Treating Eczema Naturally — Again
After drastically reducing the foods my son is sensitive to, we all enjoyed him having clear skin — for all of one month.
Early July, we went on a trip and his allergen-free diet was thrown out the window. How do you keep your child from enjoying what everyone else is eating when you’re on vacation? And even if you could, how do you pack enough “safe” foods for him to last four days? Tell me that!
Hello Again, Eczema!
So because of that brief lapse, his eczema flared up again. At least this time, he didn’t get rashes on his arms but only at the back of his knees. They looked like water blisters this time. And, like before, he ended up scratching himself raw while sleeping.
We’ve gone back to his allergen-free diet the past three weeks, but still he scratches. He doesn’t get new rashes anymore, but his skin doesn’t heal because he keeps scratching them at night. I’m worried the open rashes will get infected and he’ll get deep scars because they’re not healing.
This means hellish nights for DH and me, as we take turns sleeping beside DS to keep him from scratching. We apply an all-natural cream, put cold compresses and — if all else fails — we hold his hands.
The All-Natural Eczema Treatment
Fortunately, DS had a scheduled appointment with our naturopathic doctor on Monday. She said at this point, we need to do two things:
- build up DS’s immune system
- reduce the amount of histamines circulating in his body
For the first, our naturopath an herbal immune system booster. The main ingredient is astragalus. For the latter, she prescribed an herbal remedy for allergies. The ingredients include, among others, butterbur extract, quercetin and rosemary extract.
(Note: I asked the naturopath about using Buro-Sol to curb the itch and she says she’s concerned about the aluminum in it.)
Unfortunately, both these herbal remedies taste terrible. The allergy remedy is in a capsule form, for adults. I’m supposed to open it up and mix the contents with a drink or food for DS to take.
It’s been a real challenge getting him to take these remedies. I mix them with maple syrup. I’ve even added vanilla extract. To no avail. So if you happen to walk by our house one morning and hear DS screaming, “I don’t like it! I don’t like it!” Don’t think I’m subjecting him to abuse. He’s only taking his herbal remedies to control his eczema.
Light At The End of the Tunnel
We’ve been doing this regimen (on top of DS’s existing supplements) for about four days now. He’s been scratching at lot less at night. DH and I have been sleeping better, now waking up only once a night instead of five.
Except for the morning crying ritual because of the herbal remedies, DS seems to be in a better mood, too. He’s less “irritated.”
I hope DS is on the mend so he can play in his sandbox without wearing pajamas.
And maybe we can all sleep through the night again.
PS: The purpose of this post is to share my personal experience with you, not to give medical advice. If you want to explore natural ways to treat eczema, consult a naturopathic doctor or other alternative health practitioner.
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