My baby has a single white steak of hair (since birth) but neither of us as parents have had this. 

Can these things develop out of nowhere and not passed down? Could it be from our extended family and past generations of family? Or is it just a lack of pigmentation that has happened for a number of reasons?

I do not know for sure... but I used to know a kid who had a white patch in his hair and his parents did not, so that would suggest so.

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 20196 yr by DrP

1 hour ago, tim86 said:

Can these things develop out of nowhere and not passed down?

Out of nowhere? Perhaps not, unless this is how you perceive genetics. Infections, inflammation, and toxins can damage the structures that provide color to hair. I've heard a "shock" of white hair can be caused by a spider bite, but I don't recall if my source was fictional or not. 

2 hours ago, tim86 said:

My baby has a single white steak of hair (since birth) but neither of us as parents have had this. 

Can these things develop out of nowhere and not passed down? Could it be from our extended family and past generations of family? Or is it just a lack of pigmentation that has happened for a number of reasons?

Not all traits a child expresses outwardly is itself visible on either parent. Sometimes genes between two parents mix in ways to create new traits and sometimes when genes are being copied slight changes get made to the genetic code that result in these types of things.

It's perfectly natural and does not in any way suggest problems or infidelity. It's just another beautiful possible outcome of evolution.