OBJECTIVES: A systematic review of the literature was performed to gather the economic evidence related to atopic dermatitis (AD) in children.  METHODS: OVID MEDLINE® and EMBASE™ were explored by two reviewers for a combined search with terms related to economics and quality of life in a paediatric population, for the period 1996-2010. This abstract reports the results of the economic review. Two reviewers browsed abstracts, retrieved the suitable articles, separated them into cost of illness (COI) and economic evaluations including cost comparisons (CC), cost-effectiveness (CEA) and cost-utility analyses (CUA), and summarized key points. A third person acted as overall reviewer and adjudicator in case of disagreement.  RESULTS: From an initial search yielding 704 references, 16 articles were included in the review, 7 COI and 9 economic evaluations, including 2 CC, 3 CUA and 1 CEA of treatment with immunomodulators, 1 CC of corticosteroids and 1 CEA of homeopathy as well as 1 CEA on a partially hydrolysed infant formula used in prevention.   The investigation period span from 1995 to 2010.  Four studies were performed in the UK, 3 in the US, 2 in Australia, 2 in Canada, 2 in Germany, 1 in France, 1 in Italy and 1 covered 10 European countries. The range of yearly mean cost for treating AD is very wide and increases according to severity.  The main cost drivers seem to be consultations, hospitalizations, emollients and prescription medications, as well as time loss for parents.  CONCLUSIONS: Given its high prevalence, AD carries a substantial economic burden on such stakeholders as the national healthcare systems and the family of the affected children.  In light of these findings, an approach based on prevention rather than treatment may have a greater economic impact. In turn, further research is warranted on the potential economic benefit from interventions aimed at prevention.