PATCH TESTING IN CHILDREN

92 children (45 girls, 47 boys), mean age 9.3 years (3-14.75), were re ferred to the Contact Dermatitis Investigation Unit, Belvidere Hospita l, Glasgow, for patch testing during the period 1979-93 for the invest igation of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). The diagnoses at the tim e of referral were atopic dermatitis (45), non-atopic with localized d ermatitis (26), juvenile plantar dermatosis (15), orofacial granulomat osis (2), vaccination reaction (2) and atypical psoriasis (2). In tota l, there were 55 positive reactions in 30 children. The commonest alle rgens were metals (18), fragrances (11) and rubber compounds (6). The patient groups with the highest yield of positive patch tests were tho se patients with atopic dermatitis who had a good history of a precipi tating contact factor (4/5), and non-atopic patients with dermatitis o f hands and/or feet (7/14). Our findings suggest that allergic contact dermatitis is more common in children than generally appreciated and that patch testing is a practicable and clinically worthwhile procedur e in children.