Childhood psoriasis usually manifests itself in the same way as it does in adults and must be treated with a specific cream or medication.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that, contrary to what one might think, can also occur in children with specific manifestations. So we know how to recognize its symptoms and how to treat them properly.
Childhood psoriasis: what is it and how to treat it
To know if our child suffers from childhood psoriasis, we will have to learn to recognize it or, in fact, know how it manifests itself. In this way, you have to know that the most common form in which this skin inflammation appears, both in adults and in children, is in the form of vulgar psoriasis (plaque), which generally manifests itself with rounded reddish patches, of sharp edges, usually covered with whitish scales, located on the elbows and knees and in the sacro-lumbar region. Sometimes the patches are associated with flaking of the scalp and thickening of the nails, which take on a yellowish color and a stippled appearance.
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Other symptoms of childhood psoriasis
But in addition to this common form in which psoriasis manifests in children, we can find others that are also characteristic, especially of pediatric age :
- Diaper psoriasis: mainly affects the infant and occurs precisely in the diaper area, particularly in the groin folds, with bright red lesions, usually without peeling. It is a very difficult way to distinguish it from other diaper rashes.
- Inverse psoriasis: It affects the folds of the skin such as the armpits, groin, genital area, and navel. The lesions are deep red and often without scales.
- Guttate psoriasis: It is characterized by small plaques of 1-2 cm in diameter, generally very numerous, distributed mainly on the trunk (but can appear throughout the body). It usually appears after bacterial infection of the respiratory tract, such as otitis, pharyngitis, or tonsillitis, due to an abnormal reaction of the immune system, which attacks certain skin molecules, mistaking them for molecules produced by bacteria. The patches can last from a few weeks to a couple of months. Thereafter, there is usually a complete remission, but in some cases, guttate psoriasis progresses to the form of plaque.
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Why does childhood psoriasis occur?
At the base of psoriasis there is a genetic predisposition, so much so that those who suffer from it usually have other cases in the family (a father or a grandfather), but various triggering factors, such as mechanical trauma, also contribute to favor the appearance of psoriasis, such for example that the child suffers from infections, or also due to emotional or climatic factors, etc.
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How is childhood psoriasis treated?
If the disease is mild, local therapy is generally preferred, particularly with cortisone-based ointments. Other possibilities, although not studied directly in children but derived from its use in adults, are ointments based on calcipotriol (a derivative of vitamin D), tazarotene, vegetable tar, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In the scaly forms and only in older children, keratolytic creams can be applied, with salicylic acid, urea, mixtures of alpha and beta hydroxy acids, capable of detaching the scales and favoring their elimination.
For the most severe forms, that is, those that affect sensitive parts such as hands and face, or an extension greater than 10% of the body, the treatment of choice is that of biological drugs that block TNF-alpha, an immunological factor known to its involvement in psoriasis, as well as in other inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. These are drugs that are usually given by subcutaneous injection once a week or every two weeks. Meanwhile, other biological drugs are being studied that could be used as therapy in the future.
For all forms, a constant treatment with moisturizers and emollients is always indicated.
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