Have you seen the video posted in Elica’s official Facebook page? If not, it’s about a group of mommas, or Eczemoms, who shared about their “firsts” when they noticed those rashes on their kids’ skin. It feels good to know that there are other moms out there who felt and went through the same thing I did when I found out my eldest daughter has eczema. Mind you mommas, eczema is not as simple as it seems and I’m glad to find out that there were moms who were confused, worried, and eventually learned to manage this condition.
Yes, I am an eczemom and proud. Even if my child has eczema, I proactively manage her condition by seeking medical advice, knowing my child’s triggers, and making sure I find ways to help her manage her skin.
My Eczemom Story
It started when my daughter was only a month old. I noticed red, scaly rashes all over her face, arms, and legs. I was told that it could go away, so our then-pedia recommended to change her milk first and encouraged me to breastfeed more. She also told me to keep on moisturizing her skin to prevent the skin from getting dry. Eventually, the rashes went away and I was relieved.
Well, not until 2014 when my daughter was two years old. The red, scaly rashes were back, especially on her back and the creases or insides of the elbow and knee areas. She kept scratching and complaining about how itchy it was to the point that she was having a hard time sleeping at night. Lotion (for moisturizing) and washing her off using the water from boiled guava leaves helped, but it wasn’t enough since she’ll only experience relief for a few days.
As a mother, seeing my child suffer is heartbreaking. It made me feel guilty because I felt that I wasn’t doing enough to help her. We decided to go to a pedia-derma to effectively address her condition and put an end to it once and for all.
“Eczema yan. Atopic dermatitis,” my daughter’s pedia-derma said.
I was confused and unfamiliar with this skin condition, I asked a lot of questions about it. I also read a lot of articles about eczema, which is another term for atopic dermatitis, how it can be acquired, possible triggers, and what can be done to manage the skin condition. More importantly, I paid closer attention to my daughter to identify her triggers (in her case, it’s heat, so perspiring is a big no-no). 
Unfortunately, although there are treatments for eczema, it stays with the child forever.
It was difficult dealing with eczema especially when you have a toddler who considers everything as play and perspiring is inevitable. We also had to make sure that she won’t perspire that much, so yes, you can just imagine how much our electricity bill was at that time to prevent flare-ups. Sun exposure is likewise controlled because again, heat is among her triggers.
Oh, and treatment process is another story. We used a particular lotion, which was not available in the Philippines at that time, but nevertheless recommended and can be bought at our derma’s clinic. She also recommended a specialized cream that Mercury has to mix according to the given specifications and to be applied three times a day. Thankfully, she did get better and rashes were gone in less than three days.
But eczema keeps on coming back.
If eczema is challenging, having an active child with this skin condition adds more challenge to the situation. Sadly, it keeps coming back no matter how much we keep her skin moisturized. My daughter also started to develop tolerance to the cream we’re using because she wasn’t responding to the cream as well as before. I had to look for another alternative and saw the commercial of Mometasone Furoate (Elica) on TV. I decided to give it a try and thankfully, it did work on her with no adverse reactions like more redness or skin inflammation. Rashes on her arms and behind the thighs were gone after one day of application and I’m satisfied with the results. 
Every time I notice scaly rashes on her skin, I stopped panicking. In fact, here’s what I did:
- Moisturizing is key. I apply her derma-recommended lotion or castor oil three times daily to keep my daughter’s skin moisturized. My daughter’s pedia-derma also told me to apply the lotion at least two to three minutes after bath to lock-in the moisture.
- Scrubbing or using bath towel made my child’s skin drier; hence a big NO-NO!
- Hot showers are a big NO-NO too.
- I keep the house cool, especially during summer. Heat is one of my daughter’s biggest triggers, so I always make sure that our house is well-ventilated.
More importantly, I found a cream that I can trust and it happened to be Elica. We saw visible results within 24 hours from the time we first applied it, thereby reducing redness, itching, and swelling of the skin. The best part is you can buy it over-the-counter in most drugstores. Elica worked for us, but I still suggest that you seek medical advice since what works for us may not work for others.
Eczemoms, you are not alone. In fact, I feel you and I know what you are going through. I know how frustrating this could be especially when we see our kids suffering from this condition. Don’t blame yourself and instead, find solutions to make eczema more manageable.
Oh and I got great news for all the Eczemoms out there. There is now an Eczemom community through Elica Facebook page. Make sure to join and get connected with fellow Eczemoms like me and together, let’s help and support one another in managing this condition called eczema.
Remember moms. Use with caution on children and pregnant women. Do not use for more than two weeks. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
Ayi is a stay-at-home mom of two. When her kids are in their best state, she keeps up with chores, work, and ensuring that her sanity is intact. Join her as she navigates through this rollercoaster ride called motherhood.
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