Clinical Evaluation of Superficial Fungal Infections in Children

In a retrospective study from Kayseri, Turkey, involving 51 children with superficial fungal infections, tinea capitis was identified as the most prevalent type, affecting 18 patients (35.3%). The average age of the participants was 6.2 years, and the majority were male (33 boys, 64.7%). Itching was the most common symptom reported. The treatment primarily consisted of topical antifungals for 30 patients (58%) and systemic antifungals for 21 patients (42%). The study highlighted that onychomycosis is not uncommon in children and that topical treatments are effective and well-tolerated for both onychomycosis and tinea capitis. The findings also suggested the need for considering onychomycosis in the differential diagnosis of nail disorders in children and underscored the importance of family history as a risk factor. The study was conducted ethically with informed consent and without financial conflicts of interest.