Childhood Rosacea: A Review and Case Report

Rosacea is a condition of vasomotor instability characterized by a facial erythema most notable in the central convex areas of the face and by remission and exacerbations (1, 2). Several clinical entities within the diagnosis have been described in adults: erythematoteleangiectatic, papulopustular, phymatous and ocular (3). Rosacea is a common chronic dermatological condition in adults. It has been estimated that approximately 10% of the adult population in Sweden have the disease (4). It is generally first diagnosed in the third and fourth decades of life and is often seen in fair-skinned individuals; and only rarely described in children (1). It has been suggested that rosacea may begin in childhood as common facial flushing, most often as a response to stress, hot food or other stimuli. Similarly, phymatous forms have not been described in children, possibly indicating that a certain period of time is necessary for development of this type of rosacea (5). It is, however, not a disease for which a pathognomonic test exists, and the diagnosis therefore relies on the recognition of a set of clinical signs. Only a few cases of childhood rosacea have been described (1, 2, 5–9). The aim of this case report and review of the literature is to draw attention to rosacea among children.