Eczema in child greatly increases mom's stress

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mothers of young children with moderate to severe eczema report higher stress levels than mothers of children with diabetes or profound deafness, findings from a small study suggest.

Eczema is a skin condition that causes red, swollen and itchy skin, which can be related to allergies, irritating substances or genetics. Young children with eczema have trouble sleeping and show signs of significant distress, making the condition difficult for parents too, reported Professor Andrew Kemp and colleagues at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, in Sydney, Australia.

The researchers assessed parental stress scores in 33 mothers of children, 5 years old or younger, with moderate to severe eczema. The 33 children had eczema for an average of 2.8 years and were either hospitalized or receiving care as an out-patient from a pediatric allergist, immunologist or dermatologist.

The mothers of these children showed stress levels as high as those typically found in the mothers of children with asthma or severe disabilities requiring tube feeding. The researchers also noted that the stress levels increased in the mothers as the severity of eczema increased in the children. The findings are published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Overall, 24 percent of the mothers of children with eczema had elevated scores for depression and 46 percent had stress levels high enough to indicate the need for professional counseling.

Nearly half the mothers said they felt incompetent in controlling their child's behavior, with 67 percent indicated their child was demanding and 56 percent said their child was unable to adapt to physical or social changes resulting from their condition.

Health professionals caring for these children should be aware of the significant impact the child's condition may have on the mother's stress levels, which may be exacerbated by a lack of spousal support.

Further research is needed to determine how best to minimize this stress.

SOURCE: Archives of Disease in Childhood, July 2007