Ella Thompson was an adventurous little girl who loved to play hide-and-seek with her younger brothers, Max and Tommy.

She had beautiful blonde hair like Goldilocks and bright blue eyes that sparkled like the ocean.

Every day after school, she would rush home, eager to drop off her backpack and head outside to the trampoline in her backyard.

But recently, something had been bothering Ella—her skin. For the past few weeks, she had noticed some red, itchy patches appearing on her arms and legs.

Ella felt embarrassed by the itchy patches on her skin. At school, she tried to cover them up so her classmates wouldn't see.

One sunny afternoon, as Ella was playing in the park, she felt the itchiness return. She scratched and scratched, and itched and itched. 

“Mom, it’s getting worse,” she said, showing her mom the red patches. Her mother examined them, looking concerned. “I think it’s time we go see Dr. Anderson, honey."

The next day, Ella's mother picked her up from school and brought her to Dr. Anderson's office. 

Ella sat in the waiting room, twiddling her thumbs and swinging her legs nervously. 

"Ella Thompson?" called a friendly nurse from the doorway. Ella and her mom stood up and followed the nurse into a bright room with flowers on the walls.

Dr. Anderson entered the room with a warm smile. "Hello, Ella! I hear you’ve been having some trouble with your skin. Can you please explain to me exactly what's bothering you?"

Ella nodded hesitantly. "I have red splotches on my arms and legs. They're really itchy, and sometimes they hurt." 

Dr. Anderson sat down next to Ella and gently examined her arms and legs. "Hmm, I see. Well, Ella, it looks like you have something called eczema."

"Eczema?" Ella repeated, her eyes wide. "That sounds serious."