29/05/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

An eczema nurse, a long time ago, gave us a sticker chart for James.  He got a sticker in the morning and a sticker in the evening once his cream was on.  My children have never been overly keen on stickers but this worked well that there was a chart to put them on.

We did buy him a treat when it was all full.  My husband tried to make another one, but it just did not work.  Also, how many stickers before he would get his treat?  This could be really expensive but I have learnt the 99p stores trick.  He can choose whatever he likes from that shop!  (Last time he nearly chose a ‘will last until it is taken out of the packaging car’ and then changed for a four pack of Fruit Shoots - fair enough!)

Is it right that he should get a reward for having his cream on?  At what age do children do their own cream.  Epaderm is thick ol’ stuff and although I encourage him to have a go…… perhaps I should let him do it.  Maybe I am just trying to be in control?

Anyway, we have had tears (not tonight but recently) regarding putting on cream. Sometimes he obviously regards it as a chore.  We make it as fun as we can - throw it onto him, use Diprobase to write on him etc.   Sometimes, he just does not want any cream on.

The routine then changes to

- he gets grumpy

-I get cross

- he tells me he is not itchy and will have it tomorrow

- I tell him that he is not itchy because of the cream and needs more so he does not get itchy (I do not comment on the fact that he has got all hot and bothered and therefore is scratching himself to pieces whilst saying he is not itchy)

-He repeats he will have cream tomorrow

-I tell him that,  ok he can just be itchy and I will not bother putting any cream on.

-He gets more upset because I am cross and leaving him to do something else

-He wipes his face and I put his cream on.

-running really late now!

Posted in Children and Eczema | 1 Comment »

29/05/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

Well certainly the new cream was keeping James’ skin at a decent level, not clear, but semi-acceptable.  However it has run out.  I have such a multitude of tried /  tested creams, half empty tubes from which I am left to pick from to carry on with.  I can contact my doctor to see if I can get more, although it was the dermatologist who prescribed…. I hate contacting the doctors, it is all to regular.

I have gone back to protopic 0.1% but already he has been much itchier.  He has never said about it being ‘burning’ or ’sore’ but last night I thought there was no point in going to bed as he was up scratching so much.  Thankfully it settled down.  James never really complains about discomfort, it is just his life and he accepts it.

It is good that we have not used Elocon for almost a month now.  I am not overly cautious about using steroids but, in the back of my mind, I am aware that he is only 4 and has had a fair amount of steroid usage on delicate skin.  He has needed it though and it would be worse left untreated.

Tonight he is already hot and itchy.  It is funny with the weather at the moment.  I have been in already this evening to replace his duvet with a blanket and turn on the fan.  He does get hot so easily.

My skin is quite dry at the moment.  Finally my hands are much better than they were.  As I write I have no plasters on my fingers.  I have got a hack between my thumb and first finger - I think I saw it happen.  It had been itchy and then I just went to lift something, as I moved my thumb and finger, the hack split open.  When I was younger we used to get pure lanolin and that worked really well - thick yellow stuff that worked like polyfilla.  I’ve tried lots of creams over the weekend, at the moment my hand is yellow with my daughter’s nappy cream - anything is worth a go!

Overall though, he and I are not too bad at all.  Long may it continue.

Posted in Children and Eczema, Eczema and the Weather | 1 Comment »

20/05/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

It is such a relief to see an improvement in James’ skin.  He is sleeping better, he and I are both less tetchy.  Also, he is not using Elocon at the moment.  I really had begun to believe that moderate steroid creams were a waste of time for him.  Well done to the dermatology nurse for persevering and finding one that has made some improvement.

It is a cream / ointment that I had not heard of, synalar 1 in 4 dilution.  The chemist had to order it in and I was thinking ‘Is it really worth it?’.  Fingers crossed it will continue healing it up.  I am desperate that he is not known for his eczema when he starts school.  We have until September.  We have some trial sessions until then and at the moment, I am so pleased.  He has been to one craft afternoon and when they had a story he sat and scratched the entire way through.  How draining for him!  How hard to concentrate when you are so itchy?  Will the teacher understand?  Eczema is so common, but predominantly (thankfully) in milder forms.

Keep working cream!  Yay!

Posted in Children and Eczema | 1 Comment »

17/05/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

I’ve just had another appointment for my son.  I cried during the appointment.  How embarrassing!

We’ve been seeing the dietician for almost 2years now.  She gives our appointments all the time in the world.  She listens, suggests and is realistic.  Each stage has a time frame that she writes down (as no doubt I would forget).

It started out as monitored exclusions based on suspected allergens.  A long drawn out process.  The allergist there laughed at the ludicrous idea of allergy testing for something like eczema.  Ironically that day he had, on the way past James asked if had his face painted.  Then turned round, followed us to repeat his question.  There he was trying to be friendly but could not have said anything more hurtful, insensitive if he had tried.  Hey ho, it’s only eczema.  I cried at that appointment too!

I think they are the only times I have cried in appointments -it is not the norm!

Food allergy tests are quick with quick results.  Dieticians are methodical but take time.  Also when we reintroduced foods they coincided with  worsening of eczema.  The cause, who knows?

Anyway, having had James tested privately I think there is no point seeing a dietician as food allergies are negligible.  It is me trying to overcome the hesitance about him having some foods, or too much of them.  Again, she has set me targets to get things reintroduced.   She suggested making another appointment although instead I will do everything and phone to say ‘All done’.    Although it is not going to help James’ eczema, it will help his lifestyle.  The restrictions taken off.  Food allergies is another channel we have tried, not a solution but the testing did give us an answer.

Posted in Children and Eczema, General | No Comments »