CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTHER-INFANT RELATION SHIP IN INFANTS WITH ATOPIC-DERMATITIS

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disease with multiple determi nants which in most cases is first observed in infancy. The present st udy investigates differences between mother-infant dyads with AD of th e infant and dyads with healthy babies concerning various characterist ics of the mother-infant relationship. Two cohorts (3-4 months and 10- 12 months) of infants with AD and two control cohorts were compared. T he samples were recruited by paediatricians in public preventional exa minations (U4 and U6). Questionnaires were used to assess mothers' edu cational attitudes, depression and perceived infant temperament. Mothe rs with AD-infants described themselves as hopeless, depressive and fe arful-overprotective. The infants were described as difficult, i.e. sh owing fewer positive reactions, poorer soothability and more frequent distress to limitations. These characteristics must be considered as s erious risks for the development of mother-infant relationship.