Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) in Spanish

What it means

Eczema is a term for several different types of skin swelling, and it is also called dermatitis. Most types cause dry, itchy skin and rashes on the face, inside the elbows and behind the knees, and on the hands and feet. Eczema is not contagious, and its cause is unknown; it is likely caused by both genetic and environmental factors. The most common type is atopic dermatitis, which the MedlinePlus encyclopedia describes as a long-term (chronic) skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes. Atopic dermatitis is most common in babies and children, but adults can have it too, and it may get better or go away as children grow older. In Spanish the term is eccema.

Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) in Spanish

Spanish term: Eccema (dermatitis atópica)
Gender and article: masculine: el eccema (feminine: la dermatitis atópica)
Pronunciation: ehk-SEH-mah (dehr-mah-TEE-tees ah-TOH-pee-kah)

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
eczema	General	Spelling with cz that MedlinePlus en español lists among the alternative names of its atopic dermatitis article.
dermatitis	General	MedlinePlus en español says eccema is also called dermatitis.

Eccema is the spelling MedlinePlus en español uses, with a double c, and the word is masculine even though it ends in -a: el eccema. The encyclopedia article also lists the spelling eczema among its alternative names. MedlinePlus en español says eccema is also called dermatitis, and that the most common type is la dermatitis atópica, a feminine term. Eccema infantil appears among the alternative names of the atopic dermatitis article.

For the skin changes, MedlinePlus en español uses sarpullido and erupción for rash, and both comezón and picazón for itching. A bad outbreak is un brote intenso. Other forms of dermatitis named in the encyclopedia are dermatitis de contacto, eccema dishidrótico, eccema numular and dermatitis seborreica. Other words on these pages are fiebre del heno (hay fever), asma (asthma) and piel reseca (dry skin).

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	My son has a dry, itchy rash inside his elbows and behind his knees.	Mi hijo tiene un sarpullido seco y con picazón en la parte interior de los codos y detrás de las rodillas.
Clinician	How long has he had the rash, and does it get better and worse?	¿Desde cuándo tiene el sarpullido? ¿Mejora y empeora?
Patient	Since he was a baby. It gets worse in the winter.	Desde que era bebé. Empeora en el invierno.
Clinician	Does anyone in the family have asthma, hay fever, or eczema?	¿Alguien de la familia tiene asma, fiebre del heno o eccema?
Patient	I have asthma, and my mother had eczema on her hands.	Yo tengo asma, y mi madre tenía eccema en las manos.
Clinician	This looks like atopic dermatitis, which is a type of eczema. It is not contagious.	Esto parece dermatitis atópica, que es un tipo de eccema. No es contagiosa.
Patient	The itching wakes him up at night, and he scratches until the skin is raw.	La picazón lo despierta por la noche, y se rasca hasta dejarse la piel en carne viva.
Clinician	Have you noticed anything that makes it worse, such as a soap, a fabric, or a lotion?	¿Ha notado algo que lo empeore, como algún jabón, alguna tela o alguna loción?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)
Spanish (Español)	Eccema (dermatitis atópica)
Chinese (中文)	濕疹
Korean (한국어)	습진
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Chàm
Filipino (Tagalog)	Eczema
Portuguese (Português)	Eczema (dermatite atópica)
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	โรคผิวหนังอักเสบ
Japanese (日本語)	湿疹

Where you'll see it

chartreferralmedical recordEOB

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: L20 → Atopic dermatitis

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Skin, hair and nails

All terms in this area: Skin, hair and nails — Piel, cabello y uñas

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.