Natural-born vampires

Frequently people become revenants through no fault of their own, as when they are conceived during a holy period, according to the Church calendar, or when they are the illegitimate offspring of illegitimate parents. Indeed, in Romania it is reported that merely being the seventh child in a family is apt to cause one to become a revenant.

Similarly, there were a number of other physical signs that people watched for at birth in order to detect children who might be potential vampires: in Slavic countries where most had dark hair and eyes, any child who was blue-eyed and redheaded would become vampires after death.

Some children were born with specific abnormalities that were meaningful to those involved in vampire folklore:

Children being born with teeth have obvious implications, as vampires are known for their sharp teeth and biting. Similarly suspicious are children with an extra nipple; with a lack of cartilage in the nose, or a split lower lip; or with features that are viewed as bestial, such as fur down the front or back or with a tail-like extension of the spine, especially if it is covered with fur (likewise fur or a tail would point to werewolves).

Not to forget children born with a membrane covering their heads (cauls). In this case, it was possible to prevent the change by burning the caul and feeding the ashes to the baby.

More about freaks and prodigies