Failure to Thrive in Infants with Complex Facial Hemangiomas

Infantile hemangiomas are self-limiting benign tumors. Although most hemangiomas do not require treatment, intervention is indicated for disfigurement, ulceration, or functional impairment. Oral or airway hemangioma obstruction can cause dysphagia.

These authors retrospectively analyzed the records of four infants with complicated facial hemangiomas and significant failure to thrive during the first year of life. Parents completed questionnaires, with a focus on oral issues and sensory delay. The hemangiomas were complicated: a “beard” distribution; location on the cheek with ulceration but without extension into the oral cavity; a segmental hemifacial hemangioma associated with cerebral palsy and developmental delay; and a segmental facial …