Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is the most common rash presenting during infancy and childhood. Generally red, dry, scaly, and extremely itchy, it often presents with a characteristic distribution on the body. In infants, it usually presents in the first few months of life, and it typically involves the cheeks, the back of the ears, the buttocks, the bends of the arms, and behind the knees. As children grow older, the rash can spread to involve any place on the body that can be rubbed or scratched, but the classic distribution continues to be in the folds of the arms and behind the knees. Many patients with eczema have a strong family history of allergies, and many go on to develop allergies themselves. When patients with eczema develop allergies, the eczema is also called atopic dermatit