Do you have a child that suffers from psoriasis? It is a chronic skin condition that can have a negative impact on a person's quality of life. It can negatively affect self-esteem and relationships. Your child may be embarrassed by the presence of psoriasis and feel insecure about friends seeing it or finding out about it. This could cause your child to avoid close friendships or staying overnight with friends. The characteristics of psoriasis include red, thick, scaly plaques that itch and bleed. Dermatologists have found a correlation between psoriasis, especially severe psoriasis, and a number of serious medical conditions. Some of the severe conditions linked to psoriasis include cardiovascular disease, depression, and cancer.

Dermatologist Alexa B. Kimball, MD, MPH, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass., led a task force of the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board that explored psoriasis co-morbidities. The task force review revealed that people with more severe cases of psoriasis appear to have an increased incidence of psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, depression, obesity, and even other immune-related conditions such as Crohn's disease.

Apparently, it is common for people who suffer from severe psoriasis to smoke, struggle with obesity, and depression because of the psychosocial burden of the disease. Originally, doctors thought that the increased risk of cardiovascular disease for these people with psoriasis was from smoking and obesity, not the psoriasis itself. However, two recent studies demonstrated an increased risk of myocardial infarction in patients with psoriasis. Dermatologists feel that these studies indicate psoriasis itself may be a risk factor for developing atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. Specific psoriasis treatments may be responsible for certain types of cancer by suppressing the immune system. Psoriasis suffers have an increased risk for a skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma and lymphoma.

It is clear that parents need to help their children value themselves despite their disease. High self-esteem gained through personal achievements must be facilitated. Teaching these children to live a healthy lifestyle is paramount to avoiding the high-risks of these diseases. Dr. Kimball encourages exercise, healthy food choices, avoiding smoking, and alcohol to lower risks.

To learn more about psoriasis, visit Skincarephysicians.com and click on “PsoriasisNet” or the National Psoriasis Foundation Web site.


The Psoriasis Foundation focuses on education, advocacy and research toward better treatments and a cure. For more information, please call the National Psoriasis Foundation, headquartered in Portland, Ore., at 1-800-723-9166.

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Uploaded by Tuppus on October 26, 2007 labeled psoriasis