Skin diseases encountered in a pediatric clinic. A one-year prospective study.

To determine the frequency and nature of skin disorders encountered in a medical center pediatric clinic, we prospectively surveyed 1,547 patient visits during a one-year period. A primary skin complaint had prompted 6% of all of the visits and 9% of the visits that were for reasons other than well-child care. More than 21% of the visits featured either a skin complaint or a skin finding. Among 235 visits by children with primary or secondary skin complaints, the most frequent diagnoses included skin infections (36%), diaper dermatitis (16%), and atopic dermatitis (9%). Although the range of skin lesions encountered was very broad, the great majority (86%) of diagnoses fell within nine general categories. Because dermatologic problems constitute such an important component of primary care pediatric practice, appropriate emphasis should be placed on teaching basic principles of dermatology to pediatricians both during and after residency training.