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Eczema (atopic dermatitis) Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.
Key points to remember about ezema (atopic dermatitis)
- eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is a dry skin condition
- eczema cannot be cured but it can usually be controlled
- eczema in not catching (contagious)
- avoid things which irritate the skin
- go to your GP (general practitioner) as soon as possible if your child’s eczema gets worse or becomes infected
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What is eczema?
- eczema (or atopic dermatitis) is a dry skin condition that causes the skin to become inflamed (red) and itchy
- it usually begins early in childhood
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What causes eczema?The exact cause of eczema is not known but a child is more likely to develop eczema if there is a family history of eczema, asthma or hayfever.
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How long can eczema last?
There is a good chance that your child’s eczema will improve or disappear as they get older.
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What puts my child at risk of getting eczema?
- eczema occurs in about 15 to 20 percent of children
- it occurs in children with an allergic tendency
- it runs in families and goes hand in hand with asthma and hayfever
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What are the signs and symptoms of eczema?
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How can I manage my child’s eczema?Most eczema can be easily managed at home.
The basic treatment of eczema involves three important messages:
For information about managing and treating your child’s eczema, see:
- Treatment of atopic dermatitis1 on the DermNet NZ (New Zealand Dermatological Society) website
- Emollients2 produced by the Paediatric Community Nursing Team, Child Health Service, Capital and Coast District Health Board
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Eczema care for children3 produced by the Paediatric Community Nursing Team, Child Health Service, Capital and Coast District Health Board
- Eczema information4 produced by Wellington Regional Public Health
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Are there likely to be any complications of eczema?
Children with eczema are more likely to get skin infections. The dryness, cracking, itching and scratching that eczema causes, increases the chance of bacteria (or sometimes a virus) breaking through the skin. Infants are particularly at risk of severe skin infections.
If your child’s eczema gets worse or becomes infected, you will need to take them to your GP (general practitioner). Sometimes, a hospital stay may be necessary.
For more information about eczema complications, see:
For information about preventing serious skin infections, see:
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Where to go for more information about eczemaAllergy Centre
The everybody website, published by CMPMedica NZ Ltd, includes information on eczema7.
Allergy New Zealand
- tips for keeping atopic dermatitis under control
DermNet NZ
The website of the New Zealand Dermatological Society has a fact sheet on atopic dermatitis9. This includes:
- a section, with photos, on what atopic dermatitis looks like
- information about infantile atopic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis in pre-schoolers and atopic dermatitis in school-age children
- links to other DermNet fact sheets:
– What causes atopic dermatitis? – Treatment of atopic dermatitis – Complications of atopic dermatitis
- links to more information on other websites
Skin infections website In recent years, hospitalisations for the treatment of serious skin infections have been increasing in New Zealand. This website has been created by Wellington Regional Public Health and Auckland Regional Public Health Service to inform health professionals, community workers, schools and families about the prevention and treatment of serious skin infections.
This website makes the following resources available:
- eczema care for children10 produced by the Paediatric Community Nursing Team, Child Health Service, Capital and Coast District Health Board
- emollients11 produced by the Paediatric Community Nursing Team, Child Health Service, Capital and Coast District Health Board
- eczema information12 produced by Wellington Regional Public Health
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation
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AcknowledgementsImages of eczema on this page have been reproduced, with permission, from the website of the New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated. Published online at: http://www.dermnetnz.org.
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Links (these are the web addresses for the numbered links in the text above) Back to Top
Your notes
Endorsement
This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 20/06/2006
Copyright
Fact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation.
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2010
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