Circles under the eyes of the child

Circles under the eyes of the child - a discoloration of the skin in the periorbital zone - as any visually fixed deviation from the norm should alert the parents and make them take a closer look at the health of their son or daughter.

After all, if a child with "bruises" under the eyes is not quite healthy, then, in the first place, you need to know - what's the reason.

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Causes of circles under the eyes of a child

It is generally believed 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 cause of circles under the eyes of a child is an extremely thin (about 0.5 mm thick) skin under the eyes of children, through which the blood and lymph vessels are visible through. With stagnation in the capillaries of this zone of the venous blood cranium (with hemoglobin, which does not carry oxygen), the child develops dark circles under the eyes. And this is also correct.

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

But why do children (and adults) from overwork appear dark circles under the eyes? When the body overcomes fatigue, the cortisol hormone responsible for the preservation of the body's energy resources, the hormone of the adrenal cortex, begins to be synthesized with a vengeance - to prolong the period of wakefulness. Among many other functions, cortisol actually increases the amount of blood in the body, which causes the blood vessels to overflow, including those located in the periorbital zone.

In clinical pediatrics, the reasons for the appearance in children of dark circles under the eyes are:

• Vegetative dysfunction (vegetovascular dystonia), in which - in addition to rapid fatigue, weakness, decreased mobility, sleep and appetite disorders, dryness and pallor of the baby's skin, circles under the eyes are observed.
• Iron deficiency anemia, which resembles the symptoms of autonomic dysfunction, has a negative effect on the level of hemoglobin in the blood: its content per unit of blood volume is significantly reduced, and the partial pressure of oxygen in the venous blood is thereby increased. In addition, the lack of oxygen supply to the blood causes tissue hypoxia. About anemia, not only are dark circles under the eyes of the child, and with frequent dizziness and colds in children and adolescents should make a complete blood test.
• Avitaminosis - a deficiency of vitamins C, B9 and B12 interferes with the absorption of iron, and vitamin D deficiency weakens the bones, provokes chronic pain, depression and a sense of fatigue.
• Helminthiases (helminthiosis, lambliasis, opisthorchiasis, trichinosis, etc.) are accompanied by accumulation in the child's body of enzymes and products of vital activity of parasites, which leads not only to the appearance of circles under the eyes, but also to a decrease in collagen synthesis, impaired appetite and absorption of nutrients in the intestine , allergic reactions, growth retardation and development of children.
• Dehydration of the child's body, which leads to a decrease in blood pressure and worsening of the local circulation in the eye area.

Finally, idiopathic periorbital hyperchromia (or hyperpigmentation of the skin in the periorbital region), which is characterized by darkening of the skin around the eyes (including the eyelids), is associated with increased localized production of melanin pigment. Western researchers point to a greater frequency of this syndrome among people with dark hair and eyes and dark skin, but why the synthesis of melanin in the eye area is increased until it is clarified. In infancy, periorbital hyperchromia is rare, but manifests itself as the child grows. And under the influence of light circles under the eyes and eyelids acquire a weak bluish color.

Circles under the eyes of a child as symptoms of disease

Dark circles under the eyes of the child have several color options. When the blood passes through the veins that are close to the surface of the skin, circles under the eyes have a bluish tinge. Blue or violet circles under the eyes are the result of chronic overfatigue, hypoxia and heart problems; With iron deficiency and dehydration, the circles under the eyes are almost black. When the circles under the eyes of the child are yellow-gray, the level of the bile pigment of bilirubin is raised in the blood plasma; when there are brown circles, doctors have every reason to suppose the diseases of the gall bladder or liver. In the presence of allergies in children, the skin color in the eye area has a reddish tinge.

And now consider the circles under the eyes of the child as symptoms of disease.

As noted by children's cardiologists, blue or violet circles under the eyes of a child with a heart defect are periorbital cyanosis, which is a local manifestation of a general cyanosis that occurs due to circulatory disorders and an increase in the proportion of reduced (ie, not connected to oxygen) hemoglobin .

In diseases of the kidneys, in particular with postinfection glomerulonephritis - inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidneys - dark circles appear under the eyes of the child and swelling of the eyelids and soft tissues under the eyes after sleep. In childhood, the disease most often develops after infection of the nasopharynx - pharyngitis or tonsillitis caused by beta-hemolytic streptococci, incidentally affecting the kidneys negatively. The child may have 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 cysts of the liver, hepatolenticular degeneration.

Allergies - atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, pollinosis (pollen allergy to plants) - as a rule, leave an "imprint" 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 nasolabial folds.

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

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Diagnosis of circles under the eyes of a child

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

To conduct a child's examination, it is necessary to take tests: blood, urine and feces. You may also need to undergo an x-ray of the chest and ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.

During the examination, there may be a need to involve a gastroenterologist, an otolaryngologist, a cardiologist or a nephrologist.

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Treatment of circles under the eyes of a child

Symptomatic treatment of circles under the eyes of a child - given the variety of reasons that cause their appearance - no one holds it: it simply does not exist.

In all these cases, the tactic of therapy is to use methods for treating diseases identified in the process of determining the cause of the circles under the eyes of a child.

Therefore, the only correct answer to the question of how to remove circles under the eyes of a child is to cure his tonsillitis or pharyngitis, heart disease, liver, kidneys, gallbladder. It is unlikely that parents (unless, of course, they are doctors) will manage 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 this or that disease.

In order to overcome vitamin deficiency, it is necessary to give vitamins to children, and to expel worms - anthelmintic medications prescribed by a doctor.

Prevention of circles under the eyes of a child

Prevention of circles under the eyes of the child is to prevent the occurrence of the causes of their appearance.

The easiest way to organize the life of your child is so that he observes the regime of the day and does not overwork, but did not sit for hours in front of the TV or laptop. A full night sleep (at least eight hours), a balanced diet (at least four times a day), fresh air, muscle loads, 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 this will have to be reconciled ... By the way, the prediction of circles under the eyes of a child with idiopathic periorbital hyperchromia is also disappointing - due to its unexplained etiology. Although overseas doctors say that compresses of cold milk on the area near the eyes twice a day make circles under the eyes of the child more pale and less noticeable.