Dermatology

A 6-year-old patient presents with an annular, scaly lesion on his leg. What could be the cause?

Letters to the Editor

One week after vaccination with diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis/inactivated poliovirus/hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal conjugate, and rotavirus, this 2Z\x-month-old infant presented with a vesicular rash. No other children in the home had a rash. The infant's primary caregiver was the grandmother, who had shingles 2 weeks earlier.

After experiencing frequent headaches, this 10-year-old girl awoke with a "funny smile" involving left-sided facial paresis. She was evaluated in an emergency department and a complete blood cell count, Lyme IgM and IgG screen, and CT scans of the head and sinuses were ordered.

ABSTRACT: Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is an inflammatory bone disease that occurs primarily in childhood. The clinical picture often is confused with bacterial osteomyelitis. Awareness of CRMO as a clinical entity helps avoid diagnosis and treatment delays. Our patient, an 8-year-old girl, presented with acute left hip pain. One month after presentation, a lytic lesion was seen on plain radiographs; biopsy revealed nonspecific inflammation. It was not until more than 2 years later, when multifocal bone lesions and psoriasis developed, that the diagnosis became clear. Our patient's case demonstrates several key points: not all children with CRMO present with multifocal disease, patients frequently have comorbid inflammatory conditions, and there are no diagnostic laboratory studies. The optimal treatments remain unknown.

A 23-month-old girl presented with an erythematous papular rash on her torso that extended in a linear pattern around to the back. The mother first noticed the rash while bathing the child 3 days earlier. The child had no associated itching, irritability, or fever, but she had mild rhinorrhea preceding the rash that resolved without treatment. The patient and her older sibling were cared for at home by their mother.

This skin condition is present at birth and usually has significant systemic manifestations. Would you be able to identify it in the nursery?

Is it high time to retire of concept of non-intervention for molluscum?

The diagnostic test is a Wood light examination. An example of another child with these lesions as they appear under Wood light is shown in Figure B. The Wood light is ultraviolet; it exploits the fact that melanin will preferentially absorb the light and appear darker. Those areas that contain less melanin thus will be highlighted.

Twenty-four hours after receiving a standard 5-unit purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) skin test, a young African American presented with a slightly pink, raised, firm plaque at the site of the injection (A). His previous PPD test results were negative. He denied any constitutional symptoms and rashes. He was otherwise healthy, was not taking any medication, and was HIV-negative.

These lesions on the tongue of a 7-year-old white girl had been present since she was 2. Her physician at that time had diagnosed "geographic tongue." Over the years, the lesions have increased in number, although not in size.

A 4-year-old girl presented with a sore throat, dysphagia, fever (temperature up to 40°C [104°F]), and a pruritic vesicular rash. On the first day of the illness, 4 days earlier, she was evaluated by her pediatrician who prescribed azithromycin for a presumed upper respiratory tract infection. About 2 days later, a papular rash developed on the abdomen and perioral skin; the fever had persisted, and the child's oral intake had decreased. The next day, the rash continued to spread, and the patient refused to take anything orally, including fluids. The mother thought that the rash was a hypersensitivity reaction to the antibiotic.

A 5-year-old girl was brought to her pediatrician after a "fall" 30 minutes before her arrival. The injury occurred in her home; she fell while straddling the back of a chair as she reached for something on a table. Her grandmother, who was serving as the child's foster parent, and an unrelated witness provided the initial history. The child independently confirmed the story provided by the adults.

Widespread vaccination has led many parents to underappreciate the severity of vaccine-preventable diseases. Many new parents have never seen anyone with such infections as diphtheria, mumps, or measles--or their potential clinical consequences. Some parents wonder why their child needs to be vaccinated against seemingly nonexistent diseases and worry about vaccine safety. The images on the following pages and on page S18 serve as a small dose of reality for those who may have been lulled into a false sense of security.

A 5-year-old boy with seizure disorder and developmental delay presented to our allergy and immunology clinic for a severe reaction that developed after he had received multiple vaccines. One month before our evaluation, the patient had been vaccinated against varicella, hepatitis A, and influenza at his pediatrician's office. Latex gloves were not used for vaccine administration.

Linear bands of hypopigmentation on a child's hand.

Chances are you've seen its handiwork. It's molluscum contagiosum, and while many 'peds' choose to let this infection run its course, there can be benefits to intervention.

You are asked to evaluate a 2 ;½-year-old healthy boy with a 2-day history of a generalized asymptomatic skin eruption.

This baby boy was born at term to an 18-year-old primigravida via spontaneous vaginal delivery. The membranes ruptured about 6 hours before delivery. The amniotic fluid was heavily stained with meconium. Forceps were not used during the delivery. The newborn initially had poor tone and no spontaneous respirations, but his heart rate exceeded 100 beats per minute. Bulb and deep suctioning as well as supplemental oxygen were provided. Apgar scores were 3 and 8 at 1 and 5 minutes.

The parents of this 1-year-old girl brought her for evaluation of a neck mass of sudden onset (A). They had first noticed the mass on the morning of presentation. The child had cold symptoms and had been snoring, but she had no history of fever, shortness of breath, wheezing, or stridor. Her activity level and appetite had not changed.

A 4-year-old Hispanic boy was referred to our facility because of elevated levels of alanine trans- aminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), which were detected during an evaluation of transient abdominal pain while the boy was in Puerto Rico. He was otherwise in perfect health; a review of systems was negative. His past medical history and birth history were noncontributory. Immunizations, including hepatitis B, were up-to-date. The family history was significant for tuberculosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

A 15-year-old girl was brought to the emergency department because of bilateral shoulder and hip pain associated with myalgia and fatigue. The symptoms had been present for 2 months and had increased in intensity over the past few days. The patient had systemic lupus erythematosus, asthma, and seizure disorder.

This rash on a teenage boy's palms began on his hands and spread to his torso and upper and lower extremities over several days. He had no pain or pruritus. Two weeks before the lesions appeared, he had experienced fatigue, fever, and myalgia of 1 week's duration.

This 6-year-old child was brought to the emergency department by her parents after these blisters suddenly appeared on her skin. She otherwise appeared to be well and was not febrile.

A 16-year-old girl is bothered by a spreading, itchy rash of 1 week’s duration on the left preauricular cheek. The otherwise healthy teenager denies taking any medications or using new cosmetics.

ABSTRACT: Because almost one tenth of American children aged 2 to 11 years have untreated tooth decay, a physical examination that includes inspection of the mouth is crucial. Look for cavitated or noncavitated lesions, dental fillings, and missing teeth; gingivitis and/or plaque, chalky white spots, or deep fissures on the teeth suggest dental decay. Dental care strategies that can be discussed at well-child visits include the benefits of daily flossing and brushing with fluoridated toothpaste, limited intake of dietary sugar, the establishment of a dental home, and use of protective mouthguards and face protectors during sport activities. Fluoride supplementation can be prescribed for children exposed to inadequate amounts in the water supply. The Caries-Risk Assessment Tool can help identify children at high risk for tooth decay. The pediatrician can have a great impact on ensuring that children obtain necessary dental care; a literature review found that children referred to a dentist by a primary care provider were more likely to visit a dentist than those not referred.

This lacy, purplish skin discoloration was noted on the trunk and lower extremities of a 6-week-old boy during a well-baby visit. The mother had noticed the discoloration periodically since birth. It was most apparent when the baby was cold.

Certain exanthems show a predilection for the summer. The path to diagnosing these conditions, however, can be anything but clear. A new algorithm sheds some much needed light.

A healthy 2-year-old was noted to have "blueberry" spots on her legs and trunk at birth.

A 9-month-old white boy was brought to the emergency department (ED) after he had been crying inconsolably for 2 hours. The parents thought the crying was related to the child's left leg, which they felt "did not look right." Two weeks earlier, the boy had a similar episode of inconsolable crying, and a fracture of the right distal radius was diagnosed. The fracture was presumptively caused by entrapment of his arm in the crib railings.