Mid-face toddler excoriation syndrome (MiTES): a new paediatric diagnosis

Citations Over TimeTop 19% of 2016 papers

Abstract

Chronic ulcerating lesions on the face are rarely seen in toddlers. Blistering disease, vasculitis, infections and self-mutilation due to neurometabolic disease can usually be excluded on clinical and histological grounds. In the absence of identifiable disease, such lesions are sometimes attributed to child abuse or fabricated illness. We describe three toddlers with chronic mid-face erosions, two from India and one from the UK. One had moderate developmental delay and one had had seizures. The lesions appeared to be self-inflicted, no underlying disease was identified and there was no suspicion of child abuse. Recognition of the same disease pattern in different continents implies a distinct pathological entity. The pattern closely resembles that seen in some patients with mutations in the pain-insensitivity genes PRDM12 and SCN11A. We suggest the term 'mid-face toddler excoriation syndrome' (MiTES) to acknowledge the existence of this condition, encourage further reports and help clarify the pathogenesis.

Related Papers

• → Toddler drinks, formulas, and milks: Labeling practices and policy implications(2018)52 cited
• → Toddler bids and teacher responses(1985)15 cited
• → The effect of toddler-parent program model based on the brain development theory for toddler development and parent interaction(2012)1 cited
• → The differences in toddler’s symbolic play level and play involvement according to toddler-mother joint attention(2019)1 cited
• → Do we really value the health of the world's babies and children?(1990)4 cited