Tuberous Sclerosis in the Newborn

Abstract

TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS is a rare condition of infancy and childhood with a diagnostic triad of retarded mental development, convulsions, and sebaceous adenomata of the face. When skin lesions are absent, as in 20% to 30% of all cases, clinical diagnosis becomes difficult. Amplified descriptions of tuberous sclerosis are available from the point of view of the neurologic aspects,¹ the convulsive seizures,² and the various dermatoses.³ The present report is that of a newborn infant with tuberous sclerosis, rhabdomyoma of the heart, and skin lesions who developed respiratory distress a few hours after birth. The diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis was made because the significance of skin lesions was recognized. Case History The patient was born at another hospital and was transferred to the George Washington University Hospital with the diagnosis of lung tumor. The infant was born of a gravida 3, Para 2, white woman after 36 weeks