It affects from 1 percent to 10 percent of infants. About 27 percent of infants whose mothers have allergies develop atopic dermatitis. One-half of infants who have eczema before they are one year old have no more symptoms by age two. Atopic dermatitis usually goes away during childhood, or by the age of 25. But for some people, it is lifelong.
Adults can also develop atopic dermatitis.
Researchers have found that atopic dermatitis can be triggered by a number of factors, including allergy and emotional stress. It is related to the development of other allergies, such as allergic rhinitis and asthma, in most children. Only 20 percent still had the condition. About 15 percent had both atopic dermatitis and asthma or hay fever. In infants, atopic dermatitis appears as an itchy rash, called pruritus.