Contact allergy in children

Abstract

Contact allergy in children is more frequent than previously suspected. Certain contactants are characteristic of children and may be responsible for unusual clinical presentations. Metals (jewelry, mobile phones), ingredients of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, para-phenylenediamine in tattoos, rubber additives (in shoes, toys, diapers, sports equipment, and so on), plastics, resins (including those used in glues, orthopedic devices, electronic devices), and plants are allergens in children. In adolescents, sometimes occupational allergens are also possible. If there is a suspicion by history and clinical picture, or there is an unexplained eczema at particular body sites, patch testing should be performed at all ages. Patch testing in children is safe, but false-positive reactions are possible. Indeed, positive reactions must be interpreted carefully, particularly in atopics since their skin is readily irritated; this is especially the case for metals. An abbreviated baseline series, supplemented with allergens suggested by the history, should be used. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.