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Onychomycosis in children: a brief overview with treatment strategies

Aditya K Gupta1, Alayne R Skinner

  • 1Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Center and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. agupta@execulink.com

Pediatric Dermatology
|February 12, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Childhood onychomycosis is rare but may indicate a family history of fungal nail infections. Current oral and topical antifungal treatments are not FDA-approved for pediatric use, necessitating further research.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Mycology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Onychomycosis, a fungal nail infection, is infrequently observed in pediatric populations.
  • A family history of onychomycosis is frequently associated with affected children, highlighting the need for family-wide screening.
  • Early detection and treatment of fungal nail infections in children are crucial to prevent spread and complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current status of onychomycosis treatment in children.
  • To identify approved and unapproved antifungal agents for pediatric onychomycosis in the United States.
  • To underscore the need for additional clinical data on the efficacy and safety of antifungals in children.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of onychomycosis in pediatric patients.
  • Analysis of the regulatory status of common oral and topical antifungal agents for pediatric use in the U.S.
  • Identification of knowledge gaps in pediatric onychomycosis treatment.

Main Results:

  • Onychomycosis is uncommon in children, but familial predisposition is notable.
  • Key oral antifungals (itraconazole, fluconazole, terbinafine) and topical agents (ciclopirox, amorolfine) lack FDA approval for pediatric onychomycosis.
  • Limited clinical data exists for the use of these agents in treating children's fungal nail infections.

Conclusions:

  • Family screening is important for children diagnosed with onychomycosis.
  • Current pharmacopeia for pediatric onychomycosis is limited due to lack of regulatory approval.
  • Further research is essential to establish evidence-based treatment guidelines for pediatric onychomycosis.

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