Review the PDF of the fact sheet on transient benign neonatal skin findings with board-relevant, easy-to-review material. This fact sheet lists benign findings that can be seen in neonates and infants.

Practice Questions

1. The parents of a 2-month-old infant present with their child. They are worried because the infant has “acne” that is not going away. Friends told them to try gentle cleansers and they have avoided using lotions or cream on her face. However, the bumps will not go away. On examination she has papules and pustules. Comedones cannot be identified. What are your next steps?

a. adapalene cream 0.1% every night at bedtime
b. benzoyl peroxide cream 4%
c. benzoyl peroxide wash 2.5%
d. erythromycin gel 2%
e. ketoconazole cream 2% twice daily

2. While in the newborn nursery prior to discharge, the attending pediatrician notices a rash on a 2-day-old neonate who is otherwise completely healthy. The pediatrician consults a dermatologist for his/her opinion. The dermatologist sees erythematous macules with central pustules located predominately on the trunk and proximal extremities. A pustule is unroofed with a blade, the contents smeared on a glass slide, and a Giemsa stain is performed. What is the predominant cell type you would expect to see on histological examination?

a. eosinophils
b. Langerhans cells
c. lymphocytes
d. neutrophils
e. no cells are visualized

3. Shortly after delivery, the pediatricians notice that the baby has numerous hyperpigmented macules on the back. No other primary lesions are seen. The neonate is otherwise normal in appearance and nontoxic appearing. A dermatologist is consulted for a recommendation for further workup or potential biopsy. The dermatologist examines the newborn. He is a well-appearing black boy with skin that is otherwise intact. A few pustules on the back are present that have a collarette of scale. The dermatologist reviews the mother’s prenatal history and the review shows that she was screened for syphilis and had a negative screening test with no other history of infectious diseases. What is the most appropriate next step to confirm your suspicions?

a. do a swab of a pustule and send it for viral culture
b. have his blood drawn and check for signs of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection
c. perform a biopsy of a pustule
d. perform a Giemsa stain on a smear of the pustule
e. start treatment with permethrin

4. Which intraoral cysts occur on the alveolar ridge of a neonate?

a. Bohn nodule
b. branchial cleft cyst
c. Epstein pearls
d. median raphe cyst
e. palatal cysts of the newborn

5. Miliaria rubra is associated with inflammation of the sweat glands in what portion of the skin?

a. basement membrane zone
b. dermis
c. dermoepidermal junction
d. intraepidermal
e. subcutis

Answers to practice questions provided on next page

Practice Question Answers

a. adapalene cream 0.1% every night at bedtime
b. benzoyl peroxide cream 4%
c. benzoyl peroxide wash 2.5%
d. erythromycin gel 2%
e. ketoconazole cream 2% twice daily

a. eosinophils
b. Langerhans cells
c. lymphocytes
d. neutrophils
e. no cells are visualized

a. do a swab of a pustule and send it for viral culture
b. have his blood drawn and check for signs of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection
c. perform a biopsy of a pustule
d. perform a Giemsa stain on a smear of the pustule
e. start treatment with permethrin

4. Which intraoral cysts occur on the alveolar ridge of a neonate?

a. Bohn nodule
b. branchial cleft cyst
c. Epstein pearls
d. median raphe cyst
e. palatal cysts of the newborn

5. Miliaria rubra is associated with inflammation of the sweat glands in what portion of the skin?

a. basement membrane zone
b. dermis
c. dermoepidermal junction
d. intraepidermal
e. subcutis

Transient Benign Neonatal Skin Findings