There are some parts of my daughter’s birth that are more vivid than others. I labored for more than 18 hours before our baby girl emerged… sunny-side up. She suffered a few head contusions in the process, but I was told that for the most part she was in good health. Frankly, in the hours that followed her birth I was too concerned about her swollen head and bruising to disagree, and in fact, never took the time to examine her from head to toe.
It wasn’t until the pediatrician came to check on her the next morning that I got a good look at her entire naked body. When the doctor flipped my baby over I let out a loud: “Whoa!” My daughter’s left buttock was covered with a huge, deep bruise—-at least that’s I thought it was. The doctor (noticing my shock) calmly explained in a rather jovial tone: “Your daughter has a Mongolian spot.”
“A Mongolian what?” I sputtered. I immediately wondered how it was that my beautiful baby not only had contusions on her head, but on her butt too? How did that happen?
Once I caught my breath the pediatrician explained in detail exactly what a Mongolian spot was and how it would in no way affect the health of my baby. Mongolian spots are simply flat birthmarks that can be gray or black and blue in color. They look very similar to bruises (in my daughter’s case–a very large bruise). They are most commonly found on the lower back and buttocks, but can also appear on a person’s legs and shoulders. Mongolian spots vary in size. They can range from the size of a nail head to six-inches or more across. My daughter’s was at least three inches.
That information aside, the most important fact to remember about Mongolian spots is that they are harmless. Doctors will tell you that they are nothing more than dense collections of skin cells, which contain melanin, the normal pigment of the skin. The deeper skin cells are, the more bluish they look. Regardless, they are not related to bruises or any other medical condition. What’s more, Mongolian spots do not predispose a child to skin cancer.
According to a report by the Clinical Pediatric Dermatology, at least one Mongolian spot is present on over 90% of Native Americans and people of African descent, over 80% of Asians, over 70% of Hispanics, and just under 10% of Caucasian babies.
Mongolian spots present themselves at birth, but most of them fade by age two. My daughter just turned three and you can just barely see her spot (her pediatrician told me it will disappear completely by the time she turns five). That is the most common scenario. However, some Mongolian spots do remain beyond the age of five. If your child’s spot remains visible at puberty, it is likely to be permanent. Studies show fewer than five percent of children with Mongolian spots still have any by adulthood.
As I mentioned earlier my daughter’s spot has faded dramatically over time, but seeing it for the first time certainly took my breath away.
Have you had an experience with Mongolian spots?
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