children s health issues
Cutis Laxa
Introduction
Cutis laxa is a rare disorder of connective tissue that causes the skin to stretch easily and hang in loose folds. This disorder is usually caused a defective gene but can occur after certain illnesses. The main symptom is very loose skin. The diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and results of a physical examination. There is no cure for cutis laxa, but plastic surgery may help improve the appearance of the skin. The fibers that enable tissue to stretch and then spring back into place are called elastic fibers. These fibers are contained in the connective tissue. Overview of Connective Tissue Disorders in Children is the tough, often fibrous tissue that binds the body's structures together and provides support and elasticity. In cutis laxa, the elastic fibers become loose. Sometimes only the skin is affected, but connective tissues throughout the body can be affected. Cutis laxa is usually hereditary. In some kinds of cutis laxa, the abnormal genes cause problems unrelated to connective tissues. For example, the genes may cause disorders of the heart, lungs, or digestive tract or may cause Intellectual Disability . Rarely, infants can develop cutis laxa after an illness that causes fever or after having an allergic reaction to penicillin. In children or adolescents, cutis laxa usually develops after a severe illness involving fever, inflammation of organs such as the lining of the lungs or heart, or Erythema Multiforme (patches of red, raised skin). In adults, cutis laxa may develop with other disorders, particularly Overview of Plasma Cell Disorders . 