Patterns of infant dermatoses An observational study

Baby care is most crucial for parents and often parents complain or raise concerns for skin rashes in their child. Several dermatoses are known to affect the young pediatric population. Most commonly affected ones are atopic dermatitis, cradle cap, diaper dermatitis to name a few.

This study that I am talking about included 270 infants, having 162 males and 108 female infants, with 53 being neonates, having dermatoses, those who attended the outpatient clinic of tertiary referral center of Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

During this study, the clinicians used a preset proforma, and collected information on patient profile, evolution of dermatosis, and clinical features. The results indicated that among the neonates, the common dermatoses observed were napkin dermatitis (14/53, 26.4%), transient neonatal pustular melanosis (6/53, 11.3%), and congenital melanocytic nevus (6/53, 11.3%).

While the common dermatoses observed among infants above 28 days were fungal infections (32/217, 14.7%), atopic dermatitis (23/217, 10.6%), miliaria (22/217, 10.1%) and infantile seborrheic dermatitis (21/217, 9.7%).

The study overall indicates an epidemiological shift in the prevalence of dermatophytosis in pediatric age group, but that would require analysis in future multi-center studies. Atopic dermatitis was the most common non-infective dermatosis observed in the overall study population as well as in the 1-12-month age group, whereas napkin dermatitis predominated in neonates.

This study should thus encourage practicing clinicians to approach infant patients with the indicative trend and modulate their treatment approaches accordingly, besides at the same time educate Parents and families accordingly.

Reference: Mudang J, Samad KA, Devakumar VK, Ashok P, George AE. Patterns of infant dermatoses: An observational study from the dermatology outpatient clinic of a tertiary referral center. J Skin Sex Transm Dis, doi: 10.25259/JSSTD_84_2021