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Allergy, Asthma, Immunology Conditions / Diagnoses

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Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

Allergy/Immunology

Dermatology

 

Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)



What is eczema?

  • A long term inflammatory skin condition
  • It appears during the first years of life

The number of children with eczema is increasing


What causes eczema?

  • Eczema may be caused by an allergic reaction to:
      • Foods
      • Things in the environment
  • Patients may have a defect in a gene that helps keep skin healthy


What are the common symptoms of eczema?

  • Patches of dry and thickened skin
  • The skin may appear red and be very itchy

How is eczema treated?

  • Keep skin moist by using products such as Vasoline®, Aquaphor® or Eucerin®
  • Cream medicine placed on the skin may be needed if eczema is severe
  • Your doctor may order pills to take by mouth if skin cream medicines do not help
  • For children with food allergies, avoiding those foods might improve the eczema

How do you test for eczema?

  • An allergist can test to see what may be causing the eczema
  • Your doctor may do additional testing to rule out other similar skin problems


Do children outgrow eczema?

  • Eczema is most severe during the first few years of life
  • It usually improves after children reach school age
  • Eczema is a chronic problem and may affect a child after the age of 5-6.







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