The Eczema Diaries - Summer 2014 "Sleepless in Bornacoola"
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Should you have been travelling our Bornacoola road this late summer during the wee small hours you will no doubt have seen some unusual 'going's on'. My husband, in his underwear, (it was very hot!) desperately pacing the road - baby attached in pouch, still screeching. You will have probably heard me banging on the bedroom window, whisper shouting "put your trousers on" and "come back it'll wake the neighbours". In the future it will be a funny tale to tell but when you are in the throws of it night after night let me tell you it is anything but funny.
And so begins my little tale of how excema affects our daily family life.
Emmy was 6 weeks old when the cradle cap on her scalp began to take over her neck and face. I had heard of baby excema but naively thought it would pass when her 'hormones regulated themselves'. I have an arsenal of oils in my HQ (as you might imagine) and began using them systematically to see which was most effective at reducing the dryness, red spots, blotchiness and itching. Fast forward to now, 9 months old. The glands on the back of her head apparently associated with cradle cap and excema are always huge and swollen and she pulls at them alot. This is Emmy at 1.30 am during a 'flare up'.
It is impossible for her to sleep and is constantly itching her face and neck. During an especially bad flare up she is banging and scraping her torso and tops of her ankles and wrists off the bed. When it is like this the only thing for it, is to get up, say goodbye to my oh so comfortable bed and distract her. (Yes my name is Iggle Piggle, Iggle Iggle Iggle Piggle.....oh yes I'm singing too at this point) Aloe vera cut straight from the plant has been, by far, the most effective treatment. Mind the spiky bits. It's cooling and stops her scratching within 15-30 mins. Aloe Vera in pre-bought tubes I found were not effective. Anything petro-chemical based has so far increased the redness and symptoms.
24 hours after this peak it seems to begin to calm, the redness reduces and her skin forms crusts. I can now use avocado oil and my homemade 'Emmy's Balm' (based on my 'TLC Balm' but with a few adjustments). Even these annoy her skin during the middle of The Flare Up but do a very good job inbetween of keeping her skin moisturised.
We have had to increase bathing her since she loves tucking into her food and insists on smearing it all over herself (my heart sinks every time....) and I add some of my favourite avocado oil to the warm water. I use a teeny tiny touch of either my own 'Butter Me Up' or 'Bleating Lovely' Handmade Soap Bars. She gets smothered in the avocado oil whilst her skin is still a little damp. I have also started using soap nuts (they are really a berry) to wash our clothes and am trying it for home cleaning too.
Infants with excema and allergies are notoriously bad sleepers. During the particularly bad period I mentioned at the start I decided to unashamedly start co-sleeping. Emmy is awake every 2 hours without exception (during the good times I can settle her within about 10 minutes or so but during a bad time this waking will last up to 3 hours long- hence the desperate pacing) it has kept my family sane and mostly still smiling.
During this week she had bloods taken for allergy testing and we are awaiting an appointment with a dietician and dermatologist. I cannot wait to get the help. I have some new oils to try including an organic hemp oil (extra rich in ceramides), virgin organic olive oil and Aloe Butter (oh the dermatologist is just going to love me ;) ). Never has a young infant eaten vegetables so joyfully and this week she started taking her first steps so Miss Emelia is certainly developing ahead of her milestones and thriving despite this annoying itch.
Our little story will be continued and hopefully next time we might not be so 'sleepless in Bornacoola' .....Oh and don't be afraid to drive down our lane will you? It's much colder and any pacing is done in the kitchen (with the curtains drawn ;) )