National Eczema Association for Science & Education Launches ''Education on the Move'' Campaign.

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. -- Initiative to promote eczema awareness in elementary classrooms across the country

The National Eczema Association for Science and Education (NEASE) will launch "Education on the Move" a national campaign dedicated to educating and promoting the awareness of eczema among elementary students, teachers, and parents as part of National Eczema Awareness Month in October.

NEASE will initiate the campaign at the grassroots level by providing an informational brochure to help teachers and students understand the impact of eczema. The brochure will include tips, suggestions, and educational tools to help create awareness of eczema in the classroom and promote self-esteem. NEASE emphasizes that children need to establish a strong sense of self as well as support the esteem of their peers who have eczema. As part of the campaign, national publicity initiatives also will be established to alert the public about the severity of eczema, both physically and psychologically.

"At a time when most young children are focused on the challenge of mastering the world around them - or just learning how to 'be me' - students with eczema face more difficult challenges," said Vicki Kalabokes, Interim Chief Executive Officer of NEASE. "NEASE would like to encourage students and educators, both in the classroom and in the boardroom, to take the time to better understand the significant, potentially life-altering effects eczema can have."

More than a million school age children in the United States suffer from severe eczema. The symptoms of eczema can be embarrassing and difficult to hide. Children can experience severe side effects including uncontrollable itching; bright red rashes; and dry, brittle, scaly patches of skin that crack, bleed and interfere with daily activities making it difficult for children to use scissors and do other simple arts and crafts in the classroom.

In 90 percent of people, eczema develops before the age of five. In 40 to 60 percent of these cases, eczema continues beyond puberty and into adulthood. There is no way to predict whether or not a person will outgrow eczema; therefore, it is important to seek treatment immediately. Some treatments for eczema include: emollients, topical steroids, antihistamines, antibiotics, and bandaging.

A class of drugs called topical immunomodulators, or TIMs, are the latest advancement for the treatment of eczema in more than 40 years. TIMs bring a unique, steroid-free treatment option to doctors and patients. The first TIM, tacrolimus ointment, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in December of 2000 for the treatment of moderate to severe eczema in children and adults. Another TIM, pimecrolimus, was approved by the FDA in February of 2002.

The introduction of TIMs has helped to fill a therapeutic void, as they work differently than steroids to relieve the side effects of eczema. Many physicians use TIMs to maintain control of eczema over the long-term and use steroids for acute flare ups.

The National Eczema Association for Science and Education works to improve the health and quality of life of persons living with eczema, including those who have the disease as well as their loved ones. For more information about eczema, visit NEASE's Website at www.nationaleczema.org or call the NEASE office at 800-818-7546.