Psoriasis is an unrecognized disease. More than 2 million French people are affected, including 100,000 children. Patients who receive little treatment.
“Psoriasis: poorly known, badly experienced”. For the 13th edition of World Psoriasis Day, patient associations wish to raise public awareness of this frequent inflammatory skin disease. More than 2 million French people are affected by this stigmatizing pathology, including 100,000 children.
Psoriasis occurs in people with a genetic predisposition and under the influence of contributing factors such as stress, skin trauma or certain medications. For almost a third of adults, the disease started before they were 16th birthday. Itching, red patches covered with scabs on the elbows, knees or scalp… These manifestations are due to too rapid renewal of skin cells: 28 days in a healthy person against 5 or 6 in a person with psoriasis.
Heavy treatments
While there are effective drugs in adults to remove these plaques, children do not benefit from the same advances. “The children are contracted out. They live with the disease, the stigma associated with psoriasis and the teasing of other children, points out to Why actor Dr Emmanuel Mahé, head of the dermatology and vascular pathologies department at Argenteuil hospital (Val d’Oise). Because there is a certain reluctance on the part of doctors to start psoriasis treatments. “
Because these molecules are far from harmless since their objective is to block inflammatory processes. They therefore act on the immune system and can have serious consequences, such as teratogenic effects or toxicity for the kidney.
However, research has evolved a lot over the past 5 years and new molecules have been authorized in children. Injectable forms every 15 days or 12 weeks, “which provides significant comfort for the child who often has an apprehension of bites”, comments the specialist.
Emmanuelle Mahé, Head of the Dermatology and Vascular Pathologies Department at Argenteuil Hospital: ” Today, two new molecules have received authorization to be prescribed in children … “
In addition, research has shown that obese children are more likely to suffer from a moderate or severe form of psoriasis. “It also appears that reducing overweight or obesity would improve psoriasis and sensitivity to treatment. Thus, the management of psoriasis includes weight reduction, ”explains Dr Mahé.
A game and a web series to accept the disease
For children with psoriasis, drug treatments and dietary measures can be seen as an injustice. To help them live well with their disease, the association France psoriasis created an educational game ” Theo and the Psorianauts In which a 10-year-old boy wakes up itchy every night. Accompanied by his fairy Mia, a great connoisseur of psoriasis, Theo learns to better manage his disease on a daily basis and to talk about the disease with his family and his dermatologist.
In the same vein, the Janssen laboratory has launched a web series for teenagers. We can see Julie there, learning to cope with her illness. In a light tone, she evokes the gaze of others, the choice of treatments and the place that illness takes in her life. Launched in early September, the 5 episodes have been viewed more than 10,000 times on Youtube.
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