Bullying Linked to Psoriasis – February 2011

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Bullying Linked to Psoriasis

Almost half of children with psoriasis surveyed by the National Psoriasis Foundation report being bullied at least once in the six months this study was conducted. The Psoriasis Foundation surveyed parents of kids with psoriatic disease and found that 44 percent of children have been bullied by their peers, and 38 percent of kids say the abuse was a direct result of their disease.
The survey found the most common forms of bullying endured by these children are teasing, being excluded by classmates, and name calling. According to the survey, the emotional impact of this abuse on children was great:

More than 60 percent of those bullied say it causes anxiety
Nearly half (47 percent) of those bullied report crying
Nearly one-quarter (23.5 percent) of those bullied had a decrease in academic performance
Nearly one-quarter (23.5 percent) of those bullied had difficulty sleeping

One parent reports that because of the teasing her daughter “locks herself in her bedroom and refuses to socialize with other kids.” Another child’s parents say their son was forced to switch schools after the abuse became physical. The survey findings reveal that other children experience panic attacks, low self-esteem, and bouts of depression.
Psoriasis, a chronic, noncontagious disease of the immune system that appears on the skin, is the most common autoimmune disease in the country – affecting as many as seven and a half million Americans and an estimated 500,000 children. Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, a related joint condition. Nearly one-third of people develop psoriasis before age 20, yet this youth population is often underserved.
To combat bullying, many survey respondents say they have spoken to their child’s teachers and school staff about psoriasis. They also have educated their child’s classmates about the disease and spoken directly with parents of their child’s friends.
For more information about the survey on childhood bullying and psoriasis, visit www.psoriasis.org/wpd.