Allergological aspects of atopic eczema in children

Food allergy is often, but far from always, of importance in atopic dermatitis in children. Positive findings in the allergological diagnosis are more common in children who also have other atopic symptoms than their eczema. The results of the allergological diagnosis are often hard to evaluate and sometimes misleading. Skin tests are only of limited value in food allergy. The importance of circulating reagins to food varies with respect to the kind of food, the age of the child and the antibody titre. It is therefore important to consider the results of the skin test and RAST together with the patient's history. Provocation tests may sometimes be necessary. It can also be necessary to prescribe so-called elimination diet for some time to children with atopic dermatitis. The judgement of the influence on the child's eczema of such an elimination diet needs experience and perhaps also repeated observations.