“I knew it was eczema-something my husband’s family deals with, too.”Ītopic dermatitis can run the gamut from mild like Morgan’s to severe. “One afternoon after playing outside, I noticed a dry, bumpy red patch of skin on her cheek,” says her mother Sue Voeker. That’s the case for Morgan Voeker, 4, of Guilford, Conn.

It can crop up on the legs or hands, and in children, it frequently affects the face. “Atopic dermatitis is hereditary and is usually seen in families where other members have eczema, allergies, hay fever or asthma,” explains Dr. Winter dryness challenges the barrier’s ability to function further and can cause flare ups. It’s less able to retain water to stay hydrated and is more likely to become irritated and unable to fight off microbes that can cause infection. People with atopic dermatitis (eczema) have a compromised barrier that doesn’t function normally. It’s important to have a healthy stratum corneum because this barrier is the body’s defense against the world, protecting your child from everything from bacteria to irritants such as the sun or chemicals.

But doctors say people with this condition have a problem with their skin barrier-known as the stratum corneum-that makes it more sensitive. The condition affects about 17 percent of children, most of whom first develop it before age 5 and usually as infants, says dermatologist Richard Antaya, MD, director Pediatric Dermatology at Yale Medicine. Colder weather can be especially trying for those with a severe dry skin condition known as atopic dermatitis, commonly called eczema. Winter’s icy outdoor temperatures and dry indoor heat can be tough on children’s tender skin, making it feel dry, irritated and scratchy.

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