Jan 7, 2010

This is going to sound odd but....

... I think my baby girl might be allergic to our water.

For some time I've been on the rampage, trying to work out what on earth triggers Milly's excema so badly. Was it tomatoes? Well it made it bad then, but not then.. so no. Was it peanuts? No the girl eats peanut butter on a good day and nothing happens.

Her feet are so bad sometimes she can't wear shoes. At the moment I don't put anything on her feet - they are just so red raw and angry looking. Her hands are dreadful - so inflamed and sore that some of her fingernails are inflamed. She loses sleep because she wakes up scratching herself red raw and whimpering. Even when she's half asleep crying, I've come in, armed with a cream, and she holds her hands out to me - half asleep. I've spent a small fortune on lotions, potions and whatnot. Some cortisone and hemp cream from the body shop seems to work best for her. I prefer natural based creams than chemist types. I use plant based shampoos and conditioner, I use hyperallergenic body washes, and Earth/Purity to wash the clothes etc in.

Anyway.... my discovery. While we were away in the riverland over Christmas, I noticed that Milly's skin cleared up completely. I was surprised since we were swimming in a chlorinated pool 3 times a day. I racked my brains... what was different about there than home? Same food. Same body wash. Same shampoo..... but not the same water!! The water we used to bathe the kids came straight from the river - no chemicals. No treatment plants. Nothing. Just plain ol Murray water.

So I set about experimenting at home. I've been bathing her in the kitchen sink with pura-tap water. Using a flannel soaked in puratap water only. Her skin is clearing up. For the last two nights, her sleep has been continuous and unbroken.

This is excellent news! So we will be investing in a filter for the kids bathroom and hoping that will help us control Milly's excema.

Right.... now to figure out what causes EJ's excema... since his has flared up over the last 6 months. I wonder if its the same thing?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

hopefully this is good detective work with a happy ending.

tinkster said...

Skip, did you try moogoo?

Its very gentle and the best thing for my excema I've ever found.

Just a thought:)

Renata said...

Well done for working that out. I hope the change in water continues to give her relief!