eczema and diet

[wands]

Hi -- I am breastfeeding my 8 month old.  He has had eczema since he was two months old.  After two skin infections and lots of topicals we went to see a natural homeopath.  She put me on an elimination diet -- elmininating me of dairy and gluten.  Six weeks later he eczema had greatly improved in his neck and arms.  His legs still had it.  I am staying off of dairy and gluten and careful of what he eats (poor kiddo has such a limited diet right now).  The problem is that he still has it on his legs.  Usually it is only bad in the crease behind his legs but lately it is all over his legs and today noticed it on his back.  Very frustrated.  Also my husband seemed to think that it was better this morning and then as the day progressed it got worse.  Anyone have any suggestions or advice?  I would greatly appreciate it.  It is just frustrating and he is getting older now and I see him actually itching it now.  I am worried that the eczema will get worse.  Please help.

[Spectra]

Have you eliminated the "hidden dairy"?  Like the items in food that is dairy, but doesn't say it outright?  Like Casein for example?  Have you eliminated soy as well?  Babies who cannot tolerate dairy most likely cannot tolerate soy either.

Here is a list of the names dairy and soy go by:::

MILK FREE DIET
Avoid foods that contain any of the following ingredients:

*artificial butter flavor
*butter, butter fat, buttermilk
*casein
*caseinates (ammonia caseinate, calcium caseinate, magnesium caseinate, potassium caseinate, sodium caseinate)
*cheese
*cottage cheese
*curds
*custard
*half and half
*hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein)
*lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate
*lactoglobulin
*lactose
*milk (derivative, protein, solids, malted, condensed, evaporated, dry, whole, low fat, non fat, skim)
*nougat
*pudding
*rennet casein
*sour cream, sour cream solids
*sour milk solids
*whey (delactosed, demineralized, protein concentrate)
*yogurt
*brown sugar flavoring
*caramel flavoring
*chocolate, milk chocolate (cocoa butter is ok)
*high protein flour
*margarine
*natural flavoring
*Simplesse A "D" on a product label next to a "K" or circled "U" may indicate the presence of milk protein

SOY FREE DIET
Avoid foods that contain any of the following ingredients:

*miso
*shoyu sauce
*soy (flour, grits, nuts, milk, sprouts)
*soybean (granules, curd)
*y protein (concentrate, isolate)
*y sauce
*textured vegetable protein (TVP)
*tofu ingredients
*flavorings
*hydrolyzed plant protein
*hydrolyzed soy protein
*hydrolyzed vegetable protein
*natural flavoring
*vegetable broth
*vegetable gum
*vegetable starch

**Studies show that most soy allergic individuals may safely eat products containing soy lecithin and soybean oil

[wands]

Thanks for the great info.  Yes I have been trying to avoid the hidden dairy foods.  I think I might have missed one or two though.  Also the natural homeopath thought that soy should be ok since I am Asian.  She is going by the fact that genetically my heritage eats a lot of soy I guess so I haven't elmininated that.  Wondering though since my LO is mixed Asian and Caucasion.  Maybe it is worth a shot.  What do you think about eggs?  Just trying to get him cleared up.  Also this seems to have gotten worse after his flu shot which I think I have heard has eggs in it.  Any thoughts?  Thanks.

[Spectra]

I think it would be worth a shot.  Try it for about a month and see if he clears up when you eliminate soy.  If he doesn't then at least you know you tried and it won't be a question in the back of your mind.

I would keep off the eggs too, at least until he is one.  I know the flu shot has eggs in it.  My son has an allergy to eggs and I was advised to never give him the flu shot.  My son's eczema flared up the first time he had eggs.

I love the baby pic, by the way, super cute!!  I love all that hair.

[Mydreamcametrue]

Hi there.

Are you certain you are avoiding all gluten?   What are some things that you feed him and that you eat?

If you think it flared up after the flu shot, then I would avoid eggs and foods containing eggs.   The flu shot is grown on eggs, so if you are allergic to it, you have to avoid the shot.  Also the MMR shot has eggs. 

I would keep a food diary also and see if you can pin point anything that is making it worse.

Let me know about foods you eat and maybe we can help you figure it out. 

I know it is so frustrating.  I am dealing with this with my son now also.  If you could post some pics too, that may help us.

Hugs, Wendy

[linfran]

One other thing I thought of - how often do you bath him?  I simply ask because ds had eczema from head to foot and bathing him often dried the skin out even more.

We cut the baths right down when we pooty trained him and his skin is so much better now.

[wands]

Hi - Thanks so much.  We don't bathe him that often.. maybe every 3 days.  I am pretty sure that I am avoiding all gluten.  I can't seem to make heads or tails of it lately.  I think maybe it is was the flu shot though and I have been avoiding eating eggs the last week or so.  I haven't given him eggs to eat.  In fact it is very frustrating because he wants to eat but there isn't an awful lot he can eat.  Only a few veg/ and rice cereal/ rice puffs.  I pretty much eat a lot of rice and potato.  I eat chicken and salmon.  I eat gluten and dairy free breakfast bars.  I am pretty careful of what I eat.  Most of the things are labeled gluten and dairy free and I read the labels very carefully.  I eat a lot of veg and fruit too.  I only drink water, decaf coffee sometimes, and rice (hemp) milk.  The eczema is only on his legs now (used to be everywhere esp in his neck) and most concentrated in the folds.  Any insight?

[Spectra]

I know when my son had eczema it would take 4 weeks of him completely clean of the "bad" foods for it to completely go away.  It always seemed his legs/feet were the last.  Another cause could be laundry detergent.  My Doctor advised me to wash his clothes in a mild detergent and to put the clothes in for an extra rinse.  For the dryer he advised to not use any fabric softeners or Dryer sheets, even the ones that are for sensitive skin to not use.  He also advised me to use only 100 percent cotton for his clothes, in case he also has sensitive skin.

As well some fruits that are high in citric acid can cause eczema.  It does in my dad and my son if he has lots of it.

What do you bathe your son in?  What type of soap do you use?  Oh, and what type of toothpaste do you use?  There is an infant toothpaste that contains milk product in it, it's from Gerber.