Atopic dermatitis affects children so much that one in three children present at the Pediatric Dermatology Hospital of the Reina Sofía Hospital in Córdoba suffers from this skin disease. It is the most common chronic skin disease at present, Prevalence between 30% and 40%.
In fact, it is a percentage is gradually increasingexplains Gloria Garnacho, a dermatologist at the Hospital of Córdoba. Not all atopic dermatitis is the same and can be classified as mild, moderate or severe depending on the severity.
Most of these are mild to moderate and can be managed with proper skin care or topical treatments. “Only those more serious They require systemic therapy or emerging new biological therapies,” said the doctor.
exist Pediatric Dermatology Doctors at the Reina Reina Sofia Hospital said consultations for the condition were high, one in three children, and in many cases they were referred from primary care (pediatrics) to “confirm Some treatment decisions” and experts give “that go–move on,” Garnacho said. It’s the pediatrician, then, who is in charge of managing the disease. These children will be followed up by a dermatologist.
Thus, “the percentage of cases of atopic dermatitis is higher than the percentage of cases treated in hospitals because it is a pathology that is distributed between the skin and the skin. Follow-up in primary care pediatrics And the most complex cases are handled by hospital specialists,” the doctor noted.
Sunshine Management and Benefits
In general, atopic dermatitis “like all inflammatory diseases improves with sun exposure because Sunlight is a great anti-inflammatory“However, this is not always the case at the swimming pool or on the beach,” emphasizes Gloria Garnacho. In this sense, she explains that people with uncontrolled atopy In patients with atopic dermatitis, changes in the skin and lesions can be exacerbated by sunlight, beach sand, wind or sea salt, and excess chlorine in swimming pools.
For this reason, “it is important that these individuals are well controlled before the disease” go to the beach or pool“Regarding saltwater chlorinated pools,” they are better, but still very dry. A person “affected by this pathology” can take a bath, but rinse off immediately and apply creams and an appropriate sunscreen. “
inside Atopic Dermatitis Treatment The patient and his family (if a child) are well trained in caring for this pathology, which has a great impact on the patient and their family. To this end, the Reina Sofia Hospital opened the Escuela de la Atopía de Córdoba School in 2018 california topic, but that stopped with the coronavirus.have done it all these years onlineGarnacho emphasized, “But it will not have the same impact or the same utility. This year, 2023, the in-person format will return again, and the first call will take place on November 6.”
The goal of this initiative is to allow patients to better understand their disease, understand it, Identifying Outbreaks and where they can improve or worsen. “That way they don’t have to rely 100 percent on experts,” the doctor said.
appearance and evolution
atopic dermatitis very more common early in lifeThe condition usually occurs around the age of two or four, experts explain, but some babies may start suffering from it even after six months.In this regard, Garnacho noted that it is important for these infants under one year of age to be treated appropriately because “it has been found that, when treated properly, it does not simply stop the eczema, nor does it trigger a cascade of inflammation Immune mechanisms may trigger the so-called atopic march“.
According to the doctor, it is inflammatory response of the immune system “It starts with eczema, nothing more, but if not corrected, it can go on to develop allergic rhinitis, contact allergies, bronchial asthma, and even intestinal pathology, such as altered gut flora.”
atopic dermatitis is evolving “It usually corrects around six, eight or ten years, depending on each patient,” but others continue the pathology into adolescence and even adulthood. However, when they are children, each stage has different characteristics, which is why care and treatment must be adapted.
But why does pathology seem to be increasing?There are many theories, but in general, for the development of atopic dermatitis, says the expert Reina Sophia Four basic factors affect: On the one hand, a change in the skin barrier; on the other hand, a genetic factor, the transmission of which occurs throughout the family; in addition, there is a series of environmental triggers such as repeated infections, exposure to toxins, dust or unsuitable food; finally, there is also There is an immune mechanism called atopic march.
psoriasis
Psoriasis is also a chronic skin condition, much less common than atopic dermatitis.In childhood, it accounts for about 3% to 4% of all diagnoses because It is more common in adults than in children..
In any case, Grenache clarified that it may appear in the first stages of life.It may even be present from the moment of birth; in fact, there are psoriasis called “diaper zone” Because it mainly affects this area.For the development of this pathology, constant friction has a great influence, the so-called Cobner effect.
In children, there is usually face, scalp, navel…or even “it appears in the fold the other way around”. It differs from adults because their form is “much less scabbed and more similar to eczema”, so “they can often be managed with topical treatments and sun exposure”.
Psoriasis ‘Summer is sunny’ Even specialists sometimes use these months as an opportunity to stop patients from treatment. In fact, “psoriasis rarely shows up in the summer, but it can show up at any time in life.” Affected individuals don’t have the same problems with sand or chlorine as those with atopic dermatitis.
summer skin problems
Other very typical skin problems in summer children include: insect or jellyfish stingso “you have to be careful with them and use an appropriate repellent.” If a bite has occurred, use topical corticosteroids, oral antihistamines, and remedial creams, Ganacjo notes.
For jellyfish stings, it’s important to go to the center because they even use topical and oral corticosteroids Because “these bites don’t just cause immediate problems, they can cause problems later”.
Attention should be paid in summer phototoxic reaction of plants Such as fig trees or oleanders, this can happen after touching any of these specimens and exposing the area to sunlight, causing a “sudden eruption” that can even produce blisters.
It is common in older children Hong Kong feetis a fungal infection that develops in crowded places such as swimming pools or public showers, so it is important to use slippers and flip-flops.
sunburn
Summer is a time when children often play outdoors, especially in pool areas and on the shore, so you must Use a photoprotectant to avoid sunburn.
According to Reina Sofía dermatologist, 80% of a person’s sun exposure is received in childhood, which is Major preventable factor in the development of moles and melanomaso “we have to be very responsible to our kids, use enough sunscreen, reapply, and if they don’t like it, wear SPF 50 clothing.”