Social impact for untreated infantile hemangiomas

(HealthDay)—For preteen children, involuted, untreated facial infantile hemangiomas (IHs) have a social impact, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Victoria A. Costa, from George Washington University in Washington D.C., and colleagues examined the social impact of involuted facial IHs in preteen children. Records were identified for 236 children with IHs located in a cosmetically sensitive areas; of these, 144 potential participants (parents) were mailed surveys and 30 responded.

The researchers found that 25 of the children had a single IH and five had multiple IHs, at least one of which was in a cosmetically sensitive area. Sixty percent of the children had received treatment. Based on the Social Anxiety Scale for Children-Revised, social anxiety of the children was not increased over normative data; however, greater anxiety for new situations was seen for those who did not receive treatment versus those who did receive treatment (P = 0.02). The Prosocial Orientation domain score was similar for the children with IHs and for normative data (P = 0.50). Children who did not receive treatment had significantly poorer Social Initiative domain scores than those who did receive treatment (P = 0.006).

"Although this study is limited by a small sample size, it raises important considerations for whether early treatment of facial IHs in cosmetically sensitive areas has a beneficial effect on social skills in preteens," the authors write.