Monday, January 23, 2012

Eczema- My Journey


A couple months ago my baby started getting eczema on her forehead and cheeks but it wasn't really noticeable so I didn't pay much attention to it. But she started getting big scratches from itching it and it was just getting worse and worse. Today it covers her face and she now has patches on her legs, arms and neck. The first thing I have learned is that eczema is very common. Almost everyone I know has at least one child that has suffered or is currently suffering from eczema. My brother had it really bad as a child as well.
Some things I know about Eczema:
- it is an allergic reaction
- the cause does not start on the skin; the skin is the effect of what is going on internally
- it is an individualized condition but has common underlying similarities present in almost all cases
-the body is trying to rid itself of internal toxins and metabolic byproducts
- it is curable

Six conditions that are nearly always present in children who have eczema (taken from the book Allergies- Disease in Disguise by Carolee Bateson-Koch DC ND)
1- Systemic candidiasis (candida has affected the body as a whole)
2- Food allergies and sensitivities
3- Maldigestion
4- Imbalanced colon microflora ( bacteria in the intestines)
5- Poor food choices
6- Nutrient Deficiencies

It will never be just one of the above conditions because they are all linked one way or another. So it is necessary to do more than one thing to reverse it.

Step one for me:
I have always used free and clear detergents and soaps and shampoos that don't have aggravating ingredients in them so I didn't worry about that but you may need to start there because although it may not cause the eczema it may be aggravating it. Avoid products with sodium lauryl sulfate and laureth sulfate, alcohol, fragrance, sodium benzoate, parabens, urea, cocamide dea, phthalates, triethanolamine (TEA), mineral oil, petrolatum, glycol, talc.
So the first thing I did was buy a couple different creams to put on her eczema, I bought Dr.Christophers Itch Ointment which is chickweed herb in a bas of beeswax and olive oil. I also bought Weleda Calendula Diaper cream because it is thicker and I had used it before and worked well. Needless to say they helped a little but I knew that I would have to just suck it up and tackle the real problem.

Step two:
I took her to a chiropractor that does allergy testing and NAET, which is a technique that eliminates allergies. I discovered so far that she is "allergic"to bananas, citrus, melons, and dairy. I am going t= back today to do more testing so that I know exacting what I need to avoid.

Step three for me will be an elimination diet, I suspect that she doesn't like gluten either but I will know for sure in a few hours. I will post about all my findings and research and pray that I will have success in curing her eczema and helping a few other people in the meantime. I personally believe that  there are things I need to learn from this trial and just hope that I learn them quickly!


2 comments:

  1. Estelle! Thanks so much for sharing. My little girl just started getting eczema recently and I've been trying to figure out why. I'm assuming it's something in her diet, because it's started since I weened her. Keep me posted on what you find out :) I've learned so much already.

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  2. Ya this is really good stuff to share! Especially since I have been able to see parts of what you have been going through in trying to cure Cozette- I think moms (anyone!) need to share these things and act with intent and determination! I pray for you and Emma and all other people to figure out the real underlying problems.

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