Eczema is a common skin condition that is also sometimes called dermatitis. Most children with eczema have a type called atopic eczema, which is associated with a family history of allergic conditions such as asthma, eczema, hayfever or food allergies. Atopic eczema usually begins in the first year of life, and up to 50 per cent of children with atopic eczema will also have asthma or hayfever.

The underlying cause of atopic eczema is not known. However, a family history of allergies seems to cause a breakdown in the skin’s natural barrier. This makes the skin susceptible to trigger factors that make eczema worse. These triggers can include:

• Irritant substances – like soaps and detergents, including shampoos, bubble baths and shower gels
• Contact with substances like lanolin, nickel or perfumes
• Certain foods – like cow’s milk
• Substances that are breathed in – like pollens or substances released by pollution.

What are the symptoms?

Atopic eczema appears as dry, red, itchy patches of skin on the face, scalp, forearms, behind the ears, and on the front of the legs. In older children, it tends to be more localised to the skin in the creases of joints around the wrists, elbows, knees and ankles. The rash can become dry, scaly and cracked, ooze yellowish fluid and then crust over.