Special features of topical and systemic dermatologic therapy in children

Summary Since children differ greatly from adults in terms of physiology and pathophysiology, which in turn influences pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, pediatric clinical trials on the effectiveness and safety of drugs must be supported. Such studies are still lacking. To avoid excluding pediatric patients from the benefit of optimal treatment, treatment strategies for children are often derived from trials with adult patients. Pediatric prescribing is also assisted by years of experience in the use of drugs and empirical data found in the literature. This article discusses typical side effects that can occur with pediatric topical and systemic drug use. Salicylic acid and lindane intoxication are discussed as are Reye syndrome after taking acetylsalicylic acid to treat viral infection. Additional examples and tables listing drugs often used in pediatric dermatology as well as general information on prescribing off‐label pharmaceuticals should help children with skin disorders benefit from effective and tolerable treatment.