[Clinical features and therapy of rheumatic diseases and vasculitides in childhood].

Rheumatic diseases are the second most common autoimmune disease in childhood after diabetes mellitus. Because cutaneous findings are so common, a dermatologist is often the first physician these children and their parents see. The most common rheumatic disease is juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Except for the systemic form and psoriatic arthritis JIA usually does not show cutaneous symptoms. However, there are many rheumatic diseases that start with skin manifestations such as Henoch-Schönlein purpura, systemic lupus erythematosus and Kawasaki syndrome. Knowledge of these diseases and their symptoms is therefore of importance for the dermatologist.