Atopic dermatitis brings not only physical discomfort and aesthetic problems to children, but can also affect their height and body weight. The results of the study are published in JAMA Dermatology. .jpg» />Eczema or atopic dermatitis causes redness, itching and flaking of the skin. This chronic disease usually manifests itself in childhood and can accompany a person throughout life — it cannot be completely cured. The prevalence of the disease among developed countries is up to 20%, among the adult population — 2-8%.
In their scientific paper, the Toronto Women's College Hospital noted that the relationship between atopic dermatitis and height and weight in children has only been evaluated in a few small studies, and the results have been inconsistent. To confirm or refute this hypothesis, scientists used data from the Canadian study TARGet Kids, which lasted from 2008 to 2021. Children aged 5 years and younger participated in it, their health was monitored as they grew older. The new analysis included data from 10.6 thousand children aged 2 years.
Scientists focused on the results of a survey of parents, in which they also answered questions about the symptoms of dermatitis in young participants, as well as data on the height and body weight of each of them. To evaluate these parameters, a calibrated height meter and digital scales with high accuracy were used.
It turned out that children with eczema at the age of 2 years were on average 0.5 centimeters shorter than their peers without this disease, and at the age of 5 years they were already 0.6 cm shorter. But there is good news: this difference was leveled out by almost all participants with dermatitis at the age of 14.
Pros and cons of hormone therapy for eczema
We analyze all the nuances and features of the treatment of atopic dermatitis.
Read article
Scientists have also found a direct link between dermatitis and overweight in different age groups. It is not yet known if these differences persist into adulthood. To find out, larger and longer observations are needed, the authors of the study noted.
Earlier, American scientists found a link between atopic dermatitis and mental problems in adolescents. Among 11,000 children with eczema, 6% of participants at age 10 had depression, and by age 18, its prevalence increased to 21.6%. Girls suffered from this mental disorder more often than boys (56.8% vs. 42.8%). p>
The authors of the study noted that they were able to establish a link between depression and severe eczema. However, mild to moderate dermatitis was correlated with behavioral problems as early as 4 years of age. According to scientists, this may partly be due to the deterioration in the quality of children's sleep, since eczema causes noticeable physical discomfort.