History of Latin American Dermatology

HISTORY OF THEARGENTINE ASSOCIATIONOF PEDIATRICDERMATOLOGYJOSÉ ANTONIO MÁSSIMO, PEDRO GARCÍA ZUBILLAGA,GRACIELA MANZUR, MIRTA VÁZQUEZUn poco de nuestra historia■ A bit about our historyIn Argentina, Pediatric Dermatology is a field that has existed for a long time. In the country’slarge, major hospitals devoted to treating children, the Dermatology services have alwaysmet the needs of tiny patients with skin ailments. This is a venue in which veryprestigious Argentine dermatologists, like Pacífico Díaz, Luis Trepat and Dagoberto Pierini,carried out their work, as well as spreading their knowledge within and outside the country.Nevertheless, despite the outstanding level of their activity in quantity and quality, thedermatologists treating children had no means in common in which to communicatetheir experiences and discuss their problems; instead, they aired their concerns andteachings within the scope of the two existing dermatological groupings devoted to generalDermatology. In this context, there was no possibility of holding congresses or anyother academic activity of a nationwide setting, much less international scope, with aprogram specifically dedicated to treating children’s skin diseases.This was not very different from what occurred in other parts of the world; but as ofthe 1970s a movement began to bring together all dermatologists specializing in children.This finally led to the birth of the International Society of Pediatric Dermatology,which in turn was to promote the first congresses in the field.In concert with this movement, in Argentina the idea began to gain ground of foundinga national grouping that would gather specialists in the pediatric field. On December29, 1989, a number of them, encouraged by Dr. Adrián Martín Pierini, decided to launchthe activities that would lead to the constitution of the Argentine Society of Pediatric Dermatology(SADEPE).During the brand-new institution’s early times, scientific meetings were held two orthree times a year at diverse hospitals, and thought began to be given to working towardsmaking Argentina the venue for a world congress in this field. At last, in 1994, after arduousnegotiations, the society was awarded its first responsibility: being the country organizingthe Seventh World Congress of Pediatric Dermatology, under the presidency ofDr. Adrián M. Pierini.55