Raising A Child With Severe Eczema

This little sweetie… (pictured below) made me a mommy on January 27th. I read parenting books and blogs. I made schedules and followed them to a ‘T.’ I asked my mom, sisters, and in-laws for all of their best parenting advice. Everything was going well into my first few months of motherhood.

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We were scheduled for Risden’s 6-month checkup and I had all of my questions for the pediatrician written down.

I was going to ask about starting solid foods and the rough patches all over my sweet little baby’s legs and cheeks. We ended that 6 month visit eager to go home and try some sweet potatoes…and with a new diagnosis, Atopic Dermatitis.

Some folks call this eczema. I have come to call it “my worst freaking nightmare.”

Unless you have eczema, you don’t quite understand how difficult and hopeless it can be. I am so thankful we aren’t dealing with a terminal illness or disability; however, this has affected Risden tremendously in 4 short years. He has been to numerous doctors, taken tons of medication, and I will never forget how he screamed in agony from the lotions and creams burning his skin.

Here are some of the issues we deal with daily:

• Wearing footie PJs all day long because if his skin is not covered, he scratches until he bleeds.
• Wearing long sleeves and pants even when it’s hot, so he doesn’t scratch.
• Going somewhere? Not with normal clothes on. Any trip requires footie pjs & changing when we get there. (This was introduced after one time on the way to church. When we got there, his white socks were red from blood dripping down his shins.)
• Removing things from his diet. He doesn’t get to enjoy what other kids do.
• Holding his hands while he watches TV or the potty so he doesn’t constantly scratch.
• Living sleepless nights because he can’t stop scratching long enough to rest.
• Giving daily medication.
• Applying lotions 3x per day, which is sometimes followed by screaming, due to burning (depending on how bad the outbreaks are).
• CONSTANT. THINKING. ABOUT. ECZEMA.

Risden is covered head to toe with Eczema

Over time, it wasn’t just rough patches. It became angry and red…and it bleeds and oozes. Personally, I never had eczema so I couldn’t put myself in his shoes. I went to a friend who deals with eczema for some perspective. To sum that conversation up, Risden was in constant pain.

Can you imagine hearing that?

Your son is in constant pain dealing with the “the itch that rashes.” That is when I got really focused on finding the best and safest method to make him better.

Present day, Risden is doing much better and the eczema is much more manageable. There will be more posts to come on all of the different treatments plans we’ve tried (from all-natural methods to the best you can get from the pharmacist).

I always wonder: if I knew then what I know now, could it have gone differently? Could I have been able to control it sooner? Could I have stopped it at all? I won’t ever know the answers, and there is no use in focusing on past regret.

This is our normal and we are dealing with it the best way we know how. I want to share my experience in hopes of helping another.

Let me warn you. Eczema is not the same for everyone. It affects its’ victims differently. What may work for us may not work for you, or what didn’t work for us may heal you completely.

Sumy Cotton is a clothing line I was just introduced to that I can’t wait to try! They offer a clothing line for children dealing with eczema and other chronic skin conditions made with only 100% with Peruvian Pima cotton.

Does your family struggle with controlling eczema? I have created an entire list of products & procedures we use to keep Risden’s outbreaks under control.

CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW for the entire list… (if you’re already a Poms2Moms email subscriber, we’ve already sent you an e-mail with the direct link).