Re: Beautiful with excema at 18wks.....Thanks "Aunty"

Kelly,

I never received your email. I was responding to your original posted message. I did try emailing you; however, the message didn't go through. The website has recently undergone changes and this (email not going through) may be one of the kinks that needs to be worked out.

Your questions:

Introduction of baby food...which to avoid?
The oldest and middle niece didn't like baby foods; however for the youngest niece, the Beechnut brand (more organic) seems to work best over the Gerber. Carrots and greens (collards, kale, spinach, and broccoli) provide the 'beta carotene' needed to boost immune health. The girls love greens to this day. We cooked and mashed carrots and potatoes for the oldest and middle niece with their introduction to foods. Quaker oatmeal is a mainstay as far as breakfast goes. We were careful not to introduce junk foods and processed sugars to thier diet. They only get 100% fruit juices and water (no soft drinks). Sugars cause havoc to the immune system; and we knew that we were dealing with unhealthy immune systems with our nieces. Our goal was to promote a healthy immune system. Fruits are a good alternative to satisfying a childs sweet tooth. We knew that the water would rehydrate the dry skin and flush the harmful toxins from the blood stream; and that the fruit and vegetables would also absorb the toxins in the body and promote their elimination through a normal bowel flow. You can see how this healthy Diet would greatly benefit an eczema sufferer and produce dramatic results.

Do your nieces have problems with swimming pools?
We haven't yet exposed the girls to chlorinated pool systems; however, the oldest will be 5 in May, which is the age that we decided would be appropriate for formal lessons. They have been exposed to the small (blow up) home pools that we've filled with our own Virginia well water (not chlorinated). This didn't cause them problems. After their skin has been exposed to the outdoor elements, we're cautious to make sure that they are bathed after the exposure; and that the moisturizer is immediately applied to clean skin. Because we know that chlorine is a factor in eczema breakout, we've not yet introduced the girls to that environment. Again, the oldest niece will be the test. A full swimsuit will probably be our chosen option.

How often should we bathe him?
We bathed the girls daily. Applying the moisturizer to clean skin is key. Our nieces love the water and felt immediate relief in it. We live in a rural area and are blessed to have good water. I've lived in other areas and know that there is a difference in water and water sources. One of the means by which the skin rids itself of harmful bacteria is through exfoliation. Cleansing the skin daily, promotes exfoliation of the dead skin cells; and also eliminates the environment for growth of bacteria that dirty skin promotes. I'm allergic to poison ivy. In the cases where I've been exposed to the liquid poison and not washed my skin immediately after contact, are the times that I've broken out. I know the importance of cleaning the skin to rid it of the bacteria. For some sufferers, the problem with the bathing is due to the water treatment (chlorine). Water purifiers may help in this regard. Finding the right cleansing product line is very important in this process. For us, it was the Burt's Bees Baby Bee product line; however that will vary with individuals. Each eczema sufferer is unique.

Do they have problems with citrus?
No; however, this may or may not be the case with your son. The girls drink orange juice, apple juice, grape juice and cranberry juice. They eat oranges as well. We started with the apple juice; but would mix one part water to one part juice until we felt their systems could handle the full strength of the juices. The only time that we came across any problems with juice has been with the third niece. She exhibited no signs of eczema until the age of nine months, when we introduced pear juice (too soon) into her system. The apple juice that was introduced at the same time didn't cause her any problems (she still drinks it and will be a year old on the 17th of this month).

Should my son receive innoculations during flareups? In my opinion, No! The flare up is messaging to the body that the immune system is under attack and needs a health boost. For eczema, the best form of innoculation is to find out what's promoting the breakout and to rid the allergen from the environment. Of course, in the case of hives (urticaria or angiodema), an injection might be necessary for immediate relief and to prevent anaphylactic shock. When the third niece developed an eczema flareup, we were able to pinpoint the breakout to the pear juice. We eliminated the pear juice from her diet and continued with the Burt's Bees Baby Bee Buttermilk cleansing regimen. In three days her skin (face and stomach) were healed. Simplicity is key. Especially in children with eczema, overwhelming the system with so many different products seems to cause more confusion and harm to their body's immune system. Eucerin was prescribed for my second nieces severe (total body) eczema breakout, and it made her skin worse. After a week of torture, my brother and his wife finally went back to the Burt's Bees Baby Bee Buttermilk cleanser and lotion and the skin began healing immediately (totally healed in two weeks). The reason that the middle niece went through such a severe eczema breakout (apart from finding the right baby formula) despite the success of the product line on her oldest sister, is because my recommendation carried less weight than that of a doctor. The second niece should not have suffered as she did; however it took that to convince my family that the healing achieved with the eldest niece wasn't coincidence.

I make mention of the product that worked for us because it worked for us. There are many other natural options for moisturizing that will work just as well. As I have stated before, some eczema sufferers are allergic to fragrance and this may not be a good option for them. More than the product name is the product ingredient. Borage oil, aloe, tea tree, colloidal oatmeal, witch hazel, calendula, ginseng, echinacea, green tea, evening primrose, manuka, rose hip, chamomile, sambucus, fumaria, viola, & vitamins A-E are some of the vitamins, herbs, and minerals that work with the skin and promote the natural healing process. Assuming that someone else may read this message and hasn't read the first message I posted to you, I have to make mention of the fragrance free options for moisturizing as well: Borage Dry Skin Therapy by Shikai (pediatric formula), Colloidal Oatmeal Skin Therapy by Nature's Gate, and NaturalDerm Skin Rash Cream for eczema/atopic dermatitis.

Feel free to ask any more questions. I will answer to best of my ability and refer you to others where I lack knowledge.

Sincerely,

Aunty

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