Bleach bath...FYI

[Phasmid]

I hope that you don't do this. Sodium hypochlorite, bleach, is CAUSTIC and that amount will burn your child's nasal membranes and harm the lungs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We just got back from Maryland where we saw Dr. L. for our PANDAS son. After discussing the ds10 and his PANDAS we mentioned the 2 brothers (almost 8 and the other 9.) Mentioned that the 9 year old son has eczema and soars in the nose that never heal and also got HSP (illness from strep) at the same time as ds10 got PANDAS. Mentioned that the 8 year old has head tics that have gotten worse when this all began in Dec.'09 with ds10 (and they were all sick with what we later found out was asymotomatic strep). Unfortunately, she confirmed that the sibling rate is very high....we will get Cunningham tests for all 3 boys. I did want to mention that she suggested Bleach baths for the boys. She said to put a half or quarter cup of bleach in the bath water and that it was great to kill staph or strep (on the skin or else where) she said that it helps to get in their sinus cavities when breathing in during the bath. I Googled it and the research I read did absolutely confirm what she said. I am off to buy stock in Bleach. (Please Google the directions, so as to not harm your child in anyway!)

Edited September 26, 2010 by Phasmid

[NancyD]

I agree...Dr. L also suggested to us adding bleach to DD's baths as she had been getting one skin infection after another. I followed through on everything she suggested but I could not bring myself to do this. I have worked hard to remove all chemicals from our home. I won't use bleach in the wash and I certainly wouldn't add it to my daughter's bath. In fact, she stopped swimming in chlorine when she had tics. We now use a lot of white distilled vinegar to clean (we save the balsamic vinegar for our salad!). Once we switched DD to Augmentin and got her D levels back to normal she stopped getting skin infections.

[Lori Ann]

If you are experiencing recurring skin infections such as staph and impetigo, it is definately related to the eczema. Our son has eczema and suffered several staph infections and molluscum (a viral skin infection. I read in several journal articles that people with eczema are lacking two important skin proteins that protect against infections, making them more susceptible. At the same time, I happened upon an article about treating eczema with probiotics. The bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosis (found in Stonyfield Farms yogurt) works with the immune system in the gut to suppress the autoimmune response to eczema, thus preventing the infections. I am trained in biochemistry, not immunology, so I am not exactly sure of how this works. When our son was at his worst with skin infections we began feeding him yokids yogurt once a day. He likes the taste and his skin infections cleared up within one or two weeks and he has not had a single one since. We use the yogurt now as our main probiotic since he is on Zith. I definately think there is a connection between eczema and PANDAS, but it is difficult to find researchers that know much about this. If there are proteins missing in the epithelial tissue on the inside of our body, they may also be missing in the inside of the body too, making it easier for strep to enter the body. We all have strep and staph lingering in our throats and skin, but some of us are more susceptable to these infections than others. good luck to you

[AmySLP]

Since we are talking about bathing and eczema is coming up alot, I wanted to add to that. When I met my husband he had suffered Eczema & pyriosis his whole life and has several patches that just wouldn't clear. His mother worked for a podiatrist who kept prescribing a topical (and no the rash was not on his feet, nor did the foot doctor ever see the rash-just simply kept writing the rx). Anyhow, I finally convinced him to see a dermatologist that recommended we try to switch to all non-soap products (such as Dove/Oil of Olay etc)and my husband has not had a patch of eczema in 6 years. When my daughters started to get this as baby's, I switched to using the Dove soap on them rather than baby wash & they always cleared. It may be more simple than the cause of some of your kids eczema, but it's such an easy switch to try-Just thought I'd share!

 

 

Amy

 

Also, Dr. Lamitmer told us to do this as well, but in thinking how I switched to cleaning with vinegar & natural products I just couldn't. What I ALWAYS do is clean the tub prior to my girls bathing in it. I use vinegar but then finish it off with an antibacterial wipe, just to be sure. I didn't realize that the vinegar would be enough!

[Stephanie2]

I don't think any of us meant for you to sit and do nothing. Trust me, I am where you are right now with the eczema/impetigo. But it seems that in many cases, the mainstream medical advice given for impetigo just puts you into a vicious cycle that you can't escape (antibiotics/bleach/steroid: all of which decrease the skin's strength and own "good" bacteria, thereby increasing the chance of reinfection, etc.). I am also concerned that the bleach bath with highly aggitate eczema and then again open the skin up for infection. Not to mention, permanent damage to the lungs and possible later onset of asthma.

 

There are always alternatives.