FREE bath treatments for children with eczema should no longer be offered on the NHS, according to new guidance.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said bath emollients are not clinically or cost effective for children under 12 years of age.
The watchdog’s committee looked at the year-long Bathe trial in 2018, which found pouring emollient additives into the bath was no better than standard eczema care.
Nice said while emollient bath additives do not make eczema worse, prescribing the "ineffective" product places "unnecessary burdens" on parents to get and use them.
The guidance said: “Emollient bath additives are not clinically or cost effective.
“Prescribing an ineffective product places unnecessary burdens on patients and carers, in terms of acquiring and using the product.”
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But it added some children may benefit from bath emollients and these can still be bought over the counter if people want them.
Products cost £8.85 from Boots.
Nice's guidance states that children can and should continue to use emollient wash products instead of soaps.
Around one in five children in Britain suffer eczema, which causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked.
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What are the symptoms of eczema?
Atopic eczema causes areas of skin to become itchy, dry, cracked and sore.
There are usually periods where the symptoms improve, followed by periods where they get worse (flare-ups).
Flare-ups may occur as often as two or three times a month.
Atopic eczema can occur all over the body, but is most common on the hands (especially fingers), the insides of the elbows or backs of the knees, and the face and scalp in children.
The severity of atopic eczema can vary a lot from person to person.
People with mild eczema may only have small areas of dry skin that are occasionally itchy.
In more severe cases, atopic eczema can cause widespread inflamed skin all over the body and constant itching.
Inflamed skin can become red on lighter skin, and darker brown, purple or grey on darker skin.
This can also be more difficult to see on darker skin.
Source: The NHS
It can affect any area of the skin and severity can vary, either causing regular flare-ups or being a continuous problem.
The condition is caused by genes that prevent the skin barrier from functioning properly and can be triggered or worsened by soaps, shampoos, hard water and central heating.
Regular eczema care uses emollients or steroid creams on the skin directly.
Other treatments include wet wraps, where emollients and steroid cream are rubbed on the affected area and covered with damp fabric.
The Bathe trial included 482 children from 96 GP surgeries.
Nice said the new guidance brings it into line with NHS England's advice in 2019 that emollient bath additives should not be routinely prescribed.
The guideline is now subject to public consultation.
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