Food Allergy Facts

If My Child Has Eczema, Will She Also Have Food Allergies?

My infant has eczema. Does that mean she'll have food allergies too?

Eczema doesn't automatically mean your baby will have food allergies (or environmental or seasonal allergies), says Dr. Wood. "If you take all cases of eczema, no more than 25 percent are going to have food allergies," he adds. "If you look at kids with very severe eczema, then you get into the 40 to 50 percent ranges."

As you're introducing solids, if you do notice foods that seem to make your child's eczema flare, discuss with your doctor whether it could be an allergic reaction. Usually a food isn't the sole cause of eczema, Dr. Green says, but in kids for whom it's a trigger, "if you can identify the food, and you're able to get rid of it, the eczema will dramatically improve and kids may also outgrow it faster."