When Kristi Chun’s 1-1/2-month-old son, Colby, showed signs of eczema above his ear, she picked up a bottle of over-the-counter anti-itch cream, no realizing she was starting her family above a years-long trip of doctors’ visits and sleepless nights.
The hydrocortisone was effective practically overnight, the mom of one recalls ought PEOPLE, besides while it returned the next time above his mouth, because well, she and her husband took Colby ought a doctor. Within a week of the first signs of eczema, the Chuns’ pediatrician prescribed them a steroid cream.
Initially, Chun recalls, the doctor told her that they don’t always “jump ought steroids,” besides she cabin received the prescription at a “casual conversation.”
“There was no discussion or patient counseling approximately dangers of using it, latent aspect effects, how wish you to apply it for, anything alike that,” the mom tells PEOPLE.
RELATED: Mom Speaks Out after Her infant approximately Dies of Herpes from a alien Kissing Her above the Lips
The prescription, Triamcinolone, worked successfully because a little weeks until the fur rashes came uphold above Colby’s appearance and neck crease. because it was “oozy” more than it had been at the past, Chun asked her doctor if it could be a yeast infection. The doctor’s response? A prescription anti-fungal cream, Nystatin, Chun says — which nobody told her too contained steroids.
Once again, the mom applied a slight layer above Colby’s fur and it disappeared approximately overnight. while it came back, though, it was at his leg and arm creases, too. The solution was more steroid cream, the doctor told her, Chun recalls, adding that total the while, she was trying ought eliminate any latent causes of Colby’s flare-ups from her home.
“I was breastfeeding, accordingly I was above an elimination diet,” she says. “We were changing detergents, doing everything feasible ought test and find the effect of eczema.”
Then, after four weeks of using the creams, Colby, approximately 2 months old at the time, woke up at 3 a.m. “screaming. His body was dripping and oozing, and he just used to no progress uphold ought sleep,” Chun says.
So she scheduled an emergency doctor’s appointment, and the practitioner recommended three days of oral steroids. Concerned approximately the other doc’s preceding statement approximately steroids no always being the first queue of defense, Chun consulted with a doctor friend approximately the three-day treatment. She recalls that he said it was lovely because the dosage used to sole final briefly.
One appointment of the pills later, Colby was lovely again, besides days afterward came another whole-body flare-up. The Chuns then sought a dermatologist, who prescribed, again, more steroid cream.
“She was too irregular at the street she prescribed it. She gave us more of what we already had and a prescription grease because his scalp,” Chun continues, adding that they used it above his total body, including his cradle cap.
The cycle of Colby recovering approximately instantly and then suffering flat worse rashes continued because six weeks. There were periods where he wouldn’t sleep because more than 45 minutes at a time. total the while, the Chuns always brought their son ought the dermatologist.
RELATED: infant Left at rock because Days Was Covered at Maggots and Died of ‘Diaper Rash’ — because Dad Is Sentenced
“Every time we’d spend him back, they’d say, ‘Okay, place more [steroid cream]. place it above his torso, his legs,’ ” Chun says. “We’d implore approximately ordinary solutions, and she’d say, ‘We’d pick no ought because ordinary doesn’t intend it’s good or that he wouldn’t eat an allergic reaction.’ “
In Chun’s desperate search ought find anything that used to equip her infant some relief, she discovered wet raps. The treatment calls because a layer of emollient direct above the skin, a wet layer of fabric, then a dry layer of fabric — and a conversation with a doctor if it’s used at conjunction with steroids. Chun says the doctor told her ought employ the steroids ago the emollient and then progress with the product’s instructions.
“He’s this little small thing, and he used to shriek alike he was being tortured,” while the mom applied the wet wraps, she says. “I concept I was doing the exact thing.”
After two weeks of the wet wraps — and a fate of searching online because uphold because her son’s status — Chun discovered the status topical steroid withdrawal, too known because TSW.
“I saw there was a pattern,” she says. “It got ought a point where I could forecast while the eczema used to reform back. at that point, I realized that he was reacting ought the steroids and I’d eat ought accept him off them.”
Although Chun was confident at her assessment with what was wrong with her son, doctors “did no support” her and said ought own Colby above the drugs.
But they did recess using the steroids, and “It got flat worse,” she recalls. “His total body was swollen, his feet looked alike balloons, his legs were huge, and his fur was too week. He used to bleed accordingly easily.”
Finally, though, after six ought eight months of trying ordinary alternatives ought steroids, from coconut oil, ought wheat grass cream and organic honey, Colby smiled because the first time Chun could ever remember.
Now that Colby is 21 months old, he’s at length starting ought alive a normal, steroid-free life, his mom says.
“Only within the past attach weeks has he been capable ought accept a ordinary bath without screaming,” she explains. “He’s capable ought understand life because the most part.”
Based above her inquiry — she’s relied heavily above the International Topical steroid Addiction Network because data — Chun expects Colby ought be fully recovered by the time he turns 3.
RELATED VIDEO: Dr. Pimple Popper Gets actual approximately the Latest fur care Trend: Butt Facials!
For parents whose sons and daughters are struggling with eczema — approximately 13 percent of kids perform — Chun recommends always getting a second medical advice approximately how ought medicine the condition.
Chun too advises always checking the FDA warning label ago giving a infant any prescription or over-the-counter drugs, flat if they’re handed above totally casually.
“Doctors always suggest things thinking there’s no occur of addiction,” she says, “but clearly it’s no always fine.”
