CHILD’S HEALTH/SKIN DISORDERS: PSORIASIS CAUSE AND CLINCAL FEATURES
Cause
Psoriasis is a common skin disorder which usually runs in families. Its cause is unknown. In children, girls are more frequently affected than boys, although it is more common in adults on the whole. Areas of skin affected by psoriasis have a very rich blood supply, and tend to grow at a much faster rate than normal skin. Psoriasis is not infectious.
Patches of psoriasis may occur anywhere on the body, but are commonly found on the knees, elbows, umbilicus and groin, and less frequently on the scalp. Sometimes psoriasis may appear in areas of recently healed wounds. Nails can also be involved and have a characteristic pitting appearance. The patches look reddened (like plaques) and have white scaley areas within them. Psoriasis rarely appears before the age of 2 years; when it does, it usually affects the nappy area. In children, psoriasis may suddenly appear following a mild respiratory infection such as tonsillitis. In this case, the rash can last for a few months, after which it fades, but the tendency for the child to suffer from recurrent attacks of psoriasis at a later stage is very strong.
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