Eczema

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Eczema

Alternative Names:

Infantile eczema; Atopic eczema; Dermatitis - atopic
Symptoms:

Intense itching
Blisters with oozing and crusting
Skin redness or inflammation around the blisters
Rash
- In children under 2 years old, skin lesions begin on the cheeks, elbows, or knees
- In adults, the rash more commonly involves the inside surfaces of the knees and elbows
Dry, leathery skin areas
- More or less pigment than their normal skin tone (see skin, abnormally dark or light)
- Located commonly in the inner elbow or behind the knee
- May spread to the neck, hands, feet, eyelids, or behind the knee
Raw areas of the skin -- from scratching
Ear discharges/bleeding

Signs and tests:

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Diagnosis is primarily based on the appearance of the skin and on personal and family history. The health care provider should examine the lesions to rule out other possible causes. A skin lesion biopsy may be performed, but is not always required to make the diagnosis.

References:

Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby, Inc. 2004:41.

Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2004:2458-2460.