title: Atopic eczema in children: what to do when treatment fails to work.
abstract: Atopic eczema in infants and children usually responds to a management programme involving patient education, the avoidance of environmental irritants, the regular use of emollients and the application of topical steroids. If a child fails to respond to this management programme, the dermatologist should initially ensure that the diagnosis is correct and exclude a coexistent disease process (for example, infection or immunodeficiency) that may be hampering response to treatment. The next step is to ensure that environmental irritants have been identified and eliminated from the child's environment and that prescribed medication is being used as instructed. Allergy assessment and ancillary therapy are reserved for those infants and children with severe disease not responding to basic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hogan
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004643:Emollients / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004782:Environmental Health; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007223:Infant; D007509:Irritants; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D004643:Emollients; D007509:Irritants; D013256:Steroids