Silvery hair with bronze-tan in a child: A case of Elejalde disease

A 5-year-old boy was admitted for severe neurological impairment including hypotonia and loss of consciousness without preceding febrile illness. On examination, he had silver colored hair and bronze-tan over photo-exposed body parts. He was born of consanguineous parents and three of his elder siblings, who died in early childhood, had similar colored hair. Complete blood count and serum immunoglobulin levels were within normal limits. Peripheral blood smear did not show any cytoplasmic granules in neutrophils. Cerebro-spinal fluid examination did not reveal any abnormality. Light microscopic examination of the hair revealed irregular clumping of the melanin throughout the shafts. The patient died on the second day following admission. A clinical diagnosis of Elejalde disease was made. The clinical and genetic overlapping of the three silvery-hair syndromes has been discussed.