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Eczema and emotional and behavioural problems in childhood
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/bjd.19274
Subject(s) - headaches , population , medicine , pediatrics , psychology , psychiatry , environmental health
Eczema, emotional and behavioural problems are commonly present in childhood. It is not fully clear if eczema affects emotional and behavioural problems or that emotional and behavioural problems affect eczema in children. In this Dutch population‐based study of 5,265 children, we previously identified five eczema ‘phenotypes’ or categories, based on their age of onset (at what age the eczema first started) and course of eczema between birth and the age of 10 years. We defined the five phenotypes as ‘never eczema’ (never had eczema), ‘early transient eczema’ (onset before age 2 years, gradually decreasing afterwards), ‘mid‐transient eczema’ (onset around age 2 years, gradually decreasing afterwards), ‘late transient eczema’ (onset around age 5 years, gradually decreasing afterwards) and ‘persistent eczema’ (present from age 0‐10 years). Additionally, we measured emotional problems (anxious, withdrawn‐depressed and somatic symptoms such as constipation, dizziness, headaches) and behavioural problems (attention problems and aggressive behaviour symptoms) repeatedly from age 1·5 to 10 years by questionnaires. Children with any of the identified eczema phenotypes had slightly more somatic symptoms (e.g. dizziness, headaches) and attention problems at school age, compared to those with the ‘never eczema’ phenotype. Children with ‘early transient eczema’ also had slightly more aggressive behaviour symptoms. It seems that the direction is from eczema in early life leading to emotional and behavioural problems in later life, rather than the other way round. In this relatively healthy and young study population, eczema very modestly affects emotional and behavioural problems, and not vice versa. Future research could examine these relationships in a clinical paediatric population, taking into account the severity of eczema, and determine the effects of optimum early eczema management on mental health disorders later in life. Linked Article: Hu et al. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183 :311–320.