Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia : organo ufficiale, Società italiana di dermatologia e sifilografia
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G Ital Dermatol Venereol · Aug 2018
ReviewDermatitis artefacta in childhood and adolescence: a spectrum of disease.
Dermatitis artefacta (DA) or artefactual skin disease (ASD) is a factitious skin disorder rarely reported in the pediatric population. Skin lesions are produced deliberately either consciously or in a dissociative state to satisfy an underlying psychological need. Children may present with acutely formed skin changes or with chronic lesions, quite often having seen other specialists during their journey. ⋯ Establishing a strong physician-patient-family relationship is important in managing this condition. The prognosis of the condition is variable, but it has been shown that resolution of the underlying psychosocial stressor leads to improvement of the skin. We advocate a multidisciplinary team approach in managing DA as it has shown to improve outcomes.