Eczema & food allergies

Kari

Juliet's had eczema for about 3 months. She had it when she was younger, maybe around one year old, but it went away after we started the Feingold diet. She's not on the diet 100% because she doesn't have the food intolerances that Justin has, so I let daycare feed her the common morning and afternoon snacks (usually some kind of fruit, veggie, or yogurt with crackers).

Well, I thought the eczema was due to the cold winter because it was on her face around her mouth where she was licking all winter. Now that it's warmed up, I'm realizing it's getting worse and not going away. I've started an elimination diet to see if there's something that might be triggering it. This week I avoided serving tomato products. Next week I'm trying nuts since she drinks almond milk and we had peanut butter bars this week and it worsened this week. After that I'm going to try eggs because she also had about 4 deviled eggs this week.

Any suggestions beyond that? Does anyone else's kid(s) have eczema reactions to foods? Currently what she has is a mild form of atopic dermatitis (looks more like acne than eczema with individual zit-like bumps). Anyone recommend something for it? I've been using coconut oil and/or vaseline, but that hasn't helped.

Oh, and since allergies sometimes have pairs, she also developed a pretty significant eczema reaction last summer after going into a public pool (but isn't bothered by my dad's pool, which has a lot less chemicals in it). Earlier this year she broke out in hives, possibly from a GoGo Squeez grape/apple/sweet potato pouch or an Annie's strawberry/cherry/raspberry bunnies pack.

K&H

No thoughts on the cause, but try lanolin on it instead of oil based products. It helps so much more.
What about dairy or bananas. It took me a while to figure out my issues with bananas because it's not typically thought of as a difficult food.

Kari

I hadn't considered bananas and she has several a week, so thanks for the tip! If I don't see some clearing in the next few weeks, I'll remove that as well. And I've got some lanolin kicking around from my BFing days, so I'll try that as well.

old mama

My son has had eczema problems his whole life. We did find out any diary at all made his eczema much worse. He couldn't use any lotions or sunscreen at all. I had to use Vaseline just as skin softener. He had to get special eczema med for his worst spots from the dr.

allisontb

I had severe eczema from young childhood well into adulthood (disappeared around age 22). My parents tried extensive elimination diets, particularly tomatoes, dairy, and nuts, but none was ever successful. I could swim in chlorinated pools but only on an infrequent basis, and I showered immediately afterward.

Some things that helped: using nothing scented on the skin, the only sunscreen that didn't cause me to break out was coppertone sport, using only unscented laundry detergent and double rinsing each load, unscented moisturizing body wash, washing hair "upside down" under the faucet so the shampoo wouldn't run down my back (a problem area for me), lukewarm showers only, lukewarm oatmeal baths, 100% cotton clothing, no nickel/cheap jewelry, short term corticosteroid use from doctors (can damage skin with long term use), and long term use of a thick slathering of Eucerin cream or Aquafor ointment (both come in a plastic tub) under long sleeves and pants at night. Good luck, and I hope it is temporary!