Common psychocutaneous disorders in children

Abstract

Anca Chiriac,1–3 Piotr Brzezinski,4 Tudor Pinteala,5 Anca E Chiriac,5 Liliana Foia5 1Apollonia University, Department of Dermato-Physiology, 2Nicolina Medical Center, Department of Dermatology, 3“P. Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Iaşi, Romania; 4Department of Dermatology, Sixth Military Support Unit, Ustka, Poland; 5Gr T Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, Romania Abstract: The prevalence of psychosomatic disorders among dermatological patients is high but frequently unreported because of difficulties in diagnosing and treating this patient group. Psychiatric and psychological factors may play different roles in the pathogenic mechanism of some skin diseases. The mainstay of diagnosis and treatment is the differentiation between skin disorders associated with psychiatric illness and those of a purely psychiatric nature. Dermatologists and psychiatrists should be aware of this pathology and work together as a team to resolve difficult cases, especially in children. The present paper highlights the psychocutaneous diseases most frequently seen by dermatologists in pediatric population. Keywords: psychosomatic disorders, factitial dermatitis, psychodermatology