If parents notice bags under the eyes of a child, this may be a manifestation of diseases or natural causes. Knowing why this is happening helps to control the situation and see a doctor in time.
Bags under the eyes of a child
Reasons for the formation of bags under the eyes
Bags and blue spots under the eyes are the result of tissue swelling due to the accumulation of excess fluid. Their appearance in a child does not always indicate the onset of the disease.
The reasons for bags under the eyes in a child under one year old are:
- prolonged crying, screaming;
- drinking a lot of fluids (for this reason, swelling most often appears in the morning);
- eating salty foods;
- teething;
- prolonged wakefulness;
- sleep disturbance;
- an abnormal position during sleep (for example, if the head is below the body);
- physiological edema (if at birth the child passes through the birth canal, then his head is subjected to pressure, which causes edema);
- an anatomical feature inherited genetically.
Parents should be aware that a foreign object can get into the child's eye that irritates the mucous membrane (it is subsequently washed off with a tear). This is one of the common reasons why babies develop under-eye swelling. Due to the natural reaction of the mucous membranes, swelling and redness around the eyes may appear.
As soon as babies develop a grasping reflex, they can damage their eyes with a toy or other object that accidentally ends up in their hands. Swelling after injury usually resolves on its own within a few hours. If this does not happen, you need to show the baby to the doctor.
Pathological
Fluid can accumulate in the body with certain diseases. The child may have problems with the lymphatic, cardiovascular, endocrine systems. All this leads to the appearance of edema not only in the morning, but also at other times of the day.
Other pathological causes of edema:
- helminthiasis;
- conjunctivitis;
Conjunctivitis in infants
- lack of vitamins;
- suppression of immunity;
- pathology of the palatine tonsil;
- the presence of lice;
- visual impairment.
For allergies and runny nose
Swelling of the eyelids can often be accompanied by allergies to food and formula. The child's body can react violently to some of the foods used by the mother. Allergies also appear from the use of household chemicals.
Note! If bags under the eyes are accompanied by severe swelling of the face, tongue, the addition of a characteristic barking cough, this may indicate the development of Quincke's edema. In this case, you must immediately call an ambulance.
Allergic facial edema
Swelling of the eyes also appears as a symptom of a cold, accompanied by a runny nose. Often there is the appearance of redness of the eyes, profuse lacrimation.
Hormonal disorders
A decrease in muscle tone, the appearance of fatigue and yellowness of the skin, together with edema around the eyes, indicate the development of hypothyroidism, a dangerous disease of the thyroid gland.
Dangerously! Hypothyroidism leads to delays in the mental and physical development of the baby.
Symptom of what diseases bags under the eyes
Bags under the eyes can be a sign of such pathologies:
- Development of inflammatory processes in the body: conjunctivitis, barley. Edema is accompanied by redness of the eyeball, fever, burning sensation.
- Viral pathologies (flu, herpes). The accumulation of fluid around the eyes is one of their symptoms.
Note! This edema resolves soon after recovery.
- Kidney disease. They are signaled by a violation of urination and a change in the properties of urine (it becomes dark and cloudy).
- Diseases of the digestive tract. Their appearance is signaled by the appearance of edema under the eyes, constipation, diarrhea, mucus in the feces.
- Heart disease. Swelling and dark spots are combined with symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and heart problems.
- The appearance of bruises and swelling under the eyes can signal the development of anemia - a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
How to remove bags under the eyes
The child should be seen by a doctor. This way you can detect the problem early and start treating the possible disease. If there are no problems, then you need to heed the following advice:
- Improve baby's healthy sleep. It must be installed at the same time. The room should have a comfortable temperature and humidity.
- If a child's teeth are teething, or intestinal colic is observed, you need to make a relaxing bath with chamomile infusion (no more than 10 minutes). Colic remedies should only be given on the advice of a doctor.
- Games, massage, gymnastics, hardening and walking help keep the baby's body in good shape.
- Parents need to follow the order of introducing products into complementary foods.
Note! When a child does not eat meat well, you need to show it to the doctor. Vitamins and minerals should be prescribed only on his recommendation.
- Children should wipe their eyes with wet discs every morning. It is necessary to ensure that the baby cannot wipe his eyes with dirty hands.
- For allergies and a runny nose, rinse the nose with a solution with added salt. It is recommended to put cool (not cold) compresses on the eyes.
- If the cause of the appearance of edema under the eyes of a baby is an allergy, the mother should adjust the diet. During the period of breastfeeding, it is forbidden to eat any foods that may cause an allergic reaction. These include red berries and fruits, citrus fruits, and cocoa products.
Help to remove bags under the eyes:
- a decoction of chamomile (for this, they wipe their eyes 2-3 times a day);
Rubbing the eyes of a baby
- slices of fresh potatoes;
- tea;
- cucumber juice;
- decoction of oregano, mint and sage.
Komarovsky about bags under the eyes
Doctor Komarovsky believes that if a one-year-old child finds bags under the eyes, he should be shown to the doctor and an ultrasound of the kidneys, urinalysis should be done. If the tests show nothing wrong, you should often walk with the child, adjust the humidity and temperature in the room. Over time, the swelling under the eyes disappears.
Council. Komarovsky also recommends using water and chamomile compresses. They improve the condition of the skin.
When you need a doctor's consultation
Parents need to be wary and urgently call a doctor in such cases:
- If, along with edema, redness of the eyes, itching, sneezing appear. These signs may indicate the onset of an allergic reaction.
Redness of the eyes in a child
- If a child, at the age of several months, has a fever, a headache, or a urinary disorder.
- If the fontanelle is enlarged in the baby, this may indicate an increase in intracranial pressure. This condition requires immediate medical attention.
- You should urgently visit a doctor if, along with bruises and swelling, the child has thirst, body weight has increased. This may indicate a violation of the endocrine glands.
- Heart problems are indicated by weakness, pallor, difficulty breathing. A doctor should be called immediately.
Preventive actions
The following recommendations will help prevent the appearance of puffiness under the eyes:
- Compliance with healthy and moderately long sleep.
- Drawing up such a diet, which would contain a large number of healthy foods.
- Compliance with the hygiene of the room: the required temperature, optimum air humidity.
- Dressing the baby in clothes for the season and temperature.
- Regular rinsing of the eyes with decoctions of medicinal plants.
The appearance of bags under the eyes in a child is not yet a cause for concern. They often appear for physiological reasons and pass quickly. However, if their appearance is combined with a deterioration in health, the child should be immediately shown to a doctor.
