Hello, please can I join you? I am finally admitting we may have a problem! I am in dire need of advice and support so hoping you lovely ladies can help.
My LO's skin has been getting progressively worse since 4 months old when he had some contact dermatitis (changed washing powder, used Aveeno and it went away). Actually, he had quite severe 'baby acne' on his face / neck and bad cradle cap too so always knew he'd be a sensitive soul! We saw GP again at 5 months when his creases got inflamed (knees, elbows, neck) and she gave hydrocortisone (0.5%), epaderm and cetraben. Went back again this week as he's now got rashy eczema all over torso, and creases are awful especially neck. She's referred us to a dermatologist but could take a month or two.
Anyway, I am getting more and more convinced this is a food allergy. We do not put any chemicals anywhere near his skin, for washing his clothes, in the bath, when other people cuddle him etc). We are really thorough about this because I thought it was probably perfumes or SLS or something. I stopped breastfeeding at 24 weeks because I couldn't bear the thought that something I was eating may have been causing this (I had to stop at 7 months anyway due to work, so I just stopped a bit early). He's had a bit of formula from 3 months, gradually increasing, but I never really linked this to his skin. But now I'm thinking that since he's been on formula it's been a lot worse. He doesn't yet have gluten, wheat, soy, peanuts, fish or other dairy - we weaned him at 20 weeks due to reflux but he only has baby rice and root veg at the moment.
So... I might be putting 2 and 2 together and making 5, but I am getting convinced his formula is to blame. I asked the doctor and the health visitor if they thought it might be an allergy to something he's eating (or I'm eating) but they both immediately dismissed the suggestion.
We are back to the doctor again today as since yesterday he is almost covered (apart from arms and legs) in the rash. It's all over his face, his eyes are red and puffy from rubbing and he is an unhappy little boy (did I mention he's also teething??). I would lie them to prescribe me some antihistamines and advise what i can use near his eyes. He scratches all the time unless I distract him and is obviously uncomfortable.
It's a different doctor who I don't know, and I am wondering if I am brave enough to ask whether he could prescribe one of the formulas that has modified CMP (ETA: I've read about things like Nutramigen and Neocate although I have no idea the difference or anything technical about them!) just to see if it makes a difference. At least it would rule it out and as we might be waiting for a while for dermatologist I'd like to feel like I'm doing something positive.
So, any advice? Am I jumping to conclusions? Does anyone have experience of this (sorry, I didn't read back through thread!!).
Any help or advice welcome, we are reaching the end of our tether and i want my happy little boy back.
Mamabare
anf even then she is still not happy. They are now worried that her gut is not working properly and there might be another cause to it to food allergies. She has been booked it to have the endoscopies next Friday. Fingers crossed all goes well, I am super worried about the preparation!
Hapyface, i hope they get to the bottom of it!
poor lamb, I gave her some herbal camamilla which is in a gluten/dairy/soy free rice syrup with natural flavour .. yup, strawberry flavor.
They stopped selling the only bread Alex can have aswell, we have to trek to Tesco just for that!
