A baby born with a “shell” growth on his back due to a rare skin condition has been nicknamed “little ninja turtle” by his parents.
Eighteen-month-old James McCallum of Clearwater, Florida has a congenital melanocytic nevus that causes an unusually dark, benign patch of skin.
It covered 75 percent of his back when he was born but grew rapidly, becoming “thicker and lumpy” and “like a turtle shell” by the age of two months.
The child had two major surgeries to remove it and is now getting skin expanders to encourage his normal skin to grow over the damaged area.
James McCallum, now 18 months old, was born with a growth on his back that made him look like a “little ninja turtle”. The boy from Clearwater, Florida was diagnosed with a congenital melanocytic nevus
James is pictured above with parents Kaitlyn (35) and Tim (41). Due to the disease, he often scratched his back at home
Congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN) is a condition that affects about one percent of babies born in the United States. However, larger growths are much less common, affecting about one in 50,000 births.
It is caused by the defective development of pigment cells in the first trimester of pregnancy, resulting in a benign tumor-like deformity on the back.
Untreated, growths on the back can also affect the brain and spinal cord, leading to seizures. They also increase the risk of skin cancer.
CMN usually measures less than 1.5 cm, but in James’ case it covered about 75 percent of his back.
Kaitlyn McCallum, 35, gave birth to their son on August 19, 2021 at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, where he weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces. It was at this point that doctors first noticed the condition, which was not detected by ultrasound.
She said: “It was a bit worrying because it looked like something was wrong.
“Before it was removed, it grew rapidly and became like a tortoise shell on its back.
“It got to the point where we had to put him on his side to sleep because he couldn’t lay his head down because it was so bulky.
“At first it covered 75 percent of his back and got thicker and lumpier — it looked like it was growing.”
She added: “It kind of looked like a birthmark but it had some scabs on it – it was a bit worrying because it looked like something was wrong.
“The doctors didn’t really know what it was at the time.”
He had two major surgeries to remove the growth. Doctors now use expanders to encourage his skin to replace the nevus
Growth initially meant that he had to be killed by his side. But thanks to the operation, he can now sleep on his back for the first time
Baby girl born with large dark spots on her body
Jireh Robinson was born in June 2021 with brown spots all over his body. She was diagnosed with a congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN).
His parents said that not only did their son not sleep well, but also kept scratching his back at home because the growth itched.
They were also told that the growth had no sweat glands, limiting how long their son could stay outside to avoid the risk of overheating.
After being diagnosed by a pediatric dermatologist, James was sent for an MRI scan to see if the mass had grown internally and destroyed his brain and spinal cord.
However, the results of this scan revealed everything clearly, prompting doctors to proceed with two major surgeries to get rid of the mass.
He had his first when he was six months old and his second three months later.
Ms McCallum said: “He had to get an MRI of the brain and spine because one of the sub-disorders is internal growth of the brain or spine.
“When he was two and a half months old, he had to go under anesthesia to have it done.
“We were lucky to get the results back that nothing was wrong.”
Referring to the operation, she added: “We were very pleased with the results.
“He could lay his head down and seemed much more comfortable.
“They tested the removed skin and they came back negative for disease, which was amazing.”
Doctors expect the boy to be fully recovered by his second birthday in August. He is pictured above at a local playground
The growth on his back is shown above. It took doctors two months to diagnose the condition
James is now getting skin expanders to replace the nevus with other skin on his back and stop it from growing back.
Two balloon-like structures are placed in his back and fluid is injected into them once a week.
It then gradually expands, causing its skin to stretch and grow.
He was treated in a hospital in Chicago, where his parents were traveling. Once a week they spray the salt into the balloons.
He is expected to need the extensions by the end of this month.
Ms McCallum added: “We can now put nurse on our CV.
“It was wonderfully seamless and comfortable.
“James was young enough not to know what was going on and it didn’t bother him too much what was going on.
“At first you’re like, ‘How the hell can I do this to my own child?’ but as soon as you get used to it, you think, “Thank God, I don’t have to go to Chicago for three months.”
His condition should be fully cured by his second birthday in August, his parents said.
Ms McCallum said: “The doctor told us once it was removed it was gone. He will have minimal scars.
“This condition is common on the face and we were lucky that he only had it on his back.
“If that one is removed, he will have the best quality of life. He will be able to tell a nice story about it and say it was a shark bite or something.
“We will certainly endure the horror of having to deal with this every day.”
“We started this process in September 2022 and based on what they told us they believe they can sort it out before his second birthday in August.”
Source link
Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
