October 2015 – Eczema Sense

My daughter (9 yrs old) has had eczema since she was a few weeks old. We initially held it at bay with diet/breastfeeding and moisturising daily. She had a major flare following contact with raw egg and she was subsequently diagnosed with egg, milk, and dust mite allergy. She has always tested negative for coeliac disease and tolerates gluten well. We reduced/avoided all triggers and her eczema was managed well except for a few flare ups that were easily managed by short term low potency steroid until she was about 5.

Within a week of starting school Phoebe was covered with inflamed infected eczema. We diligently followed all the medical advice and finally reached a point where we could manage but not control her eczema with daily bleach baths, wet wrapping, steroids and topical antibiotic when needed. In 2014, Phoebe’s condition deteriorated again and so we saved and saved and sent her to the Avene Clinic for treatment. That treatment was amazing and it was the first relief she had experienced for years. When we returned home to Australia her skin almost immediately flared again. She had picked up another infection during our travels. We managed to get her skin back under control but it slowly deteriorated until we decided to return to Avene in September 2015.

We were extremely hopeful that with the second trip to Avene her skin would strengthen and this time she would be able to keep it clear and smooth. This time around even Avene didn’t work. Phoebe seemed to be allergic to Staph bacteria and nothing seemed to be able to control it.

Out of desperation I had posted a Facebook photo of Phoebe and a friend of a friend pointed me to Dr Aron. I was hugely sceptical. I did the research and the theory of the Aron Regime stood up, so I signed up. I am one week into treatment and its the first time Phoebe’s eczema has been under control for years.

SO, if you are doing everything; topical steroids, topical antibiotic, antihistamine, bleach baths, wet wrapping, oral antibiotics, probiotics, moisturising several times a day, and are still struggling with controlling your child’s eczema then you are where I was on 7th September this year.

Picture #1 is of Phoebe with an overwhelming staph infection. We were doing steroid, topical antibiotic, compresses/wet wraps, antihistamine, bleach baths and moisturising several times a day.

Picture #2 is of Phoebe on 23rd September after weeks of two different oral antibiotics in addition to all the treatment listed above.

Picture #3 is of Phoebe the night she return after 3 weeks of intensive hydrotherapy at Avene, France. There they had to continue oral antibiotic after she flared again in week 1 of treatment.

Picture#4 is of Phoebe after 1 week of the Dr. Aron creme. We are now doing 5 apps of the creme on her body and 3 apps on her face. No wet wraps, no oral antibiotic, no bleach baths, no additional moisturiser.

The most amazing thing is that Phoebe is no longer itchy.

You can find out more about Dr. Aron’s eczema treatment by visiting his Dr. Aron website or the Dr. Aron Eczema Treatment Discussion page.

I am a registered nurse.I have 3 children. My daughter, who is my last child, was born w eczema.

This was our life…

Go to the dr get some hydrocortisone.. Use it often.. Keeps coming back.. People start giving recommendation for creams.. Use Aquaphor, Eucerin, Cetaphil. Some work but only for a little while. Back to the doctor. Here’s another steroid that’s a little stronger.. Yay – it worked. But not for long. So we use aveeno baths, oatmeal baths some more creams. Use free and clear they say.. Free and clear – everything is bought. No help. Trip back to the doctor. Go to the allergist and get a list of allergies. Avoid gluten, avoid dairy and you will see improvement. Yay – but not for long.

So you buy some books.. The eczema diet, how to cure eczema. You feed your baby papaya because it’s great for the skin the book says.. But she hates it along with the bone broth so you’re feeling defeated yet again.

Let me try some Vaseline with the steroid or maybe Cervae. Oh what the hell – slap on the coconut oil too. No help.

Let’s see the dermatologist..

Here’s 3 meds.. 2 are steroids… Yay – some relief but not for long. So what’s next? More steroids but let’s try a bleach bath or a vinegar one. That will work they say. Hey wrap that baby up in wet pajamas filled with creams and put her to bed. Tomorrow will be better – but tomorrow is Zyrtec in the morning, Benadryl in the afternoon and don’t forget the nightly Atarax. All day long – apply, apply the meds.. The foam steroid and the cream. Oh no – the ointment topical is better they say.

We are still covered in this awful disease so it’s back to the doctor.

Try some immunosuppressant creams. “It’s ok the black box warning was only tested on rats no cancer in kids” they say.

So you’re home and helpless and hesitantly applying the cream hoping for a miracle but relief is short lived. Here’s some oral steroids..

“I’m sorry honey. You don’t like the taste. I will go to pharmacy and have it flavored. I will put it in juice, milk, even soda if you will just drink it. I’m sorry my precious girl! I am trying my best to help you. After you’re wrapped like a mummy, I will search the Internet for the answers.

And then you stumble upon Dr. Aron…

And you wonder and contemplate, but the internet is a scary place. How can you be sure? You ask your doctor and the answer is that “steroids and antibiotic use is not meant long term.” You sit and suddenly it dawns on you..

I have been applying steroids for 5 years straight. Each time a new one or a new combo of multiple meds. How can you say what you have been doing isn’t long term???? They say “Eczema is a chronic condition and should b treated w steroids no more than a week or 2.” A diabetic, an asthmatic, a person with high blood pressure are people treated long term because it’s considered “chronic” – as it should be for eczema sufferers.

So I contemplated..

What’s 6 more months of giving this a try??? It’s heavily diluted. What do I have to lose? It’s been 5 years of long term steroid use. So I did it.. I bit the bullet.. I tried Dr. Aron.

5 months later my baby is unwrapped and healthy and happy. We no longer use the cream even daily!!! We were given our lives back.. And I would never spend another minute giving any doctor the time of day to tell me about long term steroid use because in reality, that’s what they are doing to our children anyway!!!

Very thankful to Dr. Aron and the Dr. Aron Facebook group.

From the Avene Clinic to Dr. Aron

Contemplating Dr. Aron’s Treatment

Archive for month: October, 2015