02/12/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

My GP is horrified that I would take my son swimming.  He does everything and he tells me something is sore, or I notice it making his skin dramatically worse then I’ll not stop.

He always has a shower at the pool to wash off all the chlorine and other gubbins from the pool water.  A long time ago I noticed that he was not scratching much at all after swimming.  At that point I stopped putting anything in his bath water.  If it didn’t make his skin better, it certainly didn’t make it worse.  He is now back using dermol as a wash, but not filling the bath with any other emollient.

This morning James decided he didn’t want any epaderm ointment on his face.  I put some on my face encouraging him to put it on too.  When I had a shower a bit later, it was noticeable where I had put it on.  The water seemed to be sliding off.  I wasn’t convinced how clean I would be if I was covered in it.  Usually James just goes swimming (many pools don’t like creams on before the kids go in), then showers and then creams.  However, next time I will be trying the epaderm on the worst patches before he goes in.  Obviously I know how slippery it would make him and need to make sure his hands and knees can still grip so he’s able to pull himself out or I could grab hold of him if needs be.

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20/11/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

It has been a while since I posted here.  In a whirlwind I’ve got a little evening job, finished a short course I was doing and the assignments as well as trying to keep up with life and the ironing.

Having always been the one to put the kids to bed, I’ve suddenly been out 5 or 6 nights a week.  They’re unsettled and keep waking, as before they were good sleepers.  This week I will have tonight and 2 more nights in, including James’ birthday.  Being more tired from disturbed sleep and darker days too affects him.  He’s been going to bed before 6.30pm and is still tired.  Being tired, makes him itchier and therefore he scratches more.

I am so pleased James’ skin seems to be healing nicely on his feet after the hand foot and mouth.  He’s never suffered on his feet (I did) and I don’t want him to endure not being able to walk.  Whilst we were not using steroids it did get worse all over.  Afterwards his legs and arms were not improving so I thought I might just blast it with Elocon.  It’s always handy having it in the house!  It gave his skin a chance to get over the worst.

This week is his birthday and I am tempted to use the Elocon again so he is less itchy for his birthday.  However, next month he has a dermatology appointment and I don’t want it to be too great then.  That sounds awful, but if there is nothing to see, they can’t help.

I’m going to be working when the next appointment happens (as they have changed it).  This is good as my husband can go and hopefully be more assertive!  I even said to our GP that I was disappointed the last time we went to the dermatologist whereas before she’d been helpful.  I guess everyone must have off days.

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31/10/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

Phew - hand foot and mouth disease done and dusted.  Two children and husband inflicted is not a great household to be in!  James’ skin was awful.  Huge cornflakes of skin fell off.  I know some suffer with that all the time, I am not used to it.  Shaking the lumps of skin out the window before being able to wash the sheets.  Finding trails from wherever he had been.

Anyway, much better.  Keeping my fingers crossed that his feet heal without trace of eczema on them.  His hands were completely raw.  It looks so much better now.  I don’t worry about him breaking the skin open by holding things now.  Good timing over half term.  I know others in the class got it.  Sorry to them.

His face is great.  We have got back on to protopic 0.1% again.  We’re back onto the steroid creams too.  It is not shifting it though.  I guess it is preventing it from getting worse.  I wonder if it is better to blast it with a stronger cream and have a few days off, then repeat as and when, or use a milder one constantly?

Thankfully he is looking forward to returning to school tomorrow.  I don’t think he knows what to say when people ask him about his skin.  A wee friend asked him at school before half term, he froze to the spot and I explained it was just where he was itchy.  Wee boy pottered off again quite happily.  James’ confidence is coming on so well, I could really do without it being knocked!

Is his skin good or not at the moment?  Hard to say, not bad but not great.  Keep on with the creams and wait for the weather to change so we have the heating on to test his resilience.

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19/10/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

I read the end of my last post.  James had just gone to bed shivering and then been really hot.  In the morning he was fine and trotted off to school.  He came out saying he felt much better than the day before too.

Arrived home and he took his socks and shoes off straight away and sat scratching at his feet.  He doesn’t have eczema on the soles of his feet - yet.  It looked bumpy and red, but not a problem.

On Monday I had asked the chemist if I should put anything on my daughter’s hand as it looked much worse than when she saw the doctor.  He said just a barrier cream.  On Tuesday it had spread further, more infected.   My Mum had recommended something, so I went to a different chemist.  They saw her hands and recommended not using the suggested stuff. By night she had a bit on her feet too.

Last night both children ended up with a dose of calpol.  James was up with incredibly itchy feet.  This morning, his eczema was much worse (despite trying to blast it last night with elocon) - raised, inflamed and infected.  His feet had red spots and his hands were blistered.  There was also a rash on his face not like his usual eczema.  Great, school photo day!

I was going to take the kids early to school for their photo.  Instead I booked a double GP appointment.  Confirmed both.  Daughter got more fucidin.  I did not know what to put on James’ skin.  Lucky I asked as she said not to use the steroid creams as they would basically feed the viral infection.

School - can he go or can’t he?  Doctor said no, but read the official guidance and said there was no reason to keep him off.  School were more hesitant.  I took them round for the photo when the other kids were not there.  The Head’s own children had had it and she was fine about him coming back tomorrow.  The secretary less sure.

The problem is, it is contagious.  So obviously it would make sense to keep him off, however, he could be contagious for several weeks.  Selfishly I want to see his class assembly on Friday afternoon.  I can already feel the burning eyes of other parents as they know ‘it is him’.  The damage is done already though, he has probably been contagious for a while.  The doctor has seen quite a lot of people with it lately.

He feels ok in himself, but is tetchy and more emotional.   I am hoping it does not turn into eczema on his feet but disappears as quickly as it came.  I developed eczema on my foot after cutting it on a rusty nail.  It took 12 years to get rid of it on my foot. Hope my daughter is ok too, it started in a little patch of her eczema.

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