FoodAllergyEczemaChildPsychology

Lichenification often occurs in people with eczema, it is a medical term meaning, "thickened skin." It can result from frequent scratching and rubbing of the skin which causes the skin to look red, leathery and feel itchy. Mild lichenification around the ankle area. My child's dermatologist in Singapore, recommends using potent topical corticosteroids such as Elomet Ointment (Mometasone 0.1%) and aqueous cream with wet bandaging which improves the absorption of the steroid into the skin, aiming to break the itch-scratch cycle. There are different sizes of bandages for arms, legs and the body which fit like a firm stocking on the skin. Placing a wet stocking over the skin may be uncomfortable at first but the treatment is highly effective. Wet bandaging with application of topical corticosteroids and aqueous cream on affected area Improvement of skin around ankle area after four days of treatment Topical steroids are highly effective...

Over 100 years ago a German, Dr Wilhelm Schuessler developed 12 biochemical tissue salts. According to theory he examined the ashes of cremated bodies and linked their physical diseases to imbalances of minerals in their body. The 12 biochemical tissue salts include: Calcium Fluoride - Calc Fluor Calcium Phosphate - Calc Phos Calcium Sulphate - Calc Sulph Ferrum Phosphate - Ferrum Phos Potassium Chloride - Kali Mur Potassium Phosphate - Kali Phos Potassium Sulphate - Kali Sulph Magnesium Phosphate - Mag Phos Sodium Chloride - Nat Mur Sodium Phosphate - Nat Phos Sodium Sulphate - Nat Sulph Silicea More details on Schuessler's 12 Tissue Salts.  These amazing tissue salts work wonders on the body and in my experience fix the minor symptoms of ailments before the condition worsens. The dosage ranges from 3x to 6x for more stronger dose. I have used various combinations of these biochemical tissue salts for: Cold symptoms (runny nose): Ferrum Phos 3x, K...

Having a child with multiple food allergies is at first daunting...it's like being at the entrance of a maze - not knowing which direction to go, whether it will lead to a dead end, back to square one or finally to some answers and freedom from the constant dilemma of what to prepare for their meals!! There was a time when my son would react to everything I fed him, whether it was a simple mushroom soup, some fresh strawberries or a grilled chicken he would flare up with hives- red blotchy dry eczema all over his body requiring antihistamine and his steroid creams etc. I was so confused...at this stage, I was not aware of the salicylate threshold diet {see my post Dining at Tony Roma's} and the acid vs alkaline diet! After seeing a wonderful nutritionist in Australia I was enlightened and learnt that too many acidic foods can affect people with allergies and once the threshold is reached they can possible start developing a reaction to everything they eat! I would not...

I believe the psychological effects of allergic reactions and constant itching and discomfort of eczema  is tremendous and causes a great deal of anguish. Sometimes, the child is unable to express themselves verbally and becomes quite restless, irritable and sensitive. As a parent it constantly becomes a struggle to settle your child at night and ensure a deep sleep for your child and yourself. With a child who is irritable due to eczema or suffering from an allergic reaction, how is it possible to function the next day if you don't get a good night's sleep..... IMPOSSIBLE ! Aromatherapy may be the answer to a good night's sleep! The physical and psychological effects of massage using aromatherapy can be a special, relaxing treatment for a person with Eczema or Food Allergies. It is based on inhaling the aroma of the essential oils which have various therapeutic benefits by activating the neurotransmitters in the brain, these chemical messengers calm the body, impro...

My experience with my son after a severe allergic reaction is usually a dose of antihistamine along with 5 drops of rescue remedy (bach flower remedy) under the tongue and a probiotic. If the reaction to the food is severe my son develops cramps and diarrhoea for a few days. The gut becomes severely imbalanced and I found if a probiotic is given everyday for a few days soon all returns to normal. During a severe eczema episode a probiotic is also given especially when the eczema requires antibiotics due to a skin infection. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria commonly found on the skin of people with eczema it thrives on weepy and broken skin.     Currently, I use Inner Health Plus once/day with a content of 25 Billion Good Bacteria: Lactobacillus acidophilus organisms 12.5 Billion, Bifidobacterium lactis organisms 12.5 Billion and Colostrum Powder - Bovine 67 mg.  My son cannot swallow the capsule so I empty the contents of the ca...

It's an absolute delight to walk into a Subway outlet and enjoy a variety of fillings to stuff into a 6 inch or a foot long loaf of bread. Thank goodness the bread does not contain any egg or nuts, but as a precaution we need to check each time we order if management decides to change the ingredients overnight! There is a worry of food allergy contamination of sesame seeds and grains for my son, but as long as we choose the Italian bread and ask the server to change his gloves everything seems to be fine. Subway is healthy, delicious and a great snack buster! A crispy loaf of bread, with some melted cheese, stuffed with lettuce, cold cuts of ham/salami, olives, cucumbers, gherkins, tomatoes, onions and jalapeños is truly an eclectic array of ingredients to tantalize the taste buds. Thank you Subway for an appetising and mouthwatering meal!

Reiki is a Japanese technique to give life balance to a person with disharmony or stress within their bodies. I have been privileged to receive attunement  by a Reiki master in Reiki I, which is the first level. It was an absolutely amazing experience. I felt an inner glow with a sense of peace. "Rei-ki" actually translates to "Higher-power" and "Life-force energy", so essentially it is providing spiritually guided universal life force energy. Chi is the universal energy force based on Ying and Yang- two polar forces, when there is an imbalance in the body there is stress or dis-ease. Through Reiki healing the blockages can be cleared. There is a great deal of disharmony in the body caused by eczema and reactions to food allergies. My son is relieved from aches, pains or any discomfort by just applying Reiki using a hand treatment accessing the vital chakras. My experience with Reiki works best after a wet bandaging session for people with eczema o...

Dining at McDonalds has always been fun for my kids especially when they get a toy with their happy meal! For my son the menu is strictly limited to the chicken nuggets, cheeseburger and french fries of course the corn and drinks are fine and don't cause any reaction either, along with the occasional hot fudge sundae! The breakfast- hash brown, sausage mcmuffin suit him as well however, all other buns with sesame seeds, egg or fish content are off limits!! The international branding of McDonald's allows us to enjoy the experience wherever we are, knowing it will be a safe experience, from Thailand to Switzerland to Australia a McDonald's cheeseburger is still the same! My son developed a board game inspired by McDonald's for a school project. He was invited by the marketing manager from McDonald's head office in Singapore for a meeting to present his ideas along with a free lunch allowing him to order all his favorites. An amazing experience for him all at...

We often dine at Tony Roma's and enjoy the delicious baby back ribs in a special original sauce, its truly finger licking good!! My son especially likes the outlet at Suntec City, Singapore, where you can sit comfortably in a booth and indulge in the world renowned ribs based in over 150 outlets over the globe for the past 40 years. These ribs are cooked without his main food allergens to seafood, fish, eggs and nuts. So, we can all relax and enjoy a family meal together. The restaurant also serves optional sides: steamed vegetables, French fries, baked potatoes with crispy bacon and sour cream all served by wait staff with a smile! The only issue that can trigger off my son's food allergies are related to Salicylates. My son develops eczema and can't stop itching after he eats food high in salicylates. The sauce which is used at Tony Roma's contains ingredients on the high salicylate list. The severity of the reaction depends on his threshold level. On...

SMORES For this recipe use chocolate coated digestive biscuits the dark chocolate biscuits are the tastiest. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees. On an oven tray place each biscuit chocolate side up then place half a marshmallow on top. Keep in the oven for 8mins until the marshmallow is soft but still slightly firm. Take out from the oven then squash down the marshmallow with another digestive biscuit chocolate face down. Take off the tray and keep it in the fridge for a few hours when cool and solid cut each smore into quarters for bite sized pieces. Great dish for birthday parties, or a special treat…kids love it! CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES ½ cup butter, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup milo powder, 3-4 weetbix crushed, 2Tbsp oil, 4Tbsp water, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp baking powder, 1cup self raising flour, ¼ cup choc-chips. Cream butter and sugar until its light and fluffy into a smooth paste. Mix in all ingredients except weetbix and choc-chips. Add flour in slowly until the cooki...

Where can you find the best Roasted Chicken with crispy skin?? The chicken is crispy on the outside and tender inside with a dash of special salt and steam rice,  this dish is flavoursome, succulent and satisfying to the pallete. My son loves this dish with steam rice; these are his favorite restaurants in Singapore for the best Roasted Chicken: Jumbo at the East Coast Park, rating: 8.5/10 Summer Pavillion at The Ritz Carlton Hotel, rating: 9.5/10 Jin Shan Lou at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, rating: 7.5/10 Wah Lok at the Carlton Hotel, rating: 7.5/10 Crystal Jade, Singapore, however the best outlets are at Paragon, Vivocity & Ngee Ann City, rating: 8.5/10 Thankyou so much to all restaurant staff for taking care of my son and avoiding all his food allergens.

My son was born with a peaches and cream complexion. After two months he was diagnosed firstly with seborrhoeic dermatitis - eczema affecting the scalp then he started developing red patchy dry skin on his face then all over his body. We visited pediatricians, dermatologists, naturopaths, osteopaths, nutritionists, homeopaths and immunologists to get a proper diagnosis for my son's health. For the first few years we were constantly confused by the health professionals' contradictory advice. Give your child all foods! Avoid all foods containing his allergens ! Don't give your child foods high in salicylates! Use steroids! Don't use steroids! Stop red meat completely! My son was reacting to everything we gave him it was endless torture for him to be continually itchy and red and inflamed and for us as parents to feel absolutely helpless and watch him suffer!! Finally a popular dermatologist in Sydney, Australia, Gayle Fischer came to our rescue....she was...

My son loves his Five Star Chicken Rice every weekend for lunch. Since he has multiple food allergies mainly to egg, nuts, fish and seafood, chicken rice is the only thing on the menu he enjoys with relish!! It's nutritious, tasty, whether the chicken is roasted or steamed with a drizzle of special sauce and scrumptious, fragrant chicken rice it's simple, delectable and doesn't hit the pocket! Chicken Rice is a dish adapted from early Chinese immigrants from the Hainan province in China. It's a speciality in Singapore with the combination of a clear broth, soya, chilli and ginger sauce the flavours infuse to provide the diner with a delicate flavoursome bite! We usually go to the East Coast branch but the River Valley branch is equally good. Highly recommended....a must to visit and indulge in the best quality Chicken Rice Singapore has to offer at the Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice. Its Five Star Quality without a Five Star Price!

Educating your own parents, friends and relatives is constantly a challenge. Traces of all allergens on crockery, cutlery, glasses, mugs, pots and pans can also trigger severe allergic reactions. At home my son has his own set of eating utensils and cookware but of course in restaurants or when visiting friends houses we need to ensure all eating ware is sterilized in  hot, soapy water to ensure its safe for my son. The dishwashing sponges and cutting boards can also carry traces of the allergen. So, when visiting his grandparents for a few weeks my son packs his own pans and eating ware into his suitcase and his 15 page booklet of recipes we have put together over the years! This is the best way to avoid cross contamination during his holiday. All my son's friend's mums have saved his allergen list in their phones! They are all so sweet and we are so lucky to have them care for him so dearly! They are all special mums who insist to not pack anything from home and  ...

Our trip to Srinagar was picturesque and beautiful - a part of India one should definitely explore. We stayed at The Lalit Grand Palace , surrounded by the serene gardens and views of the famous Dal lake. As you enter the hotel lobby it truly feels like a palace, since it was originally built for royalty in the early 20th Century. The hotel staff were beyond amazing; as soon as we were settled into our lovely accommodation we entered the restaurant famished. The Chef came out to greet us and soon a delicious, piping hot Margherita pizza arrived. My son immediately claimed: "This is the best hotel ever!" The food and beverage manager planned an entire menu which was delicious, interesting and safe avoiding all my son's food allergens. From a daily basket of freshly made eggless croissants and Danish pastries each morning, to grilled chicken, pastas, pies and chocolate mousse we were truly delighted by the Chefs, wait staff and kitchen staff......

We had just enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner at Jumbo at the East Coast Park, Singapore. Well crabs and seafood for us but for my son - his favorite roasted chicken had been pre ordered. All was going well until the dessert arrived- chilled Honeydew Melon Sago in coconut milk it was a nice refreshing end to the meal so we all enjoyed. My son had never been exposed to coconut and we thought it wasn't one of his diagnosed allergens so it should be fine. Unfortunately we were terribly wrong!!! He reacted with a burning sensation in his mouth, followed by hives and started itching all over his body, then complained of a stomach ache. We carry Rescue Remedy - a great Bach flower remedy to give a child in an emergency situation when the body has an allergic reaction or goes into shock! After a quick dose of Rescue Remedy and Anti-histimine and a cool glass of water, he seemed to calm down and became less inflamed. Coconut, beans, peas and lentils are all my son's curr...

The beach front resort at the JW Marriott, Khao Lak Phuket  was spectacular...the pool itself was several kilometres long, wrapping around the entire resort and the villas. The grandparents joined us on our holiday too and loved walking on the beach with my daughter and son. We were actually celebrating my mother in-laws birthday and thanks to the hotel staff it was a special holiday filled with excitement and the best cuisine Phuket has to offer!! We did not have to worry about our son at all once the food & beverage manager was informed of his allergies all the restaurants at the resort knew who we were and his specially prepared meals came to the poolside or any restaurant we dined at...we felt truly at ease and pampered at the highest level possible. My son finally gave the Chef a 10/10 when the staff brought a Beef Wellington to the pool to the envy of all swimmers who scanned the menu and looked at us in surprise! The Chef had gone way beyond our expectations an...

Lunch at Pastamania at Kallang on a Saturday was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon. We ordered the Margherita pizza and cheese sticks and were assured that the pizza dough and cheese sticks did not contain egg. My daughter and son were enjoying the pizza and we had no issues....but when my son had a cheese stick he said his mouth was burning and he needed to go to the toilet. My son was so sick with diarrhoea, hives all over his body, stomach cramps and eventually he threw up. It was a terrible day and we were so angry with the lady who took our order. We went back to explain her our son was sick and the seriousness of food allergies. Due to the negligence of wait staff our son had to suffer the entire day....its not a joke when someone has food allergies, it's not due to religious reasons we need to avoid egg it is a food allergy with serious consequences!  Why can't people understand all she needed to say is: "I will check with Cook/Chef and let you know...

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Goa, with the lovely cool breeze in the evenings and monsoon rains and warm sun during the day it was a cornucopia of cultures, cuisine and climate. Goa was like being in India but being in Portugal. The cultural influence from the calypso music to the variety of dishes tantalized our taste buds. My son received special treatment at both the Park Hyatt and at the Vivanta by Taj. The kitchen staff and chefs made everything from hash browns, shepherds pie and a variety of pasta and spaghetti with bolognaise sauce. We do travel with our special brands of eggless pasta and the chefs were happy to use our packets and add their own ingredients. The chefs even went out of their way to make a special eggless pizza dough and fresh gnocchi. Our son usually rates the kitchen staff and both hotels received a 9.5/10!! A must to visit with an excellent play club, pool, restaurants and the beach just a short walk away. A great, safe, enjoyable family hol...

Going out for a Sunday family lunch should be an enjoyable time for all - bonding and sharing stories of exciting events during the week and planning upcoming events. Well we ordered a simple murg malai tika - chicken marinated with cream and a few Indian spices for my son separately from our other dishes. Usually Indian restaurants marinate everything with ground nuts. However, after speaking to the manager they assured us they would take care and prepare my son's food without eggs and nuts. Once my son's dish arrived we all started to enjoy our meal. My son took a few bites and then started complaining something was burning in his mouth. We looked carefully at the dish and moved around the garnish of onions which was under the chicken.....to our shock and horror we found peanuts under the onions !!! Do these people understand the seriousness of what they had done my son started complaining of a tummy ache, cramps and then once we rushed him home he threw up and broke o...

During our travel to India we thought we would enjoy a white Christmas at the Khyber resort in Gulmarg. It was a spectacular sight once we reached our destination- soft powder snow to sink into and create snow angels and of course a snow ball fight - which our kids indulged in immediately and the beautiful mountain ranges and trees topped with snow like icing on a cake! The kids were hungry after their snow fight so off to the lobby coffee shop for a nice hot meal. We were astonished to find nothing on the menu suited our son. The food either contained or had traces of egg, nuts fish or seafood! A simple Sandwich, chicken nuggets all were impossible for the kitchen to handle due to traces of eggs! My son had a cup of tea and some Oreos we had packed then once we spoke to the food and beverage manager he promised the kitchen would do their best to come up with a suitable menu. We actually carry our own spaghetti/ pasta/ noodles without eggs and explain the kitchen staff how...

Hi I have a son with multiple food allergies and it has been a roller coaster ride over the past 13 years! With combined eczema and food allergies to egg, nuts, seafood and fish it is really tricky navigating the restaurant scene in Singapore and when we travel out of our safe home space. Whether it's a visit to a relative's home or a resort holiday or just stepping into a restaurant in Singapore the menu is always a challenge! There was a time he could not walk into a restaurant because of the strong smell of fish, crabs and live seafood, without breaking into hives and feeling itchy all over sometimes the smell was so strong he used to say 'I can't breathe'; thank goodness the airborne allergy has now disappeared! Going to camp with school is totally out of the question since the traces of eggs, nuts and fish would be all over the cooking utensils, cutlery and crockery...how is it possible to avoid contamination?? What's the point sending your child ...