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Original poster

'Dimple' at the bottom of spine/top of bum cheeks. Anyones DC have this?

48 replies

misscutandstick · 01/06/2009 13:38

as title really...

DS5 (3yrs) has a largish 'dimple' at the top of his bum cheeks at the bottom of his spine. I happened to come across an article which mentioned that its usually formed because of v.mild spina bifida! OMG i was truly amazed, kept on reading and apparently its unlikely to cause any problems if they havent been spotted so far. the article mentioned that as many as 10% of the public have this misformed vertebra.

I always thought it was just cute - but hey i thought his 'commando crawling' was cute too and look where that got him!

anyone elses DC with a dimple in the same place?

OP posts:
UndertheBoredwalk · 01/06/2009 13:41

My DD has it, she has diagnosed mild spina bifida, but also another condition related to the spine too.
If it wasn't for the second condition though, it would almost certainly cause her no problems and probably would have gone unnoticed.

I have one too

Peachy · 01/06/2009 13:42

DS2 has one,very hairy. he has no diagnosed Sn though suspected adhd / dyspraxia.

No doubt paed will find it should he ever get that far in the system.

Peachy · 01/06/2009 13:48

Just read adhd and spina bifida occulta can be related.

Hmmmmm. Wonder if SENCO realises?

madwomanintheattic · 01/06/2009 14:43

dd1 has one too - they took her away at birth to investigate, but it was all fine. she's 9 now and does 4 dance classes a week

r3dh3d · 01/06/2009 15:05

DD1 had it. No-one commented. DD2 has it. No one commented. I also read something about spina bifida and got a bit curious - after much twisting and turning in the mirror, turns out I have it too - which reminds me, must chase up GP re: trying to get me an ADHD diagnosis...

tclanger · 01/06/2009 15:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
misscutandstick · 01/06/2009 16:09

oooh it seems lots of people have one, how weird!

The thing is DS5 was a home-birth, and the MW who came to do his birth checkup (count the fingers etc) mentioned it in passing and that was about it. You'd have thought it would have been brought to the attention of a Paed or something, just to confirm that it really wasnt a problem .

He is however a bit hyper 'busy', always on the go. And he has many intolerances ...

OP posts:
Peachy · 01/06/2009 16:35

LOLat TC- wuldnt know if I ahd one for same reason

Poor ds2 is on way to casualty after yet another clumsiness related accident in dance class at school, so maybe there is something in it, OTOH ADHD is also related to sibs with asd.... maybe we're just effed up as a family?

ABitStretched · 01/06/2009 17:04

Hmmmm - ds2 has been in and out of hospital with different problems (all mild by the standards of the other children we've seen there) and no one has picked up on his cleft above his normal bum cheeks and it is quite noticeable. Thanks for posting about this - I may raise it at his next paed appointment -if i can face yet another sheet being added to his medical records. Does anyone know if investigating it involves any tests?

5inthebed · 01/06/2009 17:42

DS2 has one. The paed who dx him with autism saw it (I assume) and didn't comment on it. Quite interesting how many DC have them.
I have often wondered if it could be a visual sign of something. So much so, that when DS3 was born, I checked to see if he had one as well. He didn't. Sounds silly, but I felt relieved he didn't.

pinklady5 · 01/06/2009 18:05

ds has 1 , it was briefly mentioned to me when he was born but no tests were carried out , he is 10 now & still running around - non stop

flappybitsoskin · 01/06/2009 18:17

yes - dd has this

and another odd crevice after her anus. Caused me to shout to nurse whilst in hospital after her birth
' nurse nurse my baby has 2 bumholes' she hasn't really

Sausageandmash · 01/06/2009 18:18

Hi - my ds is currently under scrutiny re: an odd dimple (he may have a tethered cord) so I've been googling like crazy! I'm sure the majority of these dimple, etc., are merely our children's 'version' of normal, but Peachy, your mention of a 'hairy' patch reminded me of some of things I've read such as:
www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tethered_cord/tethered_cord.htm

I'm not meaning to be alarmist, but it might be something you want to check out, just to be on the safe side. I hope you don't mind me mentioning it.

mum2RandR · 01/06/2009 18:20

My nephew (3) has one and it was spotted after he was born. The doctor had a look in it with a torch and said he could see the end so he didnt think it was a problem. Had to have a scan but they said everything was fine.

Phoenix4725 · 01/06/2009 18:46

ds has got one to , but in his case there now thinking its rlated tosome of weakness in lower body , but its not just dimple there is a defintelteration to spine its not staright waiting on mri scan

Phoenix4725 · 01/06/2009 18:47

h his was ntd at week chck up and they just kep eye on it its only know there looking into it more

lou031205 · 01/06/2009 18:54

DD1 has this, but not noted to be a problem. Although she does have delayed gross motor skills among her repertoire of 'issues'.

Phoenix4725 · 01/06/2009 19:15

sheesh my spelling

Peachy · 01/06/2009 21:09

sausage thanks, much prefer aw\reness to not, so appreciated

I threw up every folicacid tab I ever took (I had HG), so just hoping Paed dismissses

Sycamoretreeisvile · 01/06/2009 21:25

Gosh, this is interesting. I was just looking at DS 20 months yesterday. He has a dimple so small at base of spine (real pointy end of spinal bone) that actually looks like a little hole.

On much poking and prising I discovered the hole does have an end to it, a bit like a tummy button, but size at maximum is a bit less than the diameter of a matchstick.

Itt does not seem normal to me and I was building up to googling and taking him to docs.

Sycamoretreeisvile · 01/06/2009 21:32

Sorry, I know google isn't gospel, but this is a response from a doctor which I thought was helpful and made sense. There was more info on the page about the biology of how the dimples are formed, which is described as if you roll a piece of paper but the edges of the paper don't quite fit. Multiply the number of pieces and some times you will get crumples in those tubes that haven't quite fitted together properly.

Cut and Paste:

  1. Can the floor of the pit or dimple be easily visualized? Divots in which the bottom portion cannot be seen may be evidence of a neural tube that never closed completely.
  2. Does the pit have a tuft of hair growing from it? This again make a pit suspicious for deeper involvement.
  3. Is the neurologic exam normal? If there is significant involvement of the spinal column, there may be weakness in the legs.
  4. How high up on the back is the dimple? Most dimples very low on the back (just above the buttocks) are of little concern. The higher the dimple is, the more likely it is to be associated with defects in deeper tissues.
  5. Are there signs of any other defects? The brain, spinal column, kidneys, as well as other structures form at the same time the neural tube closes. Therefore, if there are any malformations in any other parts of the body, it becomes more concerning that the neural tube may be involved as well.

I will still take DS to the docs, but I think he falls into the benign category as the dimple is low and I could find the bottom of it.

5inthebed · 01/06/2009 21:44

They missed #6, Does the hole serve as a crevise for poo

I'm watching this thread with great interest, as wondering if there is a link to DS2's dyspaxia. Very interesting.

Sycamoretreeisvile · 01/06/2009 21:47

Ha ha 5inthebed - do you know what, it hasn't yet but looking inside it, it did look a bit sore and read, like it had probably got cream or whatever in it over time but had never been properly flushed out/cleaned.

Poor DS What's it gonna look like when he's 18?

Sycamoretreeisvile · 01/06/2009 21:47

sore and RED, doh!

5inthebed · 01/06/2009 21:57

DS2's little dimpley hole thing always "fills up" when he has a poo (TMI I know). I always have to remember to wipe there when changing him.

His sin't too deep though, so not that bad.