Caregivers of children with eczema suffer mild anxiety

Washington: Mild anxiety and depression have been found in parents or caregivers surrounding children with atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema.
In the study presented at the 28th EADV Congress, researchers assessed the impact of an atopic dermatitis diagnosis on the families of 35 children aged 1-6.
They evaluated 83 family members and caregivers and found that all respondents reported at least mild severity anxiety with some showing moderate severity anxiety.
Almost three in four (74 per cent) participants were also found to present with depression.
The study found that depression and anxiety scores were associated with the persistence and longevity of atopic dermatitis. Researchers did not find an association between scores and the severity of the disease, meaning that depression or anxiety was not observed to increase where atopic dermatitis was more severe.
Atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema causes the skin to become itchy, red dry and cracked. It is a chronic condition that most often occurs in people who have allergies and can develop alongside asthma and hayfever.