Fatai Olatunde Olanrewaju

Background: Paediatric dermatoses contribute substantially to childhood morbidity and impaired quality of life, yet data from resource-poor settings remain limited. This study describes the age‑specific and geographic distribution of dermatoses in children attending dermatology clinics in suburban and semi‑urban centres in Southwestern Nigeria Results: Among 589 children (mean age 7.9±4.8 years; 53.7% male), non-infectious dermatoses (71.1%), particularly eczematous (29.2%) and hereditary disorders (10.2%) predominated. Infectious dermatoses (36.8%) were significantly more common among children aged 0–11 years (p=0.012). Fungal infections peaked among school-aged children (p=0.013), while viral dermatoses were most frequent in preschool-aged children (p<0.001). Children in the suburban cohort had significantly higher odds of infectious (OR=1.72; 95% CI 1.18–2.50; p=0.004) and eczematous dermatoses (OR=1.72; 95% CI 1.15–2.56; p=0.008). Whereas hereditary skin conditions (OR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.34–1.03; p = 0.061) and papulosquamous dermatoses (OR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.33–1.06; p = 0.098) were more frequently observed in the semi‑urban setting Conclusion: Eczematous dermatoses dominate paediatric-dermatology consultations in Southwestern Nigeria, with distinct age and geographic patterns. Early‑childhood programmes should prioritise recognition and management of infectious and eczematous conditions, while school health services should strengthen fungal screening and treatment.