Pediatric Panniculitis
Panniculitis is a disorder that causes painful, red bumps to form on the skin, most often on the legs and feet.
What is Pediatric Panniculitis?
Panniculitis is a condition that causes painful bumps (nodules) to form just underneath the skin. These bumps lead to inflammation (swelling) in the fat layer under the skin, which is known as the panniculus. The panniculus is the type of fat that provides insulation for the body and helps control body temperature.
What are the different types of Pediatric Panniculitis?
Types of panniculitis that can affect children include:
Cold panniculitis
Cold panniculitis affects areas of the body that have been exposed to extreme cold.
Erythema nodosum
Erythema nodosum causes painful, red bumps on the front of the lower legs.
Lipodermatosclerosis
Lipodermatosclerosis causes vein problems and obesity.
Subcutaneous sarcoidosis
Subcutaneous sarcoidosis, caused by sarcoidosis, is a condition that causes inflammatory cells to form unnaturally in various organs throughout the body.
What are the signs and symptoms of Pediatric Panniculitis?
Bulging of one or both eyes
Fever
Necrosis (tissue breakdown) around the areas of the bumps
Oily substance that drains from the bumps
Pain in the abdomen
Pain in the joints and muscles
Painful bumps that are often red in color and most commonly appear on the legs, feet, face, arms, chest, abdomen and buttocks
What are the causes of Pediatric Panniculitis?
There are many potential causes of panniculitis, including:
Bacterial infection, such as tuberculosis or streptococcus
Fungal infection
Injury due to intense exercise, exposure to extremely cold temperatures or injections of medicine into the fat layer just underneath the skin
Leukemia (cancer that affects the blood cells)
Lupus (immune disorder that causes ongoing inflammation throughout the body)
Lymphoma (cancer that affects the lymph nodes and vessels that carry lymph fluid throughout the body)
Parasitic infection
Sarcoidosis (condition that causes inflammatory cells to form unnaturally in various organs throughout the body)
Scleroderma (immune system disorder that affects the skin)
Viral infection
Risk Factors
A child is at a higher risk for developing panniculitis if they have an infection, an inflammatory disease or a connective tissue disorder. This condition more often affects females than it does males.
Pediatric Panniculitis Doctors and Providers
