Anyone with eczema move to Washington from California? (Seattle, Woodinville: house, schools)

[Dewberri]

We're considering a move from Orange County in California to Woodinville, Washington. Our 4 year old has had atopic eczema since she was 2 months old. One of her triggers is heat, so I'm hopeful that moving to an area that isn't always sunny and hot might improve her eczema. Has anyone here with eczema and heat as a trigger noticed a positive change? Does the cold air in Washington dry the skin out as much as the hot dry air here? I don't have eczema, but we lived in Washington D.C. before she was born and my hands would get very dry and crack and peel and no amount of moisturizing and glove wearing helped. When we moved out of state I never had that problem again. Any insight from other eczema sufferers would be appreciated.

[CharlesRamon]

The tap water here is kinda hard. May be a trigger for eczema.

[west seattle gal]

I would recommend calling NW Asthma & Allergy Center or a provider at Seattle Children's Hospital for information such as prevalence rates, known environmental triggers, and general opinions about one climate vs another. I did a quick internet search and saw a lot of different discussion board posts where people seem to identify the cool climate to be beneficial but indoor heated areas to trigger outbreaks. However, it rarely becomes cold enough in the winter to really blast the heat, in my opinion. I prefer the indoor temp to be around 67 and even leave my window cracked at night for cool air. Kids in schools often wear shorts or t-shirts in the 50's, and recess happens outdoors 1-3 times daily regardless of weather.

[Algiz]

Originally Posted by Dewberri

We're considering a move from Orange County in California to Woodinville, Washington. Our 4 year old has had atopic eczema since she was 2 months old. One of her triggers is heat, so I'm hopeful that moving to an area that isn't always sunny and hot might improve her eczema. Has anyone here with eczema and heat as a trigger noticed a positive change? Does the cold air in Washington dry the skin out as much as the hot dry air here? I don't have eczema, but we lived in Washington D.C. before she was born and my hands would get very dry and crack and peel and no amount of moisturizing and glove wearing helped. When we moved out of state I never had that problem again. Any insight from other eczema sufferers would be appreciated.

I moved here from San Diego 13 years ago - I hated the heat and have vivid memory of even the backs of my knees sweating. Ugh!!! Despite the sweating and stickiness and heat there, I never had any issues with my skin. But I do here, now. The indoor air here gets really dry in winter because here, unlike SoCal, you must use the heater for many months of the year, and in Dec, Jan, and Feb it's running all the time it seems. We do keep it on the low-ish side - 67 degrees days and 55 degrees 10pm-7am, so that helps some. Although we run humidifiers in the most used rooms in the house, I still get such dry hands that the skin on my fingers crack if I get my hands in water at all. Truly...the only water that touches my hands here is when I take a shower or after using the restroom. I won't even rinse a knife without putting gloves on my hands first. Even in summer if I don't use gloves, the skin on my fingers will split. ~ But it's not dry in the summer, yet I still have the skin problems, just not as bad.

I have skin reactions like I never had in San Diego, weird rashes and yes, I think eczema-like itchy red patchy spots on my hands and other random places on my body, just little patches, and they eventually go away, but it takes weeks, a month. When we moved here with our dog who had skin allergies, they suddenly got really bad. In San Diego, I'd been able to manage her ear infections and itching with holistic methods, but it wasn't long here that she started to have serious symptoms. Then things went to her lungs, and eventually we had her on a steroid inhaler along with prednisnone tablets. It got so bad that every breath was a cough.

After a year on the inhaler, we scheduled a trip and our pet sitter had an emergency, so we had to drive our dog down to relatives in Sacramento for the 10 days we'd be gone. I told my relative how to use the inhaler and all the rest of the stuff to do if this or that happened. I was so worried because we'd be out of contact all that time. When we got back, my relative said she'd never had to use the inhaler, that my dog hadn't coughed at all. She was vibrant and cough-free, totally healthy. I was stunned. She was so different from when she was home here in WA. Within 12 hours of being back, she began coughing and within 2 days every breath was a cough again. That was when I had to start examining obvious signs that I'd overlooked in my own health, which had begun declining as soon as we moved here.

I had our house checked for mold, but our house had an almost zero spore count. By chance, I had the test done in November, and the outside control registered an excessively high spore count. Fall is when mushrooms are at their peak growth. I now know mushrooms and the lush vegetation were likely the problem. When I go to California, all my weird symptoms go away, and I have many up here. When I return to the PNW, they all come back. I believe this area can be very hard on the immune system, but every body is different...

I have a friend here who grew up in New Mexico believing she had "weak lungs," as her family doctor put it. She never went anywhere without her inhaler, but when she attended college here starting at age 18, suddenly her health improved dramatically. She said she never had to use her inhaler again, even when she went home for holidays. Apparently, this environment was so good for her it helped her heal, so she could spend a short time at home in New Mexico without a return of symptoms. After college, she stayed here, and 20 years later, she's still very healthy and thriving. It's remarkable how every body is different and will react to different things.

Really, the only way to know is to come here with your daughter and see how she reacts. Go out walking around in some dense forest and come in spring and fall, when stuff is really active. Stay as long as you can, at least a full week and be outside as much as possible in parks, thick forests, playing in the fallen leaves, taking the ferries.

I hope you find what you need to help heal your daughter. Good luck!

[MorningGloria]

I had a bad reaction from the hard water when I visited for just a few days. I don't technically have eczema, but I have incredibly dry skin which is generally controlled with lukewarm showers and copious amounts of California Baby lotion. In Seattle, however, my skin was visibly scaly no matter what I put on it. I even tried unrefined coconut and avocado oils to no avail. When I move there permanently I will definitely be investing in a shower filter. I was surprised because I thought the misty climate might counteract it, but that wasn't the case for me. As soon as I got back home to the east coast I went through my normal bathing routine and the next morning it was cleared up. I have a similar reaction, though not quite as bad, when I stay with family in Virginia. VA is also known for their hard water. As Algiz suggested I think you may have to see what works for your family, but if your daughter has issues, the first thing I would look into is a shower filter. Good luck!

Algiz-
I had no idea they had inhalers for dogs!

[elkotronics]

I have skin reactions like I never had in San Diego, weird rashes and yes, I think eczema-like itchy red patchy spots on my hands and other random places on my body, just little patches, and they eventually go away, but it takes weeks, a month. When we moved here with our dog who had skin allergies, they suddenly got really bad. In San Diego, I'd been able to manage her ear infections and itching with holistic methods, but it wasn't long here that she started to have serious symptoms. Then things went to her lungs, and eventually we had her on a steroid inhaler along with prednisnone tablets. It got so bad that every breath was a cough.


Yeah, that is interesting, I too didn't know they had respiratory inhalers for dogs. Nor did I know they prescribe prednisone tablets for them either, though I've thought of it before because I have an inhaler for asthma and need it any state we live in. And believe you me, my wife and I have lived in a lot of them, as my medical career has taken us all over the Midwest and West.

[seedy]

No sun will make things worse. Many skin issues heal completely during summer and return in winter when days are shorter and temps colder. Constant dampness means molds and mildews, good for growing things but not so much for skin.

Sun is good in small daily doses, best hours for her to get exposure would be 10 AM -2 PM (UVB). An easy way is to try it out is take her to a clean beach (any left there?) every day in the middle of the day, combine salt water and sun exposure for about 40 minutes and then cover up and go inside a cool place for the rest of the day. Should notice changes in a few weeks. Sunlight and salt water are the ingredients used in the famous Dead Sea treatments for skin issues.

Also diet; no sugar/no flour is a good guideline for anyone.

[Dewberri]

Thank you to everyone who replied, your comments have been very helpful. When we go on our trip we will definitely take some long walks in the forest and use the local water often.

[Algiz]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

When we moved here with our dog who had skin allergies, they suddenly got really bad. In San Diego, I'd been able to manage her ear infections and itching with holistic methods, but it wasn't long here that she started to have serious symptoms. Then things went to her lungs, and eventually we had her on a steroid inhaler along with prednisnone tablets. It got so bad that every breath was a cough.

Yeah, that is interesting, I too didn't know they had respiratory inhalers for dogs. Nor did I know they prescribe prednisone tablets for them either, though I've thought of it before because I have an inhaler for asthma and need it any state we live in. And believe you me, my wife and I have lived in a lot of them, as my medical career has taken us all over the Midwest and West.

Yes, everyone's surprised to learn about inhalers for dogs. Here's a photo. It's easy to use, and my dog had no issues with it. I just wish I'd paid closer attention and hadn't ignored the obvious - for her as well as for me. Live and learn.

[elkotronics]

Yes, everyone's surprised to learn about inhalers for dogs. Here's a photo. It's easy to use, and my dog had no issues with it. I just wish I'd paid closer attention and hadn't ignored the obvious - for her as well as for me. Live and learn.


Bless your heart for showing me the picture of one and telling us about it. One can learn a lot about love by getting a dog and showing love to it. Watch what happens in return. How anyone can abuse dogs and cats like they are tortured and abused and murdered over in China and Korean and other Asian nations is beyond me. I am so sick at what I have learned through the internet about the Yulin Dog "Festival" held every year in China. Sick, disgusting and gross.


Excuse me for that - I am just appalled at their treatment of canines over there, knowing what loving creatures they are. Thanks again for that canine respiratory inhaler information. It may come in handy one day.