The global burden of atopic dermatitis (AD) or eczema among children is rising, bringing with it a wave of distressing physical and psychological symptoms. Let’s take a look at the statistics, and meet some of the young people behind them to hear how they cope with the impacts that AD has on their lives.
AD cases rising in under-14s
In 2021, an analysis of data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 found there were 72.4 million global AD cases among under-14s – a 6.2% rise since 2000. The highest prevalence was among children aged between five and nine, with rates ranging by country from 1.5% to 10.67%.
Researchers forecast there will be 9.3 million new cases of AD in children by 2050, especially among younger children. Although prevalence rates may drop slightly, the burden of the disease measured by disability adjusted life years (DALYs) is predicted to rise, due to complications such as asthma and mental health issues along with longer life spans of affected individuals.
So what are the main symptoms of AD, and how do they affect patients’ daily lives?
Itching, discomfort and disturbed sleep
AD is a non-fatal, non-contagious skin disease, so it is often overlooked by medical researchers. But its impact on patients and their families is considerable and wide-ranging.
Itching is the most common symptom – experienced on a daily basis by 91% of AD patients – and it can be excruciating.
Jaylin Anderson recalls her four-month-old daughter Kiley as “a very itchy, red, uncomfortable, unhappy baby”, whose skin got progressively worse.
“Anything we could do to alleviate her discomfort and prevent her from scratching her face and body until it bled was a hard-won victory for us,” she says.
Kiley’s condition grew so bad that she was hospitalised, before being given a comprehensive AD management plan.
The itching and pain has knock-on effects, with up to 66% of children experiencing disturbed sleep. Aimee Bedwell says her eight-month-old daughter Riley’s AD is so severe that it looks like she has been burnt.
“It’s just incredibly painful for her. It constantly gets infected and changing her can be horrendous as her clothes just stick to her. It also keeps her up at night. She hasn’t slept well for months because she wakes up itching – and then that keeps me awake. It’s like torture and it’s affecting our whole life.”
As children with AD grow up, they encounter new problems. Sabira recalls:
“During the early years of school, eczema on my hands would make it difficult to write as I simply couldn’t stop itching and teachers had to encourage me not to itch!”
The problem persisted throughout Sabira’s school years.
“I found it a struggle to concentrate on revising for my GCSEs whilst the skin on my face felt dry, tight, cracked, and sore,” she says.
Self-esteem and bullying
AD is linked to a range of psychological disorders, including anxiety (experienced by 7.25% of children and adolescents with AD), and depression (6.52%).
As it is a very visible condition, many sufferers become highly self-conscious, particularly during their teenage years. Along with scaling, oozing and redness, those with darker skin may also experience hyperpigmentation.
Jenn, now a singer and actress, remembers always wearing long sleeves and trousers as a child to hide her redness and hyperpigmentation. She says:
“I read a comment online that said you can’t be an actress with eczema because directors won’t wait for flare-ups to clear. I was very depressed because I thought my dream was dead.”
Often, children also encounter bullying, which can have lifelong effects on self-esteem. Christopher says:
“As a child I was bullied relentlessly and as an adult I somehow felt what they said about me was true. I could see my difference and it made me feel both broken and monstrous.”
He used to cover up and stay indoors. “When people did notice, I would panic,” he says. “They saw my skin, my difference, my flaws. I would spiral into a pit of low self-worth and shame.
Even well-meaning people may hinder more than they help. Harriet says:
“From a young age, I was made to feel different—not just by my skin itself, but by how others reacted to it. At family gatherings, I was often singled out, with relatives putting me on display, determined to ‘fix’ me.”
Associated allergies and asthma
For many patients, AD is not their only condition: 60% develop either asthma or hayfever, and up to 30% have food allergies.
Tyler has multiple food allergies as well as asthma. He keeps EpiPens on hand and always asks about ingredients in restaurants.
“Knowledge is power, and for the eczema patient, it’s also safety,” he says. “It’s extremely important to know how a serious reaction begins to manifest so you can avoid the worst of it.”
Arctic Therapeutics: trialling pioneering AD treatments
With the forecast rise in numbers of children suffering from AD, and with treatment adherence still a challenge, effective treatments are needed urgently.
Arctic Therapeutics is committed to developing novel and transformative medicines to create a better future for people in critical need of new treatment options. Find out more about our treatment for inflammatory skin diseases.