If you begin to notice that your skin takes on a yellow tint, or the sclera takes on the same color, then you have probably contracted jaundice. Jaundice has never been an independent disease, and is more likely to be understood as a condition that shows that something is wrong in the body and you need medical supervision. The yellow “coloring” of the skin and sclera indicates the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubins are yellow pigments or products of the natural breakdown of red blood cells in the liver.
Most often, bilirubin combines with the contents of the digestive system and “exits” from the body. However, if it was not completely eliminated, it accumulates, which will indicate the presence of infection, blockage of the bile ducts or other liver complications.
The sclera and skin acquire a yellow tint. The urine turns dark brown (may resemble tea). Pale stool. You feel feverish and have chills. Frequent discomfort in the right upper abdomen. You lose your appetite and maybe your weight.
Newborns stop “suffering” from jaundice after a short period. But sometimes there is an inability to remove bilirubin from the body, which can lead to anemia, which can then become the beginning of an insufficient supply of blood to the tissues and cells of the body. As a result, it can lead to physical and mental developmental delays.
Visit less, and especially dine in cafes/restaurants where their cleanliness is questionable, and also use contraception when having sex with a partner who is infected.
Call your doctor if you notice even one sign of jaundice.
The medicine should be taken only as prescribed by your doctor and consult with him about any disorders or deterioration in health. Follow all the doctor's instructions, they must be followed. You may not realize that the treatment process can change due to the causes of jaundice, but it is true. When you feel much better, the yellow tint to your skin may disappear.
We recommend that you consult a doctor, and the sooner, the better for your health. Jaundice can be cured in different ways, and it depends only on the causes of the disease. Your doctor will tell you to have your blood tested, measure your liver function, do a liver biopsy, and sometimes give you special radiation to identify the cause of the disease and decide on the best treatment. Treatment may include taking medications, involving surgeons, it all depends on the causes of jaundice. If you use phototherapy, then due to irradiation, bilirubin breaks down and becomes much better excreted. In some cases, jaundice in newborns is caused by atresia of the bile ducts (lack of lumens). In this case, surgery is necessary during the first six weeks of the child’s life; this is the period and methods that can help achieve significant improvements in the child’s condition.
I am shocked and upset - both my child and I have yellow skin. Not everywhere, but in spots: yellow skin on the face, the child has a yellow ear, a large uneven yellow spot on the arm, yellow skin on the stomach and on the leg. All my fingers and palms are yellowish, and there are spots on my face. I’m horrified, I discovered all this now in the evening after a walk. Why can the skin turn yellow, what to do? Oh, I'm afraid of the worst thing - jaundice. But no one in our country had it and there was no contact with strangers, and jaundice is transmitted through hands, as far as I know. I don’t want to call an ambulance, it’s better to wait for the local police officer from the clinic tomorrow, but I definitely won’t sleep all night, I’ll tear my hair out.
Or is it better to go to an ambulance? What to do, who has experience?
Today we will talk about several ways that will help you quickly calm your nerves.
1. Massage the inside of your palm.
2. Yawn. This way you will get more oxygen and relax your facial muscles.
3. Prepare a decoction of viburnum. This drink is very calming.
4. Take a contrast shower. This helps to reboot your body.
5. Listen to relaxing music.
Hello! I need your advice. The child is 8 years old. 2 weeks ago I began to notice that the skin began to turn yellow, and then my legs (soles and ankles) and arms (palms) became completely yellow. We took a general blood test, liver tests, and amylase. In the general analysis, hematocrit, monocytes%, eosinophils% are slightly elevated, everything else is normal. What to do next and which doctor to see. What could this be?
Amma . The cause of jaundice may be: excessive consumption of carrots, beets, oranges. This is called pseudojaundice or carotene jaundice. Apart from yellow discoloration of the skin, what else is bothering your child?
At the age of 4, the girl was diagnosed with gastroduodenitis and colitis. At the age of 6, he was treated for pancreaopathy. Nothing bothered him for a long time. Now she has started to complain of pain in the navel area and burning breasts (I think heartburn). And our appetite is very bad. Maybe eat 1 time per day (if not controlled). True, now he eats a lot of tangerines.
pediatric gynecologist Messages: 8863 Registered: Mon Dec 04, 2006 16:12 From: Kharkov Thanked: 1 time Thanked: 10 times
Amma wrote: True, now she eats a lot of tangerines.
Apparently, this may be the cause of jaundice.
Get tested for worms and do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs.
Our baby had jaundice at birth, and she immediately spent 1 day in the orphanage under special care. lamp. Upon discharge they said that everything was normal. Now he is 4 months old, the pediatrician came and said that the baby’s skin was yellowish, while her pupils were white, her palms and feet were also clean. The pediatrician's assumption is that you have carotene jaundice. Recommendation: exclude carrots, pumpkin, and yellow (golden) apples from your diet.
But here’s another thing: we bathe our little one every day in a large bathtub and constantly in succession.
Question: do you think the skin can become streaky or is it jaundice?
Leo_R_G wrote: can the skin become colored in streaks or is it jaundice?
Well, in principle, maybe, probably. And for what purpose are you bathing in the line? Try it without it, and you’ll see right away whether it washes off or not
But now I have already realized (having once again re-read the EOC bathing topic) that it is not necessary to bathe every day. I missed the point that from 2 months you can limit yourself to 1-2 times a week.
Has anyone had carotene jaundice? If yes, for how long? What was the treatment?
We have it now. We ate too many carrots. We don’t treat it with anything, we wait for it to go away on its own. Eliminated everything yellow from the diet - carrots, pumpkin, etc.
Probably every person, observing how the body has turned yellow, will begin to try to understand the reason for such a strange phenomenon. Yellowness of the skin is a characteristic manifestation of various diseases associated with the functioning of internal organs.
The yellow color of the skin is directly related to bilirubin, a pigment that is part of the blood. Bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin proteins contained in red blood cells, which performs a transport function in the body (moving oxygen and carbon dioxide). Under normal conditions, bilirubin is excreted from the human body in the stool. If this is not observed and due to some reason there is a significant accumulation of this substance, then yellowness on the body may occur.
First of all, a person experiences yellow skin on the legs, under the eyes, around the nails, etc. The palms of the hands, the lower surface of the tongue, and the whites of the eyes may even turn yellow. At the same time, the patient’s urine darkens, so much so that its color now resembles the color of beer.
If a person’s body turns yellow, this may indicate a high concentration of carotene in the blood. Often yellow skin around the eyes or mouth can be seen in people who have been following an orange diet for a long time or using certain medications.
If the yellowness of the skin is still caused by a violation of the process of removing bilirubin from the body, then jaundice is diagnosed, of which there are 3 types: hemolytic jaundice, hepatic and cholestatic.
The causes of yellow skin may be associated with the occurrence of some serious diseases. This symptom most often occurs with various liver ailments and is a characteristic sign of diseases such as Gilbert's syndrome, cirrhosis of the liver, acute and chronic hepatitis. In addition, yellowness of the skin may indicate the appearance of cysts on the liver or damage to this organ by parasites.
Often, a yellow tint to the skin is a sign of a disorder in the condition and functioning of the biliary tract. Also, yellowing of the skin can be observed in case of poisoning with toxic substances or medications, with serious hemorrhages, or alcohol intoxication.
Also, a person who has identified this symptom should pay attention to his lifestyle. Often a person’s body turns yellow because he is simply a heavy smoker. It is also important to review your diet, since excessive consumption of dry and sweet foods can lead to yellowness of the skin.
The skin can also turn yellow when consuming large quantities of carrots and dishes containing them, or when vinegar and cumin are often added to food, when exposed to which bile vapors accumulate in the blood.
If there is a pale yellow tint to the skin, yellow spots are also localized on the eyelid and iris, then lipid metabolism may be disturbed, due to which the concentration of cholesterol increases.
In some cases, yellowness can be a signal indicating the development of cancer in the human body. With cancer, the yellowness of the skin is especially clearly visible on the face.
If your skin tone is orange rather than yellow, this could be a sign of hypothyroidism. With this disease, there is an insufficient content of substances processed by beta-carotene in the body. As a result, there is an accumulation of carotene in subcutaneous fat, which, in turn, causes a change in skin color.
If a yellow tint to the skin is observed in a newborn baby, then this condition may be a peculiar reaction of a small organism to changes that have occurred in its life - a change in its environment. We are talking about physiological jaundice, when a child produces bilirubin in huge quantities. Around the 3rd week of life, skin color returns to normal.
If the body has turned yellow, what it is and what is causing this phenomenon can only be reliably determined by a specialist based on the examinations of the patient and all the required tests. Treatment should be carried out only after diagnosis. In case of severe yellowness of the skin, it is necessary to contact a hematologist, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist and infectious disease specialist.
Yellowness of the body is a symptom of many ailments of various natures. It is strongly recommended that you refrain from self-medication and find out the nature of this phenomenon by visiting a doctor and follow his recommendations.
The article “If the body turns yellow: the causes of yellowness” and other medical articles on the topic “Miscellaneous” on the IOD website.
Yellow skin of the face, hands, and other parts of the human body can be observed in various diseases associated with the activity of human internal organs.
The yellow color of the skin is associated with the production of bilirubin , a pigment that is part of the blood. Bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin , contained in red blood cells and performing a transport function in the body (moving carbon dioxide and oxygen). Bilirubin is excreted from the human body in stool. If, due to certain reasons, a lot of it accumulates in the human body, then the consequence may be yellow spots on the skin.
Due to the increase in bilirubin content in the body, the skin first turns yellow. A person may have yellow skin on the legs, yellow skin under the eyes, yellow skin around the nails, etc. The whites of the eyes, palms, and the lower surface of the tongue may also turn yellow. In this case, a person’s urine darkens, it takes on the color of beer.
If the skin on the body or hands is yellow, this may be due to a high level of carotene in the blood. Most often, yellow skin around the mouth or yellow skin around the eyes is observed in people who adhere to the orange diet or diet for a long time, or use certain medications.
If yellowing of the skin is still associated with impaired excretion of bilirubin from the body, then in this case three types of jaundice are determined.
Hemolytic jaundice is diagnosed when hemoglobin breaks down too quickly. In this case, a very large amount of bilirubin is formed, and the liver cannot effectively process indirect bilirubin into direct bilirubin. As a result, the level of indirect bilirubin increases.
The development of hepatic jaundice is associated with liver damage due to viral hepatitis , liver cirrhosis , exposure to alcohol, etc. In this case, the amount of direct bilirubin in the blood increases.
Cholestatic jaundice develops due to disturbances in the movement of bile, as the bile ducts in the human body become clogged. There is an increase in the amount of direct bilirubin in the blood.
The causes of yellow skin in different parts of the human body may be associated with some serious diseases. Symptoms of yellow skin often appear with various liver diseases. This symptom is characteristic of acute and chronic hepatitis , liver cirrhosis , Gilbert's syndrome . The causes of yellow skin can also be associated with liver damage by parasites and the appearance of cysts. In case of liver diseases, in addition to yellowing of the skin, other symptoms are noted: pale stools, dark urine, chills, abdominal pain. The person loses appetite and may lose weight.
The causes of yellow skin can sometimes be sought in the condition and functioning of a person’s bile ducts. In this case, a comprehensive examination will help answer the question of why the skin color is yellow. In addition, yellowing of the skin can occur due to alcohol intoxication, poisoning with medications or toxic substances, and severe hemorrhages and burns. However, if even after the examination the question of why the skin is yellow remains open, then the person should definitely pay attention to his general lifestyle. After all, sometimes yellowing of the skin occurs due to heavy smoking, when a person is almost constantly staying indoors. You should definitely review your diet, as excess sweet and dry foods in the diet can lead to yellowing of the skin.
The skin can also turn yellow due to eating a large amount of carrots and dishes made from them, as well as when constantly adding cumin and vinegar to food, the effect of which provokes the accumulation of bile vapor in the blood.
If you notice a pale yellow skin color, and there are yellow spots on the iris and on the eyelid, then you can suspect that lipid metabolism is disturbed in the body, as a result of which the cholesterol .
Sometimes yellowness of the skin may indicate the progression of cancer in the human body. The yellowness of the skin in cancer is noticeable on the face, while a “waxy” bloodless tint of the skin is noted.
If the skin tone turns orange, this may be a symptom of hypothyroidism . With this disease, the functioning of the thyroid gland is disrupted. With such a pathology, there may be an insufficient amount of those substances in the body that process beta-carotene. As a result, carotene accumulates in subcutaneous fat, which leads to a change in skin color . In this case, an endocrinologist will tell you how to get rid of yellow skin after making an accurate diagnosis.
If a yellow skin color is observed in a newborn baby, then this phenomenon may be associated with the reaction of his body to serious changes, that is, a change in the environment. In this case we are talking about the so-called physiological jaundice. The baby produces bilirubin in very large quantities. Around the third week of life, skin color gradually becomes normal. However, you still need to consult a doctor in order not to miss the development of pathological jaundice.
Before practicing any treatment for this condition, it is necessary to determine what is causing the yellowing of the skin. If your skin becomes severely yellow, you should contact an infectious disease specialist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, or hematologist.
Treatment of a person who has yellow skin on the hands, face or other areas of the body is carried out depending on the diagnosis established by the specialist. Sometimes, in the absence of serious diseases, yellowness of the skin may disappear on its own after some time, without treatment.
As a rule, for diseases of the liver and biliary tract, complex treatment is prescribed. Already in the first days of therapy, yellowing of the skin, as a rule, decreases. Complex treatment may include medications, physical therapy, and surgery.
In newborns, signs of physiological yellowing of the skin disappear a few weeks after birth. However, the doctor must monitor the child’s health so as not to miss the development of liver pathology. Sometimes newborns undergo phototherapy: the child is exposed to the glow of a fluorescent lamp for a while. Under its action, bilirubin is destroyed and removed from the body.
To prevent yellowing of the skin, you should be attentive to your health status and consult a doctor at the first symptoms of disease. Measures should be taken to prevent infection with viral hepatitis (protected sex, maintaining good hygiene).
Yellowing of skin color can cause well-founded anxiety in its owner. Usually such changes are accompanied by another symptom - a change in the color of urine. It acquires an intense, deep shade of beer, and its smell may also change. Yellow skin on the face, arms and legs always signals dysfunction of the internal organs. Doctors say the main reason for such visual changes in the skin is an increase in the concentration of bilirubin in the blood. This pigment is synthesized by the body as a result of the breakdown of protein compounds of hemoglobin, which is localized in red blood cells that transport oxygen, carbon dioxide and nutrients. Traditionally, bilirubin is eliminated from the body of a healthy person through urine and feces. If too much of it accumulates, it can lead to the formation of local jaundiced spots on the body, or complete discoloration of the skin yellow. A less dangerous phenomenon that contributes to yellowing of the dermis may be an increase in the concentration of carotene pigment in the blood. Such effects are often observed in people who use carrot or orange diets. Also, changes in skin color may be associated with national characteristics and genetic predisposition.
Is yellowing of the skin always associated with hepatitis? Definitely not. In addition to a host of other reasons, there is so-called “false jaundice”. In this case, the skin turns yellow, bypassing the mucous membranes and eyeballs. This kind of pseudohepatitis can be caused by excessive consumption of pumpkin, citrus fruits or carrots, as well as by the regimented use of certain medications.
There are many provoking factors for this syndrome. They are directly related to disruption of the internal processes of the body, but are not always truly dangerous. If a child has yellow skin, it is necessary to urgently show the baby to a pediatrician. Remember - acute hepatitis that is not treated in time can become the main cause of severe complications, and even end tragically, causing death.
The types of acute hepatitis may vary depending on the underlying disorders and the clinical picture of the disease. Doctors divide jaundice into three main types.
Effective complex therapy should be prescribed exclusively by specialists based on research and analysis of the underlying disease. Categorically exclude the possibility of self-medication, do not purchase over-the-counter drugs to support the liver. Perhaps your disorder lies in another aspect, and independent selection of medications can only aggravate its course. You should not experiment with alternative and folk remedies. The liver and bile ducts are a serious system that can easily be damaged, but it will be extremely difficult to restore it.
Treatment is prescribed from the first visit to the doctor. An adequate differential diagnosis is carried out to determine the exact cause of the unpleasant symptom. Then the patient is prescribed synthetic medications and certain phytotherapeutic preparations that help maintain the liver normal. If necessary, urgent intervention is performed. To maintain normal health, the patient is prescribed a number of physiotherapeutic procedures.
Physiological yellowing of the skin in infants tends to resolve spontaneously within a few weeks after birth. However, the pediatrician must closely monitor the condition of the newborn to prevent the development of liver pathology.
Skin color is initially determined by the race to which a person belongs. And if you have fair skin, with a pink tint and blush on your cheeks, then the appearance of an unusual and frightening yellowish color of the epidermis indicates some kind of malfunction in the body.
Typically, yellow skin color is associated with problems occurring in the body. Typically, yellow skin appears when there is too much bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a blood pigment that is part of the blood. It is a breakdown product of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein that has a transport function in the body; it also binds oxygen molecules, which is why yellow facial skin is usually associated with hepatitis, a liver disease. There may be a blockage of the bile ducts.
If the eyelids and iris of the eyes turn yellow, lipid metabolism is most likely disturbed or cholesterol is increased.
Thyroid dysfunction can also lead to yellowing of the skin. There is simply a lack of enzymes that break down beta-carotene.
Some diseases of the digestive or excretory systems cause yellow skin.
Sometimes yellowish skin indicates developing cancer.
Perhaps there is nothing else to worry about except the unnatural color. However, if you suddenly notice that your skin has acquired an unusual yellow tint, you should immediately consult a doctor, as this may be a sign of a disease even before pain occurs.
In any case, you won’t be able to make a diagnosis yourself, but it’s risky, especially under such circumstances. A medical examination will be required. Don't wait more than a few days.
However, sometimes yellow skin color can have a completely different explanation, which is not associated with dysfunction of individual organs or diseases. There are simply too many foods containing beta-carotene in the human diet, which causes increased skin pigmentation. Raw carrots are very high in beta-carotene, and consuming too much of it can give your skin a yellow tint. Oranges and pumpkins can also cause yellowing of the skin.
When using products high in carotenes in home cosmetics, there is a possibility of obtaining this specific shade. Some medications can make the body yellow.
Having found out the reasons, you can begin to get rid of the consequences. If the examination shows some kind of health problem, first of all you need to direct all your efforts to treatment. Usually during treatment, along with recovery, the yellow color of the skin goes away on its own. And in addition to this, you can make some efforts to return your normal and healthy skin color.
If there are no diseases that could cause such a nuisance, you can relax for a while and begin to eliminate yellowness.
This can help:
replenishing the diet with some foods that are directly related to increasing the level of hemoglobin in the blood. For example, cabbage, onions, garlic and radishes, figs, soft-boiled eggs and rare meat, adding pepper and dill, cloves and calamus to the food, and a little wine.
Learn to enjoy every day of your life and stay positive, this also helps improve your complexion.
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We are almost a year and a half old and the skin turned yellow after I switched the baby completely to complementary foods and stopped breastfeeding. I always gave him pumpkin, but now I hardly give him pumpkin, he drinks store-bought juice and often an apple and carrots. They say that pumpkins and carrots turn the skin yellow well.
Everyone asks why the skin is yellow (and doctors too). Probably, for your own peace of mind, you will still have to donate blood for liver tests (bilirubin), but it’s just a shame to inject a child. There, blood is taken from a vein. The whites of the eyes are white, the child behaves normally, there is no temperature (pah-pah-pah). Maybe someone else too?
It’s just that my friend once took some vitamins, which included vitamin A (well, in general, they were orange, and like “carrot vitamin” - this was the basis). So in a month she turned so yellow
remove carrots from your diet altogether. Well, pumpkin too. then see if it gets better. The liver can't cope with processing.
Especially the wings of the nose with small yellow dots. He is naturally dark-skinned among us. Maybe it’s the dark complexion plus these juices? I’ll remove the carrot juice, of course, but how long should I wait? A month or two? And I can’t tell, because I see the child every day. I don't understand. I once removed the pumpkin (because we ate it every day), it seemed that after a month it got better, but it didn’t go away completely. Now I practically don’t give pumpkin (I already wrote about this), but there are carrots in the juices.
It seems to me that if there was jaundice (or jaundice, pah-pah-pah), then some signs would still be there. The stool is normal. We give vaccinations. The body would probably not have withstood such a load if it had been undermined? Especially DTP.
It's not really jaundice. it is simply excreted not only through the liver, but also through the skin.
wait at least a month. After that, it’s probably better to show it to someone else.
At one time I removed all the carrots, everything went away. But I was very scared, so I didn’t think about it - I removed it as soon as I noticed it. But mine only had yellowish palms.
And still the child is yellow.
We take a liver test every 3 months.
what does it have to do with the whole tan and under the diaper too))))
We came to the clinic, the doctor grabbed her head. We're crazy, the baby has jaundice, get tested quickly. Dad, I say, we have a Muslim. It’s reasonable for the doctor, he’s not Chinese, to donate blood quickly. Well, we passed. Everything is fine.
So we remained black, or rather, at first we were yellow, now we are black, even in winter.
Not long ago there was an incident in kindergarten. the boy began to be indignant, I won’t sit with a black girl. mine stands up so businesslike, hands on hips
She believes that she will grow up and become blonde, she really believes))
I've been looking through the internet here
People test for bilirubin and everything is normal. Moreover, the situation is very similar to ours. From the age of 9 months, children begin to turn yellow (by the way, in this matter the age also agrees. I think the age agrees, because at this age you already transfer the child fully to one complementary food and start giving more), and remain yellow for several months. By the way, I have never given more than a 100-gram jar of pumpkin, for example, or carrots. I read that after testing for bilirubin (which showed that everything was normal), someone also had their stool tested for culture (for parasites). And some were found to have Giardia. So until I inject the child, we’ll hand it over for sowing first. And it turns out there were so many children who had the same situation (I mean all of you), that it even let go a little
Today I didn’t give anything yellow. So, of course, I can’t say that it’s just yellow, but there is yellowness, especially in comparison with someone else. And the nose is yellow. You can see from the nose that the yellowness is artificial, not like it’s your own.
-I’m not black, I got tanned in the south, I’m almost as white as my mother.
She believes that she will grow up and become blonde, she really believes))
My son (4 years old) has a very dark, black-haired girl in his group. My son thinks she’s prettier than everyone else. When asked “why,” he answers: “Her face is such a beautiful color!” And braids, and flowers in the hair. "
the boys may like it, it looks unusual)) but my girl suffers))
Now I read about Giardia, I also need to go and donate blood
You can also test the feces first (so as not to prick). At the same time, they will check for other parasites.
Have you been prescribed anything because of elevated liver tests?
You can also test the feces first (so as not to prick). At the same time, they will check for other parasites. Have you been prescribed anything because of elevated liver tests?
yes, we were just about to take the test, we had already taken the direction))
We took a course of phosphogliv, after which the levels returned to normal for a while, but then they were elevated again.
We were diagnosed with hepatitis of unknown etiology. We were tested for hepatitis B, C, and cytomegalovirus. Nothing has been confirmed.
In general, our infectious disease specialist told me that there are a lot of such children now and maybe there would be even more, but not everyone donates blood from a vein.
Functionally, the skin is a very important part of the body; it is closely related to various organs and systems of the body and reflects their condition.
If you notice that your child has changes in any area of his skin, first of all, examine the child completely.
It is best to examine the child's skin in lateral transmitted light. The examination is usually carried out from above, starting from the scalp, down. Particular attention is paid to examining the skin folds behind the ears, on the neck, in the armpits, groin areas, on the thighs, under and between the buttocks, between the fingers and toes. In this case, the skin folds are unfolded and slightly stretched. When examining the skin, pay attention to its color, moisture, and the presence of rashes (spots, bumps, nodules, blisters, blisters, pustules). Note the appearance of compactions, peeling of the skin, the formation of erosions, ulcers, scars, and bruises.
Certain skin changes are possible both in physiological conditions and in various diseases. To help your doctor understand the causes of skin changes, try to pay attention to the following details:
Remember, have you noticed similar skin changes in your child before? Or maybe your child, while on a walk (or anywhere else), interacted with a friend who had a rash on his skin? Or perhaps you have your own version of the reasons for the appearance of skin changes: taking medications, dietary errors, or a previous illness. All this information will be very useful to the doctor; it will help him to correctly understand the causes of skin changes and prescribe the correct treatment.
The color of a child’s skin depends on the amount of skin pigment (melanin), skin thickness, blood supply characteristics, the tone of small vessels, the content of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood and the level of hemoglobin. A healthy child has a pale pink or dark skin color. Under the influence of certain physiological conditions, as well as diseases, skin color may change.
Constant pallor is characteristic of some completely healthy children with thin skin with low pigment content. As a rule, these are blondes who inherited this skin feature from their parents or grandparents. At the same time, the mucous membranes of the lips, mouth, and conjunctiva retain their bright color.
Occasionally, pallor may appear in children with neurocirculatory dysfunction, in whom, during the slightest stress, a spasm of small blood vessels in the skin occurs and a decrease in blood flow in it. At the same time, the color of the mucous membranes of the mouth does not change, they remain bright. Such transient pallor of the skin does not pose an immediate threat to the child’s health, but indicates impaired adaptation and is an indication for studying the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems. In anticipation of a stressful situation, such a child can be given tincture of valerian, tincture of eleutherococcus or ginseng.
Temporary pallor of the skin, also caused by vasospasm, appears after vomiting. In this case, pallor is justified; it is the result of an increase in the tone of the sympathetic department of the autonomic nervous system. The causes of vomiting should be identified and eliminated.
Pallor is characteristic of some kidney diseases (for example, glomerulonephritis), in which the kidneys secrete substances (angiotensins) that cause spasm of small peripheral vessels. Along with pallor, it is possible to detect increased blood pressure, sometimes swelling and, as a rule, changes in urine tests.
Pallor, also associated with vasospasm, is observed in severe purulent-septic diseases, diseases accompanied by dehydration, and diseases accompanied by toxicosis. In these cases, pallor is the result of centralization of blood circulation, the body’s reaction aimed at priority blood supply to the most vital organs (brain, liver, kidneys). Helping the child in this case includes additional fluids in the form of drinks and intravenous infusions.
Pallor may be the result of insufficient blood filling of the vascular bed. This can happen if the heart is not functioning efficiently, in the case of congenital heart defects, if its contractility is impaired (for example, with inflammation of the heart muscle - myocarditis) or if the heart rhythm is disrupted (arrhythmia). This is possible if the function of the heart valves is impaired (for example, with aortic valve insufficiency).
A common cause of pallor in children is anemia (anemia). Anemia is common in children. This is due to the fact that in proportion to the growth of the child, the volume of the bloodstream increases and the body must not only maintain the composition of the blood, but also increase the number of red blood cells that ensure the delivery of oxygen to the tissues. With insufficient supply of building material (malnutrition), with poor absorption (indigestion), with increased consumption (during febrile conditions), deficiency anemia develops, one of the manifestations of which is pallor. Anemia can also be caused by repeated bleeding (for example, nosebleeds). Suspicion of anemia can be confirmed (or dispelled) by a blood test. Deficiency anemia is characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin below 110 g/l, and a color index below 0.8. If the diagnosis of deficiency anemia is confirmed, along with enriching the child’s diet with vitamins and minerals, drug therapy is necessary. Most often, iron deficiency develops in the body, so the doctor will prescribe your child one of the iron-containing drugs (for preschoolers - totema, hemofer, actiferrin; for schoolchildren - hemofer, ferroplex, maltofer, etc.).
Somewhat less frequently, but still sometimes children have other forms of anemia, also accompanied by pallor. Thus, anemia in a child can be caused by increased destruction of red blood cells - hemolytic (from the Greek haimatus - blood and lysis - decay) anemia or reduced production of these cells - hypoplastic (from the Greek hypo - lower and plasis - formation) anemia. To diagnose such anemia, along with a general blood test, additional studies may be required: the number of reticulocytes (immature red blood cells) in the blood, blood bilirubin, antibodies to blood cells, and sometimes a bone marrow test. Such children are examined, observed and treated by a hematologist.
Thus, if the child is pale, it is necessary to contact a pediatrician who will determine the direction of the examination.
The color of the skin depends on what pigment is deposited in it.
The appearance of a jaundiced skin color usually indicates a child’s illness, often severe.
Therefore, if you detect jaundice in a child, be sure to call your doctor home. Yellowness of the skin is easier to detect in natural daylight or in the rays of a fluorescent lamp.
Jaundice discoloration of the skin can occur when a child consumes large amounts of food or medications containing yellow pigment. A relatively benign form in children is the so-called carotene (or false) jaundice, caused by excessive consumption of foods (carrots, tangerines, oranges) containing carotene. Remember, haven’t you tried to fortify your child by giving him, for example, grated carrots every day for 1-2 weeks? And so at first the skin of the palms and soles turned ocher-yellow, and a little later the general yellowness of the skin became noticeable. It is extremely important that with this type of jaundice the sclera of the eyes retain their normal color. Such jaundice does not require special treatment; the icteric coloration of the skin will gradually disappear without consequences after eliminating the product that caused it from the diet. However, there is evidence that carotene jaundice is more common in children with reduced thyroid function. Therefore, after such jaundice, it is advisable to show the child to an endocrinologist.
Lemon-yellow discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes (primarily the sclera) can be observed with increased destruction of red blood cells (the already mentioned hemolytic anemia). The cause of destruction of red blood cells may be their hereditary defects, poisoning, taking certain medications, or immune diseases. Along with jaundice, anemia increases, which can be detected by doing a blood test.
Jaundice is common in some liver diseases
(hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, etc.). In this case, the yellowness of the sclera appears earlier and disappears later than the yellowness of the skin. Abdominal pain, nausea, and sometimes vomiting often appear. Be sure to pay attention to the color of stool and urine! In these diseases, the entry of bile pigment into the intestines can be difficult, and the stool becomes light-colored. *On the contrary, bile pigment begins to be excreted in the urine, which takes on the color of strong tea. If the doctor, upon examination, determines that the liver is enlarged and painful, and during the prescribed examination, an increase in the blood serum of liver enzymes - transaminases (ALT - alanine aminotransferase, AST - aspartate aminotransferase) is detected, the child will have to be treated in the hospital. Hepatitis is a serious disease that, even with good treatment, in a significant proportion of cases becomes chronic.
Jaundice with a greenish tint, accompanied by severe itching, is characteristic of blockage of the bile ducts. It can be observed with cholelithiasis, tumors of the head of the pancreas, etc. Characteristic pain in the right hypochondrium, the same as in the previous case, changes in the color of feces and urine. During the examination, along with an increase in enzymes in the blood serum (alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase), ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs plays an important role.
Blueness (cyanosis) develops as a result of a decrease in oxyhemoglobin (hemoglobin saturated with oxygen) in the blood. General cyanosis, covering the entire surface of the body, is rare, for example, with nitrite poisoning - with methemoglobinemia. Local cyanosis appears more often: around the mouth, in the distal parts of the body, around the eyes.
Cyanosis around the mouth (cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle, perioral cyanosis) is associated with impaired blood oxygen saturation in the respiratory system. Sometimes mild cyanosis around the mouth can be seen in a healthy child with prolonged crying and screaming. However, when the child calms down and begins to breathe evenly, the color of the nasolabial triangle is quickly restored.
Long-lasting cyanosis around the mouth is characteristic of severe diseases of the respiratory tract: inflammation of the lungs, foreign body of the bronchi, inflammation of the pleura, etc. In such cases, along with cyanosis, the child will necessarily have other manifestations of the disease: cough, shortness of breath, weakness, lethargy, increased temperature. Be sure to call a doctor, before whose arrival put the child to bed in an elevated (half-sitting) position, provide access to fresh air. After the doctor's examination, a chest x-ray may be required, and it is possible that the child will have to be admitted to the hospital.
Cyanosis of distal (remote from the center of blood supply) parts of the body: lips, tip of the nose, earlobes, tip of the tongue, hands and feet is called acrocyanosis. Acrocyanosis may be present all the time or may appear during and after exercise. In its formation, the main role is played by a decrease in oxyhemoglobin due to the dilution of oxygenated arterial blood with venous blood (arteriovenous shunt). In children, this most often occurs with congenital heart defects, especially with tetralogy of Fallot. If you find acrocyanosis in your child, consult a cardiologist (rheumatologist). Your child will likely have an electrocardiogram (ECG) and possibly an ultrasound of the heart.
Children with a bronze skin tone, characteristic of chronic adrenal insufficiency, are relatively rare. Such children are monitored and treated by an endocrinologist. The skin takes on a dirty appearance due to a deficiency of vitamin PP (pellagra). Such children, on the advice of a doctor, are treated with the appropriate vitamin.
In some children, vascular spots may be found on the skin. They can be in the form of reddish-bluish spots, caused by dilation of peripheral vessels in a limited area (telangiectasia). Vascular formations may have a heterogeneous reddish color, do not protrude above the surface of the skin and have a tendency to spontaneously decrease (capillary hemangiomas). In other cases, they have a red-purple color, are tense, and protrude above the surface of the skin (cavernous hemangiomas). Hemangiomas are essentially proliferations of blood vessels. If you find such a formation on your child’s skin, record its size. To do this, place translucent paper or cellophane on the hemangioma and trace its contours with a pen. This will help you in the future to objectively assess the dynamics of this formation. Children with such formations are observed by a pediatric oncologist. Capillary hemangiomas often shrink and gradually disappear without any intervention. For cosmetic reasons or in case of growth of hemangiomas, they are removed by freezing (cryocoagulation) or burning (electro- or laser coagulation). The names of the methods sound intimidating, but in fact these are gentle procedures that are relatively easily tolerated by children.
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While still in the maternity hospital, young mothers notice that the baby’s skin is turning yellow. These changes are cause for concern, and a natural question arises: why is the skin of a newborn yellow? Pediatricians tend to believe that infant jaundice is normal and temporary.
This article will talk about why newborns are yellow and what factors provoke this phenomenon, as well as methods for treating infant jaundice.
The main symptom of this disease is the yellow color of the newborn’s skin. Around the third day of life, the skin on the face, tummy, between the shoulder blades, feet and palms of many children begins to turn yellow. The whites of the eyes and the mucous membrane of the mouth also turn yellow.
If jaundice does not go away on its own, for an accurate diagnosis it is necessary to consult a doctor and conduct a comprehensive examination of the baby. Depending on the identified causes, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment.
So why are newborns yellow? The cause of yellow skin is an excessive level of bilirubin in the blood. Deposited in the tissues, the pigment will give the skin and mucous membranes a yellowish tint. Bilirubin is formed as a result of the breakdown of red blood cells and is excreted from the body with the participation of liver enzymes. Due to physiological characteristics, the level of bilirubin in the blood of newborn children is exceeded and is eliminated from the body more slowly.
Elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood of newborns occur for a number of reasons, and the most common are:
Why do newborns turn yellow? Due to the above reasons, physiological jaundice in newborn babies is considered normal and goes away on its own after 3-4 days. At the same time, physiological jaundice is non-contagious, does not require special treatment and does not affect the general health of the child.
Premature babies are more susceptible to jaundice and experience this condition more acutely. Among premature babies, the incidence of infantile jaundice reaches 100%. In addition, in premature infants, physiological jaundice may persist throughout the first month of life.
Other types of jaundice also occur in newborns:
Jaundice caused by breast milk occurs in infants. It can appear about a week after the baby is born and goes away by the end of the first month of life. It is generally accepted that the cause of this type of jaundice is fatty acids contained in large quantities in breast milk. These substances inhibit the active conversion of indirect bilirubin into direct bilirubin and suppress liver function.
If the yellow color of the newborn’s skin persists for a long time, parents should seek advice from a specialist. Yellow skin can be a sign of various diseases, including hypothyroidism - a lack of thyroid hormones. Other signs of this disease, in addition to yellowness of the skin, are swelling, dry hair, increased cholesterol, and deepening of the voice. They can appear 3–4 days after birth and fade away after a few months. Examination and treatment are prescribed by an endocrinologist.
The cause of obstructive jaundice is most often obstruction of the bile or hepatic ducts. Symptoms include itching, light-colored stool, dark urine, and yellow skin with a slightly greenish tint.
Hemolytic jaundice occurs due to incompatibility of the Rh factor or blood group of the mother and child, leading to a disruption in the structure of hemoglobin or red blood cells. In this case, red blood cells in the child’s blood are actively destroyed.
If the skin of a newborn is yellow, it means that the baby is predisposed to certain diseases - hepatitis, cytomegaly, sepsis, hemolytic disease, toxoplasmosis.
The appearance of yellowness in the skin of a newborn in the first hours of life is a sign of high bilirubin content. This threatens the likelihood of brain damage when the gray matter is saturated with bilirubin, causing drowsiness, changes in reflexes and serious complications - paralysis, mental retardation, hearing loss.
The rapid removal of bilirubin from the body is facilitated by the passage of meconium (original feces). The best prevention and treatment method for jaundice in newborns is breastfeeding. Colostrum promotes the passage of meconium, acting as a laxative. Therefore, it is recommended to put the baby to the breast as often as possible.
As already mentioned, yellowness in newborns goes away on its own a few days after its onset, without causing harm or bothering the baby. However, during this period, the doctor must monitor the general condition of the child to avoid the possibility of developing liver pathology.
Frequent feedings are also recommended to treat jaundice caused by breast milk. With stool, bilirubin is eliminated from the child’s body faster.
In some cases, the doctor will prescribe phototherapy, where the yellow newborn is placed under a fluorescent light. Under its action, bilirubin is destroyed and excreted from the body. Not so long ago, phototherapy was prescribed to all yellow newborns, but now this procedure is used only in case of very high test results.
If jaundice is pronounced, the child is prescribed intravenous infusion of solutions of ascorbic acid, glucose, phenobarbital and choleretic agents. In particularly difficult cases, blood transfusions are performed to treat infantile jaundice.