Many people around the world including very young children suffer from that irritating skin condition called eczema. It’s the skin condition that causes skin to become inflamed, dry, scaly and extremely itchy. The trend is on the increase globally especially among the urban populations. One out of five children worldwide is affected by this skin disorder.
When eczema affects young children, it can be a nightmare for the entire family as all may suffer sleepless nights and the children may require round-the-clock care and observation. Understanding the plight of parents and caregivers, managing eczema among young children has become the focus of National Eczema Awareness Month (NEZAM). Kicking off this year’s nationwide campaign, NEZAM launched the ‘My Eczema Action Plan : Your Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Eczema’.
‘My Eczema Action Plan : Your Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Eczema’ is a fully illustrated guidebook written in easy-to-understand English, NEZAM trusts that this guidebook will be an effective tool for both the young patients and their parents.
The book is organized by topics which makes it easy for young children to learn and remember each important aspect of eczema care. Two cartoon characters were introduced : Nezam, a cute cartoon boy and Claire, a pretty cartoon girl. By using these two main cartoon characters, it expects young patients aged five and below to enjoy reading the guidebook and learn how to manage their own skin condition.
In this book, a unique ‘traffic light’ system is being introduced to help young patients learn how to manage their eczema. Why are there three colour zones : green, yellow and red? Dr. Henry Foong, President of Persatuan Dermatologi Malaysia, one of the joint initiators for NEZAM explained. “In the green zone, your skin looks healthy and there’s only mild irritation. When you are in the yellow zone, the skin shows flare-ups or other symptoms and this is when you should apply your medication. The red zone is when the symptoms of eczema are widespread and the skin becomes inflamed or infected, then you have to see your doctor immediately.”
Copies of the guidebook will be donated to the Eczema Kiz Club Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Members of the Eczema Kidz Club are exclusive young eczema patients from the Institut Pediatrik, Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).
The Eczema Kidz Club Facebook page has recently been opened, serving as a platform to educate and disseminate information about Eczema to the public at large.
