Living at the Beach with Eczema: Lynsey’s Family Journey

“We live where we grew up in Bristol, a coastal city in western England with our two kids, Elsie 6 and Finley 10. It’s a great place to raise children, close to the ocean and near relatives.  We expected our family would have the same beach experiences we had when we were young. With Elsie’s ongoing eczema though, our trips to the seaside mean meltdowns because the saltwater is so painful for Elsie.

From the beginning I knew something wasn’t quite right with Elsie’s skin. It was dry, flaky and not nearly as healthy looking as Finley’s had been. Our pediatrician dismissed my concern.  By 6 months, though, it was obvious that we needed to help her with the rashes that covered her body.  We tried every kind of formula before settling on oatmeal milk.  

When she was diagnosed with eczema, we began daily baths and slathering her with emollients. When she didn’t improve, our pediatrician scolded us for not following instructions closely enough.  But we were! Finally, when she was 4, we saw a dermatologist who told us to stop the baths because they dried out Elsie’s skin, and prescribed more emollients, night-time mittens to stop her scratching while she slept, wraps and steroid creams.  

Until recently, Elsie slept with us so I could help her with her discomfort and scratching.  But now, at 6, she’s sleeping through the night in her own bed and things are on a more even keel.

We worried that Elsie would have trouble at school, and we were right to be concerned. The other kids make fun of her appearance sometimes and the teachers have a hard time with her emotions when she is uncomfortable. We feel like we need to educate everyone about our daughter’s conditions.

It’s amazing how many aspects of our lives are affected by eczema. Holidays are difficult. On a trip to Thailand, Elsie’s eczema flareup confined us to our hotel because she was so sensitive to allergens and heat.  

By now I know what works for my child and feel like we can maintain her condition.  I can concentrate on helping her accept her situation. Recently we’ve started spa days. We both slather ourselves with cream and pretend we are being pampered.  I’ve been searching for books that are written at her level to explain her eczema.

What support would have helped us when Elsie was little? I wish there were clinics that specialized in eczema so that we weren’t struggling to find information. I wish I had had other parents to talk to. I wish schools were more prepared to understand eczema. And I wish I knew about products that work for Elsie like sunscreen that doesn’t sting.

I feel like things are improving for us. I would be happy to join GPER’s Mentoring Program to help families who are going through the early years with eczema.”

Stay in touch with GPER by subscribing to our newsletter!