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Brown Spots on Children's Skin: Symptoms of Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a genetic condition that causes changes in skin pigmentation and tumors in nerve tissue. Some of the changes in skin color include light brown, freckles in the armpits and groin.
TL;DR
- Neurofibromatosis type 1 causes changes in skin pigmentation (light brown patches, freckles) and tumors in nerve tissue.
- Tumors can develop anywhere in the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, and may be benign or cancerous.
- Symptoms are often detected in childhood and include multiple café-au-lait spots, freckling in armpits/groin, learning difficulties, and optical pathway gliomas.
- The condition is caused by an altered gene, NF1, located on chromosome 17, inherited from a parent.
- It affects approximately 1 in 2,500 people.