When a child's lips turn blue, parents begin to panic, suggesting the most terrible diagnoses. Usually, if a child does not have congenital diseases, this means that the baby is cold or cried for a long time, perhaps he was in a stuffy room all day where he did not have enough oxygen. If a similar symptom appears constantly, while the state of health of the crumbs suffers, it must be urgently shown to the doctor.
Baby
Why do babies' lips turn blue
If the child has blue lips, it is imperative to assess his condition, pay attention to the accompanying symptoms. Such a manifestation can turn out to be both a variant of the norm and a sign of a serious illness. In the latter case, the baby should be under medical supervision.
Blue in the face while crying
If your child's lips turn blue while crying, do not worry. This happens in babies. As soon as the baby calms down, everything returns to normal. It is important that breathing is not disturbed.
If, in addition to blue discoloration, no other changes are observed, there is no talk of pathology. The fact is that if a baby cries for a long time without stopping, oxygen in the body becomes much less. The lungs, like the circulatory system, are not yet perfect, they are just forming. The skin on the face of babies, especially newborns, is thin, blood vessels are visible through it. Therefore, if there is a lack of oxygen in the blood, the lips and the area around them may become bluish.
Lips turn blue with strong crying
Norm and pathology
If the blue from the lips quickly disappears, while the child's well-being does not suffer, this is considered a variant of the norm. It is still necessary to show the child to the doctor - a similar symptom may indicate cyanosis. This is a disease caused by a lack of oxygen, an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. At the same time, not only the lips turn blue, but also the tongue, mucous membranes, and nails. Therefore, you need to immediately carefully examine the child, paying attention to the change in the color of various parts of the body.
Cyanosis in infants is not always dangerous. Due to the fact that the circulatory system has not yet fully established its work, the legs and arms of the crumbs can turn blue. As you grow up, improve the functioning of organs and systems, this manifestation will disappear. It does not lead to the development of pathological processes.
It happens that a child's upper or lower lip turns blue when bathing in cold water. This can be observed if the baby is frozen on the street. Then, when the baby gets warm, the lips will turn pink again. At low temperatures outside, fingers can turn white, but usually this is already a sign of frostbite.
Possible diseases
Blue lips in a child can indicate a number of diseases and pathologies:
- Violation of the heart, including congenital malformation;
- Laryngitis;
- Bronchial asthma;
- Pneumonia;
- Septic shock;
- Lack of calcium and an excess of phosphates in the body.
Blue in the area of the nasolabial triangle can accompany neurological problems. They are suspected when heart and respiratory diseases are ruled out. Usually they concern babies with intrauterine growth retardation, those who were born prematurely, with low body weight. Then the baby needs to be shown to a neurologist.
Note! To make sure that the child is healthy, you need to visit a doctor with him. If the baby develops additional symptoms, for example, the tongue, nails turn blue, or he breathes heavily, an ambulance should be called.
Symptoms of the appearance of blue
If a child's lips turn blue for a pathological reason, other symptoms will appear, in particular:
- Difficulty breathing, the baby may even lose consciousness;
- Seizures;
- Temperature rise;
- Dry cough. It is especially disturbing if he becomes barking;
- Wheezing when breathing;
- Lethargy, weakness, the child tends to sleep;
- Refusal to eat, loss of appetite, weight loss.
Any of these symptoms requires medical attention. In an infant, against the background of laryngitis, a false croup may develop, which can cause suffocation.
Note! The baby may develop pneumonia, which develops rapidly and can lead to sad consequences. The child of the first months of life should be treated in a hospital.
If the crumbs have heart problems, then he needs to consult a cardiologist.
Diagnostic and therapeutic measures
To find out why the child's lips turn blue, you need to show the baby to the doctor. If the examination is not enough, the doctor will prescribe procedures and examinations:
- General blood analysis;
- Chest x-ray;
- ECG;
- Ultrasound of the heart.
Baby on ultrasound
If it turns out that the baby's respiratory organs are not sufficiently developed, which often happens, it is recommended to be in the fresh air more often and to take a course of general strengthening massage. When a baby is diagnosed with laryngitis or pneumonia, drug therapy is required. Young patients with heart disease need cardiologist observation and reduced physical activity. In this case, most likely, the problem will have to be solved surgically.
What to do if your lips turn blue
When a child's lips suddenly turn blue, it must be ruled out that a foreign body has entered the respiratory tract. If so, shortness of breath will appear, and extraneous sounds will be heard, both when inhaling and when exhaling. Then he needs urgent medical attention.
If the baby is cold, he needs to be warmed up as quickly as possible, wrapped in a blanket, and given a warm liquid to drink. When the child does not have enough oxygen, you need to free him from pressing clothes, open a window in the room and call an ambulance.
If the baby has a barking cough, the attack does not go away, he breathes with a whistle, while the team of doctors is traveling, you need to take him to the bath and turn on the hot water. Immediate help is required if the tongue and nails are blue. It is imperative to call a doctor if the baby has a fever, while he is coughing.
Baby temperature
Note! Any additional symptoms accompanying a change in lip shade are an alarming sign. If you waste time delaying contacting a specialist, complications may arise.
Prevention
To avoid blue lips in babies, you need to follow the tips:
- Be in the fresh air daily for at least two hours;
- Ventilate the child's room regularly;
- Eliminate excessive physical activity;
- Avoid hypothermia while walking or swimming. So, for example, if you plan to have a rest on the sea with your child, it is better to take a small inflatable pool, next to which you can play and splash. It is difficult for an active baby to stay on the shore in a year, and, being constantly in the water, he does not have time to warm up;
- If the child is observed by narrow specialists, a neurologist or a cardiologist, follow their recommendations.
Parents do not always understand why a child's lips turn blue. To exclude dangerous pathologies and prevent the development of diseases that threaten the life of the baby, you need to show it to the doctor. You need to act immediately if the child's temperature rises, breathing problems are observed.
