harlequin babies
I notice that there's been a lot of banter about harlequin babies on this topic.

For those who don't want to google the images - yes it's nasty

but I've worked in the medical field for a few years now and seen my fair share of the scare stories.

Harlequin babies have a skin condition not dissimilar to psoriasis but instead of an environmental cause - like washing powder or synthetic materials - it's genetic (technical term 'congenital ichthyosis'). This means that the skin of a harlequin baby is 14 times thicker than the skin of a non-afflicted person. Because of this the creases that we have in our skin become tears in their skin. Yet this condition can be dealt with to some extent, but by no means cured. By bathing the child in moisturising ointment 2 or 3 times a day the skin tears can be lessened.

As has been said in previous posts, prognosis beyond adolescence is not great, but there are many living examples of harlequin babies (I do believe there was mention of Lucy and Hannah Betts - google them)

For all that have been disturbed by the image of harlequin babies, please believe me, the abnormalities are due to the birth process.

edit - by this I mean that the noticable eye problems are largely caused by the birth process and do correct themselves withina few days.

Please Google Lucy Betts to see how the body sorts itself.
( no longer a user, Mon 25 Jun 2007, 22:22, Reply)