Sun allergy in children | Solar Allergy

Sun allergy in children

Children can also be allergic to the sun with various types of skin rashes. Just like in adults, red spots, blisters or nodules can form, which in most cases cause a distinct itching. In children, too, the rash in the case of a sun allergy is limited to those parts of the body that have come into direct contact with the sun. Especially children have to take care that they scratch uninhibitedly on the affected areas due to itching, this can lead to injuries of the skin. You can find out more about this topic at: Sun allergy in children

Diagnosis

An important part of the diagnosis is the patient interview (anamnesis), because it provides information about when the symptoms have been present, whether they occurred for the first time and whether a long sunbath preceded it. It should also be asked whether the patients are taking medication and whether any other allergy is already present in them. Lighter skin types are particularly frequently affected, as the skin is often more sensitive to sunlight.

Tanned people can also suffer from sun allergies. After the detailed patient interview, the doctor must inspect and examine the skin. Raised areas and pustules are palpated to check their condition.

In the case of the smallest skin changes, a magnifying glass can be used for better inspection. The diagnosis of a sun allergy is usually made by the combination of skin changes after exposure to the sun. If there is any doubt, the doctor – in this case a specialist in dermatology – can perform a so-called radiation test or light test.

For this, certain areas of the skin are irradiated with appropriate UV radiation for a few minutes. This procedure can also be repeated. If a skin change, redness, swelling or itching appears in the course of the following days, a light or sun allergy is as good as proven.

If there are no skin changes, an allergic reaction of another cause must be assumed. In order to find and identify the triggering substance, appropriate sensitization tests (prick test) can then be carried out, in which skin reactions are examined after contact with certain substances. There are different courses of sun and light allergy:

In a few cases, the allergic reactions to excessive exposure to sunlight can be so severe that anaphylactic reactions occur, which are associated with shortness of breath and life-threatening situations and must be treated accordingly.

In order to rule this out, the above-mentioned light and radiation tests should only be carried out by a specialist in dermatology, who can then immediately intervene with medication if an anaphylactic shock is imminent. In some cases, irradiation tests and prick tests do not provide any indication of the cause of the skin reaction. In this case it may be useful to take a small skin biopsy and examine it in a pathology laboratory.

Although this may be of no importance for the treatment, it is particularly helpful in making a diagnosis. Tanned people can also suffer from sun allergies. After the detailed examination of the patient, the doctor must inspect and examine the skin.

Raised areas and pustules are palpated to check their condition. In the case of the smallest skin changes, a magnifying glass can be used for better inspection. The diagnosis of a sun allergy is usually made by the combination of skin changes after exposure to the sun.

If there is any doubt, the doctor – in this case a specialist in dermatology – can perform a so-called radiation test or light test.For this purpose, certain areas of the skin are irradiated with appropriate UV radiation for a few minutes. This process can also be repeated. If a skin change, redness, swelling or itching occurs during the following days, a light or sun allergy is as good as proven.

If there are no skin changes, an allergic reaction of another cause must be assumed. In order to find and identify the triggering substance, appropriate sensitization tests (prick test) can then be carried out, in which skin reactions are examined after contact with certain substances. There are different courses of sun and light allergy: in a few cases, the allergic reactions to excessive sun exposure can be so severe that anaphylactic reactions occur, which are accompanied by shortness of breath and life-threatening situations and must be treated accordingly.

In order to rule this out, the above-mentioned light and radiation tests should only be carried out by a specialist in dermatology, who can then immediately intervene with medication if an anaphylactic shock is imminent. In some cases, irradiation tests and prick tests do not provide any indication of the cause of the skin reaction. In this case it may be useful to take a small skin biopsy and examine it in a pathology laboratory. Although this may be of no importance for the treatment, it is particularly helpful in making a diagnosis.