ABSTRACT
Atopic eczema affects 3% of children under 5 years old, most commonly from 3 months to 2 years. The skin changes include intraepidermal oedema, which is followed by inflammation and intense itching of the skin. The skin is often erythematous, and may ooze and crust, with later changes of lichenification or alterations of pigmentation. Up to 80% of children affected have a positive family history of atopic conditions. A minor defect of cell-mediated immunity and suppressor T-cell numbers is thought to be a factor in pathogenesis. Rarely, eczema is a feature of another disorder, e.g. Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, phenylketonuria.
