Keeping a eczema diary for Leah

Updated on 03 Dec with pictures (not for the faint hearted)

Leah's baby acne has cleared up about 90% and when I thought I can finally take a break from googling remedies for baby acne, she broke out in red rashes on her ears, chin and cheeks on Saturday, 23 November. I did nothing to it thinking maybe it's her cradle cap or baby acne coming back.



24 nov: On the next morning, her red patches look like dry skin with little flakes peeling off. As I was doing total breastfeeding, I thought it might be some rash caused by spilled milk and constant wiping has made the area around her chin dry. I just apply some moisturizer (Aqurea, it's hypoallergenic) and make sure to keep her face clean.

25 nov: It worsened. It's even drier than before, the flakes become bigger in size and feels warm to touch. I'm afraid that her dry skin might crack and lead to infection and started applying moisturizer diligently. But it doesn't seem to help and still look the same. Then it's back to hardcore googling and reading every single forum listed online and then I concluded that Leah has eczema. I was wondering what could have triggered it and what is Leah allergic to? And because I was breastfeeding, I began to eliminate eggs, dairy, seafood and nuts from my diet. It was miserable (I love my food!) but I wanted to do something for Leah and it gotta start somewhere.

All i could think of now is moisturise, moisturise and MOISTURISE!!! Went online to order Eucerin Aquaphor baby and bought Cetaphil body wash for her baths.

26 nov: The red patches formed allies and expand their territories. She didn't have any on her body (yet). Anyway, it was Leah's Hep B vaccination today so I brought to the polyclinic and asked to see a doctor to assess her rashes. The doctor checked and told me it's eczema (so I was right) and prescribed hydrocortisone 1% to apply once daily for a month. I have that steroid cream at home but I wasn't sure if a 5 weeks old baby should be exposed to steroid. I've come across forums saying it will thin the skin, cause discouration, and it will penetrate in the blood vessels and cause blood poisoning etc. So many scary side effects, you dare to put meh? The doctor assured me that it's ok because 1% is very mild only and if it worsen like weeping with pus or spread to other areas after using it for a month, I'm supposed to bring her back (for hydrocortisone 2%?)

27 nov: After the first application of HC 1%, the redness reduced greatly however the patches were still there.

28 nov: Redness totally gone after second dose of HC 1%. Patches became really dry and ha fine lines that look like transparent plastic burnt skin. Mild eczema appearing on her arm folds and HC 1% thinly applied on them.

29 nov: Stopped usage of HC 1% since the patches were no longer red and inflammed. Apply moisturizer to dry patches hopefully it will heal completely w/o scarring. The red patches on her arm folds is gone too. I examine her body everyday during bath times for signs of eczema.

30 nov: Aha! Her cradle cap suddenly decides to visit again. (On her scalp) I'm not so worried about cradle cap/ acne on Leah.

1 dec: Then a few red bumps started appearing on her face. We went out to celebrate FIL birthday at kushinbo! HURRAYS! RESTORED MY DIET BACK TO FACTORY SETTINGS FOR A DAY (just no eggs yet)

2 dec: The red bumps on her scalp travelled down south and infested her forehead. Maybe forehead too hairy already and the cradle cap team mistook it as part of her hair? Eyebrows were affected too. They don't look like eczema to me since the bumps looks more like oily type. Applied moisturizer to the affected areas.

3 dec: No improvement and to certain extent, I thought it looked worse. More red bumpy stuff popping up really fast. Monitoring for a few more days to see if it's a eczema relapse or just cradle cap / acne.