The early months of life are critical to the health and well-being of babies and their families. Yet, many questions remain regarding skin development and skin care in both preterm and term neonates. PeDRA’s Neonatal Skin Focused Study Group is driven by the goals to (1) advance our understanding of normal skin development in the fetus, premature and term neonate, (2) develop evidence-based treatment recommendations for skin care and skin disease in preterm and term neonates, and (3) understand the role of skin in disease states of preterm and term infants.
Specific areas of research include best skin care practices in neonates, vernix caseosa, epidermal barrier differentiation in neonatal skin, and the role of dermatologic consults in the NICU. The Neonatal Skin Focused Study Group is committed to engaging pediatricians, neonatologists, nurses, and researchers with expertise or interest in fetal/newborn skin development in their activities.

The Neonatal Skin Focused Study Group is chaired by Jennifer Schoch, MD at the University of Florida. Contact us if you’re interested in getting involved!
Publications
Thomas, Christina, et al. “Treatment practices in the management of scabies in infants younger than two months” Pediatric Dermatology (2021).
Schoch, Jennifer, et al. “The infantile cutaneous microbiome: A review” Pediatric Dermatology (2019).