One Mom Chooses Natural

Sarah Cushing’s journey with eczema began just six months her tow-haired son Ayden was born. By the time he was a year and a half his eczema was severe, and the family entered the world of sleepless nights, infected skin and relentless flares. Ayden was prescribed strong steroid creams. Systemic drugs were also becoming available for very young kids, but giving her toddler these drugs scared her.

“I decided I wanted to treat his eczema naturally as much as possible. I spent most of my time researching more holistic options and working with eczema groups.” Along the way, Sarah learned a lot about the underlying causes that contributed to eczema. She tried a slew of treatments, lotions, supplements, and herbs. Nothing worked. “It was really frustrating. I felt like I was on my own to figure this all out.”

Sarah finally concluded that each child’s eczema is unique and might be related to gut microbiome. She sought out a personalized assessment for Ayden through a process called GI mapping and OAT Testing. Relatively new, GI mapping identifies the mix of bacteria in a child’s gut so that specific supplements can be prescribed tailored to individualized needs.

Ayden’s eczema began to stabilize, but he continues to have flares. Today at age 4, his condition is better managed and the family has begun to sleep better and feel more relaxed. “We all have a bit of PTSD from our experience with Ayden’s eczema,” says Sarah. 

Sarah decided to use Dr Aron’s topical cream (which contains an antibiotic) with good results. “I know it’s not natural, but right now it has been keeping it at bay while we are trying to heal Ayden’s gut and work on his picky eating” says Sarah. 

What has Sarah learned from her experience? “It is lonely, scary and frustrating to figure this all out on your own.” Sarah only recently found GPER which gave her access to research she could rely on. She also participated in GPER’s Caregiver Program and found the advice she received from her mentor, Stephanie, invaluable.