What is pediatric dermatology?
Pediatric dermatology is a subspecialty of dermatology that focuses on treating conditions affecting the skin, hair, and nails in children and teens. Dr. Ding welcomes pediatric patients who are 2 weeks and older. Because she also treats adults, your child can enjoy a long professional relationship with Dr. Ding if necessary. No matter your age, there are many benefits to seeing a physician who is familiar with your medical history and other issues relating to your health.
Why would my child need to see a pediatric dermatologist?
There are numerous reasons to schedule a visit with a dermatologist who specializes in pediatrics. Some conditions that affect the skin, hair, or nails are more common in children, and certain conditions may occur only in children.
This means a dermatologist who only sees adults may not be as familiar with some pediatric issues. Also, the treatment for certain conditions is often very different in children and teens because they metabolize medications and respond to certain treatments very differently than adults. A pediatric dermatologist understands these differences and can adjust treatments accordingly.
What conditions does a pediatric dermatologist treat?
A pediatric dermatologist can prescribe care and comfort measures for conditions such as extremely dry skin, contact dermatitis/poison ivy, and moderate to severe diaper rash.
Other conditions a pediatric dermatologist may treat include:
- Atopic dermatitis (eczema), which affects about 35 million Americans and typically starts in childhood
- Hemangiomas and other congenital birthmarks
- Skin infections and rashes, including fungal issues such as ringworm
- Warts
Why do my kids keep getting warts, and how do you treat them?
Children seem especially susceptible to warts, possibly because they haven’t yet built up an immunity to the virus that causes warts. It’s also possible that habits like sharing towels, toys, and other items enable the virus to spread more easily among children. Simply touching a wart and then touching a non-infected surface can spread the wart virus.
Treatment starts with a trip to the office so Dr. Ding can determine that the growth in question is a wart. Depending on the age of your child, the size and number of warts, and the location of the wart, Dr. Ding may recommend:
- Removal with laser
- Freezing the wart(s) with cryosurgery
- Topical medication that causes the wart tissue to die and crumble over several weeks
If your child is having problems with warts, recurrent or persistent rashes, or other dermatologic issues, schedule an appointment with Dr. Ding today. Call the office or book a visit online.
