ALLERGY: ECZEMA SCREENING PANEL, PEDIATRIC

ECZEMA IS PRINCIPALLY A DISORDER OF INFANCY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD AND ONE-THIRD OF THESE PATIENTS DO NOT OUTGROW THE DISEASE AND CARRY SYMPTOMS INTO ADULTHOOD. ALLERGIC ECZEMA IS MOST OFTEN IGE ASSOCIATED (ATOPIC ECZEMA) BUT CAN ALSO BE NON IGE ASSOCIATED (NON ATOPIC ECZEMA). IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY EXTREME PRURITIS AND PERSISTENT SCRATCHING WHICH LEADS TO PAPULATION, EXFOLIATION, BLEEDING, OOZING, CRUSTING AND SECONDARY INFECTIONS. IT CAN INVOLVE ANY AREA OF THE BODY, BUT TYPICAL LOCATIONS OF INVOLVEMENT VARY ACCORDING TO AGE. IN INFANTS, THE AREA AROUND THE LOWER PART OF OUTER EAR IS OFTEN INVOLVED, WHEREAS IN PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN, THE FLEXOR SIDE OF EXTREMITIES ARE INVOLVED. COMMON ALLERGENIC AGENTS OF ECZEMA ARE FOOD, HOUSE DUST MITES & PETS. IF YOUR CHILD SUFFERS FROM ECZEMA, DO NOT GIVE THEM LONG BATHS. YOU SHOULD USE WARM WATER RATHER THAN HOT WATER FOR THEIR BATHS AND USE GENTLE SOAPS.