A boy from Ballyclare with eczema so severe his skin would weep and bleed is welcoming an awareness campaign on the mental impact eczema can have.
Caleb was diagnosed with eczema and various allergies as a baby and over the years has been on countless creams, ointments, steroids and even medicated bandages he would have to wear all day long.
The boy missed a lot of school and couldn’t join in sports or playing when his skin was flared, which took a huge toll on his mental health.
Caleb (10) and his mum Lynsey are the face of a campaign from Eczema Outreach Support, a UK-wide charity for families coping with eczema, to make others aware of the mental impact eczema can have.
The campaign ‘Eczema – It Gets Under Your Skin’ aims to show some of the many ways eczema can affect the sufferer and their family and show it is more than skin deep.
Lynsey said: “Caleb missed out on so much of his childhood when his skin was terrible. He would sit at the sidelines at playtime because he couldn’t join in the games and he was miserable a lot because he was in constant pain and discomfort.
“The toll on his mental health was huge.”
The nine-year-old kept getting infections in his open wounds and after seven rounds of antibiotics in a year due to infected skin, the family reached breaking point. After being told they would wait up to four years for a dermatology appointment with HSC, the family paid for a private appointment. From there they were fast tracked to the right help and are now under the care of The Royal Victoria Hospital.
Caleb is now on a new eczema treatment, only approved in Northern Ireland a couple of years ago, called Biologics. This has made a huge difference to his skin and now he is training in jujitsu and plays games every day at school.
Lynsey said: “It is like having a different child now. My husband and I said it is like only now we have the happy wee boy we were meant to have. We are only getting to know his personality now because for so long he was in pain and miserable.”
Caleb joined Eczema Outreach Support after hearing about the charity from a healthcare professional. He has since had a school workshop to teach his class about eczema and how it can make him feel. Additionally, he came to the event EOS hosted in Belfast this summer to meet other kids with severe eczema.
Lynsey said: “The charity has been incredible for Caleb. He would get embarrassed when people asked him what was wrong with his skin and just mumbled he has eczema. Now he has the confidence to explain what eczema is and tell them it isn’t contagious. Meeting other kids with visible eczema has been good for him too. So often people tell us ‘that can’t be eczema, eczema is just a patch of dry skin’.
“Yeah, it can be. But it can also take over your life. There isn’t an hour goes by we aren’t talking about eczema, or I’m worrying about his skin, or thinking about what prescriptions I need to order.
“It’s a huge mental strain and absolutely heartbreaking to watch your wee boy suffer and not know how to help.
“Caleb is in a much better place now, the doctors and nurses and staff at EOS have been incredible. We can only hope his skin keeps reacting well to the treatment because it’s like having a different child now he isn’t in pain.”
CEO of Eczema Outreach Support, Suzi Holland, welcomes World Eczema Day and hopes it shines a light on the mental impact eczema can have.
“‘Eczema – It Gets Under Your Skin’ is such an important campaign. Eczema can have a huge effect on both the person with the condition and their carers.
“For children and young people with eczema, it can affect confidence, anxiety and mood while carers often feel helpless, alone and overwhelmed. Our campaign for World Eczema Day hopes to shine a light on the impact eczema can have on mental health and make people feel less alone.”
EOS are hosting several events for WED, including an online webinar with dermatologist Dr Tess MacPherson on October 10.
You can find out more and join EOS for free here.