Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome—A Case Report

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is a toxin-mediated pediatric emergency requiring rapid intervention. We present the case of a 6-year-old male who exhibited acute-onset erythroderma, superficial scaling, and a positive Nikolsky sign. Despite initiating standard empiric intravenous cloxacillin and supportive skin care, the patient demonstrated a delayed clinical response. Due to the appearance of new desquamative lesions, adjuvant clindamycin was added on day three. Vancomycin was later added on day seven of hospitalization, followed by cessation of new lesions and a successful discharge on day thirteen. This case highlights a delayed response to the first-line treatment and emphasizes the clinical importance of the early reevaluation of SSSS management. Moreover, we conducted a brief review of the current literature.