A survey of skin disorders seen in pediatric general and dermatology clinics

Abstract

One-week surveys of office visits to a general pediatric clinic were carried out at monthly intervals over a six-month period. Skin complaints accounted for 24% of the primary and secondary reasons for initiating clinic visits. Six categories of dermatologic conditions accounted for 81.5% of the pediatric clinic visits, with skin infections comprising 38.5%. A survey of new referrals to a pediatric dermatology clinic over a similar seasonal span revealed that the same six categories made up 51.8% of diagnoses. The surveys indicate that skin disorders are common reasons for pediatric office visits and suggest some areas that should be emphasized in the training of physicians in dermatologic diagnosis and management.