Pediatric Dermatology

Results of a new study affirm that the beta-blocker propranolol shrinks potentially disfiguring infantile hemangiomas in young children, MedPage Today reports.

Results of a study in adolescents showing a correlation between the severity of sun damage in ultraviolet (UV) photographs and phenotypic risk factors for malignant melanoma provides further support for using UV photography in sun-protection interventions, according to Ryan G. Gamble, M.D., who spoke at the 2011 annual meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology.

A Danish study suggests that signs of atopy may be present long before symptoms begin, even in month-old babies, Medical News Today reports.

Lotus Tissue Repair, a start-up company created to develop a treatment for the rare genetic disease dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB), has secured $26 million in financing, Xconomy.com reports.

Dermatologists welcome a recently updated policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that adds new information about sunscreen ingredients, vitamin D and the dangers of tanning for teens.

Pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatment for infants with port wine stains (PWS) should be performed early and often, according to research conducted by dermatologic surgeons from the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.

Dermatitis in children can be challenging to treat, particularly when commonly used treatment regimens fail. According to one expert, a multi-pronged treatment strategy is the best approach to help clear symptoms and control disease.

Results of a new study suggest that the beta-blocker propranolol is effective in treating infantile hemangiomas of the head and neck, MedPageToday reports.

Vitamin D deficiency is common in American children and, moreover, linked with obesity and different types of fat distribution in white and black youngsters, HealthDay News reports.

Despite recent advances, topical and systemic treatments for infantile hemangiomas need more randomized, controlled trials to help guide treatment decisions. Topical medications generally work best for localized, superficial hemangiomas, says Maria Garzon, M.D., professor of clinical dermatology and clinical pediatrics, Columbia University, New York.

Childhood eczema can have a detrimental effect not only on children who suffer from the disorder, but also for their families, Medical New Today reports.

Physicians immersed in the world of continuing medical education (CME) say big changes are happening. And doctors of all specialties, including dermatology, will be affected by the emerging CME focus: individual outcomes improvement.

Determining the proper course of treatment of hemangiomas in pediatric patients can be difficult, as clinical data are sparse. Propranolol has become increasingly popular for off-label treatment, but it comes with significant risks, says Beth A. Drolet, M.D., professor of pediatrics and dermatology, vice chairwoman of dermatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Parents may be unnecessarily urging their children to avoid certain foods under the mistaken belief that allergies may be triggering kids' atopic dermatitis, according to a physician.

A novel potential treatment is on the horizon for hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED), according to the director of research at a patient advocacy foundation.

After more than 20 years of widespread use, pulsed-dye lasers remain the therapy of choice in treating port wine stains in children and infants. Still, there have been no significant developments in recent years, and there is some disagreement regarding when treatment of port wine stains should begin.

Pediatric melanomas are uncommon, but because melanoma is not always as easily diagnosed in children as in adults, it is critical to perform biopsies for pediatric patients just as one would for adults, an expert says.

Pediatric patients are threatened by infestations such as bedbugs, head lice and scabies, so parents need to be vigilant of these risks, according to the chief of the division of pediatric dermatology at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Children who have more severe atopic dermatitis, or eczema, are less likely to outgrow allergies to milk or eggs, Medical News Today reports.

Academic pediatric dermatologists can burn out for the same reasons as do their general dermatology colleagues, but they also face unique challenges, those in the field say.

Evidence-based treatment options for moderate-to-severe pediatric atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are severely limited, according to specialists in the field, leading to the creation of a national collaborative by several pediatric dermatologists.

Although most oral lesions observed in children pose little health risk, some of these lesions may be severe and followed by permanent sequelae, an expert says. And some pediatric oral lesions can provide clues to the presence of a systemic disease, she adds.

The pulsed dye laser (PDL) can treat capillary malformations in children and, in exceptional circumstances, infantile hemangiomas, according to a professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Pediatric onychomycosis is relatively uncommon, with an overall prevalence among all patients with onychomycosis of about 2.5 percent. The condition occurs more often in adolescents than in young children, says Amy Paller, M.D., Walter J. Hamlin Professor, chairwoman of dermatology, professor of pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago.

If congenital nevi are small, there is insufficient evidence to suggest they should be removed, for they are not likely to transform into melanoma, according to the chief dermatologist at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix. However, giant nevi present a much higher risk, says Ron Hansen, M.D., F.A.A.D., a board-certified dermatologist and board-certified pediatrician.