Paeds Cases · allergy-and-immunology
Atopic dermatitis and the atopic march — clinical case
A clinical case of infantile atopic dermatitis in a child with a strong atopic family history, illustrating diagnostic criteria, stepwise management and the atopic march.
On this page
Study tools
Target exams
RACP DCEABP General Pediatrics
Prompt
A 9-month-old boy presents with a five-month history of an intensely itchy, weepy rash on his cheeks, scalp and extensor forearms; he scratches until the skin weeps, wakes repeatedly at night, and his parents have tried over-the-counter moisturisers with little benefit.
Case
A 9-month-old boy presents with a five-month history of an intensely itchy, weepy rash on his cheeks, scalp and the extensor surfaces of his arms. He scratches until the skin weeps and wakes repeatedly at night; his parents have tried over-the-counter moisturisers with little benefit. His mother has asthma and his father had childhood eczema. He is otherwise well, growing normally, and has no history of food reactions or wheeze. [1]
References3ShowHide
- [1]Williams HC Clinical practice. Atopic dermatitis. N Engl J Med, 2005.PMID 15930422
- [6]Sidbury R, Alikhan A, Bercovitch L Executive summary: American Academy of Dermatology guidelines of care for the management of atopic dermatitis in adults with topical therapies. J Am Acad Dermatol, 2023.PMID 36623556
- [2]Paller AS, Spergel JM, Mina-Osorio P The atopic march and atopic multimorbidity: Many trajectories, many pathways. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2019.PMID 30458183