How old is she? I'm not sure about the eczema/allergies. I was allergic to milk as a child and peanuts now and I never had eczema. Ava has eczema, but not bad at all and she's not allergic to anything.

Eczema can affect people of any age, although the condition is most common in infants. Eczema will permanently resolve by age three in about half of affected infants. In others, the condition tends to recur throughout life. People with eczema often have a family history of the condition or a family history of other allergic conditions.

Keeping the skin well hydrated through the application of creams (with a low water and high oil content) as well as avoiding overbathing is an important step in treatment.

Two topical (cream) medications have been approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of eczema, tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel).

As for her saying NO all the time, every kid does that. They learn that word because it is most commonly used.
She will quit saying it after a while.
Expose her to different ways of saying "NO," like "stop," "quit"

How about "FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S HOLY STOP WITH THE NO!" ? LOL

Haha! Maybe that will teach her a sentence...

Kyleigh said no a lot and I just pointed to her nose and said nose...

How old is she? Up until recently all Logan would say is No too. It drove me mad. I'd be like 'do you want ...?' and he'd be like NOOOOOOOOOO even if he did want it

Right, speaking as a lifelong sufferer of eczema I give you this advice from the heart for your poor little mite. Avoid creams with lanolin in, it can sting and can aggrevate the itchiness. It's a known irritant and yet put in many moisturising creams. Fill a stocking (or one leg of a pair of pantyhose) with porridge oats and let the hot water run through the oats by tying the stocking to the tap (faucet). The bath water will be nice and slimy and it's soooo soothing on dry skin. Give her gentle massages on the affected parts with non perfumed moisturising cream. Keep plastering the stuff on. She may need a mild steroid cream to put on the worst bits to break the itch/scratch cycle. I've used steroid creams since I was a kid so don't be frightened of them - in moderation they are excellent. Wash her bed sheets more often than usual and at 60 degrees. Don't let her get too hot as that can make the itching worse. Try and get her to drink lots of plain water, it helps keep the skin hydrated. Avoid giving her sweets with lots of colours in and flavoured crisps (chips?) as these can aggravate. Keep her nails short.

Be really patient with her - when my skin was bad as a little one my behaviour would be atrocious. I wasn't meaning to be naughty but I was so hot and itchy and sore and uncomfortable that I acted up - I just couldn't handle it any other way.

Right, I hope that helps a bit and I hope she grows out of it. Eczema sucks.

maybe some hydrocortisone cream? that's what the doctor prescribed for eadie because she has super dry, eczema-like skin. probably because she was so overdue. i only use it when she starts getting rashy and scaly but it works super fast. the rest of the time i have to put olive oil on her because almost everything else irritates her skin. (i think i've got grease stains on all of my shirts now lol.) i also have to rinse her clothes with a cup of vinegar in the water to make sure all the detergent is rinsed out so it doesn't irritate her. she also has cradle cap a little bit, but it's hard to treat because her hair is so thick. i only bath her once or twice a week to keep her skin from getting really dry. the rest of the time i just wash her with a face cloth and water. i hope your little girl gets some relief soon. good luck.

Oh yeah kaerbear reminded me - often biological detergents and softeners can irritate eczema.

...and that reminds me...lol...the doctor said if it's bad, sometimes you have to stop using dryer sheets in your dryer, period, even if it's not her clothing, because the dryer sheet particles or whatever, will still get into her clothes. i just don't use them at all and i don't use any fabric softener either.

Thank you so much! I can't use lotions with oatmeal because of celiac disease, but I could use gluten free oats in the tub. Nice idea.

I, of course, smothered her with lanolin left over from my breast feeding days just last night. Guess I won't do THAT again! Sheesh.

I am glad you brought up the patience thing because today, she has ben atrocious. She screamed NONONONONONONONONONONNONO in the car all the way across town and I finally turned the radio up really loud to avoid having to yell at her to stop-even though I really really wanted to. She is a challenge on her best days, and it just figures that she would get something like this. It goes with her cantenkerous attitude rather well, actually.

Jules-do you find that your eczema acts up depending on your diet? She's already gluten free and eats very little dairy. I can't imagine what else I would have to keep from her if I thought it was diet related. She sees the pediatrician next month, so I will ask for a prescription for the hydrocortisone, unless you think over the counter would be OK. Prescriptions are so expensive here....

Just today I started saying yes yes yes to her when she's on the no kick. It just sounds a lot more positive, and also i will try my very hardest to stop telling her no. Bad mom!

How old is she?

Oh, sorry you all did ask that. She's almost 18 months old now.

Yes I find my diet makes a tremendous difference. I can't eat any sweets that have E-numbers in (highly coloured things) or any fizzy pop apart from lemonade and cola and no crisps apart from plain salted ones. Chocolate is okay thankfully! If I eat high fat food or oily food then it gets worse.

I really sympathise with you and your daughter - eczema can be life changing and I don't think people realise that unless they are personally affected by it in some way. Your daughter must feel so frustrated because she is so itchy and sore but can't vocalise her feelings properly so it comes out in bad behaviour. I used to have terrible tantrums and would scream and cry and my parents just thought I was a very naughty child. Even nowadays, when I am having a flare up, I am moody and snappy.

My Dad used to give me 'tickles' where he would gently tickle and stroke the sore bits (like behind my legs and the inside of my arms), it would really relax me and it meant my hands were away from the areas so they weren't being scratched. Your daughter might like this too - I get my hubby to do it now!

A cream I have found really helped is called Eucerin but it stings on sore skin so only use it once the skin starts improving. It helps to stop the flare ups because it is intensely moisturising. Also, perhaps she would benefit from a children's antihistamine? I used to take phenergan as a child and it makes you drowsy so good for helping an itchy child (and a weary mum!)have a good night's sleep. I still have to take an antihistamine every day now.

Any other questions please feel free to ask - I'll help all I can!

i have eczema... i never had ay allergies reall then when i was 7 i got a mild allergy to peanuts, then at 13 a mild allergy to shell fish... .

last month i had an allergy test (things that effect by skin contact) and it turns out im allergic to something thats in lotions, shampoos, soaps, make up, cleaners... so something i cant exactly excape...

hopefully your child just has it once and never again

I hope she gets over it soon! I am sorta pessimistic, though.

Is your allergy to Sodium Laureth Sulfate? That's in almost every soap out there, but there are a few that don't have it.

no its some long name with numbers and stuff in it i have the sheet somewhere

My daughter is four years old and she has eczema really bad she had been to every doctor you can think of and every thing they seem to give her doesn't work. The only thing I have found to work is Take her a bath in oatmeal then rise her off and rub her down from head to toes in Arbonne baby oil then damp her PJ in warm water and put them on her. Then put some dry ones over those. I know sounds like a lot of work but if you do this about 3 times a week you will see that it does help.

I have really bad eczema in the winter and when i get around certain animals or eat certain foods. I really hate it, ive had eczema since i was a baby and i have tons of allergies. Cats, Dogs, Horses. Try changing her diet and such it might help. I hate having eczema because i get gross flakes in the winter i mosturize all the time and nothing helps. I get it mostly on my neck and on my arms were the bend is.