- Jennifer Middleton, MD, MPH
A cross-sectional study of over 2000 children with eczema in the United States found that their self-reported severity of eczema correlated with the diagnosis of a learning disability.
This study's researchers reviewed data from the Pediatric Eczema Elective Registry (PEER) of over 2000 children with eczema who had been enrolled for at least 10 years. PEER was initially designed as a post-marketing study to assess the long-term risk of malignancy in children who received pimecrolimus to treat their eczema. While these children were followed in the registry, data on multiple other factors, including school functioning and additional diagnoses, were collected. The average age of eczema diagnosis among participants was 9 months, the average age at 10-year follow-up was 16.1 years, and 53.8% of participants were girls. 44.9% of participants identified as Black, and 53.8% of participants identified as white. Severity of eczema/atopic dermatitis (AD) was determined according to the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM). The researchers found that:
In multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for sex, age, race/ethnicity, annual household income, age of AD onset, family history of AD, and comorbid conditions, participants with mild AD (odds ratio [OR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.11-2.67), moderate AD (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.32-3.30), and severe to very severe AD (OR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.55-6.19) on the POEM were all significantly more likely to have reported [a diagnosed] LD than those with clear or almost clear skin.
The authors are quick to point out that "causality cannot be inferred from the findings of the present study," though it's also not implausible. The itching and scaling from chronic eczema can decrease quality of life for both adults and children. Since difficulties with focusing attention can be a component of learning disabilities, it's possible that children distracted by their eczema symptoms might more easily meet criteria for an LD diagnosis. It may also be only correlation, since both learning disabilities and eczema are diagnosed more often in children of lower socioeconomic status. And, no study to date has assessed whether successful treatment for eczema improves LD symptoms.
Despite these unanswered questions, taking the time to assess how our young patients' eczema is impacting their quality of life (QOL) seems reasonable. Educating families about eczema management may improve pediatric patients' QOL, and following QOL scores may provide another metric to track the degree of treatment success. Since early diagnosis of learning disabilities leads to improved outcomes, remaining vigilant for signs of an LD in children with eczema may be beneficial.
If you'd like to read more, this 2020 article provides an overview on "Atopic Dermatitis: Diagnosis and Treatment," and this 2019 article reviews "Specific Learning Disabilities: The Family Physician's Role."