Allergic contact reaction to antiseptics in very young children

Abstract

These small case series confirm that both chlorhexidine and benzalkonium chloride are implicated in contact dermatitis from antiseptic use in the paediatric population. We emphasize the initial misdiagnose of these patients, the very young age of the children and the allergenic potential of common antiseptics in non-atopic children. We hypothesize that the systematic use of antiseptics for umbilical cord care could be responsible for the sensitization in newborns.