Arrrrrghh! I feel so annoyed. My clinic over the last two days has been filled with little children who have been suffering from severe eczema. They are itchy, cranky, uncomfortable and their parents distressed. They have seen health professionals who have prescribed moisturizers, hydrocortisone and stronger steroid creams. But to no avail. Food allergy has not even been considered.
They were three children today who had positive skin tests to egg. They have all been breast-feed and then others have been eating eggs (they have thought that the good protein would help in breast milk). Unfortunately, it has precipitated eczema. These poor babies have egg allergy. They are miserable. Most will also be allergic to cow's milk.
I am treating them with a probiotic, a hypoallergenic diet and suggest weaning them from the breast (or mother to completely cut eggs out of her diet). I expect them to have perfect skin within the month.
What I am annoyed about is that their medical practitioner did not even consider a food allergy in the diagnosis. The limit of their treatment was creams and potions. What frustrates me is that I have been teaching about food allergy and eczema for over 30 years. There has been almost no learning from my colleagues. This is despite immediate food allergy occurring in 8% of the baby population. What can be done to spread the message?
Some of these babies go on to develop gluten-sensitivity.
Cheers, Dr Rodney Ford.
Back photo shows skin test positive to egg
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