Baby Isaiah first suffered from flare up at three-months-old. A rash developed around a cut in his cheek, and after that his skin became red and raw whenever anyone wearing perfume or clothes with fabric softener came close, said a Mirror report.
At first the doctors thought it was just a case of eczema, and they prescribed a low-dose over the counter topical steroids.
“Isaiah’s skin was falling off, like it was melting. It was oozing and weeping into his eyes,” said his mom Stephanie. “It was like he had no skin. He was in agony. At one point it was so bad I thought, if this is going to be his life, please take him.”
At first the steroids seemed to be working its magic, but then his hair started falling out. On top of that, he also became sick and lethargic.
Photo credit: PA Real Life / Mirror
“But all the doctors I took him to just said it was eczema. They told me to stop breastfeeding him as the milk protein could make it worse.”
At five-months-old, Isaiah was brought back to the hospital; he had gone floppy and red and burning up.
The doctors prescribed a stronger steroid then, and injected a liquid steroids on into his scalp, but within 48 hours his skin had turned blood red with lesions and oozing, and he wouldn’t stop screaming.
According to the Mirror report:
“Isaiah’s skin was so sensitive that the family became reclusive, cutting off contact with anyone from the outside world who might be an infection risk to their son.
On the next page, find out what Isaiah looks like now
His only comfort came from bathing in lukewarm water, so Stephanie would spend hours with him in the sink as the tap ran over his skin.
Stephanie said they couldn’t even hold their son; every time they touched him his skin would blister and ooze.
“When Isaiah was at his worst Stephanie and husband Nelson, 36, scoured the internet for help,” the same report said. “They eventually found Itsan.org, a forum about topical steroid withdrawal.”
Skin conditions, Stephanie found out, gets worse once you stopped using steroids. So following her instinct, she stopped using them altogether and instead developed her own homeopathic balms to soothe her son’s skin.
She found that a blend of lemongrass and zinc worked best, and as time went on they saw Isaiah’s skin get clearer.
Photo credit: PA Real Life / Mirror
Ten months after using the balms, Isaiah’s skin was smooth and clear.
“We still don’t know for sure what caused the original contact dermatitis,” she said. “But looking back, because of severe medical allergies in my family history, I think it might have been a reaction to medication.
“I had a C-section and was given Ibuprofen afterwards, and I believe that was passed on through my breast milk.”
Now Isaiah doesn’t get a reaction every time someone holds him, or when he gets into contact with perfume. Stephanie says she can now wear deodorant again and wash her hair with scented shampoo.
READ: Ibuprofen turned this baby’s skin back in an allergic reaction that nearly killed him
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