Help reduce the impact of atopic dermatitis on family life

Background information

About children with atopic dermatitis, and how it affects caregivers

Caring for a child with moderate-to-severe AD means facing constant, additional challenges on top of regular parenting responsibilities. Following are different situations in which AD can significantly impact family life.^{1, 2}

Getting dressed — AD in children can make daily tasks such as getting dressed more stressful.¹

Social life — The disease may influence the level of the child's activities.¹

Caring for siblings — Caring for unaffected siblings may be more challenging, as children with AD can require more time and attention.¹

Sleepless nights — AD may not only cause sleepless nights and psychological stress for the child, but also for the caregivers.²

Bullying can also cause stress for both the child and the caregivers.¹

Burden on household — The burden of a child's AD on a household can build up logistically – and financially. Families spend up to 19 hours per week caring for the specific needs of children and/or teens with moderate-to-severe AD.^{2, 3}

Up to 91% of working parents of teens with self-reported severe AD reported missing at least one day of work in the prior month.³

Emotional burden — 36% of caregivers to children and adolescents with AD report having anxiety and/or depression themselves,⁴ demonstrating just how far-reaching the emotional burden of this complex disease can be.

It is clear that families with AD need more support, and now is the time to act. That's why the 2021' Agents of Change' AD Challenge focuses on helping reduce the impact of AD on family life. We're calling on people all around the world to come up with ideas, big or small, to help support families dealing with the daily struggles of this complex, chronic disease.

Challenge sponsors

Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions. With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.

Regeneron is a leading biotechnology company that invents life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led for over 30 years by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to nine FDA-approved treatments and numerous product candidates in development, almost all of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, pain, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.

Additional resources

This resource has been co-created alongside the Challenge team to support you in designing your idea.

Throughout the Challenge, support includes:

Access to research information to support the ideation process
New connections and the opportunity to meet co-creators while growing your network via the HYVE Crowd platform and AD community

Understanding atopic dermatitis (AD):

Atopic Dermatitis: Overview (American Academy of Dermatology)
Atopic Dermatitis: Patient Insights Report (Eczema Society of Canada)
What is Atopic Dermatitis? (National Eczema Association)
Listen to the Eczema Breakthroughs podcast (Global Parents for Eczema Research)

The impact of AD on family lives:

Insights From Caregivers on the Impact of Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis on Families: "I’m Tired, Overwhelmed, and Feel Like I’m Failing as a Mother” (Global Parents for Eczema Research)
Helping Your Child Cope With Eczema at School (National Eczema Association)

Learn about the experience of living with AD:

Understanding the Lived Experience of Eczema (More than Skin Deep)
Eczema and Emotional Wellness (National Eczema Association)
Experiences of People Living with Atopic Dermatitis (Altogether Eczema)

Global Patient/Advocacy Organizations:

References

¹ Zuberbier T, Orlow SJ, Paller AS, Taïeb A, Allen R, Hernanz-Hermosa JM, Ocampo-Candiani J, Cox M, Langeraar J, Simon JC. Patient perspectives on the management of atopic dermatitis. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2006 Jul 1;118(1):226-32.

² Barbarot S, Silverberg JI, Gadkari A, Simpson EL, Weidinger S, Mina-Osorio P, Mnif T,Guillemin I, Fenton MC, Eckert L. The Family Impact of Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in Children Aged 6–11 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study in the United States (US), Canada, Europe, and Japan. American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting. Denver, CO, USA. 2020 Mar. Poster Abstract ID: 15021.

³ Barbarot S, Silverberg JI, Gadkari A, Simpson EL, Weidinger S, Mina-Osorio P, Rossi AB, Brignoli L, Mnif T, Guillemin I, Fenton MC, Auziere S, Boklage SH, Eckert L. Worldwide Survey Shows That Atopic Dermatitis in Adolescents Is Also Associated With a Negative Impact on Their Families. Presented at: European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology; 2020 June. Poster ID: P15021.

⁴ Manzoni AP, Weber MB, Nagatomi AR, Pereira RL, Townsend RZ, Cestari TF. Assessing depression and anxiety in the caregivers of pediatric patients with chronic skin disorders. Anais brasileiros de dermatologia. 2013 Nov; 88:894-9.

MAT-GLB-2102890 V1.0 | June 2021