Teenage eczema

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Teenage eczema
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Emma finds her eczema distressing

• Emma is 14 years old
• She has eczema on her arms and legs, and feels
  self-conscious about the way she looks
• Shes worried that boys wont fancy her

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What might you talk to Emma about?
Her emotional wellbeing
Triggers
Sleep and Performance at school
Treatment
Common misconceptions
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Catching up on sleepand in class

• When her eczema is bad, the itching keeps her
  awake at night
• Sometimes she feels so tired at school that she
  strugglesto concentrate
• She is studying for her GCSEs and is worried that
  she wontdo as well as she wants to if she keeps
  missing out on sleep

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What can you advise Emma to do?
Talk to her teacherabout her eczema
Consider additional treatmentoptions, such as
non-sedatingantihistamines
Keeping her skin hydratedduring the day byusing
sufficient emollient
Think about whereshe sits in class
Look at her sleeping environment are there
ways to improve it?
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How can you assess Emmasemotional wellbeing?
Listen to her worries and fears
Talk to her about the way her eczema makes her
feel
Look for symptomsof clinical depression
Recognise that althoughher condition is not
severe,the emotional impact mightstill be
significant
Proactively ask aboutteasing and bullying
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What support can you give to Emma?

• Provide her with information and materials she
  can readand direct her to useful websites she
  can look at
• Ensure she has the right mix of emollient
  preparations to enable regular and sufficient
  volume use throughout the day
• Give her confidence and help in how to respond to
  difficultquestions or comments
• Put her in touch will other sufferers, e.g. by
  joining the National Eczema Society
• Refer her to specialists (such as the local
  paediatric team)if necessary

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Summary

• Emmas eczema has been interrupting her sleep and
  makingher school life harder
• Through support and practical suggestions, you
  can helpEmma to overcome sleep deprivation
• At Emmas age, eczema can be emotionally
  challenging listening to her and providing
  sources of information andsupport will help her
  to cope with her condition.

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Module 3 - Case study 2
Date of preparation March 2008 Code DIP/08-450
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Useful websites include

• www.eczema.org.uk (The National Eczema Society
  website)
• www.allergyuk.co.uk
• A number of sites if bullying or teasing is a
  problem for her
• www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying
• www.bullyfreezone.co.uk
• www.bullying.co.uk
• www.antibullying.net

The websites provided on this slide are provided
as a resource for ease in finding additional
information on bullying and related topics. Such
links should not be construed by their inclusion
as being supported or endorsed by
Schering-Plough. These websites are not created,
managed, or maintained by Schering-Plough.
Schering-Plough is not responsible for, and does
not necessarily endorse, the opinions or products
represented on these websites.