Expedient treatment of a collodion baby

[Scaling skin in infancy]

An infant was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit due to a noticeable desquamation of the skin in the groin, extremities and axillary regions. In addition to the desquamation the baby had a collodion membrane. Microbiological swabs taken of the affected areas, however, did not show any microbial growth. Even in the molecular analysis, no common mutation for congenital ichthyoses could be found. The self-healing collodion baby (SHCB) is one subtype of autosomal recessive inherited ichthyoses. In mild courses watchful waiting and a moisturizing cream is justified.