Psoriasis in childhood.

Psoriasis is a common chronic disease in childhood of yet unclear etiology. Thirty per cent of psoriatic patients experience onset of their disease be fore 15 years of age. Psoriasis is exceptionally congenital but may present in infancy as a napkin dermatitis. There are specific pediatric clinical f orms, but at the beginning the eruption is usually discrete, and the diagno sis can be difficult. Pustular, erythrodermic and arthropathic forms are ra re. Treatment must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the possible t herapies and be kept to the minimum compatible with asymptomatic control. ( C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.