Eczema can run in families, and it may also be driven by environmental triggers. Individuals with the condition are more susceptible to skin infections and sleep disturbances. Common symptoms include dry, scaly patches of skin and small bumps that open and weep when scratched.
No Cure Is Available
While a cure for eczema does not exist, treatments can improve patients’ quality of life by reducing skin itching and inflammation. Treatments available to children include steroid and nonsteroid creams, phototherapy, and oral or injectable (i.e., biologic) medications.
In 2025, the American Academy of Dermatology updated its adult eczema treatment guidelines to include systemic immunomodulatory therapies, which change how the immune system functions, and newer topical therapies. Many of these therapies are also available for children or adolescents.
