New pediatric eczema case

[Guest guest]

Ann, Pete, et al.....

 

My apologies for cross-posting to this List, but I'm seeking as much

information as I can obtain for a current patient.

 

-Indian male, 3.7 y.o; very alert and bright, sunny disposition;

seems easily bored

-Parents are young professionals who seems very compliant thusfar,

and avow that they are willing to continue treatment for the " long

haul "

-Breast fed for about 3 months

-All " regular " immunizations

-Only one instance of an ear infection

-Diagnosed early (3 mos) with food allergies, later with -

environmental allergies

-Asthma: manifests few Sx and has never had an " asthmatic attack "

-Often has bronchial congestion and gets colds and runny nose

-His eyes have good Shen and there are no collapses of energy except

at night

-No clearly defined pattern of phlegm or heat or deficiency

-No observable finger vein

-Rash is itchy, skin dry, and the eczema looks like patches of

reptilian skin, primarily on the lower extremities (occasional small

patches on the ventral aspect of the wrist); redder than the

surrounding area, but no visible signs of exudate

-Marked, itchy dandruff

-He is strong with good energy & appetite; BM 1-2x/day; constipated

on rare occasions

-No unusual color on the face; parents moisturize his skin every two

hours with Aquaphor when he is at home; occasional use of

hydrocortisone at home and at daycare

-Pulse: rapid, but not in excess of 110-120, possibly slippery

-Tongue: quite red, neither excessively wet nor dry; deep center

crack that extends to lung area but not the tip

-Cervical chain lymph nodes visible at a distance

-He is generally warm, kicks covers off at night; eczema exacerbated

by the sun

-Plays outside at daycare for an hour per day - asphalt, dirt, grass

-Wears long pants except when sleeping

-Good appetite, vegan diet; diagnosed allergic to wheat, milk, corn,

peanuts, plus a couple of other things; (his mother consumed the

allergic foods during pregnancy); also diagnosed with environmental

allergies

-TV limited to half hour per day

 

I have seen this child for four visits to date. His initial diagnosis

was LPF (lingering pathogenic factor) with damp heat; and SP and LU

qi xu. We began with advising the parents to eliminate all known

food allergens, and ways to reduce environmental issues in the home.

Treatment has generally been to needle no more than four points

bilaterally with in/out method - LI 11, LU 5, ST 40, SP 10, ST 36 -

which he tolerates well. We have then used cupping on the large

patches on his legs, which often elicits a yellowish fluid similar to

what one would expect with Si Feng. (I have chosen not to needle Si

Feng to date, not wishing to jeopardize the trust I've built with

him. He loves the cupping game and often participates in it).

 

He was markedly worse the week after the first treatment, but I think

that was purely coincidental. Our weather had been damp and humid

for the first time this year. At the second visit I put him on flax

seed oil for the skin dryness. Fish oil would have been my

preference, but not acceptable to a vegan family.

 

On the third visit, his eczema was barely visible and the parents

very excited and optimistic. His father occasionally works from

home, so the child was not at daycare that week, and the father could

more strictly control his diet and also moisturize his skin

frequently.

 

Wednesday was the fourth visit, and he had experienced an

exacerbation of the condition again, not entirely coinciding with his

return to daycare. There were claw marks still visible on his skin

from the scratching two days prior. We asked the parents to avoid

the use of the hydrocortisone cream if at all possible. (Apparently

the people at daycare become frustrated with his scratching and apply

it just to get him to stop.........with the parents' permission)

 

My questions are 1) what sort of ointment or topical agent would you

recommend to alleviate the intense itching, 2) what herbal formula(s)?

It would be far easier to use a patent formula, but I can also have

an herbalist compound something for him, given the exact proportions.

Considering his age, it seems more workable to use a liquid. (I am

not really interested in using a homeopathic preparation)

 

Have any of you used Gentle Warrior's " Fire Fighter "

or " Windbreaker " , either of which might be appropriate?

 

Ann, I was looking at Lonicera 13 last night, but again, due to his

age think that a liquid might work better. From whom do you buy the

Waleda Skin Food.

 

Appreciate all your thoughts on this case. Many thanks for the help!

 

Kay King