Is My Child's Skin Affecting Them? (CDLQI)
Take the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI), designed for children aged 4-16 with skin conditions. 10 questions covering symptoms, feelings, school, friendships, sleep, and treatment impact. Helps your dermatologist understand the full picture. Instant results.
Before You Start
- This is a screening tool, not a diagnostic test
- All answers are processed in your browser only
- No data is stored or sent to any server
- Results can be copied to share with your clinician
What Is the Children's DLQI?
The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) is designed specifically for children aged 4–16 years. Developed at Cardiff University, it measures how a skin condition affects a child's daily life including school, friendships, play, sleep, and emotional wellbeing. It is completed by the parent or guardian on behalf of younger children, or by the child themselves if they are old enough.
When to Use This Assessment
The CDLQI is valuable whenever you want to understand how your child's skin condition is affecting their daily life beyond what is visible on the skin. Children may not always communicate the full impact — they might avoid swimming, feel embarrassed at school, or have disrupted sleep without telling you. This assessment helps capture the broader picture and provides a score you can share with your child's doctor.
How the CDLQI Is Scored
The CDLQI has 10 questions scored from 0 (not at all) to 3 (very much), giving a total between 0 and 30. Scores of 0–1 indicate no effect, 2–5 a small effect, 6–10 a moderate effect, 11–20 a very large effect, and 21–30 an extremely large effect on your child's quality of life. Tracking scores over time helps monitor whether treatment is making a real difference to your child's daily experience.
What Your Child's Score Means
A higher CDLQI score indicates greater impact on your child's quality of life and may support discussions about treatment options with their paediatric dermatologist. Children with skin conditions can experience bullying, social withdrawal, and reduced confidence — the CDLQI helps ensure these impacts are recognised and addressed alongside the physical symptoms.