Atopic dermatitis is a genetic disease affecting the skin. Emotional stress, pollen allergies, colds, dry skin or contact with certain materials can lead to itchy eczema and pruritus, which affect the quality of life of children.
What is atopic dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is a genetic disease that mainly affects the epidermis, causes very itchy skin and can occur, and is most common in young children, in infants, from the second month of life, it can occur in children and less frequently in adults.
Who is affected by atopic dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis preferentially affects children especially when they have a family history of allergy and affects children who are environmentally, ali-mentally or immunologically predisposed.
What factors cause it?
There are many factors that can cause atopic dermatitis. Food factors are becoming more and more well known and it is therefore increasingly advisable to introduce food after breastfeeding, exclusively during the first 6 months, in order to avoid the appearance of food sensitization phenomena. Also, substances in the environment can cause the development of cutaneous symptoms. And finally, diseases or immunological disorders that depress this system and can lead to outbreaks, episodes of atopic dermatitis.
Is eczema the only skin disorder?
Eczema is the predominant symptom of atopic dermatitis. This eczema is very characteristic. In young children it starts in the area of the folds of the extremities, causes a lot of itching, the itching is a symptom that really disturbs the quality of life of children and these eczemas in some cases can become superinfected and cause quite severe complications. Also, in some cases, dermatitis can become generalized and affect the whole skin and also cause acute episodes of very severe itching and discomfort for these children. Eczema is the predominant symptom but it is well known that for many years atopic dermatitis was called “skin asthma” and it was so called because it was known that after the skin symptoms, respiratory symptoms could begin, it is quite common that children who start with atopic dermatitis may develop bronchial asthma in the future.
What treatment is recommended for patients suffering from atopic dermatitis?
The first and most fundamental treatment is hydration. With atopic dermatitis there is a lack of hydration in the epidermis that usually causes a lot of itching. An attempt is made to produce maximum comfort in the skin through maximum hydration, topical treatments with emollient gels and in some cases medications to reduce itching, which is one of the most annoying symptoms for these patients. Finally, the causes that could have provoked this atopic dermatitis are analyzed and if the cause is food-related, the food that is causing this symptomatology is substituted.