The simple sticky tape test that can predict your baby’s risk of common illness

MOST of us have sticky tape lying around the house somewhere.

While you might think it’s for crafts only, scientists have now revealed that it could predict your baby’s risk of illness.

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The painless collection allowed medics to get skin samples for a group of two-month old babies[/caption]

Medics at the University of Copenhagen used the tape on skin cells to detect eczema.

The painless collection allowed them to get skin samples for a group of two-month old babies.

From these they were able to detect immune biomarker changes in the cells.

These, they say, were linked with future eczema risk.

The condition is common and can be painful, especially for young people who have no way of controlling their symptoms.

These usually include, red, itchy and irritable skin.

Experts suggest that the children at high risk would benefit from early treatment with skin creams in order to avoid future flareups.

Writing in the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, one of the lead investigators said the discovery could prevent children from suffering.

Dr Anne-Sofie Halling from the Bispebjerg Hospital at the University of Copenhagen said: “To our knowledge, this is the first to show that non-invasively collected skin biomarkers can be used to predict the subsequent onset and severity of paediatric atopic eczema.

“Our findings of predictive immune and lipid biomarkers collected at two months of age will help identify children at highest risk of atopic eczema using a non-invasive and painless method, so future preventive strategies can target these children only and prevent cases of this common disease that so many children are suffering from.”

She explained that there is a ‘window of opportunity’ in the first few months of a baby’s life where intervention could reduce their risk of atopic eczema.

In total, the experts took 450 samples from babies.

They found that those with elevated levels of Thymus and Activation-Regulated Chemokine were twice as likely to develop the condition by the age of two as other little ones in the study.

The experts also revealed that 34.6 per cent of term-birth babies developed the illness by the age of two.

This was compared to 21.2 per cent of premature babies – this group were also more likely to develop it at eight months, in comparison to six for term-birth babies.

What is eczema?

Also known as dermatitis, eczema is a common dry skin condition.

Though common it is rare for two sufferers to experience the same symptoms and discomfort. It is a highly varied condition and comes in many forms.

Despite the fact it causes often unbearable itching, the condition is not contagious, and so cannot be caught from someone suffering a flare-up.

It affects people of all ages, but is typically diagnosed in children.

Many young sufferers will grow out of their condition as they get older.

But, in many cases, flare ups in adulthood end up coming back to haunt people.

In the UK, one in five children are diagnosed with eczema, while one in 12 adults live with the condition.