Clinico-epidemiological study of dermatological disorders in pediatric population at tertiary care centre

Children in India constitute a substantial portion of the population, with nearly half a billion children, about 40% of the total population. Skin diseases are prevalent among them, accounting for 30% of dermatologist and pediatrician visits and conditions vary widely across regions due to factors like poverty, malnutrition, hygiene, and climatic influences. Pediatric dermatology addresses unique challenges in managing skin diseases from infancy to adolescence, necessitating tailored approaches distinct from adult care. Understanding these variations is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment, ensuring optimal childhood health outcomes. A hospital-based clinical descriptive study was conducted, involving 600 children under the age of 16, clinically diagnosed with skin diseases over a period of one and half year after ethical committee approval. In this study, 600 pediatric patients (316 males, 284 females; mean age 8.06 ± 5.10 years) were analyzed for dermatoses. The majority of patients were aged 11-16 years (36.33%). A total of 642 skin disorders were recorded, with infections and infestations being the most common (39.41%), followed by eczematous diseases (21.49%). Among infections, bacterial infections were most prevalent (36.76%), with impetigo being the most common bacterial infection (52.7%). Viral infections were led by verruca vulgaris (43.4%), while Tinea was the predominant fungal infection (58.49%). The study highlights significant variations in dermatoses across different age groups, with a higher incidence of bacterial infections in younger children and fungal and viral infections in older children. Pediatric dermatoses present varied challenges in diagnosis and treatment globally, affecting rural and urban populations differently. Our study categorized these conditions into fewer than eight groups, highlighting infections as most prevalent, followed by eczematous and pigmentary disorders. Disease distribution is influenced by age, gender, socioeconomic factors, family history, and seasonal variations. Effective strategies require enhancing public awareness, improving hygiene practices, and implementing targeted interventions based on regional epidemiology to reduce the burden and improve pediatric health outcomes.