Eczema Update

A few months ago, we took Miriam and Sarah to an allergist.  Each hapless child was poked with possible allergic substances and then we waited to see whether the skin would swell up, indicating a reaction.  Neither liked it, though Miriam hated it more because she reacted to more things.

Poor Miriam, she is definitely our "allergic child".  The appointment was very useful though. We established that she is NOT allergic to milk. And she IS allergic to a host of environmental allergens...grass pollens, tree pollens, fun stuff like that. She also reacted to seafood and tree nuts.

Sarah just reacted to milk, peanuts, and chocolate.

The allergist warned that Miriam would have flare-ups of eczema in particular, and allergies in general, in spring time.

A previous doctor said Miriam should have a bath every evening to clean off pollens. I've never been a mother who particularly enjoys bathing her kids. And now I have 3 children (soon to be 4) who can't bathe themselves.

But I decided we really needed to do this, so almost every evening Miriam at least gets rinsed off.  I have trained the big girls to help with this.  So thankful for big girls!

Anyway, it really seems to be working!  Her eczema was really bad last year, with sores behind her knees, on her heels, and on the top of her feet. Her feet have been fine this year.  Her heels and knees have had some eczema but it isn't as bad as it could be.  I do have a steroid cream I use occasionally, but I don't use it often.

So yes, it is worth it.

Sarah is also doing well. She had bad eczema last year until I figured out she was allergic to milk.  Which brings up a good question...should I go off milk?  At the time I figured it all out, I was breastfeeding Sarah and I have no doubt she was therefore a little allergic to breastmilk.  We've had plenty of cow's milk allergies so maybe I should just go off cow's milk.  On the other hand, this baby is a "summer baby" and it is the winter ones who have had the cow's milk allergies and indeed most of the allergies.  No good explanation for that, but we're batting 4 for 4 on winter babies having allergies and 3 for 3 on summer babies not having allergies.  Weird.

So I'll think about it.  My diet is limited enough in that I am diabetic and have to avoid many foods. I eat a lot of yogurt.  Yogurt is healthy.  It's good for my stuff.

I think I'll probably keep drinking some cow's milk but won't overdo it.  We'll see how it goes and I pray the Lord will give me wisdom about it.