NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM — New research at Nottingham University suggests that eczema occurs 54 percent more in children who live in areas with hard water, according to a January 29 Daily Mail story.
Researchers studied 7,000 students and are now conducting a trial in which ion exchange water softening equipment will be installed in children's homes to see if eczema symptoms are minimized, the story said.
After the initial trial, another drinking water system will be installed to see if there is a correlation, according to the article.
Eczema, which affects one in five children, may be caused by the drying of skin due to large amounts of salt in water, or the overuse of soap and shampoo needed when using harder water, the article said.
In 1998, WaterTech Online® reported a similar story, in which the Lancet medical journal reported that 17.3 percent of children living with hard water had eczema for one year, while 25.4 percent had lifetime eczema. For soft-water areas, the figures were 12 percent and 21.2 percent, respectively.
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