This is dual post both here and in "Life with Babe," as I had not realized that there was an allergy forum and that is what is being suggested as the posible cause.
My 5 month old DD has had a number of round dry spots on her torso for about 6 weeks. They are the same color as the rest of her skin, vary in size from pencil eraser to nickel sized, and are very dry. She does not itch at them and she has had no other symptoms indicating illness.
They seem to be increasing in number lately so I broke down and took her to the ped. Of course there are 2 peds in the practice, one I really like and one I had not previously met and we get stuck with the new one. She walks in, asks where DD was born, I say at home. “Oh” she replies with eyebrow raised. Then she says, “What about vaccines?” and I tell her we are not vaxing. Another “Ooohhh” and ‘the look’ that says- “I see, you’re one of those parents….
Anyway she goes on to measure DD, looks in her ears and mouth, looks at the spots and tells me its dry skin. She asks what we have been using-I say Aveno and Burts Bees. She tells me to keep up the Aveno and to wash clothes with All Free and Clear (which we do) and to not use fabric softener (which we don’t). Then she leaves.
So, any other moms have any idea what DD may have and how we can treat it? I am hopping mad that I wasted the $ on a dr. visit for nothing and I am thinking about calling back tomorrow and asking for a referral to a dermatologist. Before I do that however I would love to hear suggestions from anyone who has dealt with similar skin issues.
Michelle

Some kids do better with frequent bathing (lukewarm) and some kids do better with less bathing. Some kids do better in the winter when the air is dry and cold, some kids do better in the summer with heat and humiditiy.
It is essential to moisturize after bathing, w/in 3 minutes to lock in the moisture. Bathing in good, clean water is essential. Wash sheets in hot water at least 1x a week. Every kid is different, and you'll figure out what works for her.

Dairy? Dd had this problem when she was little until I stopped having any dairy while she was nursing and still doesn't have dairy. No problems anymore, unless she has dairy.

Julie had little dry-skin patches behind her ears (I know, different presentation from your DD) until we cut out the things that bother her. Dairy is a great place to start. Have you noticed any other possible allergy symptoms in your DD? Cry constantly? Diahrea? Constipation? Severe sleep issues? Diaper rash around the anus? Sometimes an allergy will only present with one symptom, but if there are other unresolved issues, it might make a stronger case for an elimination diet.
If you do decide to eliminate dairy, that means ALL dairy, including cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter anything with casein as an ingredient, and there is a list somewhere of other names dairy can hide under. Do a search in this forum and you'll find links.
Doctors can be real jerks sometimes. I got similar cr*p from our ped multiple times. My DD would be up screaming for 3 hours a night till she was 17 months old and I started eliminating foods on my own. I took her in to the Dr.'s office like 3 times a month on average for this, and got blown off every time. You wouldn't believe how many times it was insinuated that I was an over-protective first-time mom, and I got the "wrong laundry detergent" line with a diaper rash in it once or twice. All I'm saying is that you may not get resolution with doctors at all at this stage. Allergies are something that many doctors won't even consider till the kid is one or two. My ped flat-out refused to run RAST tests on Julie because "they're too expensive". ARGH! The only way to know for sure is to do an elimination diet for a couple of weeks and see if you see a difference.