Childhood Eczema May Last a Lifetime, Study Finds - East Idaho News

Childhood Eczema May Last a Lifetime, Study Finds

  Published at

GETTY 040214 SkinDiagram?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1396496383087iStock/Thinkstock(PHILADELPHIA) — Researchers have bad news for eczema patients. Children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema, may cope with the condition for decades to come, and may even deal with it for the rest of their lives, according to a new study published in JAMA Dermatology.

Researchers from University of Pennsylvania examined data from a group of more than 7,000 children aged 2 to 26.  At every age, more than 80 percent of the participants had eczema symptoms or were still using medication to treat the condition. During the five years of follow-up, 64 percent of patients never reported a six-month period when their skin was symptom-free without medications. It was not until age 20 that 50 percent of patients had at least one six-month symptom-free period.

This study challenges the current belief that nearly 50 percent to 70 percent of children with eczema will grow out of it by age 12.

While the news is bleak for people with eczema, the upside is that there are treatment options out there that can control symptoms.

Non-medicinal treatments for eczema include:

  • Using only mild soaps and moisturizer.
  • Getting regular exercise and reducing stress.
  • Avoiding long, hot showers.

As for medications to treat eczema, doctors may recommend over-the-counter and prescription creams or ointments, as well as immunity suppressant medications and UV light therapy.

Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION