Tips for patients of Atopic Dermatitis

Tips for Working With Your Doctor

• Provide complete, accurate medical information.
• Make a list of your questions and concerns in advance.
• Be honest and share your point of view with the doctor.
• Ask for clarification or further explanation if you need it.
• Talk to other members of the health care team, such as nurses, therapists, or pharmacists.
• Don’t hesitate to discuss sensitive subjects with your doctor.
• Discuss changes to medical treatment or medications with your doctor.

People with atopic dermatitis should exercise caution when coming into close physical contact with a person who has been recently vaccinated, and make certain the vaccinated person has covered the vaccination site or taken other precautions until the scab falls off (about 3 weeks). Those who have had physical contact with a vaccinated person’s unhealed vaccination site or to their bedding or other items that might have touched that site should notify their doctor, particularly if they develop a new or unusual rash.

During a smallpox outbreak, these vaccination recommendations may change. People with atopic dermatitis who have been exposed to smallpox should consult their doctor about vaccination.