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Atopic Eczema Essay

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“The word eczema comes from the Greek word “ekzein” which means “to boil.” Eczema (also known as dermatitis) is a dry skin condition” (National Eczema Society, 2016).Atopic eczema is the most common type of eczema which is also associated with other atopic allergies such as hay fever and asthma (Patient, 2016). Eczema causes the skin to appear cracked, red, itchy and dry. Atopic eczema can affect any part of the body but mostly around the neck, cheeks, inside or outside the elbows and scalp. There are 800 million people suffering from eczema in the United Kingdom (British skin foundation, 2016).Eczema affects 1 in five children in the United Kingdom, of which 8 out of 10 cases develop the condition within the first five years of a child’s life…show more content…
Eczema is not contagious, therefore it cannot be passed on through contact (Teens Health, 2016).Eczema is reported to be chronic but treatment such as emollients, steroid creams and ointments are used to suppress the skin’s immune response thereby making the condition and symptoms controllable. Eczema can clear with time, about 2 in 3 children grow out of eczema by the age of 16 and half by the age of 11 (NHS Choices, 2014).In 2009, cases of eczema prevalence increased more than 40% over a period of four years, and on average eczema patients consulted GP four times a year.Similary eczema medication prescriptions also increased by approximately 57%.About 13, 700,000 prescriptions where issued in 2005 (NHS Choices, 2009). Eczema can cause the skin to crack and break, thereby being susceptible to bacterial and viral skin infection. Furthermore, it causes sleep deprivation, about 10-20% children with eczema experienced sleep disturbance during infancy
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