title: Atopy in children with eczema.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the prevalence of common food and aeroallergens sensitization in early childhood skin diseases. and to compare the pattern of common food and aeroallergens sensitization before and after 6 months among infants with atopic dermatitis (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  All skin prick tests (SPTs) performed on children pound18 months of age managed at the pediatric dermatology clinic of an university-affiliated teaching hospital over a 16-month period were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was generally no difference in the pattern of sensitization to common food and aeroallergens between AD patients and non-AD young children with miscellaneous dermatological or gastrointestinal conditions. Dust mites were the only common aeroallergens in these patients; whereas egg and peanuts were the common sensitizing food allergens. Cat and dog fur as aeroallergens, soy bean, orange and beef as food allergens were relatively uncommon among the studied subjects. In AD, infants pound 6 months were generally naive to aeroallergens but became sensitized to the D. Pteronyssinus in the next 12 months of age. 80% of these infants were not sensitized to cow's milk and none sensitized to soybean.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atopic sensitization to common allergens was common in early childhood with or without AD. Majority of young infants were not sensitized to milk, and develop eczema before they show atopy to the milk or soy allergens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China. ehon@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Kam-Lun Ellis
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hon
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Ching-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Pui-Man
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Wing-Hei Zion
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: Chung-Mo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Wai-San Fanny
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Ting-Fan
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010367:Arachis / Q000276:immunology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004485:Eczema / Q000276:immunology*; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests