It is very unusual for a baby to get psoriasis, but it does occur. Most often, the condition starts as a red rash in the diaper area that doesn’t clear up with typical diaper rash treatments. It might appear somewhat different than diaper rash, but it may take an experienced pediatric dermatologist to tell the difference between psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis (cradle cap), and diaper rash in some children.
If a baby has what looks like a diaper rash, it is most probably just that, even if a parent or family member has psoriasis. Although babies can get psoriasis, the great majority of all babies, with or without a family history of psoriasis, will experience diaper rash from normal causes. Unlike the usual course of events in adults, when children do get psoriasis, it may resolve completely and never return.