cafe au lait spots

moonfaerie

DD has had one cafe au lait spot on her thigh since she was about 6 months. Pedi said it's not uncommon to have a few but that if she develops a dozen or so it could signify a problem. I haven't worried but now it looks like a second one is emerging near her knee, which is a far cry from a dozen so I'm trying to not dwell on it. Just wondering if anyone else's LO or maybe even you have a cafe au lait spot or two?

Cityplanner

DD has one.  I also have one on my thigh, but until I was an adult I always thought it was a large freckle (a very large freckle, it's like the size of a penny).  

I know the pediatrician and my father-in-law, who is a dermatologist, mentioned that multiple cafe au lait spots were cause for concern.  I never asked a specific number, but I'm sure it was more than one and I 99.9% sure it is more than two.

I did a little Google and here's one where they talk about "multiple" and they are talking about six or more: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/90/6/924 

jesspacatc

I have one as well.  K doesn't have any that i've noticed.  If they are large, more than 6 CAN be cause for concern for a condition called neurofibromatosis type I....a condition where the nerve tissues develop tumors.  It can be benign or can cause some serious issues....but it is a genetic disease and only one gene is needed to develop it (autosomal dominant)

 

g8orell

I'm a pediatric derm PA and frequently get referrals for Cafe Au Laits (CAL's). They want us to rule out something called Neurofibromatosis. The criteria is 6 or more large ones, with freckles in the groin or underarms, and "lisch nodules" or brown spots in the eyes. It is very rare! One or two is nothing! What a lot of pedi's don't know is that for a CAL to be considered the type for neurofibromatosis, it has to be a regularly shaped one, not a jagged, or irreg shaped one. FWIW, DD has 2, I have 2 and I'n ont worried at all about it!

moonfaerie

Thanks ladies! I will try to stop thinking about it unless I notice a few more.