Holding your baby in your arms for the first time is one of the greatest moments of your life. For the days that follow, you spend time looking at different parts of their body and confirming whether everything is okay. Any unusual feature that you see on your baby’s body can be alarming. Shoulder dimples are among the unusual features that you can come across and get scared. These dimples may scare you even if your baby has had them for some time, and they seem harmless to them.
Luckily, more often than not, these dimples are harmless and are not a sign of any condition. Read on for more information about the shoulder dimples and when you should seek medical help.
What Causes Shoulder Dimples?
In most cases, shoulder dimples are as a result of malfunction syndromes in the body. The dimples represent benign autosomal acromial dimples. This is an autosomal dominant condition though it is not common to most people. Therefore, if your child has dimples on the shoulder, one of the parents or another family member may have the same dimples. Other causes of shoulder dimples are traumatic etiologies, congenital malformation syndromes, and infectious and metabolic etiologies.
When your baby has dimples on both shoulders, they are said to have bi-acromial dimples. On the other hand, if there is only one dimple at a specific position on the blade or the acromion, this is said to be a shoulder acromial dimpling.
How Common Are Shoulder Dimples?
Unlike other dimples such as cheek or back dimples, among others, shoulder dimples are not that common. That is why you are likely to freak out when you notice these depressions on your little ones’ shoulders. One doctor said that he had only 15 children with shoulder dimples out of all those he had delivered in a year. Therefore, it is safe to say that this is an uncommon condition, making your baby unique.
Where Do Shoulder Dimples Occur?
Typically, you find shoulder dimples on the shoulder blades. The shoulder blade is the joint between the shoulder and the arm. The dimples may be either behind the shoulder blades or on the upper side of the blade. These dimples are similar to face dimples without any dirt or fluids. A slight difference is that they may appear as a covered line, especially if the shoulders are moving. These dimples are safe and are often considered cute. This means that you should be proud of your baby’s shoulder dimples. They will be a source of beauty, especially when they are old enough to wear vests or sleeveless clothes.
Worrying Symptoms of the Shoulder Dimples
Ideally, shoulder dimples are harmless. This means that your child can continue living a normal life even with the unusual dimples on the shoulders. However, some signs will tell you it is time to see a doctor. For instance, there could be a tumor on the bilateral shoulder dimple. This tumor could cause swelling and pain on the baby’s shoulder. Therefore, if you realize such signs on the shoulder, get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible.
Additionally, contact a doctor if you realize that the shoulder dimples make it hard for the shoulder to move at all. Pain that impedes movement is also a sign that all is not well. Get in touch with a doctor as soon as you realize any unusual sign on these dimples, such as redness, among others.
Treatment for Shoulder Dimples
Since shoulder dimples are not signs of any abnormal medical condition, you do not have to treat them. The high chances are that your baby will continue living a fulfilling life even with the dimples on their back. Be proud of these dimples and see them as a unique feature of your baby’s body. However, do not hesitate to seek medical help in case you realize anything unusual with the dimples. A doctor will advise accordingly on the best treatment to go for based on the condition’s extent.
Conclusion
Dimples on your baby’s shoulders are a sign of an autosomal dominant condition. However, these dimples are normal and do not signify any other existing condition. You are likely to get compliments on how cute your baby is when they have these shoulder dimples.
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