Care of the newborn with ichthyosis

Mendelian disorders of cornification (ichthyosis; MeDOC) often present in the neonatal period with little warning to providers or parents. This report reviews the majority of ichthyoses with congenital findings. The neonatal presentation of many MeDOC often differs from the later phenotype because of the changes in the skin that occur with transition from an intrauterine to extrauterine environment. While differentiation of ichthyosis subtypes in the neonatal period is difficult, there are certain phenotypic groups within which these neonates fall, recognition of which can guide initial work up and treatment. For this report, these are categorized as: exuberant vernix; collodion baby/harlequin ichthyosis (HI); ichthyosiform erythroderma; blistering; and normal skin/xerosis phenotypes.