Spectrum of Noninfectious Dermatoses in Children: A Cross-sectional Study from a Tertiary Care Center in Western India

Abstract Background and Aims: Noninfectious dermatoses constitute a significant proportion of pediatric dermatology consultations at tertiary care centers, yet their clinicoepidemiological profile in this region is not well documented. This study aimed to describe the spectrum and frequency of noninfectious dermatological conditions in children aged 14 years and below and to characterize their distribution across age groups and gender. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted over 2 years at the dermatology outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in India. One thousand consecutive children aged ≤14 years with noninfectious dermatological conditions were enrolled. Diagnoses were established clinically with ancillary investigations when indicated. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square testing were used for analysis. Results: Of 1000 children, 57.0% were male (M: F = 1.3:1); the >6–14-year age group was most represented (42.8%). Eczematous disorders were the most common category (35.6%), within which pityriasis alba was the single most frequent condition (29.8%), followed by atopic dermatitis (26.4%) and seborrheic dermatitis (20.8%). Significant age-related variation in disease distribution was observed ( P < 0.05): eczematous disorders predominated in infants while pigmentary, appendageal, and papulosquamous disorders were more frequent in older children. Conclusion: Eczematous disorders dominate noninfectious pediatric dermatology presentations at this tertiary center, with pityriasis alba being the most common single diagnosis. Clear age-related patterns in disease distribution have practical relevance for clinical assessment across pediatric age groups.