Helen Schieve, LLL Leader wrote:

> I got a call from mom who is asking if anyone knows any thing about erythema
> migrans, also called geographic tongue.  She was told that it is usually
> something that you have as a child and never goes away.  She got this during
> breastfeeding.  She is currently breastfeeding a 2 year old.  She will be
> having a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis as there is a minute chance that it
> is not benign.  I can't find any references and have checked the archives.  If
> anyone has any information please let me know.  TIA.

I believe this has indeed been discussed before.  I have had geographic tongue
since I was a child.  I didn't think it was called erythema migrans.  Perhaps that
is something else. It comes and goes and flares up when I eat pineapple or tomato
or other citrusy things.  My 2-1/2 year old (breastfeeding) daughter gets it as
well.  I saw a doctor about it as a child (my usually unflappable father was
completely freaked out by the appearance of my tongue and personally took me to
the doctor) and my various dentists over the years have seen it as well.  No-one
has ever commented on it beyond, "oh, you have geographic tongue" and no-one ever
suggested a biopsy.

Found this...

http://www.utmb.edu/oto/Grnds.dir/stomatitis.htm

Geographic Tongue (Benign migratory glossitis)

Geographic tongue is a common condition of the tongue characterized by alternating
areas of red desquamated zones
bordered by sharp raised margins. Over a period of days to weeks, the "bald" areas
migrate across the surface of the
tongue by haling on one border and extending onto another border. The desquamated
areas represent areas devoid of
filiform papillae but intact red fungiform papillae. Psychological factors have
been shown to correlate with the severity
of involvement but the etiology is unknown. The course of the disease is variable
but often persists for months to
years. It is reported to exist in 1 - 2% of the general population and is usually
asymptomatic, although patients may
complain of mild burning with spicy foods or citrus fruits. Topical steroids may
help with burning, but reassurance is
usually the only required treatment.

Another web search for erythma migrans came up with a bunch of links for lyme
disease, but I could not find a specific description for erythma migrans in the
links (alot of them were in German...)

Kathy, in spring-like Maryland

--
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Kathy Koch, BSEd, IBCLC
LLL Leader, AAPL
mailto:[log in to unmask]          Great Mills, MD, USA
"Within the child lies the fate of the future."   Maria Montessori
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