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News
: Eczema, which affects one in five children and one in 12 adults, can become far more than a skin complaint. We ask the experts how parents can help children cope with the psychological and physical difficulties of the condition
17 September 2006
Eczema cases have tripled in the UK in the last 30 years and the condition, which can cause itchy, dry and flaky skin, now affects one in five children and one in 12 adults.
New research reveals the widespread impact of living with eczema - coping with painful, cracked and often bleeding skin - means that nearly 75pc of sufferers worry about their appearance and about 30pc find it difficult to form relationships. A third of sufferers feel there is no release from their condition.
"It's important to communicate that eczema is far more than a skin complaint, it can affect a person's relationships, self-esteem, career and can even lead to depression," explains National Eczema Society chief executive Margaret Cox.
"We need greater recognition of the deeper impact eczema can have on a person's life to help improve the medical advice and understanding that patients receive.
"Life with eczema can be very difficult but with the right support and management, it can also be lived to the full."
National Eczema Week aims to change the way eczema is perceived and managed.
Penny Titman, consultant clinical psychologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, points out that although eczema is often not considered as a serious medical problem, it can have a significant impact on a sufferer's overall quality of life.
"It can also result in psychological difficulties for sufferers - and their carers - and it's important people living with eczema recognise that support, advice and guidance is available through the National Eczema Society," she says.
• National Eczema Week runs until September 23. The National Eczema Society has produced a new booklet on the psychological impact of eczema called 'Mind Over Eczema' which is available free during National Eczema Week. Call the society's helpline on 0870 241 3604 or email helpline@eczema.org
SKIN MATTERS
Eczema is not contagious but it is prone to secondary infection by a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus, which can make the eczema much worse.
"Eczema can make the skin dry, hot and itchy and it can become broken, raw and bleeding, producing an urge to scratch which can be hard to resist, whatever your age," Cox says.
"There are many different types of eczema from mild to severe including atopic eczema, which is the most common form and affects 15-20pc of UK school children, and contact eczema which may be caused by irritants such as detergents and allergens like rubber."
The cause of eczema is not yet fully understood, although it is believed to be partly genetic. Certain 'triggers' such as stress, house dust mites and detergents can make it worse, Cox says.
"Conventional treatments include moisturisers and topical steroids, however, everyone's skin is different, and what helps one will not always help another," she warns.
"If not treated appropriately the skin may get more irritated and itchy, leading to more scratching and damage to the skin, which can be both emotionally and physically devastating."
CHILDREN AND ECZEMA
Sometimes called infantile, baby or childhood eczema, atopic eczema is particularly widespread in kids and is thought to run in families, though it is not always passed from parent to child.
"The term atopy refers to the atopic diseases which include atopic eczema, asthma and hay fever.
In atopy the body's immune system overreacts to things which would not normally do any harm such as house dust mite, pollens, moulds, certain foods and animal dander," Cox explains.
"Atopic eczema can begin in babies from about six weeks old and can continue throughout childhood, but, for reasons that are not clear, three-quarters of children grow out of atopic eczema around puberty."
This type of eczema usually affects the creases of the body such as the back of the knees and inside of the elbows but it can appear anywhere and can look different in each child.
"Babies and children often rub their faces on bed sheets or clothing to relieve the itch, and usually the skin is very itchy, dry and red, sometimes it is weepy and bleeding," she says.
BACK TO SCHOOL
School can be daunting enough for a child without feeling physically different and needing special treatment, but the following tips may help to make it a little easier.
› Avoid temperature changes by sitting away from radiators and windows.
› Choose cotton clothing rather than wool or synthetics, which can irritate the skin.
› Wear a cotton T-shirt or vest to wear underneath a nylon football shirt to avoid skin irritation.
› Use a soft cotton towel for drying hands as paper towels can hurt.
› Avoid using school soaps when washing hands.
› Wear latex-free protective gloves for clay modelling and washing-up.
› Take plenty of emollients to apply throughout the day - decant them into smaller pots for ease.
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