The treatment of ectodermal dysplasia is not specific and this disease has no cure, but cosmetic surgery can be used to resolve some of the malformations caused by the disease.
Ectodermal dysplasia consists of a set of rare hereditary problems that arise in the baby since birth and, depending on its type, cause changes in the hair, nails, teeth or in the glands that produce sweat, for example.
As there is no specific treatment for ectodermal dysplasia, the child must be accompanied frequently by the pediatrician to assess his development and evaluate the need for cosmetic surgery to improve his self-esteem, for example.
In addition, it is important to assess the child's body temperature daily, especially in cases where there is no sweat production, as there is a greater risk of developing heat stroke due to excessive heating of the body. See how to measure the temperature correctly.
In cases where there is a lack of teeth or other changes in the mouth, it is recommended to consult a dentist to make a complete assessment of the mouth and initiate the appropriate treatment, which may include surgery and dental prostheses, to allow the child to eat normally.
Symptoms of ectodermal dysplasia
The main signs and symptoms of ectodermal dysplasia include:
- Recurrent fever or body temperature above 37ºC; Hypersensitivity to hot places; Malformations in the mouth with missing, sharp or very distant teeth; Very thin and brittle hair; Thin and altered nails; Lack of sweat, saliva, tears and others body fluids; Thin, dry, scaly and very sensitive skin.
The signs and symptoms of ectodermal dysplasia are not the same in all children and, therefore, it is common for only a few of these symptoms to appear.
Types of ectodermal dysplasia
The two main types of ectodermal dysplasia include:
- Anhydrotic or hypohydrotic ectodermal dysplasia: characterized by a decrease in the amount of hair and hair, a reduction or absence of body fluids, such as tears, saliva and sweat or the absence of teeth. Hydrotic ectodermal dysplasia: the main characteristic is the lack of teeth, however, it can also cause large, outward lips, flattened nose and spots around the eyes.
Normally, the diagnosis of ectodermal dysplasia is made soon after birth after observing the baby's malformations, however, in some cases these changes may be barely apparent and, therefore, are diagnosed later on in the child's growth.
