If your child has psoriasis, you may feel helpless and overwhelmed at times. The important thing to remember is this not your fault and you haven’t done anything wrong! No one knows what really causes psoriasis and there is currently no cure, but the good news is that for most kids, psoriasis is limited to only a few patches that typically respond well to treatment.[1] More serious cases might need advanced treatment, but there are ways you can avoid flare-ups. Check out some of the most common psoriasis triggers for children.
Infections
Psoriasis is a disorder that affects the immune system causing it to attack healthy skin cells resulting in plaque. Having an infection sends the immune system into overdrive and can cause flare-ups. Bacterial infections such as strep throat are the most common, but viral and fungal infections can also be a big problem. Microtears in the skin of the plaques could also be the perfect opening for skin infections. [2]
Obesity & Diet
Maintaining a healthy weight is important across the board, but some psoriasis research suggests that obesity can really affect the skin. Plaques from psoriasis are prone to developing in folds of skin, so an obese child may suffer with more flare-ups as a result.
Along with an immune disorder, psoriasis is also an inflammatory condition, meaning inflammatory foods can be a trigger as well. Top foods to avoid giving your child would be processed foods and refined sugars, fatty cuts of red meat, and dairy. [3]
Stress
High stress levels can have an effect on a person’s immune system and thus can make psoriasis symptoms worse. One doesn’t normally think of children as having a lot of stress, but there are lots of things that can cause a child to be stressed out. In preschool, just separation from parents can cause anxiety and as they get older academic and social pressures create stress.[4] Many kids these days are just overly busy. Every child is different, so talk to yours to determine what makes them stress the most.
Now that you know some of the most common triggers for children suffering from psoriasis, it is also important to know all of your child’s treatment options. It could be that a clinical trial is the best fit for them. ActivMed Practices & Research, Inc. has a psoriasis study for children aged 6-17 enrolling now. All study related care is provided at no cost, and compensation for travel is available for patients that qualify and participate. Click here to learn more: https://activemedredev.wpengine.com/join-a-trial/beverly-ma/#!/study/529
[4] https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/stress.html
[3] https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/psoriasis-avoid-foods#1
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/strep-throat.html
[1] https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/psoriasis.html