Particular clinical features of psoriasis in infants and chidren

Abstract

The onset of psoriasis is observed before the age of 10 years in 15% of all patients. The clinical pattern often takes on a peculiar form. Psoriasis guttata--or less frequently nummular psoriasis--is the initial phase during childhood. It is very difficult to establish a diagnosis on the basis of incipient features when childhood psoriasis is located on the head, palms, soles, or on the fingers, toes and nails. Intertriginous or flexural psoriasis, psoriasis spinulosa and oral psoriasis is also described. The onset of napkin psoriasis starts at the age of 3 months. Occasionally, Leiner's disease may develop into a typical, chronic psoriasis. We have concentrated our studies on the less common features of childhood psoriasis: the generalized pustular infantile form, congenital psoriatic erythroderma, acquired psoriatic erythroderma, and infantile arthropathic psoriasis.