ECZEMA

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) causes children to have patches of dry, itchy skin. It is another allergic disease, and in children it can be associated with food allergies. In almost 50% of pediatric patients, food allergies contribute to atopic dermatitis. As with asthma, the allergy is not the sole cause, but rather a contributing factor to the disease. Foods that most often influence atopic dermatitis are eggs, milk, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, seafood, and soy. These are commonly used in many everyday foods, and children and adults alike often eat these foods unknowingly. Since atopic dermatitis is a chronic condition, it is often hard to determine a cause and effect relationship between the food allergens and the disease. When a child has atopic dermatitis, however, there is a strong likelihood that the child also has a food allergy.

Treatment

1)       1)    Steroids

a.        a.     Triamcinolone .1% twice a day below neck

b.      b.     Hydrocortisone 2.5% twice a day above neck

c.        c.     Severe cases: Prednisone .5-1 mg/kg/day divided BID

2)     2)   Antipyretics (Itch medicine – eczema is described as “the itch that rashes”)

a.        a.     Usually something inexpensive @ night: Hydroxyzine 0.5 mg/kg/dose times one or another antihistamine

b.      b.     Gloves/Mittens on hands may be a good idea

c.        c.     Sarna creame

3)     3)   Moisturization

a.        a.     Crisco (don’t laugh – it works)

b.      b.     Eucerin or Lanolin

c.        c.     Lachydrin

4)     4)   Antibiotics

a.        a.     Severe cases can require erythromycin 50 mg/kg/day divided tid-qid