Teledermatology: Kids are not just little people

Teledermatology has emerged as a promising solution for pediatric and adult patients accessing dermatologic care in a health care environment fraught with barriers to access. Teledermatology has been extensively evaluated in terms of diagnostic accuracy, clinical outcomes, patient and provider satisfaction, and costs, relative to traditional health care delivery models. Current research indicates that teledermatology is effective and efficient in diagnosis and management of skin diseases. The majority of studies on the subject, however, rely on adult patient data. Pediatric patients, with their unique clinical features and challenges, may interact with telemedicine differently than their adult counterparts. Maximizing the benefits of teledermatology in pediatric dermatologic care is dependent on future research. We review and analyze the commonalities and differences between pediatric and adult patient care using teledermatology.