Symptoms & Complications
Don’t forget to check out FIRST’s private Facebook group for parents for ideas and support. In Facebook, search for “FIRST Ichthyosis” and all of FIRST’s private Facebook groups will come up. Request to join the group(s) that you qualify for.
At this phase, meeting affected adults at FIRST conferences and one day meet-ups can also be helpful for practical advice and serve as a powerful visual of what lies ahead.
A broken bone will usually result in the need of a cast, which can increase the discomfort of itching in people with Ichthyosis. Try not to scratch itchy skin under the site with a sharp object because it could lead to infection. Monitor the site for signs of rubbing, redness, along with bister development. If present, reach out to your doctor and talk about the different types of casts that are available for the severity of the injury that you have.
Children with ichthyosis should be vaccinated against chicken pox. There is an increased risk for secondary infection from chicken pox for children whose skin is inflamed and scaling and therefore less protective against infection. The most common complications from natural chicken pox infection are bacterial infections of the skin and soft tissue in children and pneumonia in adults.
Heart rate monitors have been around for a while. But have you ever considered them as a tool to help manage and prevent overheating? Monitors can alert you when your heart rate increases indicating you may be approaching your heat tolerance threshold, allowing for preventive action before symptoms become severe.
The itching associated with various forms of ichthyosis can cause much physical and emotional distress. The scratch, itch, scratch cycle can lead to serious skin complications, including infection, and can interfere with daily activities, relaxation, and sleep. It is important to work with your doctor to identify the underlying cause of the itching and to determine the most effective, least potent treatment.
Many individuals with ichthyosis do not sweat normally. The thickness of their skin and the scale does not allow their sweat to reach the surface of their skin and cool them effectively. In very hot and humid weather they are at risk for overheating, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
When skin on the scalp thickens and scales just like the skin on the rest of the body, removing the scales without removing the hair around them can be a challenge. The recommended way to treat scalp scales and some strategies and products from our members are shared in this section.
People with ichthyosis can be at high-risk for multiple types of infection. Read about how to recognize, treat and prevent infection to minimize the impact of this complication in daily lives.
