TIPS FOR RELIEVING YOUR CHILD’S ECZEMA

It’s itchy, irritating and very common. Sun Health discusses childhood eczema with paediatrician, Dr Setshedi Sebata of ‘Just Us Kids’ clinic, who gives some helpful information on the condition and the best ways to manage it at home.

Thank you for your time Dr Sebata.Care to give us a little background on who you are and what specialty who are in as well as why you chose it?

I’m Setshedi Makwinja Sebata. Married to Dr Rearabiloe Sebata, we have 2 girls, Lore 15 years and Nomazwe 13years.I specialise in General Paediatrics, graduated in 2009 from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, the affiliation at Harlem Hospital NY, NY. In 2017 obtained a Masters of Jurisprudence in Child Health Law and Policy from Loyola University, Chicago, USA.

There are many reasons why I ended up doing Paediatrics, and I’m glad I did. The best part of what I do is sharing information with parents about expected growth and developmental milestones , and providing guidance when development doesn’t occur in the predictable manner. I was trained in the era of ‘Evidence based Medicine which requires one to teach parents and explain why treatment X over treatment Y based on the most current research. This empowers parents and makes them active participants in the consultation.

Now, let’s talk about one of the conditions I have noticed is giving both parents and children sleepless nights, eczema! What is it?

Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a recurring skin problem that causes dry, scaly itchy skin( red patches in the light skin).

Usually start appearing between 2 and 6 months of age and any may persist into adulthood.

For some children, eczema starts to go away by age 4. However, some children will continue to have dry, sensitive skin as they grow up. It is hard to predict which children will outgrow the condition.

How common is eczema in children?

Eczema is one of the most common skin conditions of childhood. Latest global prevalence indicates that AD affects up to 20% of children and 3% of adults.In Africa, the prevalence of AD ranges from 4.7% to 23%.

What predisposes a child to eczema?

Eczema has many different causes; I will mention a few common known causes;

Both a person’s genes and their environment play a role in eczema. It often runs in families and tends to occur with other allergic conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis (hay fever and seasonal allergies).

Eczema is caused by problems with the skin barrier. Many children with eczema do not have enough of a special protein called “filaggrin” in the outer layer of skin. Filaggrin helps skin form a strong barrier between the body and the environment. Skin with too little of this protein has a harder time holding in water and keeping out bacteria and environmental irritants.

Many studies have shown increased risk of AD in infants born during dry season

What signs should parents look out for?

Parents will observe cycles of itch, scratch, and inflammation. For children with severe eczema, constant itching and scratching results in skin infections, behavioral issues, and sleep problems

Where does it tend to occur?

Usually start on the face first in most cases and extend or evolve to the other parts of the body.

In babies, eczema usually starts on the scalp and face. Red, dry rashes may show up on the cheeks, forehead, and around the mouth. Eczema usually does not develop in the diaper area.

In young school-aged children, the eczema rash is often in the elbow creases, on the backs of the knees, on the neck, and around the eyes.

What about diet, does it contribute to it?

Many children with eczema also have food allergies, but foods themselves do not cause eczema.