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Boo-Boos, Bruises and Bumps
Common Skin Problems in Children
By Crystal Patriarche
"Eczema and atopic dermatitis are synonyms and often used as general terms for many types of dermatitis," says Dr. Glick. "Eczema is an immune-mediated response that occurs when the body is reacting to one or more anogens or a foreign substance."
Most often affecting infants and young children, eczema causes the skin to become inflamed and itchy, causing redness, scaling and cracking, and sometimes weeping and crusting.
The good news? Many children outgrow the symptoms by adulthood. Dr. Glick says there is a 50 percent chance that by adolescence the symptoms are gone.
"I had eczema really bad as a child and into high school, and my oldest daughter had it when she was very young," says Janese Ritter from Gilbert, Ariz. and mother to Cassidy and Hailey. "I outgrew it after high school, and Cass outgrew it even earlier."
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the cause of this skin disease is unknown, but appears to be caused by hereditary and 
environmental factors. Physical and emotional stress can worsen the condition.
In addition to atopic dermatitis, there are other categories of eczema. Contact eczema, according to the NIH, is when the skin has come into too much contact with an irritant (acid, cleaning agents, chemicals, fabrics, etc.). Allergic-contact eczema is when the skin comes into contact with a substance the immune system does not recognize and is a red, weepy reaction (i.e. poison ivy).
"There is also atopic eczema, which is common, where the child would have chapped cheeks, and the eczema is always symmetrical and increased in creases like elbows and knees," says Dr. Glick.
Topicalsteroids, over-the-counter like hydrocortizone or stronger prescription versions, have been the standard treatment, but Dr. Glick says there are new treatments called immuno-modulators, like Protopic and Elidel, that he likes. "In my opinion, Elidel is better because it can be used on thin skin without any significant side effects like burning, itching or flu-like symptoms," he says.
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