[veggiegirl]

The spots are birthmarks called Mongolian blue spots. If your child has them, you NEED to have your pediatrician document them in the child's medical file, but also keep a copy at daycare, school, in your purse - pretty much everywhere because they DO look like bruises and parents have been accused of child abuse because of them. I first learned about them at a child abuse seminar I had to take before I began my student teaching. The pediatricial we interviewed and also our agency told us about them, too. They may fade, but they may not. I think I've heard they can develop after birth, but then they wouldn't be birthmarks so I'm not sure about that. They tend to appear on the backside, often near the butt which makes them look even more suspicious. They are way more common in darker-skinned or "mixed race" children due and are caused by irregular pigmentation. Our failed match had a big one and I was all set to get it documented! Google should turn up a lot of info and pics for you. Nothing to worry about at all - just document for your own protection.