The histiocytoses are a broad group of disorders characterized by an abnormal proliferation of the histiocyte, a type of progenitor cell in the bone marrow ( Box 10.1 ). Some clinically relevant types of histiocytes include the Langerhans cell, the…
Because of the increasing public awareness and incidence of skin cancer, physicians are often consulted regarding tumors of the skin. In children, the vast majority of cutaneous tumors are benign, and their importance lies predominantly in the cosmetic defect they…
Disorders of the sebaceous glands Acne vulgaris Acne vulgaris is the most common skin problem in the United States, affecting nearly 80% to 85% of individuals at some point between 11 and 30 years of age. , Although not a…
Hair Hair is a protein by-product of follicles distributed everywhere on the body surface except the palms, soles, vermilion portion of the lips, glans penis, penile shaft, nail beds, and sides of the fingers and toes. Although hair is of…
Several hereditary disorders of the skin primarily manifest as disorders of the dermis. Clinical manifestations range from laxity of skin to infiltrated papules and from rigidity to thinning of the dermis. Disorders of mucopolysaccharides are reviewed in Chapter 24 .…
The hereditary disorders of cornification, or the ichthyoses, are a group of disorders characterized by scaling, skin thickening, and usually underlying inflammation, , leading to a significant impact on quality of life. In many patients, itch is also an issue.…
Childhood psoriasis Psoriasis is a relatively common immune-mediated disorder, which occurs overall in 0.5% to 0.8% of pediatric patients, with a linear increase in prevalence by age from 0.2% at 2 years to 1.2% at 18 years. Psoriasis rarely is…
Eczematous eruptions are characterized as inflamed papules and plaques, often in association with pruritus and serous discharge. The specific subtype of eczematous dermatitis is based on the clinical morphology, distribution of lesions, and, in many cases, history of exposure. Biopsy…
Neonatal skin The skin of the infant differs from that of an adult in that it is thinner (40% to 60%), is less hairy, and has a weaker attachment between the epidermis and dermis. In addition, the body surface area–to–weight…
Accurate diagnosis of cutaneous disease in infants and children is a systematic process that requires careful inspection, evaluation, and some knowledge of dermatologic terminology and morphology to develop a prioritized differential diagnosis. The manifestations of skin disorders in infants and…