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Original poster

Baby has hair in bum crack - worried sick

114 replies

soworried88 · 23/08/2020 09:13

My baby (4 months old) did a poo this morning and as I was cleaning her up, I noticed that she has a few longish black hairs growing in her bum crack, kind of between her bum hole and her back. They’re not visible unless you part her bum cheeks and I’d say there are about six to eight hairs in total. At first I thought it was random hair that has got caught in her bum but it’s definitely attached to her skin.

I’m fairly certain this has happened very recently as I’ve never noticed them before - unless I missed them somehow?!

I’m so worried - what does it mean? Could it be a sign of spina bifida? Please help Sad

OP posts:
Sayitagainwhydontyou · 23/08/2020 09:15

Call your HV? I wouldn't google it if i were you, as you'd likely get a great deal of upsetting results.

Original poster
soworried88 · 23/08/2020 09:17

I already have googled and am terrified. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

OP posts:
Sayitagainwhydontyou · 23/08/2020 09:18

Please don't take medical advice from randoms on the internet. If you're concerned, call your HV or GP, pop in to the pharmacy and talk to them, or call 111.

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Highfalutinlootin · 23/08/2020 09:28

I'm so sorry to hear how distressed you are, OP. This does sound very scary to discover. Of course you'll want to talk to your baby's doctor to get a proper diagnosis. But if it's any help in the meantime, even if it is spina bifida, the good news is that there are multiple types, and the type that causes the patch of hair, spina bifida occulta, generally doesn't even require treatment and does not cause disability. The doctors would definitely have seen at the hospital already if your baby had the more severe form of spina bifida because it has a very obvious appearance on the baby's back. Try not to worry too much until you can see the doctor.

Applesarenice · 23/08/2020 09:50

It could be a hormone imbalance. I know a baby who had similar

awesomeaircraft · 23/08/2020 09:51

Sympathies. Please get off the internet though, that place is a horrid place for worried mums. I think with my first one, I managed to convince myself she had terminal cancer from googling her cold symptoms. I remember being worried about my baby having some white hair too, turned out normal too.

Likely to be nothing worrying. Check with your HV or GP for peace of mind.

Original poster
soworried88 · 23/08/2020 09:59

Thank you. I’ve contacted NHS 111 and a GP is calling me back within the next 12 hours. It’s just so strange how it’s suddenly appeared (unless I’ve missed it - but surely I couldn’t have done?!)

If she did had spina bifida would it not have been picked up on the scans she had in the womb, or at the six week check with the doctor? They never detected any problems with her spine. I’m so scared.

OP posts:
Original poster
soworried88 · 23/08/2020 10:29

She’s been sleeping in a Snuzpod with the reflux incline (she had bad silent reflux in the early days and wouldn’t sleep flat). Could this have damaged her spine? I assumed it was safe to use as it comes as part of the Snuzpod (which is only suitable for babies from 0-6 months) Sad

OP posts:
Teakind · 23/08/2020 10:30

Hi op, is there a kind of hole/dip where they are coming out of?

My DS was about the same age when I must have bent him back further than normal during a nappy chance and noticed a 'hole'. His doesn't have hair but it looked a bit blue around so like you I was really worried about spina bifida. We've been told because you can see the bottom of the hole and the fact it's sealed it's just a sacral dimple.

I hope you get seen soon as I know how worrying it it. I agree with other posters who say to stay away from google as I worked myself up so much about it.

Original poster
soworried88 · 23/08/2020 10:55

No, I don’t think there’s a hole or dip. It’s just hair.

I’ve just read that spina bifida can be caused by lack of folic acid before pregnancy. I took mine up to 12 weeks but didn’t take any before conception.

Also, I’m sure when I had the 20 week scan they checked for spina bifida and didn’t find anything - but could it have been missed?

OP posts:
Iwonder08 · 23/08/2020 11:38

Calm down. It is probably hormone imbalance. There is no way snuzpod anti reflux damaged Baby's spine. Wait until she is seen by a proper doctor. Stop googling, without medical tests you are not going to diagnose it

Original poster
soworried88 · 23/08/2020 11:43

@Iwonder08 is hormone imbalance something that’s easily treated?

Is there a chance that it could just be a random bit of hair with no medical reason? I really hope so.

OP posts:
GetUpAgain · 23/08/2020 11:49

OP of its any reassurance whilst you wait for medical answers, I found out by chance that I have spina bifida occulta when I was in my 30s. It has honestly made zero difference to my life, its such an alarming label but people don't realise there is a very mild version.

I hope your daughter is fine. Best of luck.

doesthatmakesense · 23/08/2020 11:58

Dd2 has a pretty impressive sacral dimple that was diagnosed as spina bifida occulta, was spotted at birth by midwife and confirmed at her first gp check. Brief follow up with paeds every 6 months- she was discharged at 24 months when she did a cartwheel whilst I was chatting to the consultant at our last appt. The only difficulty it has ever caused her is from sitting on hard plastic school chairs for a long time, and the occasional bump off the end of a slide.

I know it can be very hard not to fall headlong into all the scary 'what ifs', but babies are remarkably robust.

SilentStorm · 23/08/2020 12:03

My DD also had a hairy sacral dimple, probable spina bifida occulta, noticed at birth. We were told it was nothing to worry about and it was very unlikely to cause problems.

Original poster
soworried88 · 23/08/2020 12:07

I’ve just been called back by 111 and they said they weren’t going to elevate it because it’s just the hair that’s the issue - other than that she seems totally normal. However, they said that because I’m feeling anxious I should call the doctor tomorrow morning and get her seen. That’ll be easier said than done because our surgery is only doing phone appointments initially at the moment. She said if the doctor is concerned then she might be referred to paediatrics, but to start with the GP first. I just wish I could get an ultrasound to get her checked out properly.

OP posts:
SoloMummy · 23/08/2020 12:07

It's very rare for a hair tuff to actually be spina bifida. However, you need to speak to a medical professional.

Original poster
soworried88 · 24/08/2020 04:07

@SoloMummy any idea what else it could be? To be honest a hormonal imbalance (as someone else suggested) sounds quite worrying too. She seems so well within herself - bright and happy. This just seems to have come out of nowhere!

OP posts:
CleanandJerk · 24/08/2020 04:17

Hi Solo. If this is any reassurance to you, I noticed during my second baby's early months that she seemed to have patches of hair along her back. When she went for a six week check my gp mentioned that she thought she had a Mongolian Blue Spot but as she is mixed race, didn't think too much of it. Both my children were born early and had laguno (excuse spelling but soft downy body hair) so I thought it was just that but more pronounced. I didn't think too much of it. It never came up in any medical intervention etc.
That baby is now 9 and still has hair on her upper back, but the hair lower down faded away over the years. She is completely healthy. I can't sleep tonight and I had forgotten all about this until I saw your post.
I hope that reassures you. Ring your GP tomorrow and have a chat with them when you get your appointment. Try not to worry.

Terrace58 · 24/08/2020 04:17

When you are worried about your child, the reaction of the medical system seems painfully slow. You will experience this again and again and it’s not specific to the NHS. No doctor can respond fast enough when we are scared for our child.

Even worst case scenario, this isn’t an emergency. Your daughter is happy right now and that is all that matters. Call your GP and follow up, but keep remembering that she isn’t in pain, she isn’t in distress, her world remains perfect even while you worry.

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 24/08/2020 05:34

Please please don’t panic. As someone whose first baby had a medical issue and knows the panic it causes - it’s miserable - but all sorts of weird and wonderful things happen to babies and usually it’s fine.

Stay off the internet and get it checked but I am sure this will be ok. There is always something to worry about with babies and kids. Lots of loveb

Original poster
soworried88 · 24/08/2020 09:53

The doctor has just told me to keep an eye on it - not very reassuring! They said it can’t be spina bifida as it would have been picked up in the pregnancy scans. I’m not sure what to do now.

OP posts:
Original poster
soworried88 · 24/08/2020 17:06

I requested an appointment with a different GP as I wasn't convinced by the first doctor's verdict. We saw the second GP today and they've referred my daughter to paediatrics. So now we just have to wait for the letter to come through in the post - hopefully it won't be too long.

OP posts:
Babyboomtastic · 25/08/2020 11:24

Honestly, I really would try not to worry. It's clearly not full blown spina bidifa, as that would be physically obvious at birth.

It might be spina bifida occulta, which is symptomless, and occurs in 10-15% of people, most of which only discover it if they have an X ray for something else.

Or it could just be one of those things. I have a hair that grows in the middle of my tummy. I know someone who only grows hair on one armpit.

I'm happy that the second doctor was prepared to refer you, for your peace of mind,but personally, it's not even something that I'd have mentioned to the hv.

User1053051066 · 25/08/2020 23:48

My ds1 had a very hairy back at the base of his spine and at his newborn checks in hosp I mentioned it to the dr. He took a good look and was honestly unsure but decided that as the growth of hair looked quite normal ie the direction etc we just left it. Ds is now 15 and is just hairy. As a toddler he had a very hairy neck/lower hair area, top of his back was obvious at the top of a t-shirt, this was all very nice, sweet hair btw! I make it sound like he was an ape! He has been shaving since age 13, now the only part he doesn't shave is his chin (front), has hairy legs like a man and a great head of hair.

He was also born with a full head of hair, fringe half way down his forehead! The only thing I wished was not to have a bald baby!! I was lucky!

Don't worry :-)