Sclerema neonatorum is a rare and severe skin condition that is characterized by diffuse hardening of the subcutaneous tissue with minimal inflammation.

The hardened skin and subcutaneous fat stick to the underlying bone and muscle so much that it makes it difficult to breathe and eat, and it usually results in death.

[4] It has been proposed that subcutaneous adipose hardening in sclerema neonatorum is initiated by lowered body temperatures experienced during clinical shock.

[4] Other theories suggest that sclerema neonatorum develops as a result of dysregulated fat metabolism, stems from adipocyte-peripheral connective tissue dysfunction, or is a secondary effect of systemic toxicity.

Based on the compilation of case reports, it appears that men may experience the condition slightly more frequently than women (male to female ratio: 1.6:1).