Love has eczema. Severe eczema. And you know what? It’s awful. Awful for her mostly, but for us as well {her parents}. She itches something mean 24 hours a day and if she can ever barely see the skin on her legs, she scratches down to the bone. It’s heart breaking to watch her go through this, and I am always looking for an answer. A way out. A way for her to experience life without the constant irritation of painful, itchy skin, or scabby legs.
We are trying two things right now {we’ve been trying things her whole life, so this is actually normal around here}.
1. only 100% cotton clothing {but mainly on her legs, because that’s where her skin is effected the most}
2. no wheat {I can’t even begin to explain the crazy links I have read about, linking everything to the cause of eczema, so we give each one a try}
So far the wheat is working ok, it’s not been long enough for me to tell if she is itchy or not. But Keith and I both noticed she had been in a better mood since we stopped buying grocery bread. We haven’t officially transitioned fully to no gluten, she still has some snacks. So time will tell with that one.
What is working is the 100% cotton. She is still itchy, but the cotton doesn’t irritate her skin, and as long as she doesn’t have access to scratch, her legs look close to normal {!!!} However, it’s actually difficult to find clothing for kids that is 100% cotton, especially pants! And top that off with it’s actually IMPOSSIBLE to find socks that doesn’t have a “filler” we were running into a problem with her being able to get at her legs to scratch them to pieces. So, mama, the sewer came up with these bad boys:
Under Pants! Made from 100% cotton 🙂
They are working like a charm, and I couldn’t be happier. Now if only I could figure out the root of the eczema so she doesn’t have to feel the urge to scratch, we’d all breathe a little easier!
P.S. I drafted the pattern myself. And I’m proud of it. Woo!
Sew20Something 
Have you read Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Natasha Campbell McBride? She blames eczema on an imbalance of the bacteria in the digestive system. My kids had mild eczema and it has cleared up just from switching to raw milk (not pastuerized). Finding the root cause is definitely the best thing, so I hope you can find it quickly so she will no longer suffer!
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I’ll look it up! Thanks for the tip, I’m always willing to try a switch in what we eat because that’s relatively easy and if it works then all the better! Thanks again!
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Her diet is pretty drastic, but my sister has been on it and she feels so much better!
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You are such a wonderful Mother. I would love to have the pattern and I hope that this works for her.
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I learned from the best!
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Awesome job on the underpants! My son had eczema as well, and scratched himself right in to a MRSA infection when he was younger 😦 luckily the eczema has improved a lot as he’s gotten older and now it only flares up occasionally. Hopefully it will be the same for your little one!
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Oh dear!! I’m always afraid of that kind of thing happening! My son’s eczema also cleared as he got older, but his was more mild than Love’s. I do find it encouraging that your son’s was severe and it cleared up on with age! thanks so much!
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Such a cutie!
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Great pants! Are you in a warm enough climate that you could just make 100% cotton pants for her to wear – instead of the two layers? My daughters and I have terrible eczema. Staying away from citrus acid is very helpful for us. I hope you figure out what is causing the itch soon.
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We’re in Ohio, which gets pretty cold in the winter most years. So she needs socks, plus these prevent her from getting to her skin at all, since there is no way for her to pull them up like regular pants. I imagine in the future I will be making her wool kinds of cotton clothes!
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Oh Jenna, how awful! Allergies are one of the worst things in this day and age and it’s so hard to find the root. My husband was severely asthmatic for over 35 years until he cut dairy out of his diet. I haven’t seen a puffer near him in YEARS (I don’t even think he owns one anymore!!). Good luck with the dietary changes… I reckon you’ll get there soon. As for the under pants, well done! They look great and it must feel good to know that you drafted them yourself. Beautiful girl you have there…
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Soo that’s two dairy suggestions… Maybe I should give that another try?! Thanks for your input!
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Poor thing, i had a niece who had really bad eczema, being gluten free for her made a huge difference. Nice pattern for the under pants, and she seems omfy in them too! Aren’t thight hosing made from 100% cotton? That could be useful too… Hope the best and she will overcome it too….
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Hi Jenna- you probably know this already…. my little one has mild excema and since we use a paraffin-based cream in the bath instead of soap, its all cleared up. (find one thats only got paraffin, it contains only white soft paraffin and liquid paraffin plus water.
x
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Thanks for the suggestion! We generally don’t use anything at all in her bath, but water. I’ll look into, though!
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I used to get exema on my legs. It really is awful. I think you’re on the right track with the cotton . It took me awhile to realize that the microfiber socks I loved so much were helping the rash along. I’m sure there were other auto immune things going on but I haven’t had a flare up since I cleared up the last one and no more micro fiber anything.
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Glad to see you figured out the trigger! I’m surprised anyone can wear microfiber socks, that stuff will such the moisture out of everything!
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