Pediatric Advisor 10.0: Geographic Tongue

Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0

Geographic Tongue

	The tongue develops smooth red patches of various shapes and sizes.
	The pattern resembles a map and can change from week to week.
	The bare spots are painless, and the sense of taste is preserved.
	The condition usually occurs in children under age 6.

The cause is unknown, but it is not due to a vitamin deficiency.

The tongue returns to normal appearance after a period of months to years.

The condition is harmless. No treatment is helpful or necessary.

Written by B.D. Schmitt, M.D., author of "Your Child's Health," Bantam Books.