Pediatric dermatologist

It is often a mystery to parents who a pediatric dermatologist is. In their minds they associate it with a dermatovenereologist, a visit to whom is carefully hidden and is often considered something shameful and unpleasant.

Who is a pediatric dermatologist?

A dermatologist is a specialist who deals with problems of the skin and its appendages, such as mucous membranes, hair, nails, and identifies methods of combating skin diseases and their prevention.

The fact that children have young skin does not ensure its absolute safety. It is the pediatric dermatologist who will help prevent skin burns on vacation and frostbite of the face and hands in winter, will be able to recognize a rash on the skin and diagnose it correctly, help in case of problems with hair or nail growth in a child, and will identify the cause of itching on the skin.

This doctor is not on the list of usual specialists, people rarely turn to him independently, more often by referral from other doctors. A pediatric dermatologist can be located both in a clinic and in hospitals. There is rarely a need to keep a dermatologist on staff in small clinics. Therefore, they are more often found in central district clinics and specialized medical institutions.

Children are very active. They can often damage their skin and become infected with skin diseases from animals. It is the pediatric dermatologist who will provide the most qualified assistance to the child and help get rid of the problem as soon as possible.

When should you see a pediatric dermatologist?

Not every clinic has a pediatric dermatologist, but it is worth finding a way to get a consultation with this specialist in some cases.

First of all, you need to see a pediatric dermatologist if any suspicious changes in the skin condition occur, especially if there is no idea about the reasons for it. Suspicions can be caused by spots on the skin, changes in skin tone over the entire surface, as well as in some individual areas. The same applies not only to the skin, but also to the mucous membranes. Rashes can also occur on them and they can change color and shade. Any changes in the scalp deserve special attention. All patients and their relatives can rarely notice problems with the skin under the hair, but if there is still a suspicion that something is wrong there, then you should see a pediatric dermatologist. You should also see a pediatric dermatologist if there are any obvious changes in the smell of sweat, a specific smell from the feet, changes in the color, shape, structure of the nails of the feet or fingers. Various cracks in the skin, manifestations of eczema, psoriasis, the manifestation of vascular networks on the skin - all these are reasons to contact a pediatric dermatologist.

Such a pressing problem for teenagers as acne and pimples, dandruff, hair growth can also be more actively resolved with the help of a pediatric dermatologist.

Even if there are no obvious dermatological problems, periodic visits to a doctor such as a pediatric dermatologist will not be superfluous and will only have a positive effect on overall health.

What tests should you take when visiting a pediatric dermatologist?

A pediatric dermatologist may often use laboratory test data in his or her work.

Therefore, when contacting a pediatric dermatologist, some tests may be necessary. The most common test is a general clinical blood test. It can tell a lot about the patient's health. Mainly, a pediatric dermatologist can assess the child's general health, find out the presence of inflammatory processes in the body.

Also, such a familiar analysis as urine analysis will be important for a dermatologist. It provides a lot of information about metabolic processes in the body.

More specialized tests include skin and mucous membrane scrapings. They can be studied under a microscope, and cultures can be made to study the microbiological background.

Tests such as allergy tests are also often prescribed by a pediatric dermatologist.

There are a number of immunological tests. For example, a study of the content of immunoglobulins in the blood.

Sometimes it may be necessary not just to scrape the skin, but to biopsy it, that is, to select a section of skin for a more detailed and in-depth analysis. In some cases, a dermatologist may prescribe selective tests for the presence of certain infections in the body, such as human papillomavirus, herpes. Other infections. These may be blood tests, smears, and scrapings.

The tests that a pediatric dermatologist prescribes can reveal completely new information about the patient and help in solving not only dermatological problems.

What diagnostic methods does a pediatric dermatologist use?

A pediatric dermatologist uses various diagnostic methods in his work. The very first of them is a general examination of the skin and mucous membranes. Often, practicing doctors can only use this diagnostic method, since with due experience and knowledge, a simple examination can provide more than enough information regarding the existing problem. Examination of the skin and mucous membranes is generally a fairly common diagnostic method in medicine and is used not only by a dermatologist, but also by many other doctors.

In addition, a dermatologist uses a diagnostic method such as dermatoscopy in his work. This is a study of skin and mucous samples, scrapings, smears using light microscopy. This method allows you to identify parasites, study the site of skin damage in more detail.

Skin and mucous membrane diseases are often caused by microbial pathogens. Therefore, one of the main methods of work of a pediatric dermatologist is microbiological analysis. For this purpose, the selected material is seeded on various nutrient media. This is necessary for a more accurate selection of drugs. When creating sample seedings, it is possible to check the effectiveness of various drugs on the direct pathogen.

In addition, dermatological diseases are often associated with other health problems.

This requires diagnostic methods that take into account other diseases. So, if there are problems of an allergic nature, then it will be necessary to use skin allergy tests. If the vascular system of the body is damaged, then there is a need to conduct angiological studies. If the disease is associated with the intestinal tract, then proctological and otolaryngological examinations may be required.

Consultations with a dermatologist may be necessary for a number of autoimmune diseases. In this case, immunofluorescence should be performed.

Periodically, there is a need to conduct a histological examination of the affected areas of the skin.

The pediatric dermatologist selects diagnostic methods in each specific case individually to obtain the most complete information about the disease.

What does a pediatric dermatologist do?

A pediatric dermatologist can perform a wide variety of functions. First of all, he or she diagnoses and treats diseases of the skin, hair, and nails. But in addition, this specialist takes part in the comprehensive diagnosis of a number of other diseases that can indirectly cause certain manifestations on the skin. A pediatric dermatologist will help determine the causes of various types of rashes, and recommend the necessary examination procedures to identify the exact causes of diseases.

In addition, a pediatric dermatologist is engaged in the prevention of various diseases. He will help you choose the right sunburn creams for your child, choose the right shampoo and skin care products. It is to a pediatric dermatologist that you should contact with questions about the quality, composition and design features of children's clothing. The latter is especially relevant now. Despite the huge variety of children's bedding and clothing, which attracts with colorful patterns and original design, it is important to understand that dyes can have a very serious pathogenic effect on a child and damage not only his skin, but also get into the body through skin damage and aggravate the condition of internal organs. Therefore, the conclusions of a pediatric dermatologist regarding the quality of certain children's products, which may include not only clothing and bedding, but also toys, dishes, personal hygiene products such as toothbrushes, washcloths and towels, deserve very close attention.

A pediatric dermatologist can not only conduct an abstract analysis, but also subject objects that the child comes into contact with to a detailed study to identify harmful substances or parasites in them.

A pediatric dermatologist can provide quality advice on almost any issue related to a child’s contact with the external environment.

What diseases does a pediatric dermatologist treat?

A pediatric dermatologist can potentially treat the same diseases as representatives of other specializations in dermatology. This can be dermatitis of varying severity and origin, and acne, and acne. In addition, it is the dermatologist who will deal with such problems as the human papilloma virus, herpes, molluscum contagiosum, as well as all diseases that appear under the influence of these pathogens. Also, a dermatologist deals with such a current disease as fungal lesions of the skin and nails. To the list of diseases that a dermatologist treats, you can also add such well-known diseases as vitiligo, seborrhea, lichen (various forms), demodicosis, pediculosis, candidiasis.

But it should be taken into account that it is the pediatric dermatologist who does not encounter this entire spectrum of diseases in most cases. For children, the most common problems are pediculosis, lichen, and allergies. For older children, diseases such as acne, demodicosis, the appearance of the human papillomavirus and herpes, fungal infections of the skin and toenails may become relevant. For very young children, a visit to a pediatric dermatologist may be associated with oral candidiasis, atopic or allergic dermatitis, any problems with the baby's skin that cause concern for parents and the pediatrician.

In any case, a pediatric dermatologist can help in case of a wide variety of problems with skin and hair. There are quite rare diseases, and it is the pediatric dermatologist who can most accurately and in detail diagnose the situation.

Advice from a pediatric dermatologist

A pediatric dermatologist can help you avoid many problems with his recommendations:

1. Maintain personal hygiene and shower daily.
2. Monitor the quality of the cleaning products you use, such as shower gels, soap, and bath foam.
3. If an allergy occurs, carefully study the composition of all products that have been used recently.
4. You should not give anyone personal hygiene products, or use someone else's. This includes a toothbrush, washcloth, slippers or other shoes that come into contact with the skin of the feet.
5. Use skin softening products, especially in cases where there is frequent contact with excessively chlorinated or hard water. Such products may include various creams, body lotions, and moisturizing sprays.
6. Underwear, as well as other clothing that often comes into contact with the skin surface, should be made from natural fabrics and allow for normal heat exchange on the skin surface.
7. You should not overuse various deodorants and antiperspirants, which disrupt the natural sweating process.
8. Under no circumstances should you go to bed without removing makeup from your face and body.
9. Combs must meet safety requirements; you should not use combs that damage the scalp.
10. If any suspicious manifestations occur on the skin, you should consult a doctor.

By following the advice provided by a pediatric dermatologist, you can maintain your health and good mood for a long time.