Excema/ dermatitis - what the what?

[festivalwidow]

DD is 23 months old and usually pretty healthy. She has been known to get a slight rash on her belly just before a tooth comes through, which looks speckly but doesn't bother her at all.
Now the poor mite is suddenly covered with quite severe excema on her legs, arms, back of her neck, belly and waist. It's very much like the dermatitis I get on my hands (mainly stress-related, but worse in winter), except that it doesn't appear to be itchy.
Her diet hasn't changed at all, I haven't changed my washing powder (we use Eco-Balls as I'm allergic to a lot of washing powder myself), and Oilatum in the bath doesn't seem to help. I've used olive oil on her skin since she was tiny and there doesn't appear to be an obvious trigger. It seems quite late in the day for her to be developing excema, but just wondered if this was common?

I can't help festival but I'll be watching with interest as DS (6mo) seems to have developed the same thing and I've been scratching my head trying to work it out.
I was going to mention it to the Dr at his check up next week.

Just to say eczema can start at any age - although atopic eczema most common to start at weaning age. All 3 of mine have it/have had it - ages of onset and severity all varied. But suddenly getting it all over rather than just in the flexures - wrists, backs of knees, elbow creases etc is more unusual. Could be allergic reaction or possibly viral rash also? I would get gp to check it out.

Thanks both. Took her to the GP and it seems she's inherited my arid skin - poor thing had flaking skin inside her ears too...
A slathering of olive oil every night until she shoots out of my arms seems to be helping a bit. Nice to know it's unlikely to be an allergy though.