 Background: Atopic dermatitis is a pruritic skin disorder which affects more than 10 of the United States population, one-third of whom report sleep disturbance and a quarter with chronic unremitting disease. Atopic dermatitis is a recurrent pruritic skin disorder which has a significant morbidity and extensive costs for the health care system. Quality of life is often impaired for patients with atopic dermatitis due to sleep disturbance, pruritus and the physical impairment of visible skin lesions. 