“Pediatric Blaschkitis”: Expanding the Spectrum of Childhood Acquired Blaschko‐linear Dermatoses

• Published in: Pediatric dermatology Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 621 - 627
• Main Authors: Keegan, Brian R., Kamino, Hideko, Fangman, William, Shin, Helen T., Orlow, Seth J., Schaffer, Julie V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-11-2007; Blackwell
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatology; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; General aspects; Humans; Lichenoid Eruptions - diagnosis; Lichenoid Eruptions - genetics; Lichenoid Eruptions - physiopathology; Medical sciences; Mosaicism; Recurrence; Skin Diseases - diagnosis; Skin Diseases - genetics; Skin Diseases - physiopathology; Human; Pediatrics; Skin disease; Expanding; Acquired; Dermatology; Child
• ISSN: 0736-8046; 1525-1470
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.2007.00550.x

:  We describe two young children who developed relapsing, pruritic, papulovesicular eruptions in multiple bands along Blaschko lines on the neck, trunk, and extremities. Skin specimens in both revealed spongiotic dermatitis. This represents the first report of “blaschkitis” in children, providing further evidence that lichen striatus and blaschkitis are related acquired Blaschko‐linear dermatoses that exist on a spectrum rather than as the childhood and adult form of a single disease entity. We highlight the features that differentiate blaschkitis from lichen striatus, review the potential roles of cutaneous mosaicism, environmental triggers, and background immunologic state in their pathogenesis, and discuss the spectrum of inflammatory dermatoses that can follow Blaschko lines.