Eczema (or dermatitis) is an itchy, scaly rash, which has many causes. The most common form of eczema in children is atopic or allergic eczema. Atopic eczema is a form of allergy of the skin and occurs in about 5% of children. Most children with atopic eczema have a family history of asthma, hay fever or eczema. These children start with atopic eczema before 2 years of age and often later develop other forms of allergic disorder. They all have very dry skins.
Children with atopic eczema usually have a family history of allergy.