Eczema developing in older kids?

[Iveneverseen]

I never expected my children to get eczema, I was always told that if you and/or the childs father has it your child will also.
but neither me or my husband (the father of my children) have or have had eczema.

yet 2 out of the 3 children we have suffer with it.

Our youngest child (20months) was the first to get it, he was dignosed with it at 2 weeks old and has always had it bad.
he gets all sorts of creams, bath stuff and body washes for it.

My eldest developed it about 4-5months ago.
she will be 10 in april so I guess it shocked me that 2 of my kids got it and esp when the eldest is near 10 as my youngest got it from newborn.

it started behind her ear, and spread to all around her ear and the other ear. it looks very dry and red and she says it is sore.
she also uses same cream as my son.

my 2nd child is 7 and doesn't (yet) have it.

I guess I find it bizarre 2 of my 3 children have it when none of us have it and it is bad.

I read that almost all children that get eczema get it before they are 5 but in dd1 case it is different.

did any one elses child get it later on?

 

[messica]

Are you absolutely sure it's eczema? Did a GP diagnose it or an actual dermatologist?

 

[Iveneverseen]

Are you absolutely sure it's eczema? Did a GP diagnose it or an actual dermatologist?

Yes it defo eczema. the doctor dignosed it.

 

[messica]

Are you absolutely sure it's eczema? Did a GP diagnose it or an actual dermatologist?

Yes it defo eczema. the doctor dignosed it.

Was doc a dermatologist though? Reason I ask is often doctors aren't all that in the know about skin conditions like eczema. My sons regular doctor diagnosed him as having chicken pox the week before school started this last year. When they didn't subside (instead getting worse!) and he missed out the beginning of the school year I took him to a dermatologist who diagnosed him as having an allergic reaction that required steroid treatment to clear up.

His regular doc was shocked that she misdiagnosed but the derm doc said it's actually very common for regular doctors to mistake many skin condition for many others.

If your doc was a dermatologist then I'd say it's an odd diagnosis for your older kiddo but certainly not impossible. Typically kids will get eczema in early infancy and grow out of it though, not the other way around. If your doc was just a general practitioner I'd consider seeking a second opinion if I were in your shoes just to be sure that's what you're dealing with.

In any event, did they suggest what may have triggered it? Food or environmental allergy? Is it bad enough to warrant treatment or is it just a mild flare?

Do you or your husband have any allergies or asthma?

 

[Iveneverseen]

Are you absolutely sure it's eczema? Did a GP diagnose it or an actual dermatologist?

Yes it defo eczema. the doctor dignosed it.

Was doc a dermatologist though? Reason I ask is often doctors aren't all that in the know about skin conditions like eczema. My sons regular doctor diagnosed him as having chicken pox the week before school started this last year. When they didn't subside (instead getting worse!) and he missed out the beginning of the school year I took him to a dermatologist who diagnosed him as having an allergic reaction that required steroid treatment to clear up.

His regular doc was shocked that she misdiagnosed but the derm doc said it's actually very common for regular doctors to mistake many skin condition for many others.

If your doc was a dermatologist then I'd say it's an odd diagnosis for your older kiddo but certainly not impossible. Typically kids will get eczema in early infancy and grow out of it though, not the other way around. If your doc was just a general practitioner I'd consider seeking a second opinion if I were in your shoes just to be sure that's what you're dealing with.

In any event, did they suggest what may have triggered it? Food or environmental allergy? Is it bad enough to warrant treatment or is it just a mild flare?

Do you or your husband have any allergies or asthma?

No you don't get to just see a dermitlogist, I had to fight for months for my son to see a dermatologist and his was horrendous.

but its defo eczema, it looks and feels like it.

she's had steroid cream and had it for 5months now and its just got worse and spread but its just like her brothers. and hes defo got it.

well she has given creams so it is pretty bad.
they said eczema just runs in families.

I had asthma as a child but not for years I grew out of it.
never thought my kids would be so badly affected though as they always say if you have eczema your kids will, but in this case that's not true as none of us have it.

 

[lindseymw]

Neither me or DH have/had Ezcema but Jacob does.

My Sister's (now ex) step son was diagnosed with Ezcema as an older child. He was really bad with it when it came out.

 

[Iveneverseen]

Neither me or DH have/had Ezcema but Jacob does.

My Sister's (now ex) step son was diagnosed with Ezcema as an older child. He was really bad with it when it came out.

See my son has had it since 2 weeks old and it is really bad.
dd1 isn't all over her body yet, but around her ears is really bad red and dry and sore. x

 

[CandyDay]

Can you get allergy testing done for them? It could be due to allergies to specific foods.

 

[Iveneverseen]

Can you get allergy testing done for them? It could be due to allergies to specific foods.

I don't know. but my son has had it since birth and he wasn't on any food then. he was breastfed then formula.

my daughter hasn't had anything she wouldn't normally.

but it never goes away, since they have had it.

 

[CandyDay]

when you are breastfeeding anything you were eating he was getting as well thru the breast milk, so its still possible it may be allergy related. Something to consider anyways.

 

[Iveneverseen]

when you are breastfeeding anything you were eating he was getting as well thru the breast milk, so its still possible it may be allergy related. Something to consider anyways.

well I only breastfed for 5days. plus he is 20 months now so its been a long time since he was breastfed lol
its defo eczema they both have. you know by looking and feeling it. its very dry and the doctor confirmed it.

 

[joeyjo]

Eczema can start at any age - I got it in my early twenties as a contact allergy to lanolin. As lanolin is in a lot if eczema treatment creams it kept getting worse with E45 etc...

Also agree it is possibly something else & would push for a derm referral if it's worse with steroids.

Could it be psoriasis - it can look similar and I know a few people suffer with it round their ears & hairline?

 

[Iveneverseen]

Eczema can start at any age - I got it in my early twenties as a contact allergy to lanolin. As lanolin is in a lot if eczema treatment creams it kept getting worse with E45 etc...

Also agree it is possibly something else & would push for a derm referral if it's worse with steroids.

Could it be psoriasis - it can look similar and I know a few people suffer with it round their ears & hairline?

It isn't worse with steroid creams. but it has got worse but she has not been on the steroids the whole time.

I know my son has eczema he also has it hairline ears and other parts of the body and he did used to see a dermatologist.

but they wont just refer you unless it's really bad.