I have a three year old son who has recently showed signs of becoming sensitized, to possibly everything. He has been diagnosed with ATOPIC ECZEMA. I have been researching all over, I understand there is some questions between dermatologists and allergists on what the cause for such a severe condition could be. Me his mother, being the genetic donor of such a horrible affliction, knows the condition first hand.
I strongly believe this condition has several parts to it. One being an immune issue, the second being allergies, and the third part extremely dry and sensitive skin. So with a sliver of knowledge, I am taking aim to improve his condition without the use of the enormous amount of drugs dermatologists have prescribed him at 3 years old. We are working closely with a wonderful allergist who has the patience and knowledge to deal with my family. My question is we now live in Albuquerque, NM. He has been through two RAST tests (blood tests to check for IgE levels), and a patch test which had no results for us to read. He, according to the RAST test has low and moderate levels to most allergic foods (wheat, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, and peanuts), he also shows a low moderate to dogs and elm.
At this point I have not noticed hay fever symptoms for our dogs we have, but with this new information from the blood tests, the dogs and his reactions to them are under my careful observation. He is on a very restricted diet and his skin is clearing with out the prescribed drugs. We will begin introducing one food at a time very soon to see the effects.
So sorry about the long preface to my question. We live in Abq., and have an opportunity to move to Fort Smith Arkansas. With the knowledge he has the possibility for his allergies to get worse (sensitized), which climate would be more likely to exascerbate his condition, the dry and very pollen filled Abq., or Arkansas a humid climate I know very little about? — Kendra, Albuquerque, NM
Being an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) Allergist, the doctor I work for only treats Atopic Eczema on a limited basis. He usually refers those with Atopic Eczema to a Dermatologist as well.
However, Atopic Eczema and/or Allergic Dermatitis is part of the Allergic Triad. I mentioned that in an item I wrote for National Allergy Supply here. I also discussed it here. Since Atopic Eczema is part of the Triad, we do see patients often who have this skin condition.
Eczema does not fare well in dry weather. But sweating and high humidity can irritate the skin as well. Last year we had quite a few days of >100 degree temps with humidity in the 80′s and 90′s in Fort Smith.
Perhaps others who have eczema will offer more help to you. I would think a middle-of-the-road climate would suffice better, but I am not sure if such a climate really exists! Has anyone found a good climate for eczema sufferers?
Santa Maria, California seems to be a great climate for allergies in general. We are on the central coast but not on the water. Just 30 miles up the coast our house near the beach had black mold (it was near the beach) and our allergies were horrible. Also, north of here, about 30 minutes, but more inland, the pollen was terrible (San Luis Obispo) and even my dog had atopic exzema and we went through $4200 in allergy testing and medical emergencies ultimately resulting in her going blind. However, her horrible facial lesions did clear up when we moved to Santa Maria into a place with tile floors, new carpet and plenty of sunshine. I keep her off dirt in general, where mold grows, and I don’t get my carpets shampooed because if they don’t dry out, you get a rampant mold problem. None of the diet changes seemed to be related to her problems, but getting rid of her systemic yeast and all parasites helped her immune system stop overreacting. Good luck!
I also suffer from excema,asthama, and allergies of all sorts. Ive been researching all this past summer because Im totally feed up! I developed all this conditions by living here in El Paso,TX. After all my extensive research, I have found cali and FL are the best climates for allergy suffers. So I am planning to move out to cali by the end of next summer. Anywhere which is “inland” 30mins from the ocean is great for ppl like myself. On the flipside, Living not only in El Paso, but also Lubbock, San Antoino, Arlington, Dallas,Houston, Austin, Pecos, Alpine, and Fort Worth; I can say your best bet is not to move ANYWHERE in TX. The pollen levels across this state are not healthy for allergies suffers let alone non-suffers. The humidity is also an uncomfortable humidity, so while you’d think it would help, it actually makes your conditions worst, especially for excema suffers. So having lived here all my life, I can say please do not move to TX.
Hi,
This is now long since past, and if the move was going to be made, it is probably done by now!
Having said that, I only hope they did not move to Arkansas!
I have always had allergies. But now I am diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease. The cedar pollen is murder. And it must have started as of Jan. 1st this year. It is low to med. now, and the worst is coming!!
I had a horrible time last year with horrible bronchitis, and gut wrenching coughing. You do not want to go around others, as they think you are exposing them to TB or something horrendous.
2 years ago I went of a cruise. As soon as I hit the beach in Galveston, my ears popped and my head cleared up. I was able to eat most anything on the cruise in that salt air, and got away with it!! What a joy! Now, if I could just live on a cruise ship!
It has been suggested to me that it was the negative ions in the air. Also look into salt lamps, and salt cave therapy.
Little Rock is listed #8 on the list now as the worst pollen places in the US. Arkansas, is not very good, but Tenn. was worse last year, as I monitored the pollen counts!
Hope this can help someone else, at least!
Betty
Hello, I have had both atopic derm and asthma since I was three 3years old and it has ruined my life. i had to leave the gulf coast of mississippi where I was born and raised as around age 23 my skin went wild I never knew what i was going to look like when I woke up in the mornings, i also had several boyfrinds at that tiem in my life but when my skin would flare they magically disappeared, i have been like a prisoner for much of my life. CAnnot take up camping too msny trees m when oyr doors I am a bug fest. I had so many steroids in my younger years that affects your adrenal glands leading mye into obesity. Having siad all that I wound up in california 9 years ago to otnage county. I have would say do not move to san clememnte near the water I had moved htere and was covered in weeping , painful skin from head to toe for 2 years. You will do better away from the coast. Also I noted that you cannot go by pollen counr alone. overall i have done better here than anywhere else phusically. Hpwever being southern and happy on a soical level the people suck. They are isolated and apathetic and look at you like you are a nut case if you are too friendly. so califonria is the best climate but do not move to southern orange ocunty. too snobby and rude cried myself to sleep at night wanting to go home. I was actually told by some people that having my skin problems and being southern would make me a total misfit here and I should move. so do not move to orange county.
I tend to think that there is not a great place to live if you have eczema. My son began suffereing with eczema @ 6yrs and it comes and goes in waves. It begans in July and runs its course thru Oct. It is frustrating for me as a mother to have our son go through this. We have tried every lotion and potion oinment prescription and non prescription, now we are trying diet changes. We put our house up for sale so we can move to an area that will help stop his skin problems, we live in northern New Mexico in the mountains and he is basically allergic to sagebrush and juniper which surround us. We thought we would m ove to Midland TX, but after reading above comments about TX maybe that would not be best. Perhaps this is the best place for us unless Alaska would be better.
I was born and raised in Fort Smith, AR. I’ve had eczema since I was a small child. I can remember my mother putting medicine on me at night and then wrapping me in dry cleaning bags so I couldn’t scratch. The dermatologists all told my mother it was caused by stress. As I got older I pretty much outgrew it except for the occasional bout. I moved to Florida almost 4 years ago now. About one year after we got here, I started having unexplained itching, then my eczema started breaking out again and then I developed dermagraphism (a form of hives. As I write this I’m itching so bad I just can’t hardly stand it. I’m taking 4 different medications to try and keep from itching. I would not recommend moving to a tropical climate. I’m extremely allergic to house dust mites. The high humidity and low altitude are a breeding ground for house dust mites. I spent a short time in Colorado and didn’t have problems with any of my allergies. Doing research now to try and determine where’s best to live. Ready to go back to Arkansas.
i suffer from Eczema and what i do is just take as much vitamins A, C and E supplements plus some topical corticosteroid to remedy the itch.
My 9 year old has severe eczema in the spring and summer. With the current high pollen count of over 2000 today her eyes are swollen, she has a itchy, nasty rash in every crevice of her body, she is sniffling and swollen. Called the doctor for her meds to be refilled. Eye drops, nose spray, claritin, hydroxyzine, and ointment. Surely, something will work to give her some relief today!
i’ve been reading about the best climate for people suffering from allergies, atshma, and excema… lots listed for the U.S.. but what about canada? i currently live in eastern canada.. and will move anyhere.. if it means no longer watching my children suffer!!! plaease Help!
My heart goes out to those who I’ve been reading here and breaks for my oldest who is 12. My son is a Triad sufferer and we have lived in East Texas his whole life. We have gone through the whole medications, natural remedy, change in diet routine and nothing seems to help. With age he seems to get better and I have noticed that colder winters do him better. We, too, are looking for somewhere else to live and I am at a loss. My husband has severe osteoarthritis and anything too cold is murder on him. But anything too warm is murder on my oldest. I don’t know if anyone has any good answers but for now I am investigating the states not mentioned – sort of a process of elimination. No news is good news, right? But if you do have any suggestions, I look forward to hearing them.
My son is a year and a half and was diagnosed with eczema at 3 months. We live in Eagle River, AK (near Anchorage) and it is NOT a good place to live for an eczema sufferer! Despite what people think, Alaska is VERY dry- we live in an Arctic desert, it’s below freezing for 5 months out of the year and the pollen count is very high here during the summer months. I have a friend who couldn’t enlist in the military up here because his eczema was so bad. He moved to Colorado and it cleared up being in a more humid climate and was able to enlist about a year later. Just wanted to share since you were considering moving to Alaska!
I have two children with Severe Eczema.
I absolutley and tired of the pain they go through on a daily basis. Lotions, steroids, meds, asthma, the works. One is 16 and was diagnosed at age 3 yrs and the other is 2 yrs and was diagnosed just a few months ago. We live in Kentucky/ Tennessee area. DO NOT MOVE HERE!!!!! Way to humid and the nature here is out of whack. too much pollen and too many different species of plants. My kids are raw. I am so sad and angry about it. We are going to move but need to find a good place. My Husband is military so it will have to be in one of the bases. I am thinking Arizona or California or even Colorado. Any suggestions????
Hi,
I am from Prince George, BC. I went to Vancouver, BC for 5 days for a medical appointment and my eczema cleared up by the 4th day. I am now in Prince George and my hand, neck and face is covered in eczema. I am considering moving to the lower main land. Chilliwack, Langley, or if I have to Vancouver, BC
Nancy