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transferquery233 asks...
hello q2a
may i first of all thank you for the wonderful service you provide.
my question is....
i'm 4 months pregnant with my first baby. i have psoriasis on the back of my head, just
above my neck (it's not visible as my hair covers it)its a small(ish) patch, not sore or
anything, just there! but i was wondering if my baby will have it as well or not...?
thank you once again
What we suggest...
Hi transferquery123.
Many thanks for your enquiry. Firstly congratulations on your first pregnancy, we hope
that everything runs smoothly over the next coming months.
Regarding your enquiry we understand that you think you have psoriasis and are worried
that this condition may be passed down onto your baby.
Have you been to your GP and been officially diagnosed with this condition as this is the
first thing you really need to do. We will outline the condition briefly and the treatment for it
below. You may already know some of this.
Psoriasis is a skin condition characterised by red, crusty patches of skin with silvery
scales or plaques. The plaques often appear on the elbows, knees and scalp and result
from a build - up of skin cells on the skin surface. This build up happens because the cells
reproduce too quickly.
According to http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/psoriasis1.shtml about 2% of the UK have
this condition and men and women are equally as affected. The condition can occur at any
age but the commonest age is between the ages of 10 and 40, often during puberty.
There is no cure for psoriasis. However treatments have shown to be effective and will
control the condition by clearing or reducing the patches of psoriasis. Most people can be
treated by their doctor. Your GP may refer you to a dermatologist who is a skin specialist
who is usually based in hospitals where you can go if symptoms become worse or do not
improve after previous treatments.
Treatments are based on the type and severity of your psoriasis and the area of the skin
affected. Usually GP's start with a mild treatment to see how that works such as topical
creams and then move on to stronger creams if need be.
There are a wide range of treatment options for psoriasis but identifying what treatment is
most effective for each individual person can be extremely difficult and time consuming.
You should talk to your GP if you feel a treatment is not working, or you are experiencing
uncomfortable side- effects.
Treatments fall into three categories:
· Topical - creams and ointments are applied to your skin.
· Phototherapy - your skin is exposed to certain types of light, and
· Oral and Injected Medication - medicine is used to reduce the production of your
skin cells.
All of the oral and injected medicines for psoriasis come with both benefits and risks.
Before starting a treatment of oral medication, your GP or dermatologist should clearly
explain the benefits and risks of the treatment, both verbally and in writing.
In terms of whether you will pass this condition onto your baby, Psoriasis is classed as
being a generic condition. However there is no simple pattern of inheritance, but within a
family, you will often find a number of people affected. You can't physically catch
psoriasis. Although there may be other members of your family who have it, you won't
have given it to them. And if you have psoriasis, you can't pass it on to partners or friends.
Psoriasis can affect up to 1 in 50 children but is rarely seen in children under the age of 2
and remember it is treatable and the treatments and research is getting better as the
years go on.
Further supports you may wish to go to are:
The Psoriasis Association
Tel: 0845 676 0076
Email: mail@psoriasis.demon.co.uk
Website: www.psoriasis-association.org.uk
Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance
Tel: 0870 770 3212
Email: info@papaa.org
Website: www.papaa.org
Another useful website to look on for children with psoriasis is:
http://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/children.html
Other contacts could include your GP, midwife, and P.A.L.S. (Patient Advice and Liaison
Service) in Preston on 01772 522972
We hope the information we have given in this email has been helpful for you.
Best Wishes
Q2a
Expert advice and every precaution has been taken to ensure that the information on this page is trustworthy and reliable, but the publishers do not hold themselves responsible for any inaccuracy as information can go out of date very quickly. This page gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. With regard to suggested weblinks given in this reply please note that Lancashire County Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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