Yes, according to a German University study published recently in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.  Three researchers, Assistant Professor Jochen Schmitt of Dresden University Hospital, Dr. Christian Apfelbacher (Heidelberg University Hospital) and Dr. Joachim Heinrich of the Institute of Epidemiology of Helmholtz Zentrum München, studied 5,991 children born between 1995-1998, and have concluded that children who suffered from eczema during the first two years of life is more likely to suffer from emotional and psychological problems.

Here is how the study was conducted according to ScienceDaily.com:

“Within the framework of the GINIplus study, scientists tracked the family history of the children, collected data on their physical health and emotional condition at age 10 years and gathered information on their daily lives. Questions were asked about the course of disease — also in early childhood — with special focus on diseases such as eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, stress tolerance and behavioral abnormalities.”

Later in the article, doctor Joachim Heinrich affirms:

“We suspect that it is mainly the secondary symptoms that have a long-term effect on the emotions of the affected children,” Joachim Heinrich said. The authors of the study therefore recommend documenting the occurrence of eczema as potential risk factor for later psychological problems in the children’s medical records, even if the actual primary disease abates and disappears during the course of childhood.”

Linking childhood eczema and mental/behavorial problems is an interesting connection.  Parents, have you noticed any behavioral or emotional issues with your eczematous little ones?  Tell us your thoughts below!

You can read the article in its entirety here.

**Source: Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health (2010, February 10). Eczema in early childhood