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Contact dermatitis in children
1Contact Dermatitis Investigation Unit, Belvidere Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
Insights
Metal, fragrance, and rubber allergies are common in children. Patch testing identified relevant allergens in 48% of pediatric patients, with significant reactions to metals and fragrances.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dermatology
- Allergology
- Contact Dermatitis
Background:
- Pediatric allergic contact dermatitis is a growing concern.
- Identifying common allergens in children is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and types of allergens causing positive reactions in children under 12 years.
- To assess the relevance of positive patch test reactions.
- To evaluate contact urticaria reactions to food additives and fragrances.
Main Methods:
- Patch testing was performed on 125 children under 12 years over 7 years.
- Reactions were assessed for relevance.
- Contact urticaria testing included food additives and fragrances in a subset of children.
Main Results:
- 48% of children (60/125) showed at least one positive patch test reaction.
- 92% of positive reactions were deemed relevant.
- The most frequent allergens were metals (35), fragrances (24), and rubber compounds (11).
- 20 out of 40 children tested for contact urticaria were positive, notably to benzoic acid (14) and cinnamaldehyde (12).
Conclusions:
- Metals, fragrances, and rubber compounds are significant allergens in children.
- Patch testing is effective in identifying relevant allergens in pediatric patients.
- Contact urticaria to food additives and fragrances is also prevalent in this age group.
Abstract:
125 children under the age of 12 years were patch tested over a period of 7 years. 60 (48%) of the children had 1 or more positive (+ve) reactions, of which 92% (55/60) were considered relevant. The most common allergens were metals (35 + ves), fragrances (24 + ves) and rubber compounds (11 + ves). 40 of the children were also tested for contact urticaria against food additives and fragrances, of whom 20 were positive (benzoic acid 14, cinnamaldehyde 12).