stork mark

n. an impermanent blemish on the skin of a newborn baby. Subjects: English, Body, Medical

Etymological Note: From the folk story that newborns are brought to families by storks.

Comments? | Cites | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Citations: 1960 T.R. Van Dellen Chicago Daily Tribune (Aug. 2) “How to Keep Well” p. 18: My 16 month old baby still has stork marks on her forehead and upper eyelids. The pediatrician says they will fade but doesn’t say when. 1963 T.R. Van Dellen Chicago Tribune (May 15) “How to Keep Well” p. 12: Our baby has dark red hand marks on her cheek. Do these marks go away?…Yes, if they are stork marks, but no, if they are birthmarks. Bring this matter to the attention of your physician. 1990 Judith G. Hall et al. Handbook of Normal Physical Measurements (Jan. 25) p. 488: Stork mark Pink macular mark, localized over the forehead, face, or nape of the neck in the newborn (angel’s kiss, salmon patch, stork bit, naevus simplex, erythema nuchae). Represents the fetal circulatory pattern in the skin and will resolve spontaneously. 1993 Miranda Castro Homeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth, and Your Baby’s First Year (Apr.) p. 134: Stork marks, reddish patches on the back of the neck at the base of the skull, on the eyelids or the forehead, will usually fade within a year or two. 2006 Mark Piggott @ United Kingdom Greatreporter.com (Sept. 24) “Marked at birth: Should we intervene?”: Emma was born on 13 February this year—Friday the 13th. She had a couple of stork marks—also known as salmon patches—on the back of her scalp. These are common and, though they don’t usually fade, are soon covered by growing hair.

Posted 4 Oct 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend