Eczema-stricken boy, two, who used to SCREAM in pain during bath time is no longer left in agony in the tub because of a ‘miracle’ £4.99 bubble bath
- Beth Goss said that her son Jay would scream in pain during bath time
- He used emollients and steroid creams to keep his eczema at bay
- But bath time would irritate his skin and make the eczema flare-up again
- Since using Oilatum Bath Foam, Jay’s skin has ‘never looked better’
An eczema-stricken boy no longer screams during bath time because of a ‘miracle’ £4.99 bubble bath.
Jay Goss used to be left in so much pain in the tub that his mother, Beth, previously contemplated taking him to A&E.
The two-year-old has suffered from sore, cracked eczema since he was four months old, which got progressively worse as he aged.
Ms Goss, 27, from Brighton, said doctors prescribed emollients and steroid creams which helped keep the rash at bay.
But bath time was excruciating for him because the water and generic soap would pierce through his cracked skin and cause a flare-up.
Ms Goss tried Oilatum Bath Foam on recommendation and was ‘blown away’ by the result. She said Jay’s skin has ‘never looked better’.
Beth Goss, 27, has praised a ‘miracle’ £4.99 bubble bath – Oilatum Bath Foam – for helping her eczema-stricken two-year-old son, Jay (pictured)
Ms Goss said Jay’s skin has ‘never looked better’ since using gentle soaps at bath time
Oilatum Bath Foam is a gentle soap for eczema-prone skin
Ms Goss told MailOnline: ‘We had nothing to lose so gave it a go and we were blown away with the results.
‘From the very first use, it soothed the skin and showed no sign of any making the condition worse.
‘His skin feels soft and a lot less itchy. I am extremely grateful for an easy result which doesn’t come with prescription.’
One in five children in the UK under the age of two are affected by eczema, figures show.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common form of eczema. About 13 per cent of children in the US have atopic dermatitis.
A number of factors cause eczema and its flare-ups over life. It is not curable, only manageable, and it may randomly ease in severity by itself.
The environment can make eczema worse, with the most common triggers being the heat, dust, wool, pets and irritants such as soaps and washing detergents.
Recalling when Jay’s skin was at its worst, Ms Goss said: ‘It was always red raw, bumpy and extremely dry. It was horrible to see my little boy in so much pain.’
Ms Goss said she visited the GP several times to try and figure out what was irritating Jay’s skin, and each time, it would be a different answer.
Ms Goss, from Brighton, said doctors prescribed emollients and steroid creams which helped keep the rash at bay. But bath time was still difficult
Bathing would cause Jay’s skin to become sorer, as soaps and bathing can worsen eczema
Ms Goss said she nearly took Jay to A&E because his skin was so sore. Pictured, his side
‘From food allergies, to washing powder to perfumes. It didn’t provide us with that quick fix I was hoping for,’ Ms Goss said.
‘The doctor eventually prescribed an emollient cream but it did not give the expected results as Jay’s skin continued to cause him discomfort and looked extremely sore.
‘We kept returning to the doctors who prescribed a steroid cream. While this did help reduce the eczema flare ups, I knew of the damaging effect long term steroid cream use can have so I didn’t want Jay using it forever.’
Topical steroids are very effective for eczema if they are used appropriately, doctors say.
Recalling when Jay’s skin was at its worst, Ms Goss said: ‘It was always red raw, bumpy and extremely dry. It was horrible to see my little boy in so much pain’
Jay had food allergy testing to see if his skin rash was caused by something in his diet
Ms Goss said Jay’s skin feels soft and a lot less itchy since using Oilatum Bath Foam
WHAT IS THE ‘MIRACLE’ BUBBLE BATH?
Beth Goss used Oilatum Bath Foam to improve her son’s eczema, which was aggravated by bath time. She now also uses Oilatum Head to Toe wash.
Both products have the same description but different uses.
They have been developed with dermatologists for use on babies and children with dry skin, and are also suitable for those prone to eczema.
The products contains gentle but effective cleansers for dry skin and aren’t abrasive on the natural moisture barrier in young skin. They are designed to protect the skin and reduce dry skin.
Oilatum Daily Junior Head to Toe Wash can be added to a flannel or the hand and worked into a lather before applying on wet skin or hair. Oilatum Daily Junior Bath Foam can be added to the bath.
They are both £4.99 for 300ml at Boots.
But used for too long, in the wrong areas or with a potency too strong, they may cause side effects such as thinning of the skin.
It is not uncommon for people with eczema to rely on steroid creams for a lifetime because it is a chronic condition.
Ms Gross said Jay’s skin was not improving with steroid creams and so she explored suspicions that it may instead be a food allergy causing his skin to break out.
Food allergy is more common in people with eczema, but it is not a cause of eczema. It can fuel symptoms, therefore a change in diet may help prevent the eczema getting worse.
Ms Goss said: ‘I had suffered with mild eczema as a child but on certain parts of my body. This was all over Jay which made me question whether it was a food intolerance rather than eczema.
‘We started to cut certain foods out of his diet to pinpoint the direct cause, but were at a loss when his skin problems continued.
‘We spent so many sleepless nights cuddling Jay who would be crying and itching aggressively at his skin. My partner and I felt so helpless and we were desperate for an answer.’
After months of little success at home, Jay was referred to a children’s hospital in Brighton to test for food allergies.
Ms Goss said she would spend sleepless nights cuddling Jay who was scratching his skin
Ms Goss said Jay now enjoys bath time and his eczema hasn’t flared up
WHAT IS ECZEMA?
Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin that leads to redness, blistering, oozing, scaling and thickening.
It usually appears in the first few months of life and affects around 10 per cent of babies.
Eczema’s cause is not fully understood but it is thought to be brought on by the skin’s barrier to the outside world not working properly, which allows irritants and allergy-inducing substances to enter.
It may be genetic due to the condition often running in families.
As well as their skin being affected, sufferers may experience insomnia and irritability.
Many factors can make eczema worse. These may include:
- Heat, dust, soap and detergents
- Being unwell, such as having a cold
- Infections
- Dry skin
- Stress
There is no cure for eczema, however, 70 per cent of childhood sufferers no longer have the condition in their teens.
Patients should avoid known triggers for flare ups and use emollients.
Source: British Skin Foundation
Ms Goss said: ‘Due to many food diaries and logs completed over time, the consultant and I narrowed down 16 food types to test.
‘Fortunately for him the results came back all clear of no allergies, but left us still in a position of not knowing the cause.
‘Still having concerns, we were referred to the dermatology department where they confirmed that the skin problems were eczema.
‘The dermatologist prescribed him with a much stronger steroid cream which cleared the rash up and now we use an emollient daily to keep it under control.’
But the family were still struggling with bath time.
Ms Goss said: ‘His skin became so sore that having a bath, something which is usually fun for parents and their children, became a horrible experience for us.
‘Bath lotions and soaps were causing his skin to worsen.
‘He would scream in pain. We had to refrain from using any lotions, soaps or bubbles on him as this aggravated the skin and resorted to quick baths using just water and a sponge to clean him.’
Ms Goss’ mother-in-law recommended a brand called Oilatum which she had used to help her with a very rare skin condition.
Ms Goss now uses both Oilatum Head to Toe wash and the Oilatum Bath Foam daily and said: ‘Jay’s skin has never looked better.
‘It’s not come up in any kind of rash, nor has his eczema been irritated by these products.
‘This result feels like a huge success for parents who have had a long time of watching their children in pain, especially during bath time when soaps can cause stinging.
‘Jay can now enjoy his bubble bath, a normal part of childhood, without us having the constant worry of repercussions.’
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