Eczema is a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the skin, which can be caused by an autoimmune disorder or by environmental factors causing an allergic reaction. Eczema is characterized by extreme itching and dryness, which results in flaking, cracking or blistering skin. Scalp eczema in children is typically a treatable condition, but can symptomatic of a much more serious problem. Discuss your child's condition with his pediatrician for professional diagnosis and treatment advice.
Metal Allergies
Jewelry produced from nickel is known to cause eczema in children with an allergy to the metal. Research published in 2009 in the journal "Science of the Total Environment" assessed the content of inexpensive jewelry available in random stores in Copenhagen, Denmark. The researchers visited 36 retailers and acquired jewelry and hair clasps to test for the presence of nickel. The study found that 19.3 percent of hair clasps and 14.8 percent of earrings tested positive for the metal --- and that the hair clasps were particularly like to contain amounts excessive enough to affect those suffering from nickel allergy.
Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis --- commonly abbreviated AD --- is a recurring, noncontagious form of eczema irritated by allergens in food or the environment. Study results published in the journal "Archives of Dermatology" in 2006 described the occurrence of AD in children born to mothers with a history of asthma. The researchers recruited more than 400 children for the study and found that 44 percent of them had developed AD by age 3. The AD began on the scalp, the authors noted, and typically migrated to the trunk and extremities.
HTLV-I Infection
Eczema of the scalp can be due an infection from human T cell lymphotropic virus type I abbreviated HTLV-I, according to an article appearing in 2005 in the journal "Clinical Infectious Disease." In this study, researchers tested the blood of children with eczema of the scalp and found that an HTLV-I infection can develop into myelitis, a life-threatening inflammation of the spinal cord. The study found that a co-infection with Staphylococcus aureus occurred in 95 percent of the patients.
Treatment
Methylprednisolone aceponate is a drug introduced to treat eczema for patients who do not respond well to topical corticosteroids. An article published in the January 2006 issue of the "International Journal of Clinical Practice" described the efficacy and safety of MPA on scalp eczema, sunburn and psoriasis. The authors reported that MPA is an effective treatment for scalp eczema in children and is available in creams, ointments and solutions. MPA only needs one application per day, which increased patient compliance.
References
- "Clinical Infectious Disease"; Infective Dermatitis Associated with the Human T Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type I in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Maria de Fátima S.P. de OliveiraOliveria, et al.; June 2005
- "International Journal of Clinical Practice"; Methylprednisolone Aceponate in Eczema and Other Inflammatory Skin Disorders -- A Clinical Update; T. Ruzicka; January 2006
- "Archives of Dermatology"; Development of Atopic Dermatitis During the First 3 Years of Life: The Copenhagen Prospective Study on Asthma in Childhood Cohort Study in High-Risk Children; Liselotte Brydensholt Halkjaer, M.D., et al.; May 2006
- "Science of the Total Environment"; Nickel Release from Inexpensive Jewelry and Hair Clasps Purchased in an EU Country --- Are Consumers Sufficiently Protected from Nickel Exposure?; Jacob Pontoppidan Thyssen, et al.; October 2009
