misdiagnosed as eczema

[rossanahu]

I just joined the foundation because i'm pretty certain that my five year old son, who's been told that he's got eczema all this time, actually has psoriasis.
We're on a temporary post in Shanghai, China for about 5 months, and so i'm unable to confirm my suspicion w/ his dermatologist, but everything i've been reading about psoriasis tell me that that's what my son has. I hope someone out there can read this and help me out.
Since about a year ago, he's had this lingering condition on his earlobes where they get very dry, peel, and bleed. It was a very minor probelm for months, until we moved to a new house and lived through a renovation, and suddenly, it was all over his ears and spreading like mad. With the use of steriod cream and oral antibiotic, it just disappeared like magic, but w/in a week, little spots started appearing all over his arms, legs, and stomach. Again, these small areas go away quickly w/ steriod application, until they appeared on the palm of his hands and under his feet. From December last year til today, he's been using steriod cream and Bactroban twice daily, and they just will not go away. Every doctor tells me it's eczema, but it's so different from the eczema my daughter has. The worst is that when the lesions get infected, he is basically handicapped and cannot walk or play with his hands, which happens now almost every 2 weeks. Even at its best, he cannot touch things like sand, mud, clay, paint...etc. I've tried all sorts of diets and now he's NOT eating eggs, milk, wheat, sugar, nuts, and seafood.
He has always been such an active, happy little boy and i just cannot believe that he'll be like this for the rest of his life. What does one do when this happens to the hands and under the feet? Is there a way out??
Please help.

[MikeK]

Hi Rossanahu!

Welcome! I'm sorry that your son is having such a rough time! I agree with your suspicion. Unfortunately, it sounds like he has psoriasis. I'm 46 and I was diagosed, with plaque p, when I was 7. Since you're in China for the next few months, I'm kind of at a loss at what to suggest medication, treatment or doctors. Sigh. I have absolutely no idea what may or may not be available to you and, more important, if it will be safe to use on a child. The only thing that I can think of is to have him get some sun. Sunlight works wonders on P. Limit his exposure to less then 10 minutes at a time. I'm at a loss at what to suggest about sunscreen. Part of me says: "Don't forget to use it!" and part of me says: "But it may irritate his lesions." Use your judgement on that one.

Once you get back to the State's: 1) get a proper diagnosis (see a new derm if necessary) and 2) find a derm that offers UVB light treatments for the hand and feet. UVB treatments are very time consuming (three times a week at the beginning) and you may run into insurance issues, but they really help clear the lesions.

I hope this helps and please keep us posted.

Mike

[Marielle]

Hello Rossanahau
How are you doing? I totally agree with Mike. I am also a P mom. My daughter Jessie, 7, was covered. The only place she did not have P was her hands and the bottom of her feet. What ended up helping is the UVB treatments like Mike said. Depending on his skin type let him out in the sun until you get back to the states. About the sunscreen, do what you think is best. Jessie doesn't use it but she also has very good tanning skin. If they burn the P gets worse. I would stick to that until you get back here to see a good derm. Hang in there, things will get better. Believe me, I was there 4 months ago.
M

[Chippers_girl]

Hello...I'm sorry to hear about your son... ..I have been dealing with p for 12 years...When it first started ,I also had little pimpley blisters on my hands and feet.(palms and soles)..my doctor first said I had a bacterial infection...then 6 years ago I had it really bad on my eyelids...he then told me it was eczema...and treated me until last year when I ended up hospitalized.(from not knowing what was going on)....Now he knows and also I went to a dermatologist which confirmed. I hope when you get back to the states you find a really good doctor....Good Luck
Susan

P.S. I found that eating eggs or tomatoes worsens my p....my doctor also told me not to eat seafood..(shellfish esp.)

[rossanahu]

thank you for your understanding. it means a lot.
i would like to know why you were hospitalized. it would be good for me to know what to expect in the future. he's on steroid ointments but i can't keep on using that stuff. whatever happened to your palms and soles? do you just live with it or do you apply something for it? how about your nails?