Dermatology
The Pediatric Dermatology Department at Children's Mercy provides the highest quality, compassionate care to children with a variety of skin, hair and nail conditions. We serve as advocates for children and families through cutting-edge clinical research and educational outreach. We are the largest pediatric-focused dermatology clinic in the region and are one of the largest academic pediatric dermatology programs in the country.
We serve a diverse patient population with a wide spectrum of diseases and conditions. We also provide around-the-clock emergency consultations with dermatology specialists seven days per week for children who are hospitalized at Children's Mercy.
Clinical Services
We see a broad spectrum of skin disease in our general Pediatric Dermatology Clinic, with patients ranging in age from newborns to 18 years old. The most common diagnoses that we treat include atopic dermatitis, infantile hemangiomas, moles, viral skin infections (warts and molluscum contagiosum), bacterial skin infections, fungal skin infections, disorders of pigmentation, alopecia areata, psoriasis and a wide variety of birthmarks.
The Laser Clinic is held approximately two to three times monthly at both the Broadway Clinic and the Children's Mercy Kansas Specialty Center. Children with a variety of vascular birthmarks including port wine stains, infantile hemangiomas and spider angiomas/telangiectases are treated in these clinics. Older children as well as younger children with smaller lesions are successfully treated in the clinic setting using topical anesthetic. Younger children and patients with larger lesions or lesions around the eyes receive laser therapy under general anesthetic in the operating room.
An Excision Clinic takes place at the Broadway Clinic. Excisional surgeries are performed for a variety of skin conditions, including congenital melanocytic nevi, acquired melanocytic nevi, nevus sebaceous, epidermal cysts, keloids, pilomatricomas and other cutaneous neoplasms.
The multidisciplinary Melanoma Clinic meets approximately monthly and represents the collaboration of an experienced hematologist/oncologist and a pediatric dermatologist with expertise in melanoma and pigmented lesions.
The quarterly Genetic Skin Disorder Clinic is a collaboration of one of our clinical geneticists and genetic counselors with several of the dermatology faculty. This clinic is intended for the comprehensive evaluation of children with complex skin and systemic disorders suspected to be genetic in nature.
The monthly Hemangioma Clinic provides rapid referral and timely evaluation of infantile hemangiomas. Several of the Division of Dermatology faculty are founding members of the Hemangioma Investigator Group and are actively involved in clinical research aimed at better understanding the causes, demographics and clinical characteristics of simple and complex infantile hemangiomas, as well as developing optimal treatment methods.
The Vascular Anomalies Clinic represents the collaboration of dermatology, plastic surgery, diagnostic and interventional radiology, hematology, ENT, and social work. It meets once monthly to address patients with complex vascular anomalies, including vascular malformations, unusual vascular tumors and complicated multisystem infantile hemangiomas. For information or to schedule an appointment, call the Vascular Anomalies Specialty Center Consultation/Information Line at (816) 960-4051, Option 2.
Started in 2012, this new clinic represents the collaboration of the Divisions of Neurology and Dermatology. It is designed for patients with atypical presentations of neurocutaneous disorders including neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, neurocutaneous melanosis, Sturge Weber syndrome, PHACE syndrome and incontinentia pigmenti. It is also intended for further evaluation of complex patients with neurologic and dermatologic abnormalities of uncertain etiology. This clinic meets in the Dermatology Clinic at the Broadway location every three months. It provides an excellent teaching opportunity for dermatology and neurology residents and fellows in training.
The region's only pediatric-focused phototherapy service utilizing narrowband UVB light used to treat a variety of chronic skin disorders including psoriasis, severe atopic dermatitis, vitiligo and pityriasis lichenoides.
Children's Mercy cares for children with neurocutaneous disorders such as Tuberous Sclerosis and Neurofibromatosis.
Conditions
Infantile hemangiomas are the most common skin growths of infancy. They are usually present at birth or develop within the first two months life. Hemangiomas come in many shapes and sizes and can occur on many locations on the body.
Hyperhidrosis is a condition marked by excessive sweating in specific areas of the body like the palms, feet, or armpits. It can also be generalized and appear all over the body.
Neurofibromatosis is an inherited condition that may cause changes in the skin, nervous system, bones, and endocrine glands.
Urticaria Pigmentosa is an uncommon rash that affects the skin of infants, children and young adults.
Vitiligo is a skin color disorder that appears as white patches, surrounded by normal skin.
Other conditions treated
- Acne
- Alopecia areata
- Atopic dermatitis
- Infantile hemangioma
- Moles
- Molluscum contagiosum
- Psoriasis
- Skin infections
- Vascular malformations
- Vitiligo
- Warts
Wet Wrap Therapy
Watch our video about wet wraps or visit our resources page to learn more about wet wrap therapy at Children's Mercy.
Making an appointment with the Dermatology Clinic
Your primary care provider must refer you for treatment in the dermatology clinic. If you do not have a primary-care provider, contact the Children's Mercy Pediatric Care Clinic or Teen Primary Care for an appointment.
Pediatric Care Clinic: (816) 960-3080
Teen Primary Care: (816) 960-3050