Many children in the western world suffer from infantile eczema or atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema (skin inflammation) that won’t stop itching. It is characterised by periods without symptoms followed by further outbreaks of differing severity. Children who suffer from infantile eczema tend to have dry skin. They also have a high sensitivity to itching, together with an increased risk of developing other atopic illnesses - asthma, hay fever and allergy. Most children outgrow their infantile eczema while others continue to suffer from the disease more or less for the rest of their lives.

Babies with infantile eczemadevelop an itchy red rash on their cheeks. This spreads over the face, down the neck to the nappy region, and may also appear on the arms and legs. Because of the itching, the child may seem upset or irritable, particularly at night. The rash is normally dry, but if the skin is infected with bacteria (impetiginized eczema) the eczema will begin to suppurate (produce pus). This is a danger signal, and you should consult your doctor or a dermatologist if this occurs.

When the child is one-and-a-half to two-years old, the disease will follow a more typical pattern, with the rash appearing behind the knees and in the bends of the arms, wrists, ankles and neck.

Among adults, the typical symptoms are a variant of the pattern found in children. The eczema, dry on a base of thickened skin, normally appears on the torso and is often infected with skin bacteria.

A lot of people who suffer from an inherited tendency to develop allergies also show signs of so-called atopic stigmata: darkness around the eyes and a double furrow beneath them, cracks near the the ear lobes and itchiness when wearing woollen clothes.