Introducting solids and eczema

[Yasmum]

Just started solids for my DD over the weekend with cereal. Realised only 3 days later that I bought the wrong cereal which contains wheat!!

It started after 1st day I noticed her eczema flared up on the sides of her cheeks near the ears (pimply looking) as well as above her mouth and under her chin so I applied steroid cream thinking it was a normal flare up. I kept giving the cereal to her for another 2 days and realised that the flared up areas were getting worse even after applying steroid cream (sigmacort). I started to realise that it might be food allergy. I have now stopped giving her the cereal for 2 days now but her skin still not looking much better (not worse) and still continuing with the steroid cream.

Has anyone experienced this? How long does it normally take for the skin to recover after an allergic reaction?

I am only giving her pumpkin and breastmilk at this stage.

[aardvark]

I find it takes DS a week to get from flare up to 100% normal, but I avoid steroid cream unless I am desperate.

I use the Eczema cream from Dartnell's Pharmacy in Surrey Hills Vic. They make it themselves, and it has worked wonders. It is non-steroidal.

I was worried about DS's eczema and solids when he was approaching 6 months old, but he was just not interested. At just over 9 months, now he will have a little baby rice mixed with breastmilk and a bit of banana, or some pureed pear, but only ever about a tablespoon at a sitting. He's only been reliably having anything solid for 2 weeks. He's huge and content, filling out size 1 clothes, so obviously getting enough to eat, and still breastfed apart from the tablespoon or so he has each day.

I do offer him other things that I am eating - mostly fruit or vegetables, mostly he rejects them.

Advice from a paediatrician we know was that as long as he is breastfed, he'll be fine on limited solids until 15 months, and on account of the eczema, I'm letting him set the pace himself.

[Duchessa]

Sounds like a great approach Aadvaak. Both my girls had/have pretty bad eczema - we did a very delayed introduction schedule, avoiding lots of allergy causing foods until very late.

Even rice cereal is extremely difficult for your baby to digest up to 9 months + Yasmum, so maybe you should try a low allergy approach?

It can take some time for B1 & B2's eczema to settle after an allergy exposure... several days or even weeks. Moisturise as much as possible with non steroidals, reduce washing - I use pawpaw ointment on their skin before they eat so that I can wipe off the food without getting their skin wet. Heat will also flare eczema up pretty quick...

I would be very nervous about using sigmacort on the face... Especially for long periods...

[Yasmum]

I use the Eczema cream from Dartnell's Pharmacy in Surrey Hills Vic. They make it themselves, and it has worked wonders. It is non-steroidal.

What is the actual name of this cream and can I get it on a website?

Btw, DD loves to eat solids The first day she already had 2 tablespoons at one sitting of cereal + breastmilk. With pumpkin and breastmilk she takes 3 tablespoons at one sitting. I am not forcing her so she seems to be very keen. Although she is not taking water after her solids - tried to give it to her with a spoon but she spits it out again. Been trying now for 5 days..do you how long I have to try before she is happy to drink it?