7 Year Old with Severe Allergies, Asthma, and Eczema

For eczema I use shea butter. My son is 13 and was diagnosed with eczema when he was 5. I buy it in a small tub from vendors, it is similar to cocoa butter. But it coats his skin well, and has tremondously helped with his scratching.

You need to place honey from the area you live in his food.i have allergies myself.the pollens from where you are are in the honey.i place it in my coffee every morning.it will make a world of difference i promise

My husband (age 68) was born with problem skin, until last year we fought the battle, now he uses Cetaphil soap, not 100% but does help with dryness, itching, etc., also, my grandmother fixed my aunt cherry bark tea for her asthma, these may sound old fashioned, but sometimes old remedies work better than new. A great-grandmother L.

Hi S.
Well I have ALOT of info about this because my 9 year was tested for allergies and my little one has SEVERE eczema!!!!!!! First let me say I found out after 4 years of not knowing what my daughter was allergic to that just by getting rid of the toxic chemicals in my home she no longers takes ANY prescription meds. Another thing my little no longer uses a steroid cream daily.
Now what is it that has truly changed the lives of my children... I began using products that did not contain harsch chemicals and found that they work wonders. The lotion I use on my daughter has been tested to moisurize longer than other expensive store brands. I have a daily routine that I do with her that keeps her skin feeling like that baby soft skin should be. I use a bath oil, a bar of soap from them and their lotion. I also use the laundry detergent and things that reduce her inflamation! Please let me call you or email me or something I would be VERY glad to send you some things to try!!!! I know for me SEEING is believing!!!!! PLEASE LET ME KNOW !!! I know you have read alot of responses but I can only tell you that if you would like to try this out that would be fine!! I can also send you info on the products too!!!! KEEP in mind one of the reasons I gave them a try is because they have a 100% guarantee on ALL there products and will give you a full refund if you are not happy.I thought well worst case I would try some products and they not and then get my money back!! I knew Wal-Mart and prescription meds do not do that!!!!
Thanks
C.
You can go to this site and .it will give you a little info on different things!!
www.forourkidz.fourpointwellness.com

I agree with the student doctor regarding the advice that you be very careful trying home remedies when your son's health situation is so precarious. I fully believe that a lot of those remedies are useful...my mother is a homeopathic nurse...but get to the root of it before you start throwing things at the poor little guy!

Anyway, one piece of advice from me...one very good tool that you can begin now, if you haven't already, is to keep a food journal. Write everything down that he eats and log all of his attacks, good days, bad days...whatever you can write. Also, track shampoos, soaps, laundry products, etc. Once you find a doctor that you feel will help you, this is an invaluable tool. It will give them the jump start they need to help even faster! Good luck!!

I'm sure you've had lots of responses. My 4 year old has all the same problems so I completely understand. In fact, I'm quitting my job to stay home with the two kids b/c he's such a "special needs" boy. He's always in the hospital or at the doctor's office. He's on Alegera and an inhaler and a nebulizer when things get REAL bad. I keep a cool air vaporizer in his room at night b/c he coughs soo bad sometimes he can't sleep.
I don't know if any of this helps and I sure you've tried if not all of these at least one.
Just know that you aren't alone. There are several of us that worry about our child’s health everyday.
Good luck!!!

You might want to try to homeopathic doctor (one who specializes in diets and natural remedies. Sometimes severe allergies like that can be caused by food sensitivities. It may be hard to find one of these doctors unless you live near a large city, but good luck. It might be worth a try.

I've heard that bathing with vinegar in the water and using vinegar on cotton balls helps the skin achieve it's natural PH balance. The allergies are a different ballgame, as well as the asthma. I suffered throughout my life with both of those and found no relief until it was discovered I had sleep apnea and once I went on a C-Pap machine (at the age of 42.) I've honestly never had another bout with the asthma. But I realized from that that I had the apnea at a very young age. Still suffer from allergies, but they've changed intermittently throughout the years.
B.

My little boy also has severe allergies. He has them all year long but during the spring and early summer he would break out in huge hives all over his body. We started giving him acidophilus to "kill" the yeast in his body and then he takes a weekly detoxifying clay bath. He loves the bath. He says they are his mud bath. They only take about ten minutes once a week. I purchase them from a company called Alive and Aware off of e-bay. He has been taking them for 1 1/2 years and he still has some allergies but not as severe and so far no more hives. Another company that is good with natural remedies is a company called Native Remedies. You might check them out to see what they could do for your son. I take some of their products and so does my son.

Hi S., I also have a little boy that 6 yrs. old and also has allergies, he does not have asthma but does have eczema. What I do is I bathe him with only white Dove soap and I buy a sent free sensitive skin lotions. Suave makes a good one, Vaseline is an ok one, right now I am using Curel(continuous comfort)in the blue bottle and it has worked really well but the key ingredient(spelling?) I add is Tea Tree Oil. I squirt a quarter size of lotion in my palm and add a drop of the Tea Tree Oil. This has been amazing for my son I am just blown away with the results I just love tea tree oil and you can use it for any skin problems even on bug bites. Where to buy?.. I'm not sure where you live but I live in Jonesboro and I have bought it at Health in Action but you should be able to buy it at any health store like maybe even GNC never have checked there but I think they would carry it also there is a web site where I buy all my vitamins and you can get it there for cheaper than any store it is.... www.puritanspride.com. Well good luck to you.

Go check out this book from the library:

Healing the new childhood epidemics : autism, ADHD, asthma, and allergies : the groundbreaking program for the 4-A disorders / by Kenneth Bock and Cameron Stauth

You may not have the money to actually be treated by Dr. Bock (in New England, internationally renowned for success with children just like you describe your son) BUT he gives great practical advice for a whole body approach to handling and helping clear up symptoms--because it address the root of the problems: immune system failures. It's an amazing book, I couldn't put it down.

I am a pediatric RN and my 2 year old has eczema. I use the Arbonne Baby Care Products with good results we have been off the elidel for a year and no problems. It sounds like your son is never well controlled. I would love to talk to you if want to call me that would be great! ###-###-#### I am a consultant with Arbonne you can find my mom-owned business listing on mamasource! W. Hightower

My 4 year old has all the same awful things you are talking about and our only relief has been visiting the Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic. Our dr. is a board certified pediatrician, board certified allergist, board certified pulmonologist, and other things...

His staff and his expertise have been invaluable to us and our quality of life has improved tremendously! Dermatologists, Chiropractors, and other dr. have not helped at all. If you have already seen a true allergist, I suggest finding another one who is willing to be more thorough and help your baby out. GOod luck!!

I have heard that a minute or two a day on the sun bed will help. Not enough to burn them or anything close but a minute or two of the UV light is suppose to help with the eczema. I have a friend and her daughter has eczema very bad and the Dr. told her when the little girl turned 6 or 7 she could start laying 1-2 minutes a day and it would help. Check with your Dr.

I know you have recieved a lot of emails, which can be overwhelming. But I wanted to let you know, I am your son at 27 years old. It began when I was 15 monthes but I have not been hospitalized since I was eight. I was severe and still carry those problems to this day but in a much milder way because I learned to control my emotions and avoid my triggers.
For Asthma, most recommend caffine(spelling) but I was allergic to chocolate and ice chips really worked for me, they calmed me down and reduced the spasms. I discovered that staying hydrated and drinking lots of water I feel better.
So with a child like I was, it is like having a cold all the time, drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest.

Where do you live? Dr. Louay Nassri in Ft. Smith, AR is an excellent doctor. My daughter is on Singular, Allegra and Asmanex every day. When her asthma kicks in we add Xopenex nebulizer. He has been a life saver. Is your son's doctor a pediatric respitory specialist?

S., I know you must be frustrated with so many doctors telling you different things and on 12 meds! I'm sure you've done the allergy tests having seen so many doctors. I would recommend a wonderful book "Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type". I firmly believe that nutrition plays a major role in our health. Also, limit his sugar intake as much as possible. That's a hard one with 7 y/os! Good luck in finding the cure for your son!
CHudson

Stacey - I went thru this also with my daughter. It was so bad that she almost died several times. The first thing you need to do is find out what your son is allergic to and remove it. My daughter was allergic to smog and we had to move. Found this out by just taking a trip up into the mountains for a day and I noticed a difference in her breathing. Another big allergin is preservatives. It is hard to eat nothing with them but is worth a try. Also - whenever your son has any kind of attack starting (running nose or red cheeks w/my daughter) remove sugar and give salt. Sugar will help bring on an attack and salt will detour it. It will take alot of trial and error to find out everything but is worth it in the end. It wook us 3 years of removing items from her diet then reintroducing them. She is now 19 and healthy. Also, your body changes every 7 years. If you remove his allergins, there is a chance that he will not be allergic to that in the future. Good Luck.

Has he seen a nutrition specialist? Some doctors specialize in nutritional medicine and remedies for problems such as your sons. My 3 1/2 yr. old niece had severe allergy problems for 2 yrs until my mom started her on daily vitamins and minerals. She hasn't been nearly as sick since. She's down to one allergy medicine "as needed" now instead of all the perscriptions she had been taking.

Hi S.. I am so sorry to hear about your little mans problems. We deal with the same symptons but they are not severe. Here are a couple of things you can try. For allergies try going to a local health store and get some LOCAL honey, or if you think your son can handle the bee pollen (it's in seed-like form) Those have always helped everyone in my family. Asthma, try to give any form of caffine. My son and husband have always had asthma and every time we notice it coming on a little stronger we give Mt.Dew. Also you can boil some water on the stove and cover his head with a towel and have him lean over the pot (off stove and on table) and breathe in the heat vapors. Just make sure to be careful he doesn't get in the water!!! My dad has eczema and just deals with it by caking on lotions. He wont try anything. I have heard that ARBONNE has some great lotion or some conditioning oil (either one) that is great for eczema. I know it is kinda pricey but if it works it is well worth it. You can try to find someone who sells it or go to the website and check it out.
I hope this will help a little. Good luck and God Bless!!!

The air in our homes are more toxic than the air outside! www.SaferForYourHome.com You can give them things for all the things that they ARE allergic to but removing the things that are probably the root will make the biggest difference! Feel free to email me if you have any questions!

T.

S.,
I don't want to sound like a know it all, but I am a respiratory therapist studying to be an asthma educator. Please be very careful about trying home remedies for the asthma. Asthma is a serious chronic condition, it never goes away, although some people may not have "episodes" for months or even years at a time. My point is that even if you are able to get your son to the point of not needing daily medications, don't ever think that his asthma is gone and make sure he always has a rescue inhaler available. I want to direct you to a great website for info on asthma. www.lungusa.org is run by the American Lung Association and has very up to date info on asthma. Some people suggested seeing an allergy and asthma specialist, and this is a great idea. You need to pinpoint his "triggers" so they can be avoided or minimized. One thing that I really want to stress is the five emergency signs to watch for. If his breathing causes his neck or chest to look pulled or sucked in, you can see he is struggling to breathe, he can't talk or walk or play, his rescue inhaler is not helping or his lips or fingernails look blue or gray...get him to an emergency room as fast as possible. This signals severe respiratory distress and possibly respiratory arrest. You may be interested in joining the American Lung Association Clean Air Challenge at the OKC zoo, a walk to benefit asthma and other breathing disorders. Go to www.oklung.org to find out more info. Please take the asthma very seriously, get him on controller medications, a peak flow to monitor his breathing and have an asthma action plan drawn up by his doctor...all of these will be thoroughly explained at an allergy and asthma specialist. If you need to get more info you can contact me directly. I would love to help you more. Good luck. D.

Have you got a good air purifier? If you don't, please try it. They helped us.

S., my heart goes out to you & your son...I know how helpless you feel! I go to a doctor of natural medicine & get great results...I'm allergic to most medications and regular doctors just keep telling me to "try this & try that". Someeone told me about the doctors of natural medicines which use only vegetarian & all natural "meds". Depending on where you are makes a difference...I go to Dr. Heather Walters in Jenks,Oklahoma...she's with the Jenks Health Team...! It's no more expensive than the regular doctors & their meds..& most insurances will cover it.Please check it out...the allergies & exema are gone for me....yea! Good luck!

Hey S., my name is Tammy Almand. I have asthma and so does my 16 year old step son. We purchased a machine called the HYLA. I have had this machine for 3 years. It actually cleans the air in your home. I run it about 30 minutes everyday. My son and I have stopped using our asthmas medicine and we only use our enhalers about twice a year if that much. This machine as been worth every penny we spent on it!! He was so bad that we kept a breathing machine by his bed. If you would like more information on this amazing machine, let me know.

I willwrite u back when my aunt calls me back. My aunt is a doctor and with her family she buys items from health food store. I can say she faithfully listens to Dr. Mary Shrick, on the radio, and there a clinic or store im not sure in Edmond on Broadway Ext. before you get to 33rd. I do know what ever she used for her g.d. she got form them.

Hello S., there's a retired nurse that sells Shaklee products and she's very knowledgable about health issues and she will even help you evaluate what item's you might be using in the home that can irritate your son's allergies. You'd be surprised! I think she can really be a GREAT help to you. Her name is Shirley and her phone number is ###-###-####. Hope this is helpful.

Hi, Bless your heart! I am a long time asthma sufferer and so is my 9 year old. I was in the hospital all the time as a child and my son was headed down that path as well. Today we are virtually asthma free! I'll list some things that you might try--that we have done, some you may have already tried.
1. Look online for Yamoa powder or capsules ( better if he can swallow capsules). Some people swear by this. I did this with my son and he hasn't had asthma in two years. The only problem is that at the same time I also took him out of school and start homeschooling so he is not exposed to as many germs either. I can't prove it was the Yamoa powder.
2. Remove dairy from his diet--many children are alleric to dairy and it is known to bad for asthmatics.
3. Research which vitamins and minerals are necessary for low adrenal glad function. Almost every asthmatic and allergenic person has low adrenal function because allergies stress out the adrenal glad. At a minimum your son should take a high quality liguid vitamin supplement and lots of vita min C. I make smooties and put berries and vitaman C powder and liquid vitamins in there
4. Eczema is also an allergy--my daughter has that. I increase her Omega intake by giving her fish oil supplements or evening primrose oil. You can buy bottles of oil that have high EFA content ( borage oil is the best) but I buy one that is a mixture of different oils including borage. Give him a tablespoon a day. Persoanlly I mix everything in a smoothie--oil too! You can drink all your vitamins at one time.
5.if you haven't already had him tested--you might try allergy testing so isolate what his triggers are and remove them from the home.
6.Eucerin cream is good for eczema patches, but it is expensive--Target makes a store brand that is equally as good. Also, I put some sesame or olive oil in my daughter's bath water to keep her skin moist. It is slippery though so be careful
We have all but eliminated asthma in our home through very careful attention to our diets and natural health. At first it seems daunting, but it becomes a way of life and everyone enjoys good health.
I wish you and your son the best of luck. Please feel free to email me with questions. ____@____.com

S.,
That sounds terrible! I do not have much experience with asthma or eczema, but my husband and I suffer with allergies. The thing that has helped us the most is using a netti pot to clean out our sinus'! You can purchase them at any health food store, and most drug stores are carrying them now as well. You can use a special nasal wash in them, or just use salt water.
At the age of 7 your son may be somewhat opposed to the idea, but once he gets the hang of it, I have no doubt it would work wonders! Who knows, maybe he will think of it as a cool trick!
As for the eczema and asthma, I would suggest trying to contact a naturopathic doctor and reading up on some natural remedies. There are tons of natural cures God put on this planet for us to heal ourselves!
Hope this helps!
S.

I'm so sorry for your son's condition. It sounds miserable. You asked for remedies, so here's what worked for me and my son. We had many sinus infections. One year I had pneumonia three times. Then I found out that liquid echinacea was very effective for our allergies. You can get it at Akin's or any store that sells herbal remedies. For acute allergies, you put 60 drops into juice or water and drink it, for the first dose. After that, just 40 drops. Later, you might be able to get by with 20 drops. You do this several times a day until the symptoms are much less. You can't use echinacea continuously, I can't remember why. So for several years, I gave my son echinacea for a week or two, then off a week, then back on two weeks, then off one, sometimes two. Get it? But it has to be the LIQUID echinacea, and some of them are nasty, so keep trying until you find one that has a mild enough taste that your son can stand it. After several years of fighting allergies with echinacea, my son and I only need the it once in a while, like during the spring, or if the house is musty.
I have also heard of children who have a lot of your son's symptoms who actally have nutritional deficiencies. You might read some books on the subject of nutrition. I always think of the case study I read in one of Adele Davis' books, "Let's Have Healthy Children" in which a boy suffered from bad health, and he just needed more healthy fat in his diet. Mrs. Davis gave him a spoonful of olive oil right then and there, and he improved soon thereafter. It could be anything, but you need to get to the bottom of this problem, and get it turned around.

The only kind of allergy testing that really works is provocative testing. This kind of testing gives an exact dose of the antigen instead of a "build up" hit or miss approach, which can make the patient worse. I have personally been on these types of injections since 1988. At that time I could eat only 16 foods and was allergic to everything. I went to the Environmental Health Center in Texas and saw a Doctor named Dr. Rea. HE is the best allergist in the nation. The number is 1-###-###-####. They may be able to give you the number of a doctor in your area that does provocative testing. However, if it were my child, I would take him to Texas for testing. RAST testing is highly inaccurate also.
You mentioned he is sleeping on plastic which is one of the most toxic materials. It contains pvc's. Take him off plastic immediately. It is probably provoking reactions. I recommend that you purchase a dust mite mattress protector made out of organic cotton, which can be purchased from Janice's Corporation. You can also purchase organic cotton sheets there.
Check out the book Less Toxic Alternatives written by Carolyn Gorman from the Environmental Health Center in Dallas TX. It can be purchased through the same number I listed above.
Feel free to write at ____@____.com. I am totally free of most symptoms today and live a normal life thanks to the Environmental Health Care Center and my provocative allergist here in Mississippi.

B. S. RN CCM

S. - I know how hard it is for you as a parent. My (almost) 5 year old daughter has food allergies to dairy and egg whites, molds, pollen, trees, cats, dogs, etc. and has eczema. My 18 month old does not. I am fortunate, in a way, to have allergies from birth, and they were severe as a child. Just to let you know, it gets easier. I grew up eating jello molds for birthday cakes and sweet tea in my cereal because I was allergic to milk (thank goodness for soy these days!), corn, peas, eggs, etc. I am now 33 and my skin is much better! I have to say that my experience helps me with my 5 year old but it breaks my heart to see her scratch until she bleeds. I truly know the feeling of trying to scratch an itch and it doesn't help. We are deeply thankful to her pediatrican, Dr. Traci Brumund and her allergiest, Dr. Prem Menon. On a daily basis we take 2 tsp. of Zyrtec, Flonase, 6-12 mg. of Benadryl in the morning if needed and we read food labels, research restaurants (McDonalds, etc.). When things get too bad with the scratching cycle, the doctor will put her on Omnicef antibiotic which is supposed to help clear the skin, as well as OraPred (oral steroid) 2xday for up to 5 days works like a charm! Elocon topical steroid mixed with Aquaphor is good after a bath every night as well as Cetaphil lotion - we love it! Benadryl burns but it does the trick sometimes. I have a feeling you know all of this already since you're 7 year old is on many medications. I'm not familiar with asthma although Dr. Menon says allergies and asthma go hand in hand.

But I know from experience that the seasons changing, change in temperature (even water) will cause flare-ups. Allergy Control Products (allergycontrol.com) has a mattress cover that works great. Not sure if you've looked into it yet but they are kind of pricey but have super products. Dr. Menon turned us on to them.

I'm not sure if any of this helps but if nothing else maybe you could get a second opinion from one of the doctors we use, or someone else even. I've also heard that horomones effect allergies. My skin was the clearest when I was pregnant. Most doctors believe that puberty helps children out grow their allergies. I pray that for your 7 year old it's sooner!

K. R

S.,

First of all my heart goes out to you and I will pray that God heals your son of his allergies. I am sure that you have already probably heard this but when my son had eczema we used detergent that did not have any fragrence or dyes, used Eucerin cream(not lotion) everyday morning noon and night but I would mix the cream in my hand with hydrocortizone and plus I would wash him in dove sensetive soap. I myself and my husband started using sensitive creams and lotions and soaps when I normally didn't plus I did not wear any perfume, body sprays but just deoderant. I would also sometime let my son bathe in one of the Aveeno oatmeal bath packages. Doctors would tell me not to bathe my child everyday to maintain his moisture levels but I found that it was better if I did bathe him everyday because the first ten minutes you are out of the bath or shower your pores are open the most to moisture. My son's allergy was to milk. His eczema started when he was not even two weeks old and lasted a couple of years but doing as I described up above helped to control his eczema. I know how you feel about that because people would look at him funny and me like he was an alien when he really was the cutest and sweetest baby. He grew out of his allergy and hasn't had eczema since. I hope this was a little help and I pray that God will touch your sons body with a fast healing hand and will bless your household with love, joy, peace and rest.

Tea tree oil will work wonders on the eczema. My seven yr. old son also has it. You can get tea tree oil soap at wal-mart in the body wash section and just a bottle of tea tree oil so that you can put a few drops in his lotion in the vitamin section at wal-mart also. Hope this helps!
MC

S.,
I read some of the respond to your request. Some I found very interesting. Some I agree with. One, tea -tree oil is very very good for ezcema. There is a product line that contains tea tree oil taht would be very helpful(dermatologist tested). It doesn't cost much to get that and will get rid of the ezcema in a short period of time(a few weeks).You would bathe your child in the bath oil once a week and then put on the lotion and you will see an awesome difference in your child's skin immediately. It will be softer and and not dry. One of my friends did this for her 6 month of old son and saw immmediate results, just after one use. I also know of more people who have done the same.
For the allegies, chemicals use for cleaning and laundry are strong and cause most allergies. The main thing you should do is switch products.Get safer healthier products in your home. I also know that this makes a great difference.
I would love to help you make this switch and change yours and your son's life. As while as, not having you to pay for all of these meds. Phone ####-###-####

Hi S. My Grandaughter has this problem and the Dr. put her on Singulair. ( She is 8) She takes this at night and it seemed to help her a lot. Plus she uses the creams and lotions which also seems to help. Only uses the Dove soap. Hope you can find something to help.

I am a mother of a 14yr old daughter with the exact same ailments as your son. She has had them too since birth. Unfortunately I do not have any home remedies but I will tell you that it gets better. She has also been on 12 different medicines at one time too. I will tell you for the eczema to keep him cool, heat will cause break outs and to bath him in mineral oil or use it directly after getting out of the bath/shower. It helps to keep the skin hydrated. Also, if he uses the creams that are prescribed more often during the day, the breakouts will stay clear better. And one other word of advice about the medicines that the doctors prescribe, do not let them keep giving your son steriods on a regular basis. There are long term effects that will affect your child later, such as sleeping very deeply (hard to wake up almost to being very scary), weight gain, mood swings, etc...
My daughter had not been on any meds except cream for her skin for the past 3years, but has had a flare up this past month. This is what I have done in the past, watch carefully as to when my daughter has her most severe flare ups, (asthma,allergies, and eczema, hers are mostly spring and fall) and a month or so prior to that I start giving him her meds every other day and then daily through the severe time. Once her flare up gets milder then I use only the necessary meds such as daily inhalers, allergy pills and nasal spray. I stop everything else until I see that she needs them again. That has worked really well for her. I do not keep on her on all that medicine constantly and my doctor agrees with this method. Remember the key is to know when your child is having a flare up. I hope this helps some, it is an ongoing problem and sometimes my daughter gets very frustrated, after all she is a teenager. LOL She wants to wear fragrance lotions and use the bubble baths but can't, so I try to find things that smell good but won't break out her skin. Good luck!

my name is J.. my grandson has the exact same problems you are having with your son. My daughter has tried and done so many things. He is almost 7, and seems to be getting worse. I will pray that your son and my grandson will soon find help. Please advise if you find anything at all to help. We are thinking about going to a clinic in denver that is suppose to help show you many things to help. Sounds like you have already done may things and I just noticed that you posted this in 2008...I pray you are better. Let us know. Care and prayer. J.

Bless his heart and yours! I have had seasonal allergies forever but not severe ... which I can take an over the counter medication ... which also causes my already dry skin to get even dryer! AND I am sure that the medication your son is on makes his skin even dryer than mine. THE ONLY thing that has ever helped my skin is Arbonne's pure swiss skin care, it even got rid of some horrible dry spots on my face!! I was so sold on what the products did for my body that I signed up for $29 to get 35% off the products and have them shipped to my house!! You can check it out at www.betsygrant.myarbonne.com
The only other recommendation I can give about the breathing part is go GREEN in your house and in/on your body!! Find a Chiroprator that works with an activator ... one who doesn't twist your body they use the small activator to reline your spine ... mine is Dr. Hanson from Edmond OK! If you are not near there call them and ask about their treatment.
###-###-####

Have you had him tested for food allergies and sensitivities? My stepson has a very mild dairy allergy and when we changed his diet from being so dairy heavy his asthma was easily controlled without inhalers or rescue meds. You might try an elimination diet for two weeks and get rid of wheat, dairy and corn. Those are the three main culprits for food allergy related asthma and skin conditions. And corn is in just about everything these days from sodas to "vegetable" oil to medications. It means pretty much cooking from scratch until you get good at reading food labels, but you may notice a huge difference in your child's quality of life. If you want to make thickened sauces while on the elimination diet use arrowroot powder like cornstarch. If you see improvement on this diet try adding things back in one at a time so you can see the culprit or culprits.

Allergies and asthma are caused by chemicals. Most chemicals aren't safety tested, so what we as consumers should trust that is on the shelves in the stores is slowly making us all very sick. That's what the eczema is: his skin trying to get rid of the chemicals.

Get all of the chemicals out of your house. Everything from bleach to fabric softener to toilet bowl cleaner to your shampoo and perfumes. Replace them with the most natural products you can find. Try a health food store. You can also make your own cleaners, very simple and effective ones, out of common household products like baking soda, vinegar, lemons, etc. Very cheap! You can find a lot of great info on what to use for which purposes by doing some simple online searches. One helpful product is a steam cleaner.

To help his system to settle down, do a body cleanse with him. There are many brands available for digestive and blood cleansing and they work very well. My husband suffered from chemical sensitivity (that is, chemical overload) until he did his first cleanse, after which he remarked that he felt better than he had felt since he was a teenager. I'd go with Gaia Herbals. They have a great cleanse, and it's organic, to boot.

A body cleanse does take some attention. For the duration of it, you need to give your son unprocessed whole foods, no sugar, no soda, no meat, wheat or dairy. These things are all hard on the body, and the point of the cleanse, besides removing a lot of accumulated toxins from his body, is to allow his systems to "relax." But it's only for a couple of weeks and the benefits will be obvious almost from the start...and long lasting! Two weeks of a dedicated cleanse (plus getting all of the chemicals out of the house) will mean a lifetime of relief. Afterwards, you can return to your more usual eating habits, but should transition to more whole, organic foods and start dropping some of the processed foods, starting with the ones containing food dyes and lots of chemicals.

Do these things, and I promise you, your son will feel so much better that it will feel like a MIRACLE.

If you're interested, I can give you some ideas for how to do the cleanse and still enjoy food :) I also know of some websites that sell carpet sealers, particle board sealants, etc. that you might want to check out.

Good luck.
L.

My oldest son is 6 and I know all too well the struggles that go with allergies, asthma, and eczema. From birth the never ending skin rituals and all the medications, creams, and ointments that rarely seem to work. If I've learned anything from all this it's that; "What works for one, won't work for another and just because you found something that works doesn't mean it will continue."

I had my son allergy tested at National Jewish Children's' hospital in Denver, we happened to live there. As far as allergy experts its the nationally renowned. They determined that it was primarily his food allergies causing his eczema to be so severe Dairy, Soy, Egg, Peanuts. We changed his diet and he rarely has noticeable problems with eczema anymore.

I have a suggestion about the skin condition. Have you ever heard of or used Arbonne Baby Care line? It works. The products are pure, safe, and beneficial. I have clients who are amazed at how great it works. A local pediatrician recommends his patients with eczema use it. You can find the products at arbonne.com or e-mail me at ____@____.com and I can get samples to you to try. God Bless!

My son has a-topic dermatitis. His skin has been horrible for most of his life. I waited until he was about 14 until we did the scratch test to find out he was allergic to formaldehyde which is in everything.

So for the eczema part just try to buy organic sheet that haven't been treated with any chemicals. Cotton is most often treated with formaldehyde to give it its crisp non wrinkle appearance. Wash anything new several times to remove the formaldehyde residue from it before the baby touches it.

As for the asthma, try getting air purifiers with HEPA filters or the Air Condition Filters with the HEPA filters. The better you filter the air the less the baby should react. Also use only natural cleaners in your house and on your body. Cetaphil for washing your baby's skin, for household cleaner from sink to floor is a mixture of 1/3 water, 1/3 alcohol, 1/3 vinegar, with a dash of Dawn Dishwashing Liquid.

I hope some of this helps. I know how overwhelming it feels to not be able to comfort your child's symptoms. Best of luck and lots of thoughts and prayers for a solution for you.

My daughter has severe allergies and has eczema and asthma, as well. She is allergic to many outdoor allergens and over 20 foods. We have had to use the epi-pen 4 times in her 3 1/2 years. We took her to National Jewish Hospital in Denver. They have a outpatient day program. It helped so much. Her skin is now clear with the occasional flare-up. Her asthma is mild to moderate and under control. The hospital gave us so many tips and things to do to help our daughter. Our 1 year old has eczema and I have given him the treatments and his skin is not clear, but it is better and he is finally sleeping through the night. I feel so bad for you and your son. We have been there and it will get better!
If your son's O2 sat's are dropping that low at night, he might need oxygen or something to help him just at night.

I agree with a lot of the suggestions you have gotten so far...only natural products for cleaning your home, and especially the laundry soap used on his clothing and sheets. In addition to washing clothing & sheets before wearing, you can also rinse them in white vinegar, which helps to remove the detergent residue and other chemicals that are used in processing. Of course if you can get all organic materials, that is even better.

I would suggest a good quality probiotic. This really helps with the immune system and allergies. Also, you may want to look into Doris Rapp's books about allergies. I agree you should try to find a holistic doctor if at all possible. My doctor told me that they have discovered that allergies, asthma, etc. are actually one condition that manifests itself differently in different people.

I have a soap and salve in my online store that some have successfully used for eczema. If you'd like to take a look, the address is http://www.audreysallnaturalshoppe.com. I'd also advise you to learn all you can about natural ingredients. Many companies claim to be natural, but if you read the labels, you'll see they aren't.

Hope this helps.

~A.~

My oldest is 12, he was diagnosed with asthma before he was one year old...That's unheard of now, but anyways. He's been on many different kinds of medicine. For almost 2 years he was on a updraft machine at 8,12,4,and 8 everyday. He hated it. I was so sad having to do it, but he needed it. At some points he was on 4-5 medicines a day. he was hospitilized many times with croup. If you've had to deal with croup you know how scary it is. I've been in the ER parking lot taking him in and he's stopped breathing on me. I understand how sad it is to see your child struggling to breath. It gives me chill bumps thinking about it. But I'm here to give you hope. My son's asthma has been well controlled for over 3 years now :) He is only on 2 meds. now :) He takes singulair 10 mg. and Q-var (it's a newer med., it's a inhaler he takes every night) He has an emergency albuterol inhaler that he hasn't used in over 2 years!!!

You might want to ask your docter about the Q-var inhaler. I honestly believe it's the med. that changed him. Before Q-var he was on pulmicort....

God Bless you & your family!!!
J.

I think with all the doctors and hospitals you have taken him to he probably feels emotionally stressed more than anything. Keeping him calm will relax alot of the problems. They may not go away but there are some theories that say the more stressed you are the more exagerated the physical symptoms can be. Try a bath before bed with some mild sedative oils like a couple drops of camomile and lavender mixed of course with some liquid no scent soap before adding to the bath. Dr. Bronners Baby Mild liquid soap is great for this. Rub his tummy clockwise once a day to aid in digestion. Stimulate his immune system by massaging his spine from the base of the spine to the neck once a day. Most of all do this for yourself as well. Our children are like little sponges to our feelings and emotions too. Periods of calm and peace are so difficult at times but really the best medicine.

Love and Blessings

I would like to tell you about a few things you might want to try.For his allergies try using a saline nasal wash,you can find them at Wal-Mart and other drugstores nationwide,and they all come with instuctions for use even on children.I have used them with success in the past.For the eczema,I can give you the name of a company,that makes a body-wash that will not irritate the skin like soap and soap products.The name of the company is NuSkin Interprises and the website is www.nuskinusa.com and phone # 1-800-487-1000.Look them up online and see if they can help with your son's eczema.They are very nice people to talk to and will help if they can.Hope this helps,I don't like to see kids suffer.D. F.

First, I am sorry I took so long to respond. I am a lifelong asthmatic, and have severe allergies. I am allergic to different foods, scents, flora and fauna or any combination of said. The first thing you need to do is keep a Food Diary/Trigger Diary for your son. Sometimes an attack can be triggered just by one food, but sometimes it can be triggered by a combination of foods, or foods in the same family. You are going to have to educate yourself, for example, say on everything that is in the peanut family. For asthmatics, the most common food triggers are wheat, corn, peanuts, soy, egg whites, nuts, chocolate and shellfish. You could start by putting him on a bland diet for 7 days and then slowly adding different foods and noting his condition. I have found a pure gylcering soap, called Clearly Natural (can be ordered online) that does not irritate the skin, ALL makes a sensitive laundry detergent and Downy makes a sensitive softener. His bed should not have down pillows or comforters - you should get hypoallergenic covers (JCPenneys is pretty cheap)that can be washed at least once a week. His room should not have wall to wall carptet. Frequent sweeping & vacumning. Mold and dust are also triggers. Perfume and scent in the house should be at a minimum. NO SMOKING - tobacco is a severe trigger and stress on his lungs. Hopefully, you have a good Asthma specialist. But you have to make note of how he reacts to different situations, exercise and medicines. You should always carry a list of his current meds and his history with you. I hope he is of the percentage that gets better. It may seem overwhelming - but it can be manageable. Please contact me if you want. God Bless.PS: My brother, who had the same condition, had eczema - they found out it was from touching nickel, he liked to play with cars.

Hello S.:

I am a mother of a 13 yr old with allergies, asthma and also eczema. My experience has been that if you have asthma, generally you have a triad of symptons (rhinitis, ecezema and the upper respiratoy) and as parents you and I are in the same boat with our children's symptoms. I also, was told they can grow out of this. Hasn't happened yet. My son had allergies as a small child and pneumonia at age 4 and shortly thereafter, the official diagnosis of asthma. We also have seen general medical doctors, had allergy prick tests, seen allergy/asthma specialists and also dermatologists ( even biopsies of the skin). Currently, my son takes allergy shots twice a week, takes daily oral meds and inhalers as well as the occasional nebulizer when flare ups occur. Clearly, based on what I am reading is that your child's asthma is not remotely under control and you may need to see another asthma doctor?? Surely, there is a doctor out there that can provide a treatment or combination of therapies that can better help. I would like to chat more with you about the eczema but I am running out of space. You are the first I have talked to with a situation similar to mine. I do know that IMMEDIATLEY after bathing if you would apply "Cetaphyl" (it's a hypoallergenic cream or lotion and can be found over the counter at any drug store) or any kind of lotion that is very gentle to moisturize the skin and do this ALL the time it will provide his skin more moisture and give it a layer of protection and conditioning against the eczema and outdoor pollutants. Please reply.

I had a young cousin with sever allergies. She is about nine now and is finally growing out of them. She still has to carry an epi-pen, but she's okay.

I don't know if you've done this, but take him to an allergist and find out exactly what he is allergic to. You may have to play with his diet a little. There could be something in the foods he's eating that could be causing frequent reactions.

As far as the exzema, several people in my family have it. They use Cetaphil lotions, and mild soaps. Make sure his bath water isn't too hot.

For his asthma, get everything that's allergen free, a vacuum with a hepa-filter.

If nothing seems to work, you may have to look into your climate and consider a move.

I have heard of great results with a specific diet. You can go to http://www.hacres.com/testimonies/testimonies.asp to read testimonies on it's effect on allergies, asthma, and eczema. My older sister had severe asthma and no longer does. They say she outgrew it in her 30s but has since changed her diet to this and runs 13 miles a day now. Just FYI. Also, in a column by Dr. Gott someone wrote in that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on their skin made it clear up. Also just read the response about using tea tree oil. If you are interested I know of a source for a high grade as well as safe cleaning and laundry supplies. You can contact me at ____@____.com.

we use robathol in the tub and cerave for a daily lotion and they have worked better than anything prescription. you can find them at a drug store...if they don't have them they can order it for you. hope that helps.