Hello
Our youngest daughter has severe eczema, asthma and food allergies. These have an impact on our monthly budget/family organisation as follows:
dairy free food(combine this with the fact she is a fussy eater anyway...can be a nightmare)
100%cotton pyjamas, washed daily due to scratching/bleeding(extra bedding needed/soap powder etc)
cotton knickers/socks/t-shirts etc basically anything next to her skin
bedding washed every second day due to bleeding/skin debris(soap powder/electric/extra bedding/tumble drying)
creams are on prescription but I buy eczema friendly suncream/shampoo(£10 a time)
hospital/doctor appointments(like our second home) including parking/travel charges-which add up!
She can't share a bath with her siblings due to their lotions and potions not being suitable, so she has her own.
She is too young to ensure she doesn't eat any potential hazardous foods, so hubby or I have to accompany her on any outing/party
rarely a full night's sleep due to scratching/crying etc
carpets replaced with wooden floors to reduce allergens (ground floor only, can't afford to do the rest)
pets rehomed (including our five year old labrador, which broke our hearts -including hers)
Our food/housekeeping bill is therefore high, as are our electric and medical bills.
It isn't until you sit down and think about all the little extra bits that you realise just what an impact something like eczema (and associated problems) can have on budgets. And compared to the complex needs of other children, it is a relatively insignificant health problem, which we manage as best we can, with good days and bad.
I sometimes wonder whether I would be a better mother if I worked less hours and was more available for her, but that scenario would reduce our income; making our financial situation worse still. If it wasn't for the debt, I would certainly reduce my hours considerably so that I could juggle being a mum/wife/friend and professional with greater aplomb!
Blue
