Abstract
As the first step toward appropriate management of atopic dermatitis (AD) by general pediatricians, it is an essential point to diagnose definitely as it with careful observation and evaluation of cutaneous involvement. When a patient suspected of AD is first seen, it is important to apply his/her cutaneous condition and clinical course to any published criterion, such as the criteria of Hanifin and Rajka or the criteria for AD by the Japanese Dermatological Association. When cutaneous condition becomes uncontrollable or exacerbated during treatment, primary doctor should consult dermatological allergologist and revaluate the complications or current treatment. During follow-up, periodic and objective evaluation of severity of AD is also important with any widely-used severity scoring system. The most validated laboratory test to evaluate the severity of AD is serum TARC (thymus and activation-regulated chemokine) lebel, and peripheral eosinophile count, serum IgE and LDH concentrations are also useful in clinical practice. The most important point is to present overall assesement of AD condition with clinical course and laboratory tests above, which leads AD children to achieve good compliance/adherence to medical treatments.
