Five-Year Old Boy With Pigment Loss

[worriedmother89]

Our son is five year's old and the light of my life. He is African-American, in Kindergarten, a little behind, but catching up quickly as he was born a bit early at 34 weeks. When our son was nearing the age of one, he developed a linear rash down the back of his leg from the bottom of his butt to the ankle. Once the rash disappeared and his skin darkened, we noticed the area had less pigment than surrounding areas. Then, one day we noticed he had a linear line down his arm approximately one inch wide and also taking up a large part of the bottom of his arm. No rash preceded this. The skin is completely smooth, no scale, no redness, just lighter. Not white. He also has pigment disappearing in random spots on his back, buttocks, upper legs, chest, stomach, and now it is starting to look like his face may be lightening in some areas. Some of these areas are leaf shaped. All of these areas have irregular borders and at this point, there are hundreds of tiny spots. When he was two, we took him to a pediatrician that specialized in skin disorders, but she had never seen it before, so she referred us to a dermatologist who at first needed an older, more experienced colleague assistance because she had never seen it before. He was brief, said he had seen it before and it will go away in time. He also has what appears to be brown small moles in the creases of his neck, but he is not overweight. Actually, thin, but healthy looking. I am taking him back to a pediatrician soon to get a referral to another dermatologist as we have relocated. We also have a three year old daughter, who has none of these symptoms and I pregnant with our third child. I am so scared. Please, any information could be helpful.

[Caryopteris]

I will send you a link since your doctor was so unhelpful.  

If it is vitiligo, then the doctor should have checked for diabetes and thyroid disease.  These can go hand in hand with vitiligo, but don't have to.  

[worriedmother89]

This is what his marks closely resemble, almost exactly like this. I have never seen anything like this on anyone ever. http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=712028
If anyone has any information or experience with this type of condition, please feel free to private message me or comment.
By the way, my son has no history of seizures. He does have a larger head with a thin frame. He also has mild developmental delay. He also has light eyes and hair (almost blondish tint in some areas), BUT his pigment loss is not white. It is just a lighter tone than the surrounding areas. My husband is finally realizing how serious this may potentially be since he is continuing to lose tiny areas as the years progress. I am taking him to his pediatrician soon and hopefully will get a referral to someone who can help us. I feel like this is my fault. Any input would be helpful.

[worriedmother89]

Also, I would like to add other than the skin condition, he has no other physical deformities. He appears healthy other than these areas of pigment loss. He is learning. He can write his name, knows his bus number, birthday, cartoon characters, and is a happy 5 year old. Like I said, no history of seizures or anything out of the ordinary. He has has two colds in his whole life and has never been hospitalized, except at birth. He was born at 34 weeks and was in the NICU for 4 days to be watched.

[maatson]

Lichen striatus.No problem there.Consult your doc.
Cheers.

[maatson]

The first one is along the line of Blascho typical of L.Striatus from buttock to ankle. As to the rest they may just represent the same in a localized form.

[maatson]

Other diagnosis is of 'Nevus depigmentosus' without systemic abnormalities.