At 1.5 years old, Elena Vist (6) developed classic signs of atopic eczema: dry skin, rashes, and when it got cold in the air it was time for woolen clothes, which led to large spots with rashes on the body. – It wasn’t that serious at the start, it was just normal eczema, says mother Monica Vist. But the eczema developed to the extreme and gave Elena great trouble for four years. A oozing rash spread across the face with congealed sores that burst, infected with yellow staphylococci. The food had to come in bit by bit and the toothpaste was replaced with a fluoride tablet, which even meant that Elena had to have four teeth operated on later. Elena’s eczema meant that she had to be fed small pieces of food at times and that she had to have her teeth removed after treatment. Photo: Private Mother: – A nightmare Elena’s rash got worse every winter. In the month of September, it was the same rule: A small red spot on the nose that spread down the neck, face and body. – She has been in a lot of pain. It has simply been very cumbersome to be little. Mother took Elena to several doctors and dermatologists, drove to the emergency room at night and took many tests. The family has tried an unknown number of creams and salves. But nothing has worked. The rescue was a meeting with a new GP. – Then it was really bad. We have had three courses of antibiotics in a row due to yellow staphylococci in the eczema. Then we went to the doctor, he opens the door, looks at her and says “oh”. At the hospital in Levanger, Elena got the help she needed, here together with mother Monica. Photo: Private – He asked if we have been like this for four years. Yes, we have. The GP could not understand that. – It has been a nightmare, quite simply. Having a child who cried for several hours a day because she is in so much pain is absolutely terrible. The doctor then asked if he was allowed to take a photo of the face and call the hospital in Levanger. – The next day at 1pm I got a call: “They are going to Levanger and they have to leave now”. There were also the same reactions: “How have they endured this for four years?” Get help from new medicine Around seven out of ten cases of atopic eczema start in children under the age of five. According to Thrasyvoulos Tzellos, who is a senior doctor at the dermatology department at Nordlandsshjukehuset, Elena’s condition is extreme, but not unusual. – Six- and nine-month-old children are physically exhausted and parents cannot sleep because the child cannot sleep. The whole family and all everyday activities are affected. For most patients, atopic eczema is a chronic and long-term disease with dry, itchy and inflamed skin. But after four years, a new medicine was to be Elena’s rescue. Facts about atopic eczema Atopic eczema is a common skin disease in Norway and usually occurs in childhood. For most patients, it is a chronic and long-term illness with dry, itchy and inflamed skin. Around seven out of ten cases of atopic eczema start in children under the age of five. At school age, as many as ten to 20 per cent have the condition, while around one in ten adults have it, according to the NHI. Treatment is (as a rule) adapted according to severity, age and what treatment options are available. Source: NHI. The medicine Dupixen is a biological medicine that was approved for use in treatment in 2023. It is injected with a syringe into the abdomen or thigh and can help children as young as six months of age. Olav Sundnes, researcher and dermatologist at UiO, has described the treatment as revolutionary to forskning.no. – Does this medicine have major side effects? – All possible treatments can have different side effects. What is special about these funds is that they are very well controlled, so the security profile is continuously updated, Tzellos replies. Therefore, they manage to get approval for children who are only 6 months old. Mother and her two daughters looking at how the eczema was before Elena was treated with biological medicine. Photo: Ole-Christian Olsen / news Not treating optimally The treatment is not intended for everyone, but can be important in the most serious cases. – But it is a large part, and for that part the degree of seriousness is great, which means that the whole family is affected on a daily basis. And if we use this treatment, we will have a completely different future for these families, says Tzellos. He believes the reason it took so long is the communication between different parts of the healthcare system. – I don’t think that the GPs have too little knowledge, but they are burdened. We have a system that overloads permanent doctors, many are temps who only come for a week. It is actually difficult to know who the right candidates for the treatment are. – Don’t wait for 5 years with continuous cream treatment with bacterial infection, but find out early enough, says Tzellos. Photo: Bente H Johansen / news According to Tzellos, a patient study shows that more than 80 percent of the participants were only treated with creams. Several also experienced that there is a lag in cooperation. – The study showed that we are actually not that good. Patients believe that communication and collaboration between GPs and dermatologists is not optimal. Can we get better? Absolutely, he says. Tzellor states that less than 30 per cent of patients get such severe atopic eczema that they need this new medicine. – The most important thing is to capture candidates who are right for such treatment. I think the possibilities are well known. Elena (6) was referred to a dermatologist. But with a referral in the winter term and an appointment in the summer term, she has waited out her symptoms. It resulted in Elena having to wait until she gets sick again and the round dance continues. Marte Kvittum Tangen, head of the Norwegian Association for General Medicine, believes that the treatment options for atopic eczema are well known among Norwegian GPs. – Then you will always find examples or people who feel that they have not received a good enough assessment or optimal treatment, and I cannot comment on the individual cases. – If you do not reach your goal with the treatment measures that you have started, then it is an indication to refer on to a specialist, says Tangen. Photo: Thomas Eckhoff / The Norwegian Medical Association Tangen is speaking on a general basis when she answers that: – When we assess children with atopic eczema, we approach a treatment ladder where we try the simple measures first, and then move on if they don’t work. reach the goal with those measures. Monica Vist is now grateful for the doctors who found a solution and hopes that others in the same situation can get help sooner. Today, Elena eats strawberries with great joy and can participate in the activities that she previously had to stay home from. – It was boring, she says. – If mum brings out the cream today and says that now we’re going to spread it, what do you say? – No. – Why not? – Because I don’t like being smeared. Today, Elena eats strawberries with great joy and can participate in the activities that she previously had to stay home from. Photo: Ole-Christian Olsen / news Mora, for her part, is happy that they can finally do things like go for a walk and play outside, without boundaries. And that Elena avoids getting nasty looks from people in the shop. – What has been important to me is that Elena should not have any negative thoughts about herself because she has eczema. Because the world is brutal. Especially when it’s so obvious on the face. So we have worked on self-confidence. Published 23.10.2024, at 17.59 Updated 24.10.2024, at 13.01
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Girl had severe atopic eczema for four years – new medicine worked after four weeks – news Nordland
