Wet Wrapping

[AnnaB]

I thought it would be interesting to see what other peoples experiences of wet wrapping are? We swear by it. It is hard work and time consuming but certainly calms my childrens skin.

It is certaily tough wrapping babies but worth it. I have found it best to work fast and comfort the tears. Lots of visual lights, moving or noisy toys are a must.

One top tip I have found is to put the warm wet wraps into a wide neck food flask, this keeps them warm whist tackling creams and little people!!

I have said many times on different topics that we changed hopitals. The 1st hospital did not offer us wet wrapping but sent me home with boxes of tubbie grip bandage to cover my son's hands. I would have to pull it up his arm, apply multiple twists then double back up his arm again, then find his thumb, cut a hole and then try to tape in place!!!!!!!!!!!!! All change the 2nd hospital offered us full wet wrapping with ready made suits. The mitten gloes have thumb holes!!!!

If every your not happy I cannot express how much our medical care changed in all aspects by just one trip to the GP to transfer hopitals. Don't put up with bad care.

[Jimbob]

We found wet wrapping really helpful and the suits definately make it a lot easier. I think it is something that is worth a try. It might not suit everybody but it does work very well for my son.

Kelly

[1635Mary]

Hiya

Wet wrapping has never been recommended for my son (10 yrs old). I've heard of it but am not certain what it entails. Having used steroids constantly for the whole summer, I wouldn't like to even try wet wrapping now because as far as i know it enables the steroid cream to go deeper into the skin thus causing possibly more side effects in the long-term.

This is of course from an ignorant point of view, as I don't know a whole lot about wet wrapping.

Regards
Mary

[AnnaB]

Mary

For my son and daughter we use wet wraps at night with only moisturiser and steroids in the morning. So the wet wraps help hold moisture on the skin and cool flared skin. My son is much more comfortable when wrapped and my daughter certainly needs less stroids as a direct result of the wrapping. Please I feel you must give it a go. Do try to get the ready mage suits rather than the tubes of bandages you have to cut up.

Anna

[1635Mary]

Hi Anna

Our next appointment is on 25 Sept, so i will certainly suggest this. Much better than the other option they want to start Eoin on (azathioprine). This hospital is a research hospital and I have started to wonder is Eoin is just part of their research.

Last week they rang us to say that a hospital in the UK were giving them use of some machine for a month. Eoin would just have to place his hand on something and not move for 10 mins. It is non evasive with no side effects. I'm not sure exactly what this will tell us, hopefully something I don't know already. Have you come across anything like this before?

Regards
Mary

[AnnaB]

Hi Mary

I have not heard of this hand treatment, I'd be interested to hear about it. Is it a treatment or diagnostic? Have you asked about side effects? It is your right to know everything. I have turned down a cream as they do not know the long term side effects to sun light. My hospital support our feelings on this. Are you a member of The National Eczema Society. They have a help line could you call and ask them to get you some information? Then there is the balance of side effect v's quality of life. I make the choices for my 2 children and just hope I am making the right choices for them.

I cannot stress enough how much the wet wrapping helps. Once you have the wet/damp layer on you put on a second dry layer. We used to tell my son they were his space suits. Once you get the hang of them you can buy pyjamas to wear as the 2nd dry top layer.

Good luck for 25th

Anna

[1635Mary]

Hi Anna

I received more info today from the hospital. This is a research study with no direct benefit for Eoin. There are 3 tests, the first is a skin ph measurement which takes 2 mins, they place a measurement device next to the skin, the second is a Raman Spectroscopy measurement (measures the moisture level), you place a hand on top of a glass plate for 10-15 minutes, the third is a TEWL (Transpidermal Water Loss) measurement, you sit in a room in which the temperature is controlled for 15 mins so that you acclimatise to the temperature, the test then takes 5 mins. All tests will not irritate or hurt the skin and are not painful. Any other side effects? Don't know, will certainly ask before proceeding.

They say there is no direct additional benefits, but I think this information would be good to know and if we don't participate in research, surely there will never be any hope of a cure?

I will question the side effects first and I can pull out at any time without giving a reason.

Anna, do you use steroids continuously and for how long and how often? I've been using Elecon on Eoin now for the whole summer (its been a tough summer on his skin) and apply it every second day. I find that by the second day he really needs another application as his skin again looks irritated. His skin could use a daily application but I am trying to fight this.

When do you find your children scratch the most? Eoin's worst time is getting out of the bath. I've tried various bath products so I don't think that has anything to do with it. I think it may be more a case of him having to stand while I pat dry, he has nothing to do so he scratches. What do you think?

Also, is protopic the cream you are referring to in above post. As far as I know, no direct link to cancer has been established but they warn to avoid direct sunlight as a precaution. However, with azathioprine there is a direct link (as far as I can establish).

Long post, sorry.

Mary

[AnnaB]

Mary

We were involved in a 6 month research project last year, the results are still yet to be officially published. It has helped us grasp a better understanding of our issues despite the bigger picture of the research. I was pleased we could help.

We have different steroids for different areas.
Face - Eumovate
Body arms and legs - Elocon
Hands - Dermovate

We were told, within limits, to use the steroid until the eczema has gone then for a few more days to let the under layers of skin to heal. This should then be followed by periods of good skin.

A key rule leave steroids off for as long as you use them. Example, 3 days steroids 3 days no steroids.

When Elocon was failing to work we were also given Betnovate to use on alternate months to avoid the pattern of the eczema/skin getting used to the steroid and it becoming less effective.

I tend to let my son drip dry, I wrap him in a towel and by the time he's got to his room, via a few toys to get to his bed for creams he's usually dry enough for me to just apply creams. We worked out that any bath oils made his skin worse, we just put about 7 pumps of cetraben into his bath. This stings his face of late but suits the rest of him to wash.

have you tried 50 50. We have just tried this for his face and bad areas, it is really greasy but very wet is best way to explain it so unlike Hydromol it is much easier to put on without much friction on the skin like other greasy emolients.

Anna

[shelly]

Hi All....
I am quite new to this forum.From my personal experience,i'd say wet wrapping is blessing in disguise for any child suffering from chronic,generalised and severe eczema needing steroids for long periods(with wet wrapping,steroid usage may get down from 'intensive usage' and 'minimal usage' to 'no usage' ) .My daughter is two and a half years old and i have been using wet wrappings-three layered...first goes the cotton sheet,then the crepe and tubifast last-for the whole body and it has worked wonders.It's the face that isn't healing up...i wish i knew i could do something for the face too.Is there someone out here doing wet wrapping for their child's face?
Cheers,
Shelly

[AnnaB]

Hi Shelly


I know there is an eye mask for adults but I think anything for the face would be dangerous for chldren.

We struggle with my sons face so I know where you are coming from

Anna x