The purpose of this study is to determine whether early use of a bland emollient in newborns, prior to the clinical signs of skin disease, will delay the onset or prevent the development of atopic dermatitis.

All neonates will be treated with Cetaphil cream starting within 1 week of birth. All neonates enrolled will have an increased risk of developing atopic dermatitis because they have a family history of either asthma, hay fever, or atopic dermatitis. These neonates will then be followed for 2 years for the signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• at least one parent diagnosed with Atopic Dermatitis
• one parent or sibling with hayfever or asthma

Exclusion Criteria:

• newborns with dermatitis at birth
• newborns born greater than four weeks prematurely
• newborns with medical problems necessitating prolonged hospitalization
• newborns diagnosed with any immune deficiency syndrome