★★★★☆
I tried the usuals to start off with back when his skin was still lovely; olive oil to soften and a comb/soft brush to remove the cradle cap (I tried that so many times and couldn't get to the end of it); my partners 'old' dandruff shampoo (I eliminated his dandruff a couple of months ago with ACV much to our mutual surprise and delight); and ACV itself, both diluted in purified water, and straight, regularly and not so regularly. ACV seemed to halt the worst of it including the scratching for the first half hour or more, but was followed by bright red patches which after a while dried and flaked and itched. I suppose I burned my baby's skin- NOT what one intends to do as an alternative to petrochemical junk...
So as it stood this afternoon: an ugly, weepy, scaly rash both sides of his face and down his neck area; an itchy, hot and dry eczema-ish rash all over his belly; violent red and cracked/chapped areas anywhere his arms and legs bent; skin dry and rough on arms and legs.
I rubbed calendula oil here and there again (which seems to work temporarily on the itch and dryness but that's all) and we walked to the pharmacy where I saw a last bottle of emu oil (not THAT cheap be aware, but fair considering its source and manufacture), bought it (not what the pharmacy woman suggested at all- ) and applied it straight on to his skin as soon as home because he'd woken up and was scratching and going nuts. Within half an hour he looked like a new baby- the redness was completely gone, a little yellowy blistery skin was still visible close up but he chatted away to a toy with hands finally occupied with each other again rather than sneaking a scratch. His skin is soft and lovely. It strikes me as extraordinary because it's been so long since I've seen it that way.
I don't know if it'll eliminate the rash altogether but I'll certainly write back sooner or later to let anyone in the same situation know.
He went to bed after a bath with quarter of a cup of ACV in it, and a massage/rub down with emu oil and he hasn't made a whimper. He's been restless the last two or three nights, not settling at all, waking three or four times, wriggling and mad with itch and irritation at all hours. Hopeful. Not counting on it but it seems pretty amazing so far.
Poor little emu's. R.I.P. : )
