Final answer:
The symptoms described in the 9-year-old patient suggest psoriasis, which is a skin condition featuring itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales, especially common on elbows, knees, and other areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
Clinical Presentation of Psoriasis
The case describes a 9-year-old African American male with red, scaly, crusted lesions on his cheeks, knees, ankles, and elbows that are itchy and recurrent. This presentation is characteristic of psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that leads to an overproduction of skin cells, resulting in thick, red skin covered with flaky, silvery-white scales. Psoriasis is known to commonly affect areas like elbows, knees, scalp, back, face, palms, and feet. The condition can be bothersome and may also be associated with psoriatic arthritis, which affects the joints.
There are various forms of eczema, which also cause red and itchy skin rash, however, the description of the lesions as scaly and crusted, and their specific locations, are more suggestive of psoriasis. In contrast, conditions like ringworm would present with a more distinct circular pattern and eczema typically does not produce thick, silvery scales.
Considering the clinical presentation, and comparing it with common symptoms of skin disorders, the student's question seems to be pointing towards a diagnosis of psoriasis. However, a healthcare professional would need to perform further evaluations to confirm the diagnosis and rule out similar appearing skin diseases. The management would involve topical treatments, phototherapy, and in some cases systemic medications.