Managing Scalp Ringworm in Children

Scalp ringworm, or tinea capitis, is a dermatophyte fungal infection that primarily affects pre-adolescent children in the UK and can lead to alopecia, sometimes permanent. The infection rate in southeast London schools was reported at approximately 2.5% in 1995, and there has been an increase in cases since then. In 1996, it was recommended that an 8–10 week course of oral griseofulvin at a dosage of 10mg/kg body weight was effective in clearing the infection. However, since that time, new data on antifungal drugs have been published, prompting an update in the treatment advice for children with scalp ringworm.