Dermatology

Atopic dermatitis treatment has dramatically changed over the years. Here’s a look at the current options.

A healthy 11-day-old male infant is brought to the pediatric clinic for evaluation of rash. The rash started with a 2-mm papule on the left medial epicanthal fold 4 days before the clinic visit. A day before coming to the clinic, the rash had spread to the upper left eyelid and the nasal bridge. What's the diagnosis?

A 16-year-old girl presents for evaluation of a rash on her left forearm, which was 2 enlarging red areas that became increasingly pruritic and edematous. What's the diagnosis?

A recent Danish study examines the connection between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of developing hidradenitis suppurativa in adulthood.

The parents of a healthy 20-month-old boy ask for advice about a birthmark on his lower back. The lesion is asymptomatic and has grown proportionately with their son. What's the diagnosis?

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved dupilumab (Dupixent, Sanofi and Regeneron) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in children aged 6 to 11 years.

A new investigation looks at the safety of psoriasis treatment in pediatric cases.

Teenagers like to spend time in the sun and even engage in tanning, in spite of warnings about skin cancer and aging. A new study indicates that using technology could help change adolescent minds.

A healthy 11-year-old boy presents for evaluation of thick skin over the metacarpal (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints on his right hand. What's the diagnosis?

Anxious parents present their healthy 9-year-old son for evaluation of a slowly enlarging plaque that began developing on his lower back 3 months ago. What's the diagnosis?

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved ixekizumab (Taltz, Eli Lilly) injection, 80 mg/mL, for use in pediatric patients to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The approval means that the drug is the first interleukin 17A (IL-17A) agent available for use in pediatric patients.

The US Food and Drug Administration has given approval for a supplemental new drug application for Eucrisa (crisaborole) that allows the nonsteroidal topical ointment to be used for treating mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in children aged as young as 3 months.

The parents of a healthy 8-year-old girl are worried about an asymptomatic red spot on their daughter’s left cheek that has been enlarging for more than a year. What's the diagnosis?

A 4-year-old boy presents for evaluation with painful swollen fingers on both hands that erupted after he made a snowman with his siblings following a snowstorm. He complains that they are itchy and painful. What's the diagnosis?

Postpartum depression has a number of profound effects. A new study indicates that postpartum depression could increase the risk of atopic dermatitis, especially at ages 5 and 9 years.

An 8-year-old, previously healthy girl presents to the emergency department (ED) with a rash “that looks likes bruises” and joint pain.  The red patchy rash is not painful and not pruritic. What's the diagnosis?

A healthy 6-year-old boy presents for evaluation with a 3-month history of an asymptomatic rash extending from his left thumb to his left wrist. What's the diagnosis?

A 9-year-old girl presents with a painful blistering patch on her right leg noted when her mother picked her up from school following an after-school ski club trip. What's the diagnosis? 

A healthy 15-year-old girl presents for evaluation of itchy, painful bumps on her toes that developed 3 weeks earlier. The bumps become more numerous and bothersome when she is outdoors sledding and skiing. What's the diagnosis?

A healthy 10-year-old male presents for evaluation with a 3-year history of an asymptomatic and progressive, mildly pruritic rash over his head and trunk. The first lesion appeared on his back 3 years ago, and numerous other lesions developed insidiously afterward. The patient’s father states that the lesions fade during the winter and become more prominent during the summer. Failed treatment included hydrocortisone. What's the diagnosis?

A healthy, afebrile, 12-month-old girl presents for evaluation with an asymptomatic nodule on her left cheek that has been present for 3 weeks. She was initially seen by her pediatrician, diagnosed with cellulitis, and prescribed an oral antibiotic, which was not administered by her parents.

Food allergies are a hot topic on the playground, at schools, and in pediatric offices. Parents of children with eczema or atopic dermatitis (AD) often have a lot of questions regarding the connection between eczema, exposure to common food allergens, and the development of or exacerbation of AD. There are many of the complex questions that clinicians must answer when evaluating pediatric patients with AD.

When a baby is born with a disfiguring port wine stain, parents may be anxious for options to eliminate the lesion. Laser treatment is an effective option, and it is best begun early.

Recommendations for whether to test for and treat food allergy in the setting of atopic dermatitis have changed.

Pediatricians should consider family history of atopic dermatitis (AD) in both parents to help frame the risk for their offspring.