[An infant with blisters post partum]

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pediatrics
• Medical Genetics

Background:

• Congenital anomalies require prompt diagnosis and management.
• Pre-auricular lesions in newborns can have various etiologies.
• Dermal dysplasias represent a group of developmental abnormalities affecting the skin.

Observation:

• A newborn male infant presented with bilateral pre-auricular vesicles shortly after birth.
• No other congenital abnormalities were noted in the infant.
• The vesicular lesions on the cheeks were unresponsive to topical antibiotic treatment.

Findings:

• Initial differential diagnoses included friction injury and bullous impetigo.
• Failure of antibiotic therapy suggested a non-infectious etiology.
• After one month, the clinical presentation led to the postulation of focal pre-auricular dermal dysplasia.

Implications:

• Focal pre-auricular dermal dysplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neonatal cheek vesicles.
• This case highlights the importance of considering rare developmental conditions.
• Further investigation may be warranted to understand the pathogenesis and long-term outcomes of this condition.