The evening pediatric clinic was winding down, and the note on the next chart said, “One week old, belly button problem.” Good, I thought, this case should be straightforward. New parents are usually concerned about one of three things when it comes to their newborn’s belly button: the normal whitish inflammatory material at the base of the cord, which makes it look as if there is an infection; slight bleeding that can happen when the cord falls off; or an unhealed stump of umbilical cord called a granuloma, which must sometimes be treated with a topical chemical that cauterizes the tissue.
I introduced myself to the parents, who looked worried and more than a little tired. With a newborn at home, that was not surprising. The baby, dressed in a pink sleeper, was asleep, but she quickly woke up when her mother began to undo the snaps.
