Allergist Melissa Rathkopf, MD: I’m often asked in cases of severe eczema if food elimination diets could be helpful and actually they aren’t and they could be harmful. It’s now part of the most updated practice parameters on atopic dermatitis that empiric food elimination diets are not recommended.
This is because most often foods are not the cause of the eczema. There is a correlation especially with moderate to severe eczema in an increased risk of allergies both environmental and food.
However, the eczema comes first. Children with eczema are at increased risk, but we also don’t want to delay introduction of foods. One thing we’ve learned over the last 10 years that early introduction of these highly allergenic foods is beneficial and protective against the development of food allergies. So, be sure to talk to your primary care provider and even seek the advice of an allergist for further information on this.
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Resource Type: Video | Atopic Dermatitis, Food Allergies, Skin Allergies
