Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) affects up to 20% of the pediatric population. Identifying ACD in children and adolescents can be difficult since it often resembles other skin conditions like atopic dermatitis (AD) and irritant dermatitis. Although the prevalence of ACD is similar in both children and adults, pediatric patch tests are surprisingly scarce, accounting for less than one out of 10 patch tests, which has led to the likelihood of underdiagnosing childhood cases of ACD.
To address such challenges, dermatologists specializing in pediatric contact dermatitis and patch testing provide insights on signs to watch for that should raise suspicion for ACD, as well as common and emerging allergens that dermatologists should be mindful of.