Days before my son's 10th birthday, he got what we thought was a bug bite on his chest. He scratched it and the spot got bigger and redder. A couple of days after his birthday party at a nearby lake, he developed a rash all over his upper chest. At first, my husband and I thought he had an allergic reaction to the rash guard shirt he wore to the party, but after several more days, the rash continued to spread and began to itch. Finally, I took him to the doctor who diagnosed the rash as
Pityriasis Rosea.
The doctor told us there is no medication my son can take to speed up the recovery and that hydrocortisone and an antihistamine are really the only things he can take to help relieve the itching. We tried both with Benadryl helping the most but causing Connor to become so sleepy that he had to take a nap each time he took it. Since this wasn't an acceptable alternative for a 5th grader who needs to be alert all day, I turned to a group of my blogger friends for help and advice.
Although none of the friends I polled had had experience specifically with Pityrasis Rosea, several have eczema themselves or children with eczema who experience itching, irritated skin. They suggested using ice packs to sooth the itch as well as several different all natural products to relieve itching and promote healing as well. One friend suggested a product she has used most of her life to combat skin irritation and itching, and since her parents happen to own the business, she had them send me a sample.
Within a few days of reaching out to my friends, I received a box full of all-natural soaps, creams, scrubs, shampoos, and lotions from
Sodee Naturals--much more than I had expected! My son couldn't wait to give them a try. He was desperate for some lasting relief from the itching spots that were spreading to his underarms, groin, thighs, and forehead!
