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As parents, nothing matters more than seeing our little ones thrive—healthy, happy, and comfortable in their skin. So, it’s heartbreaking when your child is constantly scratching, waking through the night with dry, irritated skin. If you’ve been stuck on a rollercoaster of flare-ups while searching for answers that actually help, you’re not alone.
Research suggests that the root cause of eczema can often be linked to key microbes missing from the gut in the first year of life [1]. These tiny imbalances can trigger flare-ups, making eczema even harder to manage.
Alex, a mom in our Tiny Health community, discovered just that. She never imagined that gut microbes could play a role in easing her child’s eczema. But by exploring the connection between gut health and skin, she finally found relief for her 19-month-old daughter, Joie. Her story is an inspiring example of a parent determined to get to the root cause and help her little one feel better.
“Sometimes, you just have to dig a little deeper.”
Alex and her husband, Vince, are also the parents of 4-year-old Maison. With two dogs in the mix, they’ve got their hands full as a family of six. They moved to the Bay Area during the pandemic to be closer to family right around the time they welcomed their first child.
Joie began showing signs of mild skin irritation at just five months old. A slight rash became a full-body flare-up when she was 11 months old.
As a parent dedicated to holistic products, Alex tried everything from organic lotions to over-the-counter creams. Nothing provided lasting relief. Her anxiety grew with every flare, and each day, she felt a little more helpless.
“I’m a very intentional parent; I used every natural product for her (washing clothes with Branch Basics, mild soaps, and using lotions like Pipette, Earth Mama, Babo, and Naetal skincare), Alex said.
None worked, so Alex consulted her pediatrician and dermatologist. Both recommended steroid creams, which worked temporarily, but the rash always returned when Alex stopped applying them.
“Joie’s eczema wasn’t following food allergy patterns, but it wasn’t a typical eczema rash either. The cream helped, but I had a really hard time mentally using it, and every time I tried to stop, the rash would flare up again,” Alex recalled. The constant trial and error was exhausting. And the scars on Joie’s back from scratching were a constant reminder that her baby was suffering. Joie’s disinterest in food was also worrying.
Every time Alex laid her down for a diaper change, Joie rubbed her back on the floor, desperate for relief from the itch. The constant worry about Joie's discomfort affected everyone’s sleep and well-being.
Each diaper change became a longer routine as Alex had to apply more cream to soothe her skin. The oils from the lotions ruined so many of Joie’s outfits that Alex had to throw them out. Family members often asked if Joie had gotten wet because her onesies were always covered in large, permanent oil stains.
One day, while searching for natural solutions on social media, Alex came across Tiny Health. When Joie was 13 months old, Alex was determined to find real answers for her daughter and took a chance on Tiny Health’s Baby Gut Health Test.
Joie’s results
Joie’s Microbiome Summary Score was in the 10th percentile, meaning that 90% of babies under 3 scored higher. This indicated that Joie had significant gut imbalances that could benefit from extra support and care.
Joie’s Action Plan shows she’s missing key bacteria like Bifidobacterium and that a probiotic supplement with this group of bacteria would be beneficial [2]. Also, adding an HMO prebiotic would give Joie’s gut a little extra support.
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During the Tiny Health consultation, microbiome specialist Jennifer Vera, RN, CNS, explained that it wasn’t surprising Joie was dealing with both skin issues and a poor appetite. She shared that the discomfort from Joie’s gut imbalances could be why she wasn’t interested in eating, making it clear that everything is connected.
“Tiny Health’s in-depth report gave me so much relief. It helped me understand the complexity of the gut just a tiny bit and gave me hope for a more holistic approach to healing Joie’s skin issues. I was struggling so much with the insufficiency and negative effects of topical creams but had nothing else to try until this test and their recommendations,” Alex said.
A clear path forward
The toll of not knowing how to help Joie weighed heavily on Alex, so getting to the root of her daughter’s eczema felt empowering—especially with clear next steps. Tiny Health’s Action Plan recommended giving Joie supplements, probiotics, and prebiotics to support her gut and an SBI to rebuild its protective mucus lining.
During their consultation, they discussed which brands would be best for Joie, and Alex purchased them immediately after the call. “Jennifer shared how much to give of each and when to stop, which was extremely helpful, too,” Alex said.
In addition to Joie’s rashes fading and her appetite returning, their daily routine became much more manageable. Alex was able to keep Joie’s clothes free from lotion and oil stains and didn’t have to spend extra time applying lotion with every diaper or outfit change.
“Looking back at pictures I almost forgot how bad it was! You cannot tell by how healthy her skin is now. It has completely healed with zero scarring or damage,” Alex said.
As a mother surrounded by other mothers, Alex was excited to share what she learned about Tiny Health testing. “I immediately told EVERYONE about it. I even shared my experience with our pediatrician, who wanted to know more because of how incredible her healing has been,“ Alex shared.
For Alex, it’s a given that life will challenge Joie in ways she can’t always predict or control. What she cares about most is that her daughter stays resilient and grounded in the holistic foundation they’ve built together. She also accepts that not every question will have a clear answer—and that’s okay. Sometimes, you just have to dig a little deeper.
Relief from the inside out
Alex wasn’t willing to accept that Joie’s eczema was something they just had to live with. When traditional treatments didn’t work, she kept searching, determined to find real answers. Trusting her instincts and looking deeper, Alex finally found the relief her daughter needed—rooted in Joie’s gut.
If you’re dealing with eczema in your family and looking for answers beyond the surface, explore how gut health could be the missing link. Find out if your baby's gut microbes might be at the root of their eczema. Tiny+ Targeted Eczema Gut Rebalance program provides valuable, science-backed insights into your child's unique gut microbiome.
