Pediatric Eczema Slightly Improved With Silk Garments

HealthDay News — Some children report limited improvement in atopic eczema (AE) as a result of wearing silk garments, but not to the extent the children had hoped for, according to research published online in the British Journal of Dermatology.¹

Eileen V Wake, from the University of Hull in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted interviews or focus groups with 18 children (aged 5 to 15 years) participating in the CLOTHES trial. The authors sought to qualitatively assess children’s experiences using silk garments for the treatment of AE.

The researchers observed limited improvement in eczema for some children, but that the hoped for “miracle cure” did not transpire. Thematic analysis revealed a mixed picture of knowledge, beliefs. and experiences of using the silk garments.

“This nested study demonstrates that children can and indeed want to be engaged in dermatological research in meaningful ways that add to our understanding of treatment options,” the authors write.

Reference

1. Wake EV, Bathcelor J, Lawton S, et al. The views of children and young people on the use of silk garments for the treatment of eczema: a nested qualitative study within the CLOTHES randomised controlled trial [published online August 30, 2017]. Br J Dermatol. doi: 10.1111/bjd.15909