Circles under the baby's eyes

Dark circles under the eyes of a child – a change in skin color in the periorbital area – like any visually recorded deviation from the norm, should alert parents and make them pay closer attention to the health of their son or daughter.

After all, if a child with dark circles under the eyes does not look entirely healthy, then, first of all, you need to know what the reason is.

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Causes of Dark Circles Under the Eyes in Children

It is generally accepted that dark circles under the eyes of a child are caused by lack of sleep or systematic overwork. And this factor certainly takes place. Many are convinced that the main reason for circles under the eyes of a child is the extremely thin (about 0.5 mm thick) skin under the eyes of children, through which blood and lymphatic vessels shine through. When venous blood (with hemoglobin, which does not carry oxygen) stagnates in the capillaries of this area of the skull, dark circles under the eyes appear in a child. And this is also correct.

However, there are many other reasons for dark circles under the eyes of a child. The simplest is hereditary, that is, genetically determined features of the location of blood vessels too close to the surface of the skin, a particularly thin subcutaneous fat layer under the eyes or deep eye sockets. So, if other family members have dark circles under the eyes for these reasons, then the child will hardly be able to avoid it.

But why do children (and adults) develop dark circles under their eyes from fatigue? When the body is overcome by fatigue, the adrenal cortex hormone cortisol, responsible for preserving the body's energy resources, begins to be synthesized with double force - in order to prolong the period of wakefulness. Among many other functions, cortisol actually increases the volume of blood in the body, which causes overflow of blood vessels, including those located in the periorbital zone.

In clinical pediatrics, the causes of dark circles under the eyes in children are considered to be:

• Vegetative dysfunction (vegetative-vascular dystonia), in which - in addition to rapid fatigue, weakness, decreased mobility, sleep and appetite disturbances, dry and pale skin of the child, dark circles under the eyes are observed.
• Iron deficiency anemia, which is similar to the symptoms of autonomic dysfunction, has a negative effect on the hemoglobin level in the blood: its content in a unit of blood volume is significantly reduced, and the partial pressure of oxygen in venous blood increases. In addition, the lack of oxygen supply with blood causes tissue hypoxia. Anemia is indicated not only by dark circles under the eyes of a child, and in case of frequent dizziness and colds in children and adolescents, a complete blood count should be done.
• Avitaminosis – a lack of vitamins C, B9 and B12 interferes with the absorption of iron, and a deficiency of vitamin D weakens bones, provokes chronic pain, depression and a feeling of fatigue.
• Helminthiasis (helminthic invasion, giardiasis, opisthorchiasis, trichinosis, etc.) is accompanied by the accumulation of enzymes and waste products of parasites in the child's body, which leads not only to the appearance of circles under the eyes, but also to a decrease in collagen synthesis, deterioration of appetite and absorption of nutrients in the intestines, allergic reactions, and delayed growth and development of children.
• Dehydration of the child's body, which leads to a decrease in blood pressure and deterioration of local blood circulation in the area around the eyes.

Finally, we should mention idiopathic periorbital hyperchromia (or hyperpigmentation of the skin in the periorbital area), which is characterized by darkening of the skin around the eyes (including the eyelids), associated with increased localized production of the pigment melanin. Western researchers point to a higher frequency of this syndrome among people with dark hair and eyes and dark skin, but why melanin synthesis increases in the eye area has not yet been determined. Periorbital hyperchromia is rare in infancy, but appears as the child grows. Moreover, under the influence of light, the circles under the eyes and eyelids acquire a faint bluish tint.

Dark circles under the eyes of a child as symptoms of a disease

Dark circles under the eyes of a child have several color options. When blood flows through veins located close to the surface of the skin, the circles under the eyes have a bluish tint. Blue or purple circles under the eyes are the result of chronic fatigue, hypoxia and heart problems; with iron deficiency and dehydration, the circles under the eyes are almost black. When the circles under the eyes of a child are yellow-gray, the level of the bile pigment bilirubin in the blood plasma is increased; when brown circles appear, doctors have every reason to suspect gallbladder or liver disease. If children have allergies, the skin color in the eye area has a reddish tint.

Now let's look at dark circles under a child's eyes as symptoms of disease.

As pediatric cardiologists note, blue or purple circles under the eyes of a child with a heart defect are periorbital cyanosis, which is a local manifestation of general cyanosis that occurs due to circulatory disorders and an increase in the proportion of reduced (that is, not combined with oxygen) hemoglobin in the blood.

In kidney diseases, in particular post-infectious glomerulonephritis - inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidneys - dark circles under the eyes of the child and swelling of the eyelids and soft tissues under the eyes after sleep appear. In childhood, this disease most often develops after a nasopharyngeal infection - pharyngitis or tonsillitis caused by beta-hemolytic streptococci, which simultaneously have a negative effect on the kidneys. The child may have a fever, weakness, headache, pain in the abdomen and lower back, problems with urination, shortness of breath.

Dark circles under the eyes of a child can be a sign of liver diseases such as viral hepatitis, congenital liver cysts, hepatolenticular degeneration.

Allergies - atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, hay fever (allergy to plant pollen) - usually leave a "mark" on the face in the form of red spots in the periorbital area, as well as on the cheeks, wings of the nose and in the nasolabial folds.

According to pediatricians, almost all infections, primarily those accompanied by fever (acute sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, sinusitis, adenoiditis, tonsillitis (as well as their chronic forms)) lead to a decrease in the body's defenses and an unhealthy appearance of the child - pallor and dark circles under the eyes.

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Diagnosis of circles under the eyes in a child

In most cases, visual diagnostics of dark circles under the eyes of a child alone will not help much in determining the cause of their appearance. Therefore, a pediatrician should have a detailed anamnesis with a list of all illnesses suffered by the child - from birth, with information about the health of the parents, the peculiarities of the child's behavior, his regimen and nutrition.

To conduct an examination of the child, it is necessary to pass tests: blood, urine and feces. It may also be necessary to undergo an X-ray of the chest organs and an ultrasound of the abdominal organs.

During the examination, it may be necessary to involve a gastroenterologist, otolaryngologist, cardiologist or nephrologist.

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Treatment of dark circles under the eyes in a child

Symptomatic treatment of dark circles under the eyes in children – given the variety of reasons that cause their appearance – is not carried out by anyone: it simply does not exist.

In all the cases given, the treatment tactics consist of using methods of treating diseases identified in the process of determining the cause of dark circles under the eyes in a child.

Therefore, the only correct answer to the question of how to remove dark circles under the eyes of a child is to cure his tonsillitis or pharyngitis, heart disease, liver, kidney disease, gall bladder disease. It is unlikely that parents (unless, of course, they are doctors) will be able to do this on their own... Only a qualified specialist in the field of medicine will correctly diagnose and prescribe the necessary medications - in accordance with a particular disease.

To combat vitamin deficiency, it is necessary to give children vitamins, and to expel worms, anthelmintic drugs prescribed by a doctor.

Prevention of dark circles under the eyes in children

Prevention of dark circles under the eyes in a child consists of preventing the causes of their appearance.

The easiest way to organize your child's life is to ensure that he or she follows a daily routine and does not overtire, but also does not sit for hours in front of the TV or laptop. A full night's sleep (at least eight hours), a balanced diet (at least four times a day), fresh air, muscle exercise, positive emotions - all of this is extremely important for health.

True, if the presence of dark circles under the eyes is a family trait, then you will have to put up with it... By the way, the prognosis for circles under the eyes in a child with idiopathic periorbital hyperchromia is also disappointing - due to its unclear etiology. Although overseas doctors claim that compresses with cold milk on the area around the eyes twice a day make the circles under the eyes of a child paler and less noticeable.