood, do I have to be careful with my choices?
The skin got allready much better, but his legs and arms are still very dry.Is he gonna start sleeping better again and feel better during the day?

Additional Details

I also swaddle him at night, cause otherwise he keeps waking himself up.but know I am wondering if it would make his skin worse?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

My son too has this very badly. So bad we actually had to see a special Pediatric Dermatologist. She told me that from her education and her own four kids, recent studies have shown the only way to keep a child's skin hydrated is to get them wet. Literally. She told me to bathe my son daily and to apply lotion within 3 minutes. (she said i know the time limit sounds silly but it's been heavily researched and it needs to be done that quick.)

Eucerin and Aquaphor are good. Eucerin is a lotion while Aquaphor is also made by Eucerin but is more like an ointment rather than a lotion. The dermatologist also told me, however, that she uses regular old Vaseline on the dry spots. She said to apply it liberally as soon as he gets out of the bath and it creates a seal on baby's skin, trapping all that moisture in.

We've followed her advice and he feels a little greasy at first but his dry skin absorbs it up. It has helped the condition and the itching a lot and he doesn't scratch like he used to.

As far as starting foods I don't think you need to be more careful than anybody else, just try one food at a time for several days and watch for new rashes. It's hard to identify an allergic reaction sometimes in a kid that already has skin issues but you should be able to tell as long as you pay close attention.

I think the swaddling is fine.

Good luck. And the good news is most babies grow out of this and it's not a lifelong skin issue. (although that's not a guarantee.)

Answer 2

Atopic Dermatitis::Eczema right??

In Infants::
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/t…
Information::
Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is a common problem in infants and children. It usually begins between two and six months of age with very dry and sensitive skin that will then become red and extremely itchy. It often starts on the forehead, cheeks and scalp and spreads to the trunk, creases of the elbows, knees, and wrists. With scratching the rash may become raw, crusted and weepy.
It is not yet known what causes it, but it does seem to run in families that have a history of asthma, allergies or atopic dermatitis. It is a chronic disease, but only about a third of children with infantile atopic dermatitis will continue to have problems with it as they get older.

There is no cure for this common condition. The main treatments are aimed at controlling and preventing inflammation and itching and include avoiding triggers, frequent bathing and hydrating of the skin, liberal use of moisturizers and lubricants, and the use of steroid creams for flare ups.

New Warning: A boxed warning from the FDA has been added to both Protopic and Elidel, warning about a possible risk of cancer, even though the reports have been rare and the link is not proven. To be safe, neither should be used in children under age 2 and they should only be used as second line treatments, when other medications have already been tried. And neither should be used for long periods of time. They can still be used though. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology disagrees that the warning is even necessary or that these medicines are at all dangerous when properly used.



Lubricants
To help with dryness, these creams, such as Eucerin, Nivea, Cethaphil Moisturizing Cream, or Lubriderm, should be used every day, even when the eczema isn't flaring-up!
Apply right after baths within 3 minutes (and after the steroid creams) to help trap in moisture and throughout the day as needed.

For severely dry skin, try using an ointment, such as Aquaphor.

Alternative lubricants that some parents find useful include Hydrolatum and Vanicream.

Many experts recommend avoiding moisturizing lotions, as they often don't work as well as a cream or ointment.



Steroid Creams
These are the main treatments for atopic dermatitis when it flares up, and should be applied right after baths (and before a lubricant) and again during the day as directed. When the rash improves, cut back on how often you are using it and then stop until the rash flares up again.
Common steroid creams include Cutivate, Westcort, Lociod Lipocream, Artistocort, and Elocon.


Avoid using prescription steroid creams on the face or in the diaper area, unless specifically instructed to do so. An over the counter 1% Hydrocortisone cream is safer in these areas.

For severe cases of eczema, a steroid ointment may be more effective than a cream.

If your child's eczema improves when he is on a steroid and then quickly flares up again when you stop, it may help to use a 'step down' strategy where you taper the use of the steroid and use it less often, for example every other day and then 2-3 times a week, before finally stopping it. Or use a less potent steroid, like over the counter hydrocortizone after using a prescription strength steroid like Cutivate or Elocon.

You might also ask your doctor about one of the newer non-steroidal medications, like Protopic or Elidel.



Bathing and Eczema
Bathing and eczema is a controversial topic, but many people think the practice of limiting baths is old school or old fashioned. Many experts now recommend a daily bath for kids with eczema.
A daily bath for at least 15-20 minutes helps to moisturize the skin and make it less itchy. Be sure to use a mild, nondrying soap, such as Dove, Neutrogena, Tone, Caress, Dial, Basis, or Purpose, avoid vigorous scrubbing, use a soft towel to pat the skin dry and immediately (within 3 minutes) apply a lubricating cream afterwards.

If your child's skin is not tolerating a daily bath, limit baths to every other day or try using a soap substitute, such as Cetaphil. Avoid using bubble baths, harsh or drying soaps and keep shampoo off the affected areas.



Itching Relief
Atopic dermatitis is a very itchy rash, and scratching usually makes it worse, so it is important to help control itching. You can use an oral antihistamine, such as Benadryl, especially at night to help control irritability and restlessness that the itching may cause. Always apply your steroid cream to areas that itch.
Wet or damp dressings can sometimes help with severe itching. A wet-to-wet dressing can be made by having your child wear wetted pajamas after he takes a bath and then apply a dry layer over this.

Also, keep your child's fingernails cut short to limit the damage caused by scratching.



Eczema Prevention
Help prevent flare-ups by avoiding things that are known to trigger your child's eczema. These may include certain foods (cow's milk, eggs, peanut butter, fish), wool fibers and clothes, rough or tight fitting clothing, dry air, sweating, getting too hot or too cold (avoid hot or cold water), harsh soaps or chemicals, and stress.
Swimming is allowed, but immediately shower or bathe to wash off chlorine and other chemicals and apply a moisturizer to help prevent your child's skin from drying out.



Important Reminders
Be patient. This is a chronic disease that usually improves and then flares-up again, but one which is usually easily managed with the above therapies.
Call your pediatrician if your child is not improving in 1-2 weeks with his current treatments, the itching is keeping your child awake at night, the rash is infected with pus or honey colored scabs, or if the rash becomes raw and bleeding.

A secondary skin infection can often be to blame for eczema that isn't clearing up. A trial of an antibiotic or a bacterial skin culture might help to see if this is complicating your child's eczema.
You sometimes have to experiment to find what works best for your child's eczema.
Consider seeing an expert, such as a Pediatric Dermatologist if you and your Pediatrician are not able to get your child's eczema under good control.

Other sites from one main link,
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http://www.ask.com/web?qsrc=167&o=0&l=di…

Good Luck, my daughter has it in her hair, and it can be a pain, so Johnson and Johnson is all we can use!!

Source(s):

a mom to one and one on the way!!

Answer 3

this goes away as they get older. try avenoo product for bath or anything hypoallergenic