Atopic eczema is the commonest type of eczema and is particularly widespread among babies and young children. Over the past 30 years there has been a large rise in the condition, which now affects 10 per cent of children. Fortunately, 60 to 70 per cent of children grow out of it by their mid-teens.
Atopic eczema usually appears in the first year of life and is sometimes called infantile eczema. Atopic means a family or hereditary tendency to asthma, eczema and hayfever. The cause of atopic eczema and the reason for the increase in the condition is not known, but environmental factors are thought to play a part. For example, central heating and carpets, which are now standard in most homes, have increased children's exposure to allergens such as the house dust mite.
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