Learning disabilities associated with atopic dermatitis severity in children

Atopic dermatitis severity is associated with learning disabilities in children, according to a study.

“Growing evidence indicates that atopic dermatitis (AD) in children is associated with disruptions in sleep, attention and memory,” Joy Wan, MD, MSCE, of the department of dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote. “Recent population-based data in the U.S. also demonstrate a greater prevalence of learning disability (LD) among children with AD compared with those without it.”

The cross-sectional study used Pediatric Eczema Elective Registry data to evaluate a prospective cohort of children with AD in the U.S.

Of 2,074 subjects, 13 (0.6%) had very severe AD at 10 years’ follow-up, while 88 (4.2%) had severe AD, 371 (17.9%) had moderate AD, 506 (24.4%) had mild AD, and 1,083 (52.2%) had clear or almost clear skin. Severity information was not available for 13 subjects.

At least one neuropsychiatric condition was reported in 482 patients (23.2%), and sleep problems were recorded in 222 patients (10.7%).

Learning disabilities were recorded in 169 patients (8.2%), and they were more likely to have moderate AD (50 of 168, or 29.8%) or severe to very severe AD (15 of 168, or 8.9%).

Limitations of the study include its cross-sectional design and outcome misclassification as a potential source of bias.

“Children with more severe AD should be screened for learning difficulties so that appropriate interventions can be undertaken to mitigate the consequences of an LD,” the authors wrote. “Future prospective and mechanistic studies that use direct assessments are needed to ascertain the timing and phenotypes of LD in children with AD and to clarify the direct association of AD with LD and its potential causal mechanisms.”