Linea Nigra My 6 Year Old

Hmm, interesting... I found this on the Internet. Hope it helps:

My two and a half year old daughter has a linea nigra. To the best of my knowledge, she is incredibly healthy. I recently read that a linea nigra in non-pregnant females may be the result of diabetes, insulin resistance or a sex hormone imbalance due to drugs or disease. Do you know anything about this?

Answer:

Linea nigra, a brown stripe running from the belly button to the pelvis, is a fairly common finding in newborn babies (usually African American) and is usually attributed to exposure to maternal estrogens. If this line has been present in your child since birth or soon after, it is likely just persistent since this time. If it has appeared recently, I would discuss it with your pediatrician and see whether your child has other signs of increased estrogen (such as a growth spurt or breast development). I've never heard of linea nigra being a presenting sign of early puberty, however. There is also an association of linea nigra (with other hyperpigmentation) in children with adrenal insufficiency. I am not aware of an association with diabetes in young children.

Hi M.,

This is common for pregnant women but very uncommon for little girls. It has been suggested that there may be a problem with insulin or even adrenal insufficiency. I would go ahead and move your doctor visit up so you can see him now and just double check that everything is okay. It may be nothing but it never hurts to double check!

God bless,

M.

I actually have had a line fm my navel on down for as long as I cn remember. I am 29 now but had it as a child. My mom never took me to a MD about it as far as I cn remember and I never had any adrenal issues, diabetes, etc. However I did start puberty quite early but I never made any connection. I think the best thing is to consult a MD but just wanted u to know that I had one and as far as know, nothing is 'wrong' with me. Good luck to u n ur dtr.

I don't know. I had a linea nigra as a child. I was healthy and my mom wasn't concerned about it, just something I had. Of course, when I was a kid you only went to the doctor if you were dead, misplaced a limb or lost an eye--and probably not if you were dead. It faded after awhile, but came back when I was pregnant with my daughter, then faded right after she was born. I didn't even notice it fading; just one day I noticed I didn't have it anymore (when I was a kid).

Hope this non-answer helps.

my 7 yo has one, too. She is a mixed race child, so I don't know what any genetic factors might be. I just noticed it, actually, but I assumed she'd had it and I had not noticed, but that doesn't seem likely.

Do your children eat a lot of soy products? They contain estrogen and have been attributed to early onset of puberty, though this is debated. If you're not doing organic milk, I'd make the switch to that, as that has been attributed to early onset of puberty, as well.

I wasn't worried about it, really.

Nothing to worry about...it's just different pigmentation...I was surprised I had a line all the way from my pubic bone to my bra line when I was pregnant...but my OBGYN told me that I have olive undertones even though I am super pastey white...haha. My daughter was born with pretty olive skin, so I guess she got my undertones or something from my husband's side (he is part Italian and we both have Native American blood...). I'm sure your DD will be fine. :)