{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,18]],"date-time":"2026-07-18T20:36:33Z","timestamp":1784406993942,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,18]],"date-time":"2021-10-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1634515200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cells"],"abstract":"<jats:p>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.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cells10102788","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,18]],"date-time":"2021-10-18T23:13:32Z","timestamp":1634598812000},"page":"2788","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["What Do We Know about Pruritus in Very Young Infants? A Literature Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1241-5575","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Camille","family":"Le Pors","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neonatal Medicine, Brest University Hospital, F-29200 Brest, France"},{"name":"LIEN\u2014Laboratoire Interactions Epith\u00e9lium Neurones\u2014EA 4685, Brest University, F-29200 Brest, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6769-3364","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matthieu","family":"Talagas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LIEN\u2014Laboratoire Interactions Epith\u00e9lium Neurones\u2014EA 4685, Brest University, F-29200 Brest, France"},{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Brest University Hospital, F-29200 Brest, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Claire","family":"Abasq-Thomas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LIEN\u2014Laboratoire Interactions Epith\u00e9lium Neurones\u2014EA 4685, Brest University, F-29200 Brest, France"},{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Brest University Hospital, F-29200 Brest, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S\u00e9verine","family":"Henry","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EthoS (\u00c9thologie Animale et Humaine) Laboratory\u2014UMR 6552, Rennes University, F-35000 Rennes, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8088-7059","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laurent","family":"Misery","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LIEN\u2014Laboratoire Interactions Epith\u00e9lium Neurones\u2014EA 4685, Brest University, F-29200 Brest, France"},{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Brest University Hospital, F-29200 Brest, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5734-7254","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jean-Michel","family":"Rou\u00e9","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neonatal Medicine, Brest University Hospital, F-29200 Brest, France"},{"name":"LIEN\u2014Laboratoire Interactions Epith\u00e9lium Neurones\u2014EA 4685, Brest University, F-29200 Brest, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"535","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn1950","article-title":"The Neurobiology of Itch","volume":"7","author":"Ikoma","year":"2006","journal-title":"Nat. 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