Replied By Kate (Adelaide, SA, Australia) on 06/28/2009
I would say that Teri from Atlanta is on the right track regarding citrus. I had eczema all of my childhood. My family and I eventually came to the realization that acidic properties were to blame, in particular oranges. Every since that discovery I have stayed well clear of them. I also have to watch my intake of other acidic fruits such as tomatoes, lemons, limes and even grapes. Your little one is so young, but even now you can record what you feed her each day and in another column you can write her reaction to that food, if any. Eventually you will see a pattern form. There may be one or more culprits. As your daughter gets older, the key is to put a topical cream on before she feels the itch. That is if you want to use that on her skin. I used to apply it once I had already starting scratching and by that point it was useless because it would just make me want to scratch even more. When I learned to apply it religiously (about 2-3 times per day) it would be more controllable. Stay away from soap, there are plenty of soap free products today that will be gentler for your baby's sensitive skin. The worst thing one can do is scratch an eczema spot 'vigorously' as that will only spread it. Just digging a nail lightly in or even just pressing against the itchy point is usually enough to relieve the itch. Remember 'Knowledge Is Power' so explore this condition as much as you can and you will help your daughter no end.