To assess the pattern of childhood
skin diseases and to analyze the
attitude towards
consultation and
self-
treatment.
Children with complaints of
skin diseases visiting
outpatient department of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and National Institute of
Child Health were enrolled in this study during the period of May 2002 to July 2003. A detail performa was filled in, for all the
patients. 250 cases were finally analyzed in 15 months duration. The
diseases were sub-classified on etiological basis e.g. infectious [bacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic] immune mediated,
congenital, allergic and miscellaneous. The
children's
sex,
race, age, duration,
history of previous
treatment and
family and past
history for
skin or systemic
diseases were noted. Of all the
patients visiting the
outpatient department [OPD], 31% were
children with
skin diseases.
Infectious skin diseases were the commonest [60%]. Among the
infections, fungal were maximum [20.6%], followed by
bacterial diseases [12%].
Eczemas constituted 21% of
skin diseases and 6.4%
children had
congenital skin conditions. Previous
treatment history was present in 43.6%
patients.
Antibiotics [topical and/or systemic] were taken by 28.4% of
patients; whereas
history of
steroids [topical and/or systemic] was present in 15.2% of
patients. Most
children [550] had a normal weight and 13.6% were severely malnourished.
Skin diseases are fairly common in
children especially
infectious skin diseases. Eczematous and allergic
skin diseases are also frequently encountered in
children.
Self medication is a common practice. Topical
steroids were the most commonly used medications