Diet Changes Alone May Not Alleviate Children's Eczema: Study

A recent study reveals that removing specific foods from a child’s diet can unlikely alleviate eczema symptoms. Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is linked to an overactive immune response and an increased risk of food allergies, prompting some parents to adopt elimination diets to manage their children's itchy, rash skin.

Presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Boston, the study found that elimination diets resulted in only mild improvements in eczema lesions for about one-third of participants. Lead researcher Dr Nadia Makkoukdji, a pediatric allergist at Jackson Health System in Miami, stated, “Elimination diets aren’t recommended as a treatment for atopic dermatitis according to guidelines from major allergy organizations.”

The study surveyed nearly 300 parents in South Florida regarding their children's diet and skin health. Among those surveyed, approximately 42 per cent believed certain foods exacerbated their child's eczema. The most commonly cited triggers were milk (32 per cent), nuts and seeds (16 per cent), and eggs (11 per cent). Nearly a quarter of parents (23 per cent) who identified a potential food trigger completely removed it from their child's diet.

However, the results were disappointing: 38 per cent of these parents noted no improvement in their child’s eczema, and 35 per cent reported only mild improvement. Only 9 per cent claimed that eliminating the food resolved their child’s eczema symptoms. Remarkably, 79 per cent of parents who reintroduced the suspected foods observed no recurrence of eczema.

The researchers concluded that despite the elimination diets, only a third of respondents experienced even mild improvements in eczema lesions. They stressed the need for larger studies to confirm these findings and further explore the relationship between diet and atopic dermatitis. As these findings were presented at a medical meeting, they should be regarded as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Symptoms Of Eczema To Watch Out For

Dry Skin: Skin may appear very dry, rough, and flaky.

Itching: Intense itching is often the first symptom and can be severe, leading to scratching and irritation.

Red or Brownish-Gray Patches: These patches may occur on various parts of the body, including the face, neck, elbows and knees, hands, and feet.

Inflamed Skin: Areas of the skin can become swollen and inflamed, especially after scratching.

Oozing or Crusting: In some cases, the affected areas may weep fluid, crust over, or develop small blisters.

Thickened Skin: With chronic scratching or irritation, the skin may become thickened and leathery in texture, a condition known as lichenification.

Skin Colour Changes: The affected areas may darken or become lighter in colour over time.

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