Happy is the man who has never seen a doctor in his life. Doubly happy are those parents who did not have to deal with problems related to the he alth of the baby. Unfortunately, today such a picture is increasingly reminiscent of a fantastic story. Children every year get sick more and more often, ailments become more insidious. One of them is psoriasis (scaly versicolor). It is this pathology that most often affects babies. In this article, we will look at how psoriasis manifests itself in children, causes and treatment.
Photo and description of the disease
Psoriasis is a disease of a chronic nature, which manifests itself in the form of silvery-white papules on the skin. This disease occurs in children of different age groups, including infants and newborns.
Normal keratinocytes (skin cells) are renewed every 28 days. With the development of this disease, activation of the body's defenses and simultaneous stimulation of T-lymphocytes are observed, which entails the release of a large number of proteins of the acute phase of inflammation. Macrophages and neutrophils begin to migrate toskin. As a result, this process ends with excessive proliferation of keratinocytes within 2-3 days. Since the skin is not able to lose keratinized epithelium so quickly, new cells, with active reproduction, raise it in the form of characteristic plaques.
Most often, psoriasis in a child develops if his parents were previously diagnosed with this disease. The disease is not contagious and cannot be transmitted by airborne droplets. Characteristic rashes usually appear in the groin area, on the buttocks, in the lumbar region. As the pathology progresses, the limbs and back are affected. In infants, rashes are mainly localized in areas in contact with the diaper.
Diagnosis of the disease is simple and does not require any serious research. In some cases, the doctor may additionally take a scraping from the affected area to conduct a biopsy and exclude other pathologies of a similar nature.
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease, the presence of articular lesions, the age of the patient and previous experience with therapy. Usually, doctors try to minimize the use of drugs with hormones, as this can adversely affect a fragile body. We will tell you more about the treatment tactics below.
Causes of psoriasis
As noted above, the normal cycle of maturation of skin cells is 28 days. In psoriasis, it decreases to about three days, which is manifested by the formation of plaques.
Scientists have found that in the he althy skin of a child there are the same changes as in the affected areas. In addition, in patientsUsually, disturbances in the functioning of the immune and endocrine systems, metabolism, and other pathological changes are noted. All this indicates that psoriasis is a systemic disease.
The main causes of psoriasis in children can be divided into several groups:
- heredity;
- Wednesday;
- infection.
Heredity is a paramount factor in the occurrence of a disease. This fact is confirmed by a long-term study of dermatosis in twins and close relatives in the family, as well as biochemical studies of absolutely he althy family members. If the pathology is confirmed in one of the parents, the likelihood of psoriasis in a child is 25%, when the disease is diagnosed in both - 60-70%.
The so-called environmental factors include seasonal changes, the impact on the child's psyche of stressful situations, the contact of clothing with the skin. Focusing on a sick child at school or kindergarten, limiting contacts due to fear of infection - these are just some examples that provoke an aggravation of the disease and an increase in the area of damage. It is believed that the psyche is especially vulnerable during puberty due to hormonal changes in the body. Therefore, a large percentage of cases are diagnosed in adolescents.
The causes of psoriasis in children are often infectious. Influenza, pneumonia, hepatitis - all these diseases trigger infectious-allergic response mechanisms. The so-called post-infectious form is also distinguished, when a papular rash in the form of drops spreadsall over the body.
Features of the course of the disease
Depending on the time of occurrence of the exacerbation, summer and winter variants of the disease are distinguished. In the treatment of the latter, ultraviolet radiation is excellent.
In addition, pathology is divided into the following periods of development:
- Latent (the period before the primary signs of psoriasis appear in a child).
- Manifest (characterized by the appearance of the main clinical manifestations).
- Remission (signs of illness disappear).
- Relapse (recurrence of symptoms).
The duration of remission is the main criterion by which the effectiveness of the therapy is evaluated. It can be complete (all rashes on the skin have disappeared) and incomplete. In the latter case, several elements remain, which the doctors called “duty plaques.”
There are also three stages of the course of the disease: acute, stationary and regressive. The first stage is characterized by the development of the pathological process with the appearance of new rashes, the stationary one is characterized by its slowdown, and the third - by regression.
How psoriasis manifests itself in children (photo)
The initial stage is characterized by the appearance of a rash on the skin in the form of islands of red color with silvery-whitish areas that are constantly flaky and itchy. After the final formation of cracks on these plaques, bleeding occurs, which increases the likelihood of a secondary infection.
Outwardly, papules on the skin in children are similarwith those in adults, but have some differences. For young patients with this diagnosis, Koebner's syndrome is characteristic, that is, the appearance of a rash in areas affected by injuries or irritation.
Silver-whitish plaques can be localized on any part of the body. The area most commonly affected is the buttocks, knees, navel, and scalp. In every third case, doctors diagnose nail psoriasis in children. This is the so-called symptom of a thimble, when small holes form on the nail plates, resembling the holes of a thimble. Often plaques can be found right in the folds of the skin.
Types of psoriasis in children
- Plaque-shaped. This form of the disease is the most common. It is characterized by the appearance of small reddish spots on the skin. Their upper layer is usually loose and scaly, and the lower one is very dense. When the scales are removed, the plaques begin to increase in size.
- Teardrop-shaped. This type of disease is characterized by the appearance of many small red dots that look like a drop. Papules rise above the surface of the skin, rapidly increasing in size. Most often localized in the legs and arms, on the head. Guttate psoriasis in children, which usually begins to show symptoms between four and five years of age, occurs predominantly after a streptococcal infection.
- Pustular. This is a fairly serious form of the disease, most often diagnosed in children in adolescence. The papules are filled with non-infectious exudate.
- Generalized pustularpsoriasis. In children, the initial stage of the disease occurs suddenly, the pathology is rapidly spreading through the skin. The disease often affects the work of the heart, kidneys and other systems of internal organs.
- Flexion surfaces. The disease is accompanied by the appearance of smooth papules that slightly rise above the surface of the skin. This form most often affects the inner thighs, groin area.
- Erythrodermic. Pathology is characterized by soreness and severe itching. Lack of timely treatment leads to serious complications, and in some cases death.
- Arthropathic psoriasis in children. Photos of this variant of the pathology can be viewed in specialized medical reference books. It is characterized by the appearance of general discomfort, muscle rigidity, swelling of the toes, the development of conjunctivitis.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of the disease is carried out on the basis of anamnesis data, the results of examination of the skin, scalp and nails. Sometimes they resort to microscopy of epithelial scales.
If a doctor has confirmed psoriasis in a child, parents should not despair. Subject to all the recommendations of a specialist and the correct attitude to the current problem, the life of a child is not in danger. A positive attitude in the treatment of this disease is an important factor. Its exacerbation is usually observed in nervous breakdowns, stressful situations, so the baby should be provided with a good mood.
Medicationtherapy
What psoriasis looks like in children, we have already told, now it's time to talk about the main methods of treating this disease. Therapy of an ailment is a long process, the main goal of which is to control the condition of a small patient and improve his quality of life. Currently, doctors cannot offer a single method of treatment that would make it possible to forget about this problem forever. Taking medication helps to reduce the aggravation of psoriasis only for a while.
To determine the most effective tactics of therapy, it is necessary to take into account the form of the disease, the severity of the pathological process, the age of the potential patient. As a rule, children are recommended topical treatment with ointments and special creams. Below we will take a closer look at which drugs are prescribed for this disease.
- Desensitizing (10% calcium chloride solution) and sedatives (valerian tincture).
- In severe itching, psoriasis in children is treated with antihistamines (Suprastin, Tavegil).
- Little patients are prescribed B vitamins (Pyridoxine, Riboflavin, Cyanocobalamin).
- To activate the body's defenses, drugs with pyrogenic properties are prescribed. They slow down the rate of cell division, normalize vascular permeability ("Pyrogenal", "Prodigiosan").
- To combat plaques on the palms, dressings with salicylic or prednisolone ointment are used. If psoriasis in children is on the head, papaverine ointment is recommended.
In case of inefficiencythe above treatment, the doctor may prescribe glucocorticoids. The dosage is selected individually.
With concomitant diseases, it is extremely important to sanitize the sources of infection: treat carious teeth, deworming.
How should food be?
Treatment of psoriasis in children involves not only taking medications, but also correcting nutrition. With babies, everything is very simple - they don’t eat sweet and fatty anyway. The nutrition of children from one year to about 12 years old will have to be changed. As you know, problems in the intestines manifest themselves externally in the form of irritations and rashes on the skin. Indeed, improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract can provoke psoriasis in a child, or rather its exacerbation.
First of all, muffins and pastries, spicy and fried foods should be removed from the diet. It is necessary to minimize the consumption of citrus fruits and some fruits, as well as chocolate.
For a child, the rejection of sweets is usually considered the most terrible thing in treatment. Parents should explain the need for such a step as correctly as possible. Sweets can be replaced with dried fruits, fried foods - steamed. It will be better if the parents review their daily diet together with the child. The kid should feel solidarity from adults, then such changes in the diet will not cause him discomfort.
Let's talk about hygiene
If a doctor has diagnosed psoriasis in a child, special attention should be paid to his hygiene. Ideally, every evening it is recommended to take a warmbath with the addition of sage, chamomile or flax seeds. You can not use washcloths and brushes, and it is better to replace shampoo and soap with special treatment options. As a rule, they do not have a strong smell, but they are excellent for relieving itching.
Immediately after bathing, you need to blot the skin with a soft towel, and do not dry it. It will not be superfluous to apply a special oil for moisturizing.
Psoriasis in children (photos of patients are presented in this article) is considered an autoimmune disease. The body's defenses are so weak that they cease to perform their primary functions. For the treatment of the disease to be effective, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system.
Vitamin preparations can be prescribed by a doctor, and parents should increase the amount of natural vitamins. This means that fruits, vegetables, and dairy products should always be on the table. Be sure to ventilate the apartment, including before going to bed. Hardening can be trained, but only after consultation with a specialist.
How should a child with psoriasis live?
We have already described in detail what constitutes psoriasis in children. The causes and treatment of this disease are inextricably linked. What to do next until the symptoms of the disease have passed? How to live a child with such a diagnosis?
First of all, it is very important to prevent the development of pathologies of an infectious nature. Tonsillectomy and adenotomy can be performed only after the age of three. In 90% of cases, this kind of surgical intervention favorably affects the course of the process. 10%patients with this diagnosis continue exacerbations.
Multiple studies in this area show that relapses occur less and less as the child grows older, common types of pathology are replaced by limited ones.
Children with a diagnosis of psoriasis are recommended constant monitoring in a specialized dispensary. This approach reduces the likelihood of recurrences. For these purposes, young patients are prescribed courses of ultraviolet irradiation, vitamin therapy and sanitation of foci of infection.
Conclusion
In this article, we described how psoriasis manifests itself in children (photo). The initial stage of this disease is characterized by the appearance of plaques and itching on the skin. If these symptoms occur, you should immediately seek help from a doctor, undergo the necessary examination and pass the appropriate tests. Of course, the treatment of psoriasis requires an exceptionally qualified approach. You should not self-medicate or resort to the help of our grandmothers' recipes. Only a specialist can confirm the final diagnosis and prescribe competent therapy. Parents have the right to control the process and be aware of the alternatives.
Psoriasis is a fairly common autoimmune disease. If your child has been diagnosed with such a diagnosis, you should not worry ahead of time, because the negative attitude is transmitted to the baby himself. Scientists around the world continue to actively work on finding a universal remedy for this disease. Unfortunately thosethe drugs offered by modern medicine can only reduce the manifestation of symptoms. In any case, treatment should not be postponed. Stay he althy!
