Itchy rashes are nothing new for kids, as they happen to get them at one time or another. But, if it is eczema, it can be a nuisance if goes undiagnosed and untreated. The allergic eczema or dermatitis affects one in 10 babies — with dry, scaly, skin rashes that can persist into adulthood.
With the mechanisms behind the “eczema itch” being complex and poorly understood, an effective and clear treatment needs to be developed.
Cuing up with these concerns, scientists were all set to find a solution to the common but irritating disease of the skin.
And eventually, they have identified two blood chemicals — brain-derived neurotrophic factor and substance P — that are linked to itchy eczema. It is found that with the increase of scratching during sleep, the levels of two specific blood chemicals also raises.
Kam-lun Ellis Hon, one of the researchers said,
For most eczema sufferers, itching is the worst symptom of the disease. It is known to keep children awake at night, which in turn affects parents and can put pressure on the whole family, and even affect children’s performance at school.
It is by discovering the mechanisms behind the disease and its symptoms that we can develop new therapies that specifically target the root cause of the problem.
This new link may eventually help open new treatment avenues for the disease leading to the skin’s upper layers’ inflammation.
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