6.5 month infant with Eczema

My son has been struggling with 'Atopic dermatitis' since about 1.5 months old. He was born with a soft cleft palate therefore was not able to nurse, I pumped breast milk exclusively for 2 months and then he was on formula. He was seen by regular physician and was prescribed oral prednisolone along with other topical HC preparations. I believe after the prednisolone it became worse and it's been nothing but grief since. I have seen a naturopathic/homeopath however when the baby became ill with a super-bug staph infection (methacillan resistant!) I went back to the doctors and used the antibiotics. I AM FED UP WITH THE CRAP, it's terrible to see this child suffer and the only answer I get from so called specialists is that we must control it with steroids and antihistamines and the like. I do not accept this. With my naturopathic Dr we had tried Graphites LM2 however did not see improvement, then went to Lac Caninum 6CH and then about this same time was the infection when I went to mainstream medicine. Like I said I have had it, I have gone back to the Naturopath Dr however I am very interested in what Joe De Livera has had to say about the Arnica and have discussed same with my Dr. Has anyone had results with an infant with this remedy? I understand the point of view and what the homeopathy is to do and that is NOT necessarily a 'cure all quick' I just know that my child has not responded to anything and if he does it's with the prescribed 'crap' and he will look a little better for a day or two then it comes right throught it and I am desperate for a break for him as he has to have surgery within a month for the palate..... I don't want him on any more steroids or antibiotics going into this surgery.

This was my first pregnancy and first child. I had a textbook pregnancy, had one infection early in the pregnancy and one course of antibiotics, blood pressure was very good all the way through and always on the low side. I had a lot of personal stress and strife throughout the pregnancy and there emotional issues. The birth was enduced as he was over 11 days and then was posterior, and meconium, I had a epidural and I attribute that to the enducement, the suction was used (NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT) and the baby had a terrible suction bruise. He was taken immediately to the NICU and was given formula immediately .... they did not even ask me nor wait for me to try pump anything!!!! He was supplemented with formula if my milk couldn't keep up and needless to say there was stress at this time. He is a happy baby in spite of the mess his skin is in, he has quite a serious disposition and likes to sit back an take all the action in rather than be the center of attention. He has been on a Hypoallergenic formula since February (nutramigen) and I am going to switch him back to a regular formula as nothing changed or got better when he was out on the Nutramigen... just the cost!!! He has been eating solids, rice cereal, oat cereal, some fruits and vegetables, yogurt, he seems to tolerate all well and then again it's hard to tell if he reacts because his skin is such a mess, but I haven't seen him scratch anymore after any certain food. At this present time he has been having a hard time staying asleep, his eczema is weepy, both his cheeks are inflamed, he has spots along the margin of his ears across the back of his head, behind his ears, some on his trunk / abdomen, very resistant red blotches that weep on his mid-lower back, his outer elbows, chin, legs, outer knees and inside of his knees but not the back of his knees. His shins/calves are a mess and has some on his inner ankles. He likes to scratch the back of his head, his elbows and shins, he almost starts purring when he's scratching (poor kid!) He has struggled with diaper rash but I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the antibiotics. He loves his bath, if he gets sweaty he gets supremely aggitated and scratches, he kicks of blankets, I've had to wrap him up often in a receiving blanket just to prevent him from scratching when he really wants to sleep and can't get comfortable on his own. I keep his room cool. We reside on the prairies in Canada and we had a very cold winter, I have put him in the window on many an occasion to get some sun on the boy! He has had vaccinations, I have not seen anything worsen that corresponded with this, he goes for the 6 month needles this week. Also he was not 'better' when exclusively breast milk fed. His eyes are a little goopy right now too and he wants to rub them. I wash all of the household laundry with the same soap, have used a washing soda, then the sunlight dermatologist fragrance free because I was told too, now I switched to Melaleuca laundry and I double rinse everything, he wears cotton, he has no carpet in the house, the cat was given away, I don't put anything in the bath, I've been told to use the emollient lotions etc like everyone else talks about but this week I quit that as well as the steroids, I got him on antibiotics because he was infected again and the steriods were just masking that. Tonight I put some oat soak in the tub hoping maybe he wouldn't itch so bad. He does NOT tolerate vasoline.... I don't either and I told the dermatologist that and he still told me to try it... that lasted a day and baby flared terrible! I can give more info but I can't think of anything else at this time.

I would appreciate any feedback or general advice as to where I should be going with this, I am pretty much desperate at this point and am so frustrated. I will be consulting with my Naturopath all the while, I have found this forum to be extremely useful and informative and it is good to have other points of view.

Regards and looking forward to reply.