Gianotti-Crosti Syndrome: Mandy Moore’s Son’s Diagnosis Unraveled
According to the pictures on her Instagram, actress Mandy Moore’s son recently discovered a strange rash all over his body. Discovering the source of his widespread itching on his arms, legs, and feet required visits to urgent care centers, pediatricians, dermatologists, and pediatric dermatologists. The reason? Gianotti-Crosti Syndrome.
Moore posted on Instagram on July 28 that parenting is weird and hard and sometimes feels so helpless. “As long as he’s smiling, I’m good”, she said. Since the skin ailment is uncommon, it seems sense that it would be challenging for many medical professionals to diagnose, says dermatologist Dr. Melissa Levoska, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
According to Dr. Shari Lipner, associate professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences in New York City, Gianotti-Crosti syndrome is a benign rashes that often affects the face, buttocks, arms, and legs but not the scalp, chest, or back. She said that the rash is distinguished by firm, pink pimples that occasionally itch. According to Levoska, the tops of the bumps are often flat.
Levoska noted that although the ailment, commonly known as papular acrodermatitis of youth, is uncommon, it typically affects children under the age of 4. She explained that as the rash frequently occurs after a virus, it may be accompanied by other symptoms including fever, sore throat, cough, diarrhea, or upset stomach.
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Gianotti-Crosti Syndrome’s Enigmatic Connection to Hypersensitivity and Epstein-Barr Virus
The National Institutes of Health says, the cause of Gianotti-Crosti Syndrome is unknown, however it is believed to be a hypersensitivity reaction to an underlying illness. According to Levoska, the Epstein-Barr virus, which is connected to infectious mononucleosis, is typically what causes the infection in the United States.
Hepatitis B virus infection is the most frequent cause worldwide, but because the majority of Americans have received vaccinations against it, it is less of a major trigger here, she added. According to Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, the ailment is what is known as a viral exanthem, or an eruptive skin rash often linked to a viral infection.
Measles, rubella, and hand, foot, and mouth disease are further viral exanthems. Levoska stated that when dealing with children, one of the first things doctors tend to suspect when they notice a rash is a viral infection. According to Levoska, the Gianotti-Crosti syndrome often goes away over the course of many weeks to months. A dermatologist can recommend topical steroids if the rash doesn’t go away, she noted. A study conducted by Lipner, moisturizers, over-the-counter hydrocortisone, and antihistamines may also be useful.
Dermatologists are not going to need to perform a biopsy or blood tests to identify the rash, but because Gianotti-Crosti is so uncommon, it can be challenging for healthcare professionals to know exactly what they are looking at, according to Levoska. If your child gets a rash, it makes sense to visit an urgent care facility or hospital emergency room first, stated Levoska. Don’t worry too much if dark or bright spots remain where the rash was, she noted.
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