About this topic
A birthmark is a colored mark on the skin. Sometimes, a baby is born with it. Other times, it appears shortly after birth. Birthmarks are divided into 2 groups. ‚
- Pigmented birthmarks ¢ ˆ ’ May not need any kind of treatment
- Cafe-au-lait spots look like a coffee colored spot on the skin. They may be a sign of another health problem if your child has more than 6 of them.
- Moles are flat or raised and may be a black or brown color. These are very common. Moles may turn into melanoma or skin cancer over time.
- Mongolian spots are bluish-gray marks that looks like a bruise. They are often found on darker skinned people. These birthmarks are most often seen on the lower back or buttocks. They may happen other places as well. Mongolian spots may go away by the time a child is about 4 years old.
- Vascular birthmarks ¢ ˆ ’ May or may not need treatment
- Salmon patch or stork marks are a very common kind of birthmark. They are pink or red flat patches on a babys eyelid, neck, or forehead. Often these will fade over time. Until they fade, the mark will become darker when your child cries.
- Infantile hemangiomas are a raised cluster of blood vessels. They are reddish, bluish, or purple in color. For the first 6 to 18 months, these birthmarks tend to get bigger. Then, they start to get smaller and are often gone by age 9. These may go deep into the skin.
- Port-wine stains are reddish-purple birthmarks. They can be on the face or body. Sometimes, these birthmarks are a sign of some other health problem.
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child.
- Give your child any drugs that the doctor orders.
- If your child had laser treatment or surgery, follow your doctors orders on what to do at home.
- Learn how to use special makeup to cover up your child's birthmark.
- If your child bumps or scrapes the birthmark, stop the bleeding, clean it, and cover it with a bandage.
- Talk with a counselor or join a support group if you or your child is having problems dealing with how the birthmark looks.
What follow-up care is needed?
The doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits. Your doctor may send your child to a skin expert. This is a dermatologist. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with swelling
- Help with the immune system
Will physical activity be limited?
Physical activity should not be limited. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Image problem
- Deformity
- Bleeding or open sores
- Birthmark can grow and get in the way of being able to see, eat, or go to the bathroom
- Sudden and fast growth
- Some birthmarks can lead to other problems like cancer or glaucoma
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
There is nothing that can be done to prevent this problem. ‚
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Sudden change in the size or look of the birthmark
- Birthmark keeps bleeding
- Birthmark causes problems with seeing, eating, or going to the bathroom
- Your child is not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or is feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my childs condition.
- I can tell you how to care for my child's birthmark.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has a change in how the birthmark looks, the birthmark is bleeding, or it causes problems.
Where can I learn more?
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/birthmarks.html ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Birthmarks/Pages/Introduction.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚