Common skin, hair and nail problems during the first six months of life.
When an infant under 6 months of age presents to the family doctor with a skin, hair or nail problem, the evaluation process must determine whether the findings are physiologic and of no concern or due to a pathologic process. In addition to preventing unnecessary investigations and treatment, this distinction will enable the early assessment of those infants with pathologic processes that can involve structures other than the skin. The common causes (physiologic and pathologic) of those skin, hair and nail findings which present during the first 6 months of life will be discussed with the focus on the clinical features and differential diagnosis of each condition. Treatment will not be discussed. This is the first of three such articles.
Hogan
P
P
Department of Dermatology, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Camperdown, New South Wales.
D017668:Age of Onset; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology