Help - how to stop DD from scratching her face at night [Archive]

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mummynat

11-12-2006, 17:55

Hi

My DD has eczema on one side of her face and behind her ear. I wrap her up at night to stop her from scratching, but somehow she manages to free herself and starts to rub/scratch her face and wakes up because of it. I am using a very mild steroid cream and/or soberlene on her face, but she is still scratching - I don't think it is the itch everytime but once she starts rubbing then it gets itchy so she can't stop. I have to get up 3-4 times a night to stop her. It is driving me nuts and the eczema is getting worse too. Does anyone else have the same experience and what are you doing to help??? Any advice would be much appreciated.

natasha

11-12-2006, 18:05

Hi mummynat.........you didnt say how old your DD was , but when my DD was a baby we put mittens on her to stop her scrathing her face in the night. Do you know what they are?? Like little gloves only it hasnt got fingers, its just one piece. They are elasticated around the wrist but softly, and covered with material so they are comfy.

That solved our troubles with DD.:thumbsup:

westerner

11-12-2006, 18:06

Put socks on her hands... not glamourous but does the job... DS always pulled mittens off but was unable to remove the socks...

mummynat

12-12-2006, 15:33

Thanks for the replies. DD is 3 1/2 mths old. I do put mittens on her when it gets really bad but the problem is she still rubs her face so the next morning her face is all red...

Last night I got up a few times to put soberlene on her face and it helped. I may go to the doctors to see if there is some strong moisturiser I can use on DD.

12-12-2006, 15:39

I wish i knew how to make it less itchy. DS who is 13 months old has it on his legs and scratches it a lot, it's very annoying at night when he does it and does make it a little worse. I just moisturise it. I don't know what else to do.

PhAnToM

12-12-2006, 16:49

When DD's (4yo) allergy specialist assessed her eczema, he saw DS (then 8 months) as well. They would make themselves bleed scratching thru the night.
He said to give them both zyrtec before bed and it oul stop the itching and give them a chance to heal, so in effect, resolving the problem cos they won't have eczema to get the itch... (gee.. i'm not very concise today... :rolleyes: )

Check with ur pharmacist about the dosage, cos the bottle says from 2 years, but when i pointed this out to the specialist (because DS was only 8 months at the time) he said it was ok as long as i did it according to his weight.

mummymoo82

13-12-2006, 22:42

Hi!
I am an eczema sufferer and I had it terribly as a child and through the first few years of puberty. I can not begin to explain how insane the itching can be - to the point of tears of frustration. I really hope you DD never gets eczema as bad as I had it (and since been pregnant I have it on my ever growing belly - aaarrrgghhh!). A few things that I used to do:
Buy 100% cotton gloves put them on both hands and then wrap over the top of them with bandages (to help them stay on or else they are easy to pull off in your sleep). Try and use soft bandages as they rougher they are - you learn that you can scratch really good with them on! Bandages and non stick wound pads (buy anything that you can use on burns as when eczema gets bad it can weep and if anything sticks to it, it can cause horrible pain). Also when it's hot, I used to out wet bandages on (during the day) and it helped to itching. Keeping cool is a big thing! Avoid hot showers and anything woollen (escpecially woollen blankets etc..). Also make sure DD has nothing sharp near her bed as I learnt very quickly has a child to scratch with anything I could get my hands on. I really hope your DD grows out of her eczema! If it's bad please feel free to message me and I can tell you lots of different ideas and things to be aware of.
Cheers!
PS - Zinc nappy rash creams help too!

Littletreasures

13-12-2006, 22:57

DS wore mittens 24/7 for the first 4-5 months cause he kept scratching himself they worked great until he figured out how to get them off its not very attractive but hey its better then scratches all over his face

Veritas

13-12-2006, 23:11

I have exactly the same prob.... bub is 4 mths old.... can't keep either a wrap or mittens on her...:confused:

MissieK

14-12-2006, 08:33

Socks, mittens, etc on the hands. I also put Nutrimetics Nutririch Oil on the rash - it's soothing & also a barier cream - and if htey scratch, their nails get clogged with the cream ;)

Melissa

mummynat

15-12-2006, 15:33

mum_of_lj

22-12-2006, 12:39

PhAnToM

22-12-2006, 19:45

The only thing I found worked was arm splints. They are secured with velcro around their arms from wrist to underarm, which stops the elbow from bending and therefore stopping babies from reaching their heads. I bought them at the Royal Childrens in Melbourne.

:eek:
That can NOT be good for a baby's arm development, muscle development.. any sort of development. :confused:
I would NEVER do this! :no:
A child's arm is not meant to be kept straight out... how unnatural and dangerous.:shame:

FourAngelKisses

22-12-2006, 20:11

PhAnToM

22-12-2006, 20:21

Actually, they use arm splints for cleft kids after surgeries. They are to be kept on for 3wks. If they are so bad, they wouldn't have you do it.

Maybe try putting socks on her hands after she goes to sleep.

yes... after surgery.
That is what they are meant for. Not to keep on a child indefinitely to stop them scratching their face. :no:
Our specialist at RCH didn't recommend putting splints on my children's arms to stop them scratching their eczema. :confused: Wouldn't do it if he did anyway..
I'm sure children who have surgery are under Dr's supervision and instructions for the use of this.. not quite the same, is it?

Tam-I-Am

22-12-2006, 21:04

The only thing I found worked was arm splints. They are secured with velcro around their arms from wrist to underarm, which stops the elbow from bending and therefore stopping babies from reaching their heads. I bought them at the Royal Childrens in Melbourne.

I would be very careful about accepting advice such as this without seeking medical advice to back it up. Baby's muscles and bones need constant movement (ie exercise) to develop properly. Unless there is some medically indicated necessity (ie having facial surgery and having it be absolutely NECESSARY for the child not to touch their wounds), it is completely inadvisable to prevent a baby's limbs from moving in such an unnatural way, and can cause long term and permanent damage. If it IS done, it should be done under medical supervision. Even when you wrap a child they can still get their hands/arms free if they want to...

Please be aware, all, that as always - the opinions given here ARE only opinions, and should never be taken as a substitute for sound medical advice

Cheers all.

Yasmum

23-12-2006, 00:06

Thanks so much for the responses! I'm trying everything (have got five different creams and I think soberlene still works the best) and hopefully in time DD would get better. She rubs her face with the mittens on at night but at least she can't scratch with fingernails.

It breaks my heart to see her little face raw and with weeping blisters....

I know exactly how you feel. My DD is now 8 months old and started having her eczema since she was 2 months (head to toe). She is still swaddled to sleep to stop her from scratching her face and head. I use a safety pin on the wrap so that she can't easily get her hands out...seems to work so far:fingerscrossed:. I also ensure that the wrap is big enough for her as she is getting longer and wouldn't want to restrict her leg movements (ie. she can straighten her legs). I have also tried using mittens but she managed to take them off too. Try using Dermeze Ointment to moisturise her as it works for my DD.