Infantile psoriasis: a follow-up study.

The appearance of psoriasis in infancy has been questioned by many dermatologists and pediatricians, although childhood psoriasis is a well-recognized entity. To elicit further information on this matter, a follow-up group of nine children who had been diagnosed initially as having infantile psoriasis was reexamined 6 to 13 years later to determine the course of the disease over time. Seven of the nine children had recurrent psoriatic lesions and two remained completely clear after the resolution of the initial eruption. The majority did not have a severe disease course; on the contrary, progression of the illness was mild for most of them. Familial aggregation was noted in almost all of the children. In fact, over the intervening years the number of relatives with psoriasis significantly increased. Most patients were not aware of the role of such factors as infections, injury, and stress in precipitating psoriasis. Participation in a self-help workshop is recommended as a way for both parents and children to learn to cope with the clinical and psychologic aspects of the illness.