Joy Wan, MD is a pediatric dermatologist and Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Wan is a very active member of PeDRA, serving on PeDRA’s Early Investigator Committee and the Eczema Count Project Steering Committee. Like so many others, pediatric dermatology wasn’t high on her list when she entered medical school, but soon became her passion after her third-year rotation in dermatology. Watch to learn more about Dr. Wan and how her artistic skills earned her some serious Super Bowl swag as a child.

Dr. Marla Jahnke discusses the findings of her most recent collaborative study – Care of Congenital Melanocytic Nevi (CMN) in Newborns and Infants: Review and Management Recommendations. Learn more about the current state of knowledge around CMN care and monitoring and recommendations for future guidelines.

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Jillian Rork, MD is a pediatric dermatologist and Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine. Dr. Rork is the co-founder of the PeDRA Down syndrome focused study sub-group and has a passion for treating skin diseases in children with Down syndrome. Learn more about her journey from French major to pediatric dermatologist and her love of playing music in this month’s installment of Getting to Know You!

PeDRA staff had the opportunity to attend the 2022 SID Meeting. While there, PeDRA conducted a series of short interviews with attendees and presenters like John Harris, MD, PhD, and Joel Gelfand, MD, MSCE, FAAD, to capture some exciting meeting highlights.

Unanswered Questions in Pediatric HS

The group addresses lingering research questions and stresses the importance of disease education in order to meet the needs of Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) patients. Consensus guidelines exist for adult HS but have yet to be written for pediatric HS. The need for early diagnosis is not only critical for disease management but is vital for the overall well-being of patients and their families.  

Aggressive Options for Pediatric HS

Dr. Lara-Corrales and Dr. Izzy Andrews discuss aggressive treatments for Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) and highlight the importance of a multi-disciplinary care team to help treat the psychosocial aspects and the physical pain associated with this traumatic disease. Access to care is also a key component in combating HS and it’s critical that more than just pediatric dermatologists have a better understanding of HS before treating patients.

Non-Aggressive Options for Pediatric HS

Dr. Irene Lara-Corrales and Dr. Yasmine Kirkorian discuss non-aggressive treatment options available to pediatric patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) and how difficult it can be to quantify just exactly what it means when providers recommend “lifestyle” changes to help treat this devastating inflammatory skin disease.

Dr. Carrie Coughlin is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She is the chair of the PeDRA Outcomes Committee, serves on the PeDRA Meetings and Studies committees, and leads the Skin Tumors and Reactions to Cancer Therapies (STARC) Focused Study Group. Learn more about Dr. Coughlin and the importance of communicating PeDRA’s work outside the field of pediatric dermatology.

This year marks PeDRA’s 10th anniversary. For 10 years, our vibrant community has been forging relationships and conducting meaningful research to prevent, treat, and cure childhood skin diseases. Together, we are advancing the field in ways that were nothing more than dreams 10 years ago. Take a look back at what we’ve accomplished and where we’re heading in the future with PeDRA’s Executive Director, Mike Siegel, PhD.

Exciting New Research

In this final episode, the group discusses current research efforts and the research that is still needed to better understand the long-term-use effects of immune modulators, and how to approach conversations about using these medications with both patients and families.  

If you are interested in or have patients you would like to enroll in the University of Colorado Immune Skin Conditions Clinical Trial, please click here for more information.