Well, the results from the allergy tests were not surprising. In addition to tree nuts, Dakota's irritants include dust, grasses, and many animal furs/hairs. Dakota takes allergy medicines to help with the grasses, etc. He sometimes still gets reactions. He has learned to cope. He wears sunglasses anytime grass is being cut near him. He knows to avoid weeds, when possible. He has come in from outside many times with huge red whelps all over his body from rolling in the grass. This can be frightening to those around him, but we just bring out the good ole Benedryl. He did have a frightening experience with horse hair once. We were visiting his Granny, who is a horse lover. It was a breezy day. I remember seeing something on his cheek, and it was a long horse hair. I removed it– not thinking much about it. In the matter of a moment his eye became very red, itchy, and irritated. Then, the swelling started. We gave him a double dose of Benedryl (as always instructed by the doctor for more severe reactions). The swelling did not subside. The white of his eye was bulging from his socket. We rushed him to the emergency room. (This was not our first visit there.) The doctors did not know what to do. He had already had all the antihistamine dosage that was safe. We sat there for a good three hours, while the doctors made calls and looked in medical journals. By this time, the swelling was going down. We left. It was an expensive lesson that we were once again reminded of. The doctors just don't know how to treat eczema or its side effects.

Tip! Contact/Dermatitis This type of Eczema usually starts out with a rash in the area where the trigger substance has come into contact with the skin. Once the eczema has been triggered, then the eczema can spread through the body.
Infected persons of the skin disease/disorder eczema are in the millions, it [...]

Deciding to try out the doc's method was a GFI moment and perhaps an act of desperation and experimentation. You might detect am regretting having gone down the alley with steroid creams and ointments.

So week 1 of the new prescription regime to step down the use of steroid creams had to be stopped mid way. The hydrocortesone was reacting to all parts of my skin, causing rashes. Additionally there was an area on my back where I had been applying both the fucibet and the hydrocortesone that seemed to make it worst.

It started with a stinging, burning sensation. The type of sensation that occurs when you have scratched yourself. I ignored it and went on a camping trip to South Wales to drag a tyre around the Brecon Beacons with a couple of 60 year olds.

3-4 days later some small blisters appeared. With eczema, it is not unusual to have blisters where some infection has occurred. Unfortunately the blisters continued to be sore and looked like they were spreading. They wept, became lumpy and ugly the more the steroid creams were applied. Thus stopped the application of steroid creams anywhere on my body as I thought there was a chemical reaction and now the same blisters were spreading onto my stomach. Really gross to touch (pic on right).

Two days later after the picture was taken, ran a 1/2 marathon. Felt tired, the pain on the back was bearable but completed the run even if it was a poor time. A friend who I'd shown the rash too said it looked similar to shingles (oh dear might have infected thousands as have been going into work)

Decided to drop into A&E (hospital) to get them to evaluate and give me an exact prognosis. L4 shingles it was! And yes the application of the steroid creams was making it worst. However by the time I had dropped into A&E the blisters had already dried out. Doc said I had only been infectious to those who did not have a vaccination against chicken pox or those who did not have chicken pox whilst the blisters were weeping. I could still go to work! Unfortunately as the virus was already on the way out there was nothing that could be done to ease the pain, and that it was possible that I could feel the pain for up to two months.

Doc recommended bathing in bath water with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to reduce the intense itching and taking painkillers if the pain became unbearable.

Helping the Healing Process of Shingles
So having been told there was nothing that could be done, I of course did an internet search to find out about how to quickly reduce the post symptoms. Plenty of vitamin A, C and B to help nerve endings to be healed. So for the week I got through a 500g bag of baby carrots, a bag of
oranges and ate marmite sandwiches everyday.

I really don't know if that helped, but the pain was gone by the end of the week. So hopefully the nerve endings have been able to heal quickly.

As for running, well should have taken it easy as the virus could do further damage with a reduction in the immune system. So I have taken it easy otherwise my running buddies will give me an earful.

Got to find something else to eat!…might as well.

One of my girlfriends just related to me how her child started to scratch herself. Apparently, Emily has got anxiety problems in school and could not deal with the stress. She was not able to fully articulate her feelings when asked how she was doing.

Her scratching got worse in the night. By the time she woke up, she had visible marks on her legs and hands. Since stress was the major trigger for Emily, it is only obvious that if she is given appropriate help to reduce her anxieties, the attack on herself will lessen.

A child can show signs of stress in a variety of ways. It is not always so easy to detect by parents or guardians. Some signs of stress in children include sleeplessness, changes in conduct, and excessive attachment to parents, teachers, or guardians.

Children naturally pick up on the anxieties and worries of their parents and are aware of change in parent’s moods. Hence, your ability to cope with stress and admitting your feelings about your stress will help children manage better.

Children will display stress fitting to their age. Preschool children may cling to parents and be anxious about where their parents are when away from them. School-age children may express angry thoughts about life not being fair. It’s important to listen to your children’s talk and responses to be alert to changes in their behavior.

It is not only with the adults but depression can also hit a child. A child can suffer from problems distinguishing between reality and make-believe. Many children experience a loss of belief in the parent’s protection. They realize their parents are sometimes powerless to prevent some disasters.

So if your child has an eczema blow up all of a sudden, you may want to investigate if it is due to some stress. Help him or her to release negative emotions. Look for ways to help him or her address the anxiety that is felt. Your child’s late night scratchings will start to drop as his or her stress eases away.

Studies done on the emotional impact of a health related problems is helpful for those suffering the illness or disease to understand their own emotional issues. it also help their loved ones and others who care for the individual to understand the emotional impact also. Take a look at this study which provides a good understanding of how eczema sufferers are emotionally impacted.

The actual link to the study is at the following url:
http://www.nationaleczema.org/Images-Of-Isolation/about.asp#isolate

Here is an overview of the study:

The International Study of Life with ATopic Eczema (ISOLATE), a large-scale global study that assessed the impact of the emotional suffering of people with eczema released this study based on the interviews of 2,002 patients from 8 countries. The only demographic information given was on the age of the participants which was people over the age of 13, and caregivers of children between the ages of 2-13, with moderate to severe eczema.

– On average, 55% of patients worried about the next eczema flare.

– On average, 86% of patients decreased their activities during a flare-up.

– 75% of caregivers felt that effectively controlling eczema would be #1 improvement in their child's quality of life.

– On average, 43% of eczema sufferers are concerned about how people perceive them.

– On average, eczema sufferers took 2.5 days off school or work per year.

– 9% of the time their concentration is affected at school or work when their skin is inflamed.

– 74% of patients and caregivers state that their physicians have never discussed the emotional impact that eczema has had on their lives.

As a mother of a child who suffered with eczema for 4 years, I understand and lived through these statistics. It is why I choose to put together a newsletter to help parents find effective solutions that will allow them to regain their quality of life (theirs and their child's). It is so much nicer to not have to worry about the next flare up. It is so much more comforting to see my son enjoy the company of others without being judged based on his skin condition.

If you are a parent of a child with eczema and you are looking for effective treatment for eczema then sign up for my free newsletter at http://www.stopmychildseczema.com

Sandra Hurd, MS
Health Educator and Nutrition Coach
http://www.stopmychildseczema.com

Psoriasis patients not only suffer from the debilitating effects of their symptoms but also experience much emotional pain. Admittedly the appearance of psoriasis can be frightening with reddened scaly skin, pustules and bleeding blisters.

If you're a psoriasis sufferer, you may feel ostracised if those around you have little knowledge about this condition and who would prefer to avoid coming into close contact, thinking that you may be contagious or something. Consequently, you feel a wide range of emotions such as shock, sadness, confusion, anger, frustration, embarrassment and depression.

Learning how to deal with your emotions is equally as important as learning how to live physically with this chronic skin disorder. Your self esteem can be affected; thereby having an impact on almost every aspect of your life. Work and relationships suffer tremendously when you are struck by severe psoriasis symptoms. You may find it hard to get a job or to get into a relationship especially if you are self conscious about your appearance.

You will need to pull yourself up in every way you can:

1. Share information about psoriasis especially the fact that it is not contagious.

2. Do not pre-judge that others are definitely going to react negatively when they first meet you.

3. Join support groups, which can lend a listening ear to the problems that you face with psoriasis.

4. Keep a journal about your feelings. Expressing your inner thoughts is a way of emotional release. This is better than bottling your sadness, which can make life miserable for you!

5. Listen to self affirmation tapes and aim to increase your self esteem and confidence. For more tips on increasing self esteem and finding happiness, check out my other blog here.

Tip! In babies, the most common type of eczema is atopic eczema. This type of eczema is characterized by itching, and red, scaly skin on the scalp, face, arms or legs.
If you suffer from eczema you are not alone. Eczema is a skin condition that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. [...]

Many months have passed, many new things learned, many new tools available.  All striving to be safe, cheap, effective, repeatable… all the trademarks of TRUE CURES.
This new cure protocol refers to text I have done in the Cure Manual.  No sense in repeating things.  The Cure Manual is supposed to cure every incurable disease.  There [...]

To all the newbies looking for a cure for your eczema.  Yes, I promise you you will be cured.  But the first to be cured will be your mind.  You must have patience and read this website, and the logic of the cure protocols and the nature of human health.  When you know and understand, [...]

Well, the peach fuzz was only the beginning. Over a relatively short period of time, we discovered other food irritants. All fruits and vegetables must be washed extra good. The skins can cause a reaction. For example, Dakota dearly loved watermelon, but once he bit too far and got a little piece of the rind. This caused a reaction. (As a result, he is too wary of watermelon to eat much of it now.) The big allergy is tree nuts–not peanuts–tree nuts. I had never heard of this before. Nuts that grow on trees like pecans, walnuts, etc. It's crazy. I am very glad the allergy doesn't include peanuts. His reaction to the nuts include severe abdominal cramps, sweating, face getting very red, face swelling, lips swelling, tongue and throat tickling/swelling. It's a scary thing to witness…and for him to experience. He has an epipen. The throat tickling can go to totally restricted in a second. He does not even have to swallow the nut to have reactions this severe. He has actually had to inject the epipen only once, thankfully. Interestingly enough, I discovered that peaches are actually in the tree nut family, which explains that allergy. We decided we should get Dakota's allergies tested for other "enemies".