Morning ladies, its been a while, hope everyone is doing well....

Have a little one that has eczema,

Well the last month or so child has had a rash around the mouth, mom come in this morning and said that little one almost 2 is allergic to something here, what kind of soap do you use.

I told her that I use the same stuff I have always used, I never change the soaps (child has been coming to me for over a year)....

Mom's like oh cause child's mouth broke out / flared up again, after I had it almost all cleared up,,,,(has rash all around mouth has been like that for about a month or two no where else, rest of eczema is fine, I have not changed anything here, food wise or other wise)....

Child constantly has soothers in mouth until here when I take them away, mom will go and buy more if they are left here over weekend. (not saying that is the cause, but....)....

Any ideas, on why or what its from?????
Like I said I have not changed anything food wise or soap wise....

Yes I have had issues with this parent before, mind you things have been quite for some time.

Would really like some insight on this, for I don't believe it's from here but how do I tell mom that.....

Thanks again ladies......

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First, you could tell Mom to go ahead and have him tested for allergies so that you can eliminate whatever it is that he is determined to be allergic to.

A rash around the mouth is probably from the pacifier and/or drooling or sucking on the lips.

The thing that worked best for me is Perfectly Posh's skin stick called "The Healer". You could recommend to mom that she seek one out and give it a try to heal and protect that skin around the mouth.

It's just another mom trying to put all responsibility on someone else, so I wouldn't get too involved in it. I'll share with parents what I think will help, then step away.

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My 9 yo grandson started breaking out with rashes all around his mouth all of a sudden. On the third visit to the dr they sent him to an allergist. Allergist said it was a sign of an oral allergy. Turned out to be tree nuts for him. He loves all tree nuts and ate them all the time. No more!

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I would try getting rid of the pacifier first, there's a good chance it's irritating the skin (my first went through that). If dcm can be on board with ditching it at home too,and you trust her to actually do it, that's where I'd start. Then require an allergist if it isn't solved or you think dcm won't take the pacifier away

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Sounds like good old chapped lips to me. Chapstick with ointment will clear it but that's on mom.

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Mom will not take soother away, child has not had them here for well over 8 months, I have told mom that child does not need them and that child does not have them here at all.... I have even hid / kept them all all here and mom goes out and buys new ones, she says that child walks around at home with at least 5 in hand all the time.... (I gave up on fighting that battle a while ago..)
I will tell / ask her to get child checked for allergies for I don't believe it is from anything here.... see what she says to that,,,, thanks ladies....

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I just messaged mom adn told her that I had thought about what she had said this morning and that I truly believe that it is from child's soothers, that I have not change or done anything different since child has been coming here. I told her that I recommend that she call her doctor to make an allergy testing appointment for next week, to be 100% sure if child does or doesn't have allergies and that I would need the report from the specialist for my files and to post that there is a child in my care with allergies.


DO you think that I should state that until they find out and I have the report in hand that child is not permitted to attend do to not knowing if child has any allergies, for the child's safety.... ?????

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I probably wouldn't exclude yet, as it can take some time to get into an allergist. I would want proof she has an appointment. And I may give her a time deadline for the appt. Say a month maybe. Allergies can be serious, but since you don't really believe it is that, I would give her time to make an appointment. As far as the soothers, I am not sure what to tell you.

I have excema, and it can be a bear to get rid of. And I have more issues this time of year when it gets hot, especially where my clothing makes me more hot (bra area, waistband, etc.). But I have never had a break out around my mouth. I can say anything that would irritate the skin could start the issue and it grows from there it seems, so it very well could be the soothers.

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It sounds like a teething rash from the all the drool

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Thanks ladies,

Mom come back with - child has already gone to the doctor about the eczema that's what it is but it is being triggered by something touching child's face they already told that at child's last visit.....


I restated that I still believe that it is the soothers, but she should make an appointment to be tested for allergies to be safe..... as of right now she does not want to get child tested....

SO I am at a loss, and I AM NOT going to waste my time and energy to convince her other wise.....

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP ladies.... Have a great day....

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If the mom refuses, there is nothing you can do about it. The mom doesn't want to admit that is something she's doing (letting the child walk around with a pacifier).

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If a parent tells me they think it is an allergy, I require them to get tested or they can't return to care. Some allergies can be deadly, and I can't shoulder the responsibility of that. MOM is the one saying it is an allergy, put it back on her. Tell her flat out it is a liability you refuse to take on. Any time a parent comes saying something like that is something I am doing and I know it isn't, I push it back on them hard.

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I've been thinking about it since she stated it yesterday morning.... and I can not stop feeling uneasy, not knowing if it is or is not allergies.... I will ask her one more time to get child tested for allergies..... I honestly don't believe that she will take child to get tested.....

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Then I would term her. Once someone brings up the possibility, it is a big liability since a child could possibly die. And that is what I would tell her. Get the testing, or find other care. Once you accuse me of something life threatening, I am pretty much done.

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Is the child developing a latex allergy? I had a dcg a long time ago all of a sudden be allergic to bandaids and her binky.

We cut out both and the face rash disappeared in two days. Maybe offer the plastic allergy as a potential issue to dcm?

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My dd's eczema reacted to so much when she was a baby and still reacts to many things....

The biggest improvement was when I got a second medical opinion and that doctor had me do an elimination diet diary was the first thing to go but you have to be willing to give it up for 3 weeks before you might see improvements. Dairy still drastically affects my dd's eczema it might not be a full allergy but it could be an intolerance which most doctors will still give you an allergy sheet for to use with the Food Program etc.

1. My advice is to ask mom to consult the pediatrician!
She would ask specially if the baby could be reacting to diary or something in the diet.

If so DCM should ask can they do an elimination diet to determine that or would they have to do a full allergy testing?

I will say having dd formally allergy tested later worked best for us but the dairy did not register on that test (peanuts did register as an allergy as well as several other items). However whenever I add cow dairy to her diet without limitations her skin does react, dairy it tricky because it build up in the system over time which is why it takes 3 weeks to leave your system completely.

2. Keep Skin Hydrated
I use special lotion and body wash on dd for use only school cetaphil works best body wash wise and lotion wise I like shea butter or aquaphor work best. We could not use any Aveeno / Johnson & Johnson / Burts Bees - we could use California Baby and LOVED their calendula cream and still can only use their bubble bath but they are $$$$$ and my dd is now 9 so it is alot more skin than when she was three months with eczema.

3. Consider other triggers in the environment
Some I see often are laundry detergent / body products. So I would look at those and ask mom to make any special alternations needed.

In example when my dd was in preschool:

I had to wash her nap blanket in her laundry detergent, they wanted to keep it at the school 100% of the time so I provided her detergent for the entire class and they washed them all in the same BUT I will willing to just take my dd's blanket home each week.

The pacifier often leaves kids with saliva sitting on their skin around the mouth for a child with eczema this could be an irritation...

Dry weather like the middle of winter and summer here in California always trigger my dd so I have to keep skin extra hydrated.

Changes in weather affect pollen / mold etc also trigger

Please know mom is most likely struggling with this and not really getting the answers she needs to feel like she is doing right by the child. Just when you feel you have it under control it flares up and you don't know why.... My dd had her first eczema outbreak at 2 months and at 9 it is still something I have to work to maintain.

Also want to state this is not your battle or responsibility it was something I never put on my dd's preschool. I asked about the detergent and we came up with a solution together. I provided a doctor's note stating dd could not have milk and dd's preschool served her soy/almond milk.

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I've got eczema and have found that my own sweat and saliva make it worse, so it's possible the drool is causing it to flare up.

Like CityGarden said, mom is probably struggling with this too. It's true that you think you've got it under control then it flares up out of nowhere. I'm currently having a flare-up that I can't figure out the cause of, even though I've had it my whole life and thought I had figured out how to handle it.

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