[Differential diagnosis of common nail disorders in childhood].

BACKGROUND

Correct diagnosis of nail changes in childhood may be challenging. Knowing the anatomy of the nail apparatus and some pathophysiologic principles helps to categorize nail disorders correctly.

OBJECTIVES

This article gives a structured overview of nail disorders in childhood, thus, facilitating correct diagnosis of nail abnormalities in childhood.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A review of literature and our own experience are presented.

RESULTS

In the first part we present fundamental anatomical characteristics of the nail apparatus based on embryonal development of the nails. In the main part we categorize nail disorders according to clinical presentation: transient nail changes, congenital nail abnormalities, infectious diseases of the nails, nail changes in the context of chronic inflammatory skin diseases, pigmented nail changes, tumors and nail changes due to trauma.