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Original poster

Stork bite

34 replies

WJM2020 · 08/11/2021 17:36

Hi all. My DS is 1 and he has had a stork bite since birth. He claws the crap out of it daily, despite us slathering a boat load of cream on it to soothe it.
It's goes really crusty and dry which makes him scratch it until he bleeds! Any suggestions on how to get rid of the itch? I'm not bothered about the red mark just how much it bothers him.
We have even tried hydrocortisone cream, which works but as soon as we stop using it, it comes back.
He's scratched the life out of it today and I've just picked him up from nursery and his neck is a right mess!
Any help much appreciated x

OP posts:
Original poster
WJM2020 · 08/11/2021 17:47

This is what I'm dealing with

OP posts:
MrsFin · 08/11/2021 17:54

What's a stork bite?
Have you tried antihistamine cream or medicine?

Original poster
WJM2020 · 08/11/2021 17:55

Stork bite is a birth mark type mark on the back of babies neck. Not all babies get it. It's just these last 6 months that he's been scratching it to death!
We have tried antihistamine but it does nothing to stop him scratching. It's very dry skin not an allergy xx

OP posts:
benelephant · 08/11/2021 17:55

Oh wow that looks sore. I'm not sure what a stork bite is? Is that a birth mark on the back of their neck? Two of mine have those but they've never ever irritated them at all. Maybe something else is going on, maybe eczema if it's itchy?

Original poster
WJM2020 · 08/11/2021 17:56

We have tried:
Vaseline
Balmans
Sudocream
Zeroderm
Diprobase
Dermol
Aveeno

Anything paraffin based makes his skin explode so we are avoiding anything like that

OP posts:
CornishGem1975 · 08/11/2021 17:57

My daughter was classed as having a stork bite but it was on her forehead/just above her eyes. It never was as severe as that. It was never itchy either - I don't think a birth mark should be?

WakeUpLockie · 08/11/2021 17:58

A stork bite is a birth mark at the base of the enck as shown, and one kind of in between the eyes. As if a stork has carried a baby in its beak Grin.

I had one but never gave me any trouble like that! Poor baby! I guess you've been to the doc? I guess there could be an infection/thrush etc. Sometimes hydrocortisone isn't the right treatment for itch.

bizboz · 08/11/2021 17:59

Have you spoken to the GP? My DD had a stork bite and it was just a change to the skin colouring which showed up when she cried, certainly no itching or irritation, or even anything visible on the surface. Could it be some other type of skin issue which just happens to be in the same location as the stork bite?

Seeline · 08/11/2021 17:59

Keep his nails really short.

But I would suggest a trip to the GP. I don't think it is normal for them to be dry/itchy.

WakeUpLockie · 08/11/2021 17:59

Timodine might be good but I am NOT a doc I just remember it was an absolute miracle whem DS had a months-long nappy rash. Deffo go to pharmacist if not doctor!

Original poster
WJM2020 · 08/11/2021 19:00

Thank you everyone. I've been to the GP before but shock horror, did sod all and the classic phrase of 'he'll grow out of it' was said to me for the millionth time!
I'll give them a call tomorrow and see if I can get in with him and hopefully something can be prescribed for him.
Hopefully they will physically see him so they can see what I'm going on about! 🙏🏻

OP posts:
Potatolatkes · 08/11/2021 19:04

Ds had one (still visible at 9) but he never reacted to it in any way. I’ve not heard of them being itchy. What happens if you just leave it-no cream and put him in scratch mits (you can get special ones called scratch sleeves that go under their clothes)

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 08/11/2021 19:12

I'm a nurse, I think that needs a steroid cream to calm it down.

Then look for a decent cream, I'm wondering if dermol might help.

Original poster
WJM2020 · 08/11/2021 19:13

@Potatolatkes I've left it before and the skin just got thicker and more crust and itchy. Keeping it moist seems to help but doesn't rectify the problem with the bad skin.

We have scratch sleeves for him, the special ones. He wears them when he goes to bed or naps as he had seborrheoic dermatitis when he was little and CMPA so scratches his face off a lot.
Thankfully his itching has stopped in relation to that as he is on completely oat milk now and on a full none dairy diet.
The only thing left now is his face scratching with his teething and then clawing his neck.
Poor lil man can't catch a break with his skin 😞

OP posts:
Original poster
WJM2020 · 08/11/2021 19:15

@Girliefriendlikespuppies his skin explodes with Dermol. It just flares up and goes hot and itchy so it's a no go.
Thank you for the advice with the steroid cream. Hopefully GP will prescribe some 🤞

OP posts:
RachelHasThoseInBurgundy · 08/11/2021 19:18

Ooh that looks so sore! Poor boy. My son had this but I never knew what it was called. His thankfully never seemed to irritate him.

finova · 08/11/2021 19:19

I wonder if it’s the treatments that are making it worse….my 4 year old still has one.

finova · 08/11/2021 19:20

Have you tried changing shampoo?

Pythonesque · 08/11/2021 19:29

I agree that it sounds like more than a stork bite birth mark. Either it's coincidental to the other skin problems, or it's something else. The answer may well be steroid cream to start with but from your descriptions I'd hope the GP thinks about other explanations (or depending on their background and experience, and just how things do or don't settle down, maybe refer).

WaltzingBetty · 08/11/2021 19:30

It def sounds infected. Any chance it could be ringworm?

Bettybantz · 08/11/2021 19:33

Oh poor baby. That looks sore. My little boy had a few stork bites on the back of his head and his face, but nothing as severe as that and they didn’t itch.
Is something irritating it? Detergent, shampoo etc?
Definitely go back to the GP. Yes, he’ll grow out of it but how do you manage it in the meantime?

HavfrueDenizKisi · 08/11/2021 19:38

My DD had one. It never itched.

The thing about you saying the skin goes thick makes me think this is eczema. Which DD also had.

Stork bites or other birth marks shouldn't be itchy or flaky in my opinion.

I'd be back at the GP ASAP and firmly disagree with the GP that it is nothing important and will go on its own.

(If it is diagnosed as eczema one of the biggest trigger for my DD was fabric conditioner or biological washing powders).

MONSTERSALAD · 08/11/2021 19:45

No suggestions, I'm afraid, but DD had quite a few stork bites on her eyes and head - they were never itchy, so I think the fact that he's clawing that spot is unrelated to the stork bites. Your poor little mite.

sharkan · 08/11/2021 19:50

I don't think a stork bite would be itchy. Any chance he has head lice? when one of my DC had lice that was the only place that itched and they really tore their skin at that spot.

MindyStClaire · 08/11/2021 19:52

Ouch the poor thing.

He might need a stronger steroid. Eumovate (name might be very wrong!) worked wonders for DD (regular eczema though, her stork mark marks were fine). You use it for a week until the skin is fully healed, and then twice a week after that for maintenance.

Some GPs are better than others with skin, if you find one who knows their stuff, cling to them.