Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) Program

NJH Kids - logo Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema, is a chronic skin disease characterized by intense itching with red or dry skin. Approximately one person in every 10 has atopic dermatitis at some point during their life. Most prevalent in childhood, this skin disease can cause sleep deprivation, chronic infection, embarrassment and frustration which can significantly impact the quality of life of the child and family.

National Jewish Health is one of the leading institutions in the United States for treatment and research of atopic dermatitis. We have a variety of comprehensive programs specially designed to teach patients and families how to care for this condition. We provide single-day consultations, multi-day outpatient visits or day hospital care for more extensive testing and treatment.

Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin condition.

That first word atopic, which means A to P and the tendency to develop allergies.

What that means is that the inflamed skin is often driven by an allergic trigger.

So the majority of people will develop it before five years of age and especially during the first year of life, but we do see adult onset eczema.

Atopic dermatitis is characterized by skin that is dry, but also appears inflamed.

So the skin is red and can have other signs of inflammation such as oozing, crusting, thickening of the skin and we wouldn't see that with just regular dry skin.

This can result in disturbed quality of sleep and can also result in other symptoms such as increased anxiety and depression.

Triggers can include environmental allergens. In a small percentage of patients, food allergens may also trigger atopic dermatitis.

This is more common in young children and not very common in adolescents and adults.

Moisturize every day.

It's really important to use a cream or ointment rather than lotion and use it once or twice daily.

Using daily moisturizer is the best way to prevent eczema flares and then at the first sign of a flare, it's really important to treat it appropriately with the topical anti-inflammatory prescribed by your doctor.

This includes topical corticosteroids, topical calcinoid inhibitors.

There are some new agents on the market as well for treatment of atopic dermatitis.

We often see patients using wet rep therapies when they're more severe and just plain application of topical steroids doesn't seem to be working.

Wet rep therapy involves the patient taking a soaking bath.

For a good 15-20 minutes soak, after that bath, topical steroids are applied directly to inflamed areas of the skin.

After applying the topical steroid, a wet layer of clothing is applied and above that wet layer of clothing, a dry layer of clothing.

Patients can grow out of having atopic dermatitis.

We're not quite sure which patients will outgrow the atopic dermatitis.

It's not quite clear who will and who won't, but we do see that kids can outgrow their atopic dermatitis.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov.au

Reasons to Visit National Jewish Health

The management of atopic dermatitis can be complex and often requires intensive education and treatment to successfully control the disease. Any one of the following is a good reason to see the National Jewish Health for Kids atopic dermatitis team:

Itching, dry skin or eczema getting worse despite current therapy
Atopic dermatitis worsens after being around certain things in the environment or eating certain foods
Atopic dermatitis interferes with ability to sleep or perform daily activities
Concerns about medications used to treat atopic dermatitis
Oral or systemic medications are causing side effects, especially oral steroids
Recurring infections requiring antibiotic therapy, especially due to Staphylococcus aureus or herpes virus
Your regular healthcare provider refers you to an expert for evaluation
You want to participate in research studies to learn more about the disease and new treatments

A Dedicated Team

The National Jewish Health for Kids atopic dermatitis team brings together physicians, nurses, dieticians, psychiatrists and psychologists with specialized expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis.

Our focus is not only on managing symptoms of the disease, but also on identifying the specific triggers that result in exacerbations. We understand the individual needs of patients and families and the resources and education necessary to control atopic dermatitis. Our experienced team has a high success rate for helping families learn how to manage their disease; frequently, skin disease that was refractory to treatment at other medical centers has been improved thanks to this team.

Our Services

Comprehensive testing and challenges where needed
Expertise in difficult diagnostic or disease management problems by a multidisciplinary team
Patient education and age-appropriate self-care for patients and their families
In-depth one-on-one teaching
Demonstrated techniques for self-care, including on-site tub baths and the application of wraps and topical medications
Behavioral modification
Addressing sleep disturbance
Continued follow-up to treat the changing needs of the patient
Programs to optimize compliance
A partnership between the patient, family, primary physician and the atopic dermatitis team
Evaluation for other allergic conditions including food allergies, asthma and allergic rhinitis
Referral to our Pediatric Day Program for intensive treatment when needed
Learn more about our atopic dermatitis (eczema) treatment plans: nurses providing soak and seal treatment

Doctors

Mark Boguniewicz, MD
Bruce J. Lanser, MD, MPH
Donald Y M Leung, MD, PhD

Reasons to Choose National Jewish Health

The leading respiratory hospital in the nation and the only one devoted fully to the treatment of respiratory and related illnesses
Ranked #1 or #2 in Pulmonology by U.S. News & World Report for 26 consecutive years
Ranked in the top 5% of hospitals in the nation by HCAHPS
Physicians consistently recognized among the best in the nation by multiple services, including Best Doctors in America and Castle Connolly
Among the top 6% of organizations funded for research by the NIH, providing patients access to hundreds of active clinical trials
124-year history of focus on care, research and education serving patients from around the world with lung, heart, immune and related disorders

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Eczema Program (Pediatric)