A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (Vol 6 No. 6 2010) reported that those children diagnosed with eczema had elevated rhinitis and asthma severity scores as well as more behavioral variables of hyperactivity and oppositional behaviors in addition to more sleep problems. The suggestion is that daytime behavior of overactivity and oppositional symptoms is mediated independently by the effects of eczema, asthma and rhinitis on the quality of sleep. Compared to control subjects, children diagnosed with eczema had a lowered general quality of life as well as more disturbed sleep with more problems initiating and maintaining sleep. The idea being that having eczema affects sleep and sleep affects daytime behavior of overactivity and defiance.