Just wanted to share really… and was wondering if I was the only one that hadn’t tried this yet… and that is giving oral antihistamines to your kids when they are having an eczema flare up. Not for the usual daily rashes, but for when they have a flare up and their rashes go bright red and angry and insanely itchy.

I’ve been dealing with eczema on my kids for almost 11 years (3 kids worth) and up until about a year ago no one had ever recommended antihistamines during a flare up. I went to a chemist once to buy bandages (for wet bandaging) and they recommended them, and my goodness, they are fabulous!! I’ve given DS2 antihistamine (Claratyne liquid) quite a few times now, usually at night if he wakes up so itchy that he can’t sleep. Within half an hour he is back to sleep, no longer itchy. The next morning, the redness has died down dramatically.

I went to get a new bottle and was recommended a new one, Aerius, which is supposed to be really good.
DS2 is currently having a really bad flare up, probably the worst yet, and it’s all over his face, and everywhere else. Also his teacher complained of him being so itchy at school that he can’t concentrate and is very irritable. So I’ve given him 2 doses of Aerius so far and the teacher said he’s so so much better. The redness has subdued so much. The doctor recommends I keep him on the antihistamine for 1-2 weeks at the moment, and slather him with moisturiser at every given opportunity (he has Celestone but it really doesn’t work anymore and shouldn’t be used for more than 7 days at a time).

So, sorry for the essay but I’m really just excited that I’ve found something that at least calms down a flare up, and really wanted to share incase it benefits other long term sufferers of eczema-kids.

Now…. to get rid of the eczema altogether… that’s the next challenge….