Paediatric Dermatology

The term paediatric dermatology refers to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of skin diseases that occur either exclusively or predominantly in infancy, childhood and adolescence. It also refers to the particular diagnostic and therapeutic aspects related to the paediatric age group in any other diseases of skin, hair and nails. Important aspects of paediatric dermatology include neonatal  dermatology,eczema, vascular tumours and vascular malformations, paediatric drug delivery and preventative healthcare. During the neonatal period, many newborns develop preventable, clinically apparent skin problems. Especially pre-term neonates experience morbidity caused by a compromised skin barrier integrity.Just to sample some of the skin disorders that typically occur in infancy or childhood we could consider some common childhood skin disorders as nappy dermatitis, infantile seborrheic dermatitis, pityriasis alba, lichen nitidus, lichen striatus, Gianotti–Crosti syndrome, mollusca contagiosa, viral warts, and fungal infections. Also some tumours are specific to paediatric ages, such as the Spitz nevus, the juvenile xanthogranuloma, mastocytoma, and haemangioma. Photodermatoses such as hydroa vacciniforme and the juvenile spring eruption are among many other dermatological disesases, such as Kawasiaky disease, affecting paediatric age.

Regarding epidemiological aspects, nappy dermatitis occurs in 50% of nappy-wearing children and medical care is necessary in 5% of these children. Atopic dermatitis occurs in about 20% of children in the various countries.The paediatric dermatologist plays an important role in the teaching of attitudes regarding protection and sun behaviour.

Therapeutically, many important and special aspects of management in paediatric dermatology include treatment of  haemangioma, treatment of congenital melanocytic nevi, pain reduction of diagnostic paediatric procedures, special skills regarding sedation and anaesthesia in children, special needs of skin during the neonatal period and infancy, and knowledge of drugs that are potentially harmful in children, such as antihistamines, tetracyclines, oral retinoids, lindane and salicylic acid.