In infants, pruritus is frequently considered as absent because they do not scratch themselves. Because pruritus could induce severe adverse effects in this vulnerable population, we aimed to review existing evidence on the ability of young infants to experience itch and on how to assess itch-related discomfort in this population. A literature review was performed (Pubmed, Google Scholar). Neurological itch pathways are well described. Skin development starts early during gestation. At 34 weeks of gestation, skin is almost complete while skin adaptations occur after birth. Newborn skin is neurologically functional, including the ability for young infants to feel pain. Similarities and interactions between pain and pruritus support the hypothesis that infants could feel pruritus. However, the existence of pruritus in infants has never been evidenced. Many itchy conditions can affect them, suggesting non-negligible prevalence of infant pruritus among which atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most studied disease. Studies reported a negative impact of AD on children and their families. There is no existing validated method to assess pruritus in infants, although they may feel pruritus and chronic pruritus can lead to serious adverse effects. To appropriately diagnose pruritus appears of great interest among young infants. Development of a method is required to this aim.
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机译：在婴儿中，瘙痒通常被认为是不存在的，因为他们不会抓挠自己。由于瘙痒可能会在该弱势群体中引起严重的不良反应，因此我们旨在回顾有关幼儿体验瘙痒的能力以及如何评估该人群中与瘙痒相关的不适的现有证据。进行了文献综述 （Pubmed， Google Scholar）。神经瘙痒途径有很好的描述。皮肤发育在妊娠早期开始。在妊娠 34 周时，皮肤几乎完全，而皮肤适应发生在出生后。新生儿皮肤具有神经功能，包括年幼婴儿感到疼痛的能力。疼痛和瘙痒之间的相似性和相互作用支持婴儿可能感到瘙痒的假设。然而，从未证明婴儿存在瘙痒。许多瘙痒状况会影响他们，表明婴儿瘙痒症的患病率不可忽视，其中特应性皮炎 （AD） 是研究最多的疾病。研究报告了 AD 对儿童及其家庭的负面影响。目前尚无经过验证的方法来评估婴儿的瘙痒，尽管他们可能会感到瘙痒，而慢性瘙痒会导致严重的不良反应。正确诊断瘙痒似乎在幼儿中引起了极大的兴趣。为此，需要开发一种方法。
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