Itching and hives appear soon after exposure to these airborne allergens and last only briefly. The slower, continuing, chronic eczema of AD may be more difficult to tie to specific allergens. In general, food allergies trigger AD only in children, mainly those with severe disease. Pollens, dust mites and pets can seldom be shown to trigger eczema. Scratch tests are only brief reactions and do not diagnose allergen-triggered eczema.
Patch tests can diagnose eczema responses in some cases such as allergies to skin care products.
Children with AD will be helped by reducing the major trigger factors described above. But individuals may be subject to other trigger factors, and it is important to be alert for these, too. They may be less common, but can be very damaging for a given child. Keep the skin barrier intact. Avoid fabrics of wool, nylon, or stiff material.