Eczema

My fair skinned kiddos all suffer from really bad eczema from age 18 months to about 4, then they are fine.  It may be food or environmental allergies, #3 breaks out around long haired dogs, #4 is getting tested for food allergies next week (poor chap) but other than that I just treat the skin and let it be.  Here are some tips I have gleaned along the way.

*Photo snagged because I am too tired to take one of the back of my son's legs, but this is pretty much exactly what his looks like.  This website addresses how diet can help treat eczema, which is something I have yet to try, so if that is the approach you want hop on over there!  I probably will be soon enough*

* If it's all over, it is likely an allergy.  Which is why #4 is going for testing next week.

* If it's isolated in patches, its just a breakout.  I always try to avoid treating it with prescription steroids for obvious reasons. But I just learned that eczema patches are a immune fight showing up on the skin.  It is cyclical or something and so sometimes it requires the steroid to override the immune fight and calm down the skin.   Then you can use natural remedies to keep it under control.

UPDATE:  We visited the Allergist,MD and learned that only 15% of eczema cases are caused by food allergies.  Fortunately we are not one of them.  #4 just has bad eczema.  In the middle of the night a few nights ago I found that the Honey in the homemade balm I rubbed onto him was sticky/itchy to him.  I opened my brand new bottle of Frankincense from do Terra, mixed a few drops with a palm full of coconut oil and massaged it on his skin.  AMAZING!!!  Give it a try.  It's an expensive oil, but it actually works, and fast!
(if you decide to buy it and can't find a local friend to get it for you at discount, just let me know, we can figure out a way to save you some money)

These are products that actually help.  Most are links, just click and go! It will open a new screen.

Native Touch Rooting Cub Rub

Shea Moisture Head to Toe Ointment & Lotion (but really all their products are fantastic)  They are often available Buy 1, Get 1 50% off, so watch for the sales.

Preparation H OINTMENT - yep, the hemorrhoid ointment, it's not natural, but it does act as a moisture barrier and has an itch relief agent (also works great on burns, once the heat is out)

CeraVe Cream

Homemade stuff
1 oz Beeswax
Vitamin E 
Lavender, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus 
1 Tablespoon Raw Honey (local is helpful)
1/4 cup Shea Butter (the real stuff, not the cheap crap in drugstore lotion)
1/2 cup total of the following: Olive Oil, Flax Oil, Coconut Oil 
 
Melt Beeswax - over low heat in a double boiler, I don't have one, so I put a Pyrex bowl in a boiling pot of water, works great.  This takes forever!
Then add:
A generous drizzle of Vitamin E
A few drops each of Lavender, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, or any other essential oils you like, but these three are good for skin.  Make sure they are higher quality.
Raw Honey (local is best) Honey has antiseptic properties.
Oils
Shea Butter
Get it all blended together and then pour it in your selected container if you want to smear it with your hands.  Or ice cube trays if you want little hand held chunks to smear on their skin.

You will want to balance your oils based on their state of solidity at room temperature.  Coconut oil is solid at room temp, so more of it will make a thicker harder salve, while more liquid state oils will make a softer creamier (greasier) cream.

This stuff is totally edible, not that I would feed it to my child, but if they ingest it or you are applying around their mouth its no worry.  Also, I have put this stuff close to my baby's eyes and he seems fine with it.