In children psoriasis treatment should start as early as possible and stick to it. Also strictly you should follow your doctor's advice on skin care.
It is very important to adhere to the principles of a healthy lifestyle to help the immune system to cope with psoriasis.
Patches on the skin can pose a serious problem for the child, and should be trained to care for diseased skin and to treat it.
In 15% of cases, psoriasis starts in childhood and in 30% of cases— up to 20 years. It is a chronic skin disease with genetic predisposition. The impetus for the development of the disease serve as environmental factors (e.g., change of season, the skin friction of clothing, infections, emotional tension and the use of some drugs).
The clinical manifestations of psoriasis in children about the same as that of the adults. However, in children the psoriasis often takes atypical shape that can lead to diagnostic difficulties. Some baby dermatitis with lesions on the buttocks, eyelids and scalp, can be very similar to psoriasis.
Fortunately, not all affected children with psoriasis have had to experience this attitude, however, this story shows how difficult it can be to everyday life for those who are sick with psoriasis.
How does psoriasis in children
Psoriasis in children most often takes one of the following forms:
- Defeat, on the knees, elbows or scalp, usually is persistent (occurs without exacerbations and remissions).
- Small, red plaques, sometimes covering the whole body, are in a few weeks. Many children psoriasis is disgusting. Plaque cause children great discomfort, cause embarrassment and lead to severe psychological consequences. Ridicule from other children further exacerbate the situation.
If Your child has psoriasis, do your best to rid it of plaque.
How to help a child who suffers from psoriasis?
The child should be evaluated as early as possible to begin treatment. Should strictly implement all the recommendations of the doctor and to remember to put on your skin prescribed cream. The treatment is carried out until until the plaque disappears completely.
With the defeat of the stop used the same treatment and follow the same recommendations as in adults. Until the skin is healed, it treatment is carried out in the region inadvertently. It is better to avoid wearing fashionable shoes that can damage the skin of feet. However, after decrease exacerbations this requirement can be slightly mitigated.
What kinds of activities you can do to a child?
Social well-being and good physical form of the child are very important, so if he loves sports, and has been let on.
Encourage your child's desire to participate in sports, so he could maintain a high level of physical activity; ask how diverse his interests, however, do not forget to ensure that the skin in certain areas of the body not subjected to frequent stretching. Excessive stretching of the skin (e.g., when the child is too long riding a Bicycle) can trigger psoriasis.
It is not necessary to deprive the child of opportunities to swim in the pool. To relieve irritation caused by chemicals contained in the water, it is enough to apply on irritated areas vaseline. The affected areas must be thoroughly dry, gently dunking them with a towel.
What diet is recommended for children suffering from psoriasis?
In children with obesity the possible psoriasis skin folds or areas of the skin prone to stretching. Do not allow your child to fill the shortage of positive emotions overeating.
You must also maintain in good condition the immune system of the child. Because the child's immune system, and generally his whole body, not completely formed, for its proper functioning are extremely important balanced diet.
For the immune system is very harmful tobacco smoke is, therefore, necessary to ensure that the child is not in contact with tobacco smoke, and, especially, not tried Smoking myself.
How can I help the patient with psoriasis to a child?
Relatives of a sick child must give him all the love he could, and to be its backbone. However, this does not mean that the child can be allowed to use his illness to manipulate adults, or psychological blackmail. In addition, it is very important that the child has not formed an attitude towards his illness as some kind of major flaw.
Because the sense of self-confidence in children often depends on their looks, taunts about the plaques on the skin of a patient with psoriasis child can cause severe psychological trauma. Teach your child not to respond to such comments. The participation of the child (and his best friend) in discussions with his teachers helping him learn to communicate.
Emotional stress (whatever its cause) can exacerbate psoriasis, so during exacerbation of the disease as early as possible to seek help from a specialist or psychologist.
Forms of child psoriasis
Kids psoriasis differs little from the adult and 30% of cases accompanied with itching. However, for children psoriasis still has some peculiarities. So, children especially observed phenomenon Kebnera, which is the appearance of psoriatic lesions in areas of injury or irritation of the skin. For example, these rashes can be localized around the scar left after vaccination, or injuries received in a fall from the bike.
The development of psoriasis at an early age indicates a poor prognosis. Similarly, the development of severe psoriasis in a child does not mean that as an adult, it will also suffer severe psoriasis. However, because psoriasis is a chronic disease, most likely it will remain in Your child for a lifetime, periodically sharpening and leaves.
1. Common forms
Diaper psoriasis
Although psoriasis can develop at an early age, it rarely appears at birth. However, the newborn develops a special form of psoriasis called psoriasis diaper. Its main manifestation is the defeat of the buttocks caused by irritation of the skin caused by contact with urine and feces. Since such lesions can be many other reasons, the diagnosis of psoriasis in this case is not easy. At this location of the lesion is difficult to be sure that it is a manifestation of psoriasis, not the usual dermatitis, similar to psoriasis. In children older psoriasis has to be differentiated from dermatitis in skin folds, on the buttocks and scalp.
The usual psoriasis
Children, like adults, can hurt the normal, or psoriasis, which appears red, closely circumscribed areas of the skin lesions covered with thick white scales.
Guttate psoriasis
Guttate psoriasis often occurs in childhood. It is characterized by the sudden appearance of small red scaly papules, usually on the trunk, arms and legs. This form of psoriasis often develops after a previous infection, such as otitis media or nasopharyngitis. Sowing smear from the pharynx often detects the infection. Guttate psoriasis is often confused with diseases accompanied by fever and rash.
2. Severe forms
In children as in adults, in rare cases there are severe forms of psoriasis, including pustular psoriasis and erythroderma. Usually the development of these forms of the disease require hospitalization.
Pustular psoriasis
Pustular psoriasis in children is observed rarely, although it can occur immediately after birth. In such cases, it is called pustular psoriasis newborn. It is manifested by multiple pustules with sterile content and may develop as an independent disease or as a complication of conventional psoriasis. Triggering factor of this form of psoriasis can serve to infection, stress, vaccinations or the use of certain drugs. To confirm the diagnosis is sometimes possible only after the emergence of additional clinical signs. Generalized pustular psoriasis is often accompanied by bouts of fever. Pustular psoriasis of the palms and soles has a fluctuating course and sometimes leads to serious functional limitations.
Psoriatic erythroderma
In children suffering from psoriatic erythroderma, the skin becomes red from head to toe. Redness may be accompanied with fever and pain in the joints. In some areas the skin may be covered with pustules. This form may begin as an independent disease or complicate the course of other forms of psoriasis. The impetus for its development often serves as infection or use of certain drugs.
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis in children is quite rare. It is manifested by a combination of arthritis with skin lesions in the form of pustules or redness. Arthritis occurs with asymmetrical involvement of small and large joints of hands and feet.
Localization of the lesion
The lesion is localized in almost the same areas of the body that in adults. However, the lesions on the face in adults (5.6% of the cases) is much less than in children (30%). Rashes can appear on the forehead and cheeks, accompanied by redness of the skin, and sometimes spread to the eyelids and ears. The defeat of the face is particularly hard to endure psychologically and can lead to isolation. Psoriasis in children affects other areas of the body, including:
- Mucous membranes, especially of the tongue, the epithelium which may undergo desquamation, causing the tongue covered with spots, the shape and size of which change every day ("geographic tongue");
- The palms and soles with the development of hyperkeratosis (thickening of the stratum corneum of epidermis);
- Elbows, knees, lower back and scalp — the most frequent localization of lesions in psoriasis;
Skinfold: except for the total children under the chin there are skin folds, in other cases, the lose folds of skin on the neck is marked rarely. The skin of the armpits also rarely becomes the target lesion, in contrast to the umbilical region, where rashes appear quite often.
Nails: one third of children suffering from infantile psoriasis affects the nails. At the same time they grabs all the nails on the hands and feet. Nails covered with small depressions and are similar to thimble.
Scalp: lesions of the scalp in children psoriasis is not uncommon. However, it is important to remember that children lose the scalp may be a manifestation of dermatitis, which, along with that captures the buttocks.
Approach to treatment
Children and their parents is sometimes hard to hear that psoriasis is chronic and significantly reduces quality of life. Even if they manage to find an effective treatment to cure psoriasis remains elusive.
Since psoriasis may be inherited, parents tend to blame themselves for the illness of a child, especially if they suffer from psoriasis. Research conducted among 100people with psoriasis, showed that 11% of them do not want to have children because they fear the transfer of their disease. Parents may be upset to learn that the psoriasis have their child could be triggered by stress. Finally, parents can feel completely powerless before this disease, not knowing how to help your child deal with it.
In this regard, the dermatologist should try to give the child and his parents a realistic idea about the disease, reminding them, in particular, that genetic predisposition is not the only cause of psoriasis.
Treatments
Appointed dermatologist treatment should consider not only the clinical form of psoriasis but the child's wishes (if old enough to Express them) and his parents. The dermatologist must work together with the child and parents, selecting the most appropriate treatment. Weigh the risk and benefits of treatment should be even more careful than with adults, especially if you plan to use the funds for systemic use. In connection with the toxicity of certain drugs the selection of the suitable for children methods of treatment is limited.
Children psoriasis is usually treated sequentially, changing one treatment to another every three months (as adults). In the summer of defeat becomes less noticeable, thanks to the action of sunlight. With the appearance of new lesions resume treatment and continue until, until the skin in these areas is not clear.
Local treatment
For the treatment of psoriasis in children usually use only a topical treatment.
- Most importantly - hydration of the skin, especially with the help of moisturizers and baths with the addition of softening agents.
- When effective psoriasis ointments with corticosteroids.
Systemic treatment
With extensive or severe lesions or a significant decline in the quality of life in connection with the psoriasis, your doctor may prescribe systemic treatment.
Systemic treatment can lead to severe side effects, so its advantages and disadvantages should be discussed with the child and his parents. It is usually prescribed in short courses that can be conducted under the supervision of a physician.