Infantile eczema: natural treatments help a little girl get better

Better Nutrition, Dec, 2004 by Mary Bove

Infantile eczema (IE), a type of atopic (hereditarily influenced) eczema, is a skin condition that produces a red, scaling, thick patch commonly appearing on the flexor aspects of the arms, legs, neck, hands and face. The skin rash can be quite itchy, and it bleeds easily when scratched. It commonly occurs between the ages of 1-3 years, though it's estimated to affect about 10 percent of children under the age of 5.

Complex Problem

Case in point, a young mother recently brought her 16-month-old girl, Brie, to my office with the complaint of severe itching and a skin rash covering 70 percent of her daughter's body. The rash began mildly enough--just a few patches on Brie's arms and neck--at around 13 mouths of age. The condition remained about the same, the mother said, for the next several months. Then, 2 weeks ago, things became much worse. The child scratched so much her skin bled, and she had trouble sleeping. The mother suspected that heat, excessively hot water and some fabrics made the skin flare up.

I asked about Brie's diet. Brie had been introduced to solid foods at the age of 12 months, although she continued to breastfeed. The main food groups the child ate were grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, cheese, peanut butter and--rarely--eggs or poultry. She drank only water, fruit juices that were half-diluted with water, and soymilk.

Diagnoses

I soon diagnosed Brie's condition as infantile atopic eczema. There is a strong hereditary link between eczema, hay fever and asthma. Indeed, the mother's medical history showed positive for IE and asthma, while Brie's father's history, indicated seasonal allergies. There are also several biological factors that seem to be linked to this condition, including food allergies, essential fatty acid deficiency, intestinal permeability, climate, emotional stress, and vitamin and mineral deficiency.

Treatment Goals

Our treatment goals for Brie were targeted toward:

* Balancing common nutritional deficiencies associated with IE, including essential fatty acids, bioflavonoids and zinc;

* Eliminating possible food allergens, the most common of which are bananas, peanuts, soy, oranges, dairy, gluten, grains and eggs;

* Improving gastrointestinal profloras to reduce the allergic load in the body.

Adjusted Diet and Supplement Program

I immediately suggested modifying Brie's diet, using rice milk instead of soy; almond butter and tahini instead of peanut products; and rice, millet or amaranth instead of gluten grains.

I also recommended that the mother avoid eating the same foods to decrease Brie's exposure through breast milk. In addition, I started Brie on the following supplement program:

* 1 tablespoon of hemp seed oil per day, added to hot cereals, mashed vegetables or pasta;

* 1 teaspoon of cod liver oil per day (there are several different flavors available, including lemon, orange and strawberry) to provide omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A and D, which are also important nutrients for skin health;

* A Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bifidus mixture consisting of 6 billion taken two times per day;

* A mixed bioflavonoid complex of 200 milligrams (mg), plus 100 mg of vitamin C and 5 mg of zinc in a liquid form taken daily.

I further recommended that the mother give Brie an herbal formula to help her skin heal and to reduce inflammation. The formula contained nettle leaf, violet leaf, wild oat seed, chamomile flowers, cleavers and fenugreek seed added to warm spearmint tea or diluted juice.

Topical Treatment

Finally, I made these suggestions for topical treatment:

* Apply a mixture of almond oil, rosehip seed oil and sesame seed oil generously to all affected areas of the body;

* Avoid overbathing with soaps, and dry the skin well;

* Avoid use of baby oils or creams;

* Avoid overdressing, using excessively warm water, or exposing the child's skin to direct sunlight;

* Cover the child's hands with cotton socks or mittens while she sleeps to reduce the irritation from nighttime scratching.

Results

I'm very happy to say that Brie responded quite well. At her 1-month return visit, she had improved about 10 percent overall, with less itching. After a full 3 months of treatment, she was 80 percent clear of the rash.

Internationally known lecturer and author Mary Bove, ND, offers real-life case studies from her clinical practice in Vermont.