Teen asked to be put in induced coma because of his eczema – Derbyshire Live

WARNING: Contains distressing images

A desperate mum is appealing for a miracle cure for her teen son's crippling eczema - which is so bad that he's asked to be placed in an induced COMA.

Miranda Rae, 50, said that son Barney, 14, feels like his skin is constantly on fire and has scratched himself until he's covered in blood to stop the itching.

The poor lad is due to start Year 10 this month despite finding it excruciating to even wear a school uniform over his cracked body.

Single mum Miranda said she's tried to bandage up Barney's skin to ease his pain but he can't help but tear the bandages off as he sleeps.

Miranda, from Bristol, said: "One night he came into my room and was bleeding from head to toe.

"He was shaking and said 'I can't believe I've done this to myself'.

"Now he's terrified of sleeping because he ends up scratching when he's asleep.

"He's bleeding with cuts and puss all the time. It's constant, there's no second of relief."

Barney has suffered from eczema since he was four but last October the condition deteriorated - forcing the teen to his lowest point.

Miranda said: "The worst thing was when he said he wanted to be in an induced coma because the pain was so bad.

"I have to keep telling him 'it's not your fault'.

"He has no life. His life has been crippled. Even wearing clothes hurts for him.

"He can't even put water on his skin because it feels like fire.

"He can't do any sport because he can't sweat.

"It's heartbreaking to see him go through this. I would do anything to fix this."

Doctors can't find a cure for Barney's condition and his eczema even spread to his face last June after he tried one suggested Emollient spray.

Miranda, a radio presenter, said: "After taking the new medication it looked like he'd had acid thrown in his face.

"We must have tried 50 different creams in the last year and every single one was like fire on his skin.

"We're in this horrible position where nothing is working.

"You can see it's really got to him but he's brave and I'm incredibly proud of him."

Barney currently takes a daily dose of a steroid called Prednisolone but its strong side effects - which have seen his waist balloon to 40 inches wide - meaning it's not sustainable.

The steroid has reduced the eczema on Barney's face but Miranda said he's totally reliant on the drug and still has a severe rash on his neck.

He also takes Dupilumab, a 24,000-a-year drug that the NHS agreed to prescribe to Barney once a fortnight after appeals from his mum and doctor.

But Miranda said the drug is yet to prove effective in battling the eczema.

She's is fundraising 20,000 for private treatment to properly diagnose Barney's condition and find him a cure.

Miranda has already raised 12,000 - some of which was used to buy an air conditioning unit for Barney for the hot weather, when his condition worsens.

The fundraising page can be found here.

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Teen asked to be put in induced coma because of his eczema - Derbyshire Live