The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of pimecrolimus cream 1% in relation to the improvement of pruritus in pediatric patients (2- to 11- year-old) with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or female.
• Age: between 2 - 12 years.
• Outpatients with diagnosis of atopic dermatitis
• Atopic dermatitis affecting ≥ 5% of Total Body Surface Area at Baseline Investigator's Global Assessment score of 2 (mild) or 3 (moderate).
• Baseline visit pruritus (itching) severity assessment score of 2 (moderate) or 3 (severe).
• Patients or patient's legal guardian who has been informed of the study procedures and has signed the informed consent form approved for the study prior to starting any study related procedures, including washout (in case that it would be necessary).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients being breast-fed by women receiving systemic or prohibited medication.
• Children with known hypersensitivity to study medication.
• Children who received phototherapy or systemic therapy (immunosuppressants, cytostatics) known to affect atopic dermatitis within the previous month or topical therapy (tar, topical corticosteroids), systemic corticosteroids, systemic antibiotics or leukotriene antagonists within the previous week.
• Children who received investigational drugs within 8 weeks prior to first application of study medication.
• Children who had concurrent skin disease or active bacterial, viral or fungal infection.
• Immunocompromised children (e.g., lymphoma, AIDS, Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome) or children with a history of malignant disease.

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.