When my daughter Jasmine was 18 months old, eczema covered half of her little body. Doctors had told me that it was a benign childhood condition, but
she scratched sometimes until blood and tissue were under her fingernails. At night she couldn't sleep unless she was 'sedated' with Benadryl and Tylenol.
An allergist had told us her condition was not caused by food or environmental factors. I was beside myself with frustration and deep, deep sadness that my baby was so miserable and I was powerless to help her.
Her eczema had begun at just 6 weeks old with red spots on her cheeks. By 3 months old, she had oozing red patches bigger than the palm of her hand. She was given antibiotics and a huge assortment of prescription creams. Absolutely no medical intervention helped.
We sought help from a naturopathic doctor (Dr. Peter Klassen in Waterloo) who ordered an IgG test which examines food sensitivities for over 100 different foods using only 3 tiny drops of blood. While we waited for the results he put both me and Jasmine on a G-I cleanse: no red meat, no dairy, no acids or citrus.
The IgG test results revealed that Jasmine had an extreme sensitivity to eggs and a high sensitivity to dairy, gluten, soy, peanuts, sesame and citrus. Immediately those foods were eliminated from her diet and mine, along with preservatives, yeast and sugar. It was essential that I follow the restricted diet strictly, since at that time Jasmine was still nursing up to 20 times/ day. She began a regimen of homeopathic treatments and other supplements including vitamins C and D, calcium/magnesium, acidophilus, fish oil and flax oil.
Within a month Jasmine's eczema was completely gone. GONE. She began to eat and eat and eat and to nurse less. She slept through the night. I recovered my sanity. I fell in love with Dr. Peter....no, no, no, not really. But I sure was impressed!
Now Jasmine is 4 years old. We control her eczema by avoiding most of the foods that trigger the bright red popcorn-looking spots that erupt behind her knees, on her ankles, inside her elbows and sometimes on her cheek bones that itch like crazy.
To take away the itch I apply
Melaleuca, commonly called Tea Tree Oil.
But not all tea tree oil is created equal! I once purchased a bottle of tea tree oil at a health food store that was so strong I could only use it in the laundry because just the scent of it stung my eyes.
Melaleuca as a Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil is the perfect topical treatment for the horrible burning and itching of eczema. When I apply it directly to Jasmine's skin it is instantly soothed and moisturized and she doesn't scratch at all. The MDs all told me to put cortisone cream on her, but knowing the harmful side effects made me seek a safe alternative.
If your child has eczema, I strongly recommend getting an IgG test. I paid $220 for it and it has been worth every dime. If you learn how to control your child's eczema through diet, then when an outbreak occurs, you can treat it with
Melaleuca Essential Oil to take away the itch.
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| Jasmine, age 3.5 years, virtually eczema-free |
I'm not a doctor, just a mom who's been through the frustration of childhood eczema. If you have any questions, please contact me.
