Eczema Glore and Ms. Scratch A Lot

When you were three months old, you had red, blotchy, and dry looking skin between the folds of your neck, behind your ears, and in the folds of your arms and your legs. It was diagnosed by the doctor as eczema. The cause of your eczema was unknown. The doctor thought that it would be best to stop eating eggs, soy, wheat, and nuts; to try and determine the cause. After stopping one thing at a time, the symptoms of your eczema did not get better. As the heat increases this summer and humidity hit, the symptoms of your eczema got worse. Mommy moisturized your face and body every day, at least five to six times a day, basically every time you woke up from sleeping/naps. Mommy tried many lotions. The moisturizers that worked well were Aveeno Baby, Eczema Therapy, Cetaphil Restoraderm, and Albaun-petroleum jelly. It took a while to figure out which ones were the best ones for my little princess; as well as a lot of time and patience (but nothing is too good for my princess). Even taking baths had to be changed; we went from taking baths every other day to every two to three days to see if it would help the symptoms. Your clothes could not be too tight on her, as I had read that tight clothing could make the symptoms worse.

This is also the beginning of your scratching. At first, you would scratch as a indication of being tired (so I thought), and would only happen at nighttime before bedtime. However, it is hard to tell you if you were really itchy or not. Daddy and I used hydro-cortisone cream 1% on the areas where you were scratching with your hands but it does not seem to help. Of course, the hydro-cortisone cream was recommended by your doctor. Also,used aloe gels (but tested it first on her arm to see if she is allergic) but it does not seem to help that much either. The scratching only got worse over time. Daddy and I felt so helpless when you would scratch because you look so uncomfortable and itchy; and there was nothing we could do for you. You would scratch and scratch during diaper changes, bath times, when you lays down, you plays, and right before your naps or bedtime but you can be distracted with toys which does not last long. At first, you would scratch your necks, behind your ears, and your head. Now, it is wherever your hands lands. The scratching, unfortunately, appeared to be habitual and I don't know what else to do. The big relief is using mittens. She outgrew her first mittens fast, and then another pair, and used socks; then she learned to pull them off her hands (which is the cutest things but not when she would scratch after they are off her hands). After much research, Daddy and I found scratchmenotmittens and it works wonders. We still use it now. The grooming of her finger nails and toe nails had to be cut and trimmed every other day; otherwise, she would end up with scratch marks all over her face. The scratch marks would end up all over her forehead, and cheeks. It looked like it would scar, but not matter how bad the scars were, they eventually went away.

Present time, my little princess still scratches, whenever it gets close to bedtime, naps, during meal time, during playtime, during diaper changes and bath times. Lina wears the mittens whenever she goes to sleep. The symptom of your eczema has gotten better. Mommy is only moisturizing you a few times a day and your skin is not that dry. Bath time is every other day. Clothes are loose and not too tight. Nails, finger and toe, are cut and trimmed every other day, sometimes every day. Mittens are still being used. No scars are accounted.