Congenital Lyme disease

[MeganY24]

Every day that's goes on I get more anxiety about my one year old daughter being effected by this illness. I know for a fact that I had it when I was pregnant with her but I didn't receive a diagnosis until she was 9 months old. She was considered inter uterine growth restricted during pregnancy and was born at 34 weeks weighing 3lbs 9oz. Other than her size she's been perfectly healthy. She seems developmentally on track but she's still barely on the growth charts. Maybe I just over analyze everything but I've noticed little things here and there and I can't help but wonder if they might be connected to Lyme. The first thing I noticed is her hair is very coarse and wiry. My husband and I are both Caucasian and yet her hair has an ethnic texture. And I've also noticed that her pupils don't dilate evenly and she has a grey-ish ring (I looked it up, it's call blue sclera) in the whites of her eyes. Also her top four teeth and her bottom four teeth came in recently and I've noticed white spots on her teeth which I know means early cavities. And two of her teeth are very sharp, almost pointed, that worries me a lot since tooth deformities are common in congenital syphilis and Lyme and syphilis seem to have so much in common. I know I probably sound irrational but hopefully someone else will have some advice for me.

[md2013]

I will second cage76 here.  Even though I gave one possibility that doesn't mean it applies to your case.  And it looks like it may be nothing at all being that your doctors have checked it out several times.  


Try ( which I know is hard) not to worry too much.  My little one did not contract lyme from me.  The things you are seeing may be just normal differences.  The blue sclera I know is present in normal babies I believe.  

[mojogal]

Just talking as a mother in general, we worry about everything. My youngest had 6 cavities early on but really never had sweets. Anything that looks different will make us worry. If you can check her with an LLMD,  I would do that.

[cave76]

What md2013 (could s/he be a  real doctor or just played one on TV?) said is true but just because it's true doesn't mean it's true in your daughters case. Take that bit of information and file it WAY in the  back of your mind.

Hypochondriac? Yeah, I was called that simply because I said I had Lyme and all the Dr. Numbnuts that I saw hadn't a clue about what was really bothering me.

[MeganY24]

I've read about the ectodermal dysplasia and it scares the sh*t out of me. I've brought up all these concerns with her pedi and they basically call me a hypochondriac. If I ever find a LLMD I will definitely have them check her out. I recently found a blog written by a woman who has a baby with congenital Lyme and she happens to be exactly one month older than my daughter and exactly the same size. They look unbelievable similar. I found a lot of good info and contacted the woman via Facebook. Thank you all for your help!

[md2013]

uneven pupil dilation causes: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/uneven-pupil-dilation.html

[md2013]

Everything you said to me is not something to worry about imo.  Kids are born with odd textures of hair- usually falls out. White marks on teeth usually mean nothing at all.  

with that said, odd hair texture and pointed teeth can be indicative of a VERY rare condition: Ectodermal dysplasia.  

http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/ectodermal-dysplasia

also, if there pupils are not dilating the same, this is something that should be brought up to your physician.  There are ppl who go through their whole life this way with no problem, but it could be an underlying neurological or other condition that needs to be checked out.

[JackieCalifornia]

To put your mind at rest, what about having your daughter seen by your Lyme doc for a quick look?  You don't even have to tell your pediatrician that you're doing it.  That would put your mind at ease, either that everything is fine, or if there are things that need to be done (medication or whatever) if there is some Lyme maybe lurking around, then you'll know and can take appropriate action.

The scariest things are the unknown.  It's why mystery and monster movies often have lots darkness and spooky music ... it's the unknown that frightens.

When I was finally diagnosed with Lyme, I dragged my kid to the Lyme doc for a work up, on the theory that we'd been all the same places, and sure enough, she had Lyme and babesia, the same things I had.  

She grumbled and griped about taking the meds every day for months, but when it was all done, she told me she hadn't realized how worn out she had felt all the time before she got treated.  Kids can handle a lot, but if they've got a bug, better to get it taken care of.  

[cave76]

Also primary teeth are VERY sharp usually. They haven't been used enough to grind them down.

"Pointy"? Semantics a b**** on the internet! :)

[MeganY24]

Her pediatrician entertained the idea of testing her....but nothing's happened yet and that doesn't surprise me. I am going to bring it up again at her one year check up next week. I sure hope you're right about the white spots on her teeth. I can't imagine her having cavities less than a month after her top teeth erupted

[cave76]

I wish some way we could help you. I don't think you're being irrational but I do think you might be worrying needlessly about:

"  I've noticed white spots on her teeth which I know means early cavities."

Not necessarily. Putting my dental hat on again----- if  you live where there is fluoridation of the water those could just be the harder parts of her teeth. I practiced before fluoridation and after and those white spots were real common after community fluoridation. Also many less cavities.

If you live where there's natural fluoridation in the water, and you're on a well or ? there may be just a little too much fluoridation.

Let's hope that's the case.

About congenital Lyme? Maybe. Maybe not. Since she was a preemie she wasn't 'finished' yet so there may be other differences with her until she matures a bit. (What I don't know about preemies would fill a book, so.....)

Can  you get her tested? Not that tests are perfect.
Would the hospital have her cord preserved in paraffin?