Children and teenagers with serious skin
conditions feel that their quality of life is impaired almost to the same
extent as those with chronic conditions such as epilepsy and diabetes,
the results of a new study indicate.
A team of Scottish researchers surveyed
379 young people, aged five to 16, who had been suffering from skin diseases
like acne, eczema and psoriasis. All had the skin conditions for at least
six months. Their parents were also surveyed.
The survey looked at how much the condition
impaired the child's quality of life when it came to factors such as pain,
loss of sleep, medical treatment, dietary restrictions, interference with
school, friendships and teasing or bullying.
The researchers also surveyed the parents
of 161 children with chronic conditions and then compared the results.
According to the children who took part,
psoriasis and eczema were the two skin conditions that caused the greatest
distress. Both were given a 'quality of life impairment score' of 31%.
They were followed by urticaria (20%) and acne (18%).
From the parents' prospective, eczema
was the biggest skin problem (33%), followed by urticaria (28%) and psoriasis
(27%).
A hand covered in atopic eczema
When the overall results for skin and
chronic conditions were compared, the researchers found that the condition
that had the worst effect on quality of life was cerebral palsy (38%).
This was closely followed by generalised eczema and kidney disease, which
both scored 33%.
Other scores included:
-Cystic fibrosis (32%).
-Urticaria and asthma (28%).
-Psoriasis (27%).
-Epilepsy and bedwetting (24%).
-Diabetes, localised eczema and hair loss
(19%).
-Acne (16%).
The biggest concerns for children with
eczema, psoriasis and urticaria were itching and pain, while for those
with acne or warts, embarrassment was their main worry.
"Skin diseases are often more obvious
to other children than chronic diseases such as asthma or diabetes and
are more likely to lead to alienation, name calling, teasing and bullying.
Some skin conditions can also disturb children's sleep and cause lack of
self-confidence, embarrassment and poor self-esteem, especially as they
get older", said lead author, Dr Paula Beattie of the Royal Hospital for
Sick Children in Glasgow.
She added that while skin conditions may
not shorten a child's lifespan in the same way as conditions like cystic
fibrosis can, 'they can cause children as much, if not more, distress in
their everyday lives'.
"Our study clearly shows the profound
effect skin diseases can have on children's quality of life and we hope
that our findings will raise awareness of the problems they face and encourage
greater sensitivity towards them", Dr Beattie said.
The findings are published in the British
Journal of Dermatology.
For more information on eczema, see our
Eczema Clinic at...
http://www.irishhealth.com/clin/eczema/
For more information on psoriasis, see
our Psoriasis Clinic at...
http://www.irishhealth.com/clin/psor/
