On Thursday, 14 March 2013, Dr. Ramon Grimalt, a professor of Dermatology in the UIC Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Dr. Juan Ferrando, a professor of Dermatology at the Universitat de Barcelona, inaugurated the 10th Paediatric Dermatology Course organized by Hospital Clínic and the Ferrer Group with the support of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
During the course, experts covered issues such as skin cancer, eczema and dermatitis in children. They also discussed conditions related to the use of pharmaceuticals in paediatrics, acne and paediatric dermatology in dark skin, especially in relation to adopted children and the children of immigrants.
The lectures included one by Dr. Mario Cutrone, an Italian specialist in paediatric dermatology and an internationally renowned expert on newborn skin. Dr. Cutrone discussed the latest developments in caring for newborn skin. Over 90% of newborns have some kind of skin condition, including transient neonatal dermatosis. The percentage drops to 2% when considering clinical conditions such as genetic skin disorders, skin infections and nevi (moles).
Regarding the most common skin condition in newborns, Dr. Cutrone said that among populations with light skin, between 58% and 70% of babies have what are known as Epstein's pearls, small white cysts found on the gums and roof of a newborn's mouth that usually clear up on their own.
Dr. Ramon Grimalt, a professor of Dermatology at the UIC, discussed the controversial issue of atopic dermatitis and its relationship to other conditions. Grimalt's lecture also dealt with the increase in allergies and eczema in Spain. “It's alarming to see that almost 30% of the population has some kind of allergy, especially people with atopic eczema”, he said.
The course, which finished on 15 March, was attended by nearly 400 paediatricians and dermatologists. It was held in the AXA Winterthur Auditorium in Barcelona.
