Subscribe to the free KidsGrowth weekly email newsletter by entering your email address below.
Advertising links will direct you off of the KidsGrowth Web site. KidsGrowth is neither responsible for nor does it necessarily endorse the privacy practices, content or products of these sites.
|Quick reference medical handouts used
by Pediatric offices
Psoriasis in Children
Psoriasis ("sor-eye-ah-sus") is
a common skin condition that appears as an irritating, raised red
patches of skin covered with silvery scales. The rash occurs on any part
of the body, although the knees, elbows and scalp are the most common
sites. Psoriasis is not contagious from one person to another, nor can
it be transferred from one part of the body to another.
cause of psoriasis remains a mystery. It is felt that a child who
develops psoriasis was probably born with a disposition for the
condition from his or
her parents. Having one parent with
psoriasis will increase the chance of a child developing the condition.
If both parents have it there is an even greater chance the youngster
will develop the condition earlier in life. A
virus or infection, certain medications, and both physical and emotional
stress then trigger the immune system to produce the rash. A common
scenario is one in which a child gets a sore throat and then two or
three weeks later develops the characteristic red, scaly rash of
psoriasis on his body. Psoriasis does not
usually begin in children before the age of four or five. Children
with this condition may receive all the usual childhood immunizations,
but it is worth knowing that a patch of psoriasis may appear at any site
where the skin has been “injured.
microscope, psoriasis appears to be acceleration of the normal process
of skin replacement. Human skin sheds itself every 3-4 weeks, with new
skin replacing the constant (invisible) shedding of dead cells.
Individuals with psoriasis seem to shed their skin much quicker and in
an unpredictable manner, with live skin cells reaching the surface and
mixing with the dead skin cells in layers.
Since psoriasis is a reaction of the
immune system, it is not contagious. However, since the rash can look
quite ugly, it is important that the child is able to handle such
questions from other children such as It can look quite ugly so it you
may want to talk to your child about how to handle questions such as,
'Ugh, what's that? Will I get it?’ If your child's psoriasis is
severe, contact the youngster’s teacher to explain the condition. Ask
the teacher to talk to the class about the rash so that your child
doesn't have to face teasing, or embarrassing questions about their
Treatment tips include:
child should lead a life as normal as possible. However games and
physical education may occasionally have to be missed when the
lesions are at their worst.
underwear, sleepwear, etc., is more comfortable, especially in warm
should be taken that the child does not suffer sunburn
very special occasions, cover-up creams can be used to camouflage
any lesions that show. Several companies manufacture them and they
come in quite a range of tones to match the skin.
loving care from family and friends will help the child cope with
many of the problems connected with his or her psoriasis.
child’s doctor will probably begin treatment with a topical
steroid usually in the form of hydrocortisone cream. This will
soothe the redness and the itching, In addition, creams, are
recommended to thin out the thick scaly part of the rash. For
psoriasis on the scalp, the same medications in solution form will
is important to keep the skin moist by giving your child regular
baths in lukewarm water, without a lot of soap. Use lots of thick
moisturizer after the bath, to seal in the water that was absorbed
into the skin. Basically, parents will want to keep their child's
skin well hydrated since outbreaks are more common when the skin is
dry and rough.
psoriasis clears up with a little exposure to the sun. (You may
already notice that your child's skin improves during the summer.)
Of course, more time in the sun means an increased risk of sunburn
so you'll need to take it very slowly. Start by exposing the rash to
the midday sun for about five minutes without sun block and
gradually add a few minutes each day for a week. A word of warning:
if your child is really pale or sensitive to the sun, this may not
be the best option. Talk to your doctor to get her opinion.
The scales of psoriasis should improve almost immediately but it
may take 2 to 6 weeks for the affected areas of the child’s skin to
return to a more normal thickness, and the redness may last several
months. While psoriasis will improve, it may not completely go away.
Sometimes, certain scaly spots will get better at the same time that
other spots get worse.
After you've been using a certain type of
medicine for a while, your child’s psoriasis may "get used
to" the treatment. If this happens, the medication may not be
as effective as it once was, necessitating a change in treatment.
good news is that when psoriasis starts in childhood, there's a good
chance that it will go away or become milder as your child is older. But
the condition is unpredictable. Unfortunately there is no way of telling
when an outbreak will start, how long it will last, or when the
condition might be gone for good.
posted 12-8-03 on Kidsgrowth.com
As a reminder, this information should not be relied on as
medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice of your childs pediatrician.
Please read our full disclaimer.