About Dark Circles Under the Eyes & Blue Feet in Children

Parents can sometimes be a nervous wreck when dealing with their children's health. With many pre- and post-natal conditions still prevalent despite the medical community's best efforts, there are in some rare cases, symptoms that may arise that have no medical relevance to each other and baffle doctors. Two such conditions are the appearance of dark circles under the eyes and a bluish tint on the extremities; one is more common (and more serious) than the other.

The Eyes Have It

• For adults, having dark circles underneath their eyes generally means too much stress and not enough sleep. For children, the dark patches are nearly always allergy related. Sometimes referred to as "allergy shiners," the circles manifest due to congestion of the superficial blood flow around the eyes, which causes reverse flow of some blood back through the veins.

Treatment

• Nine times out of ten, the dark circles disappear once the specific allergen has been addressed. Treatment usually comes in the form of regular antihistamines, since the circles are indicative of non food-related allergies and suggest adverse reactions from plant-borne pollens. Depending on the severity of the allergy, a series of regular injections may be in order. In some instances, the dark circles might indicate an adenoids issue or severe tonsillitis. Seek the advice of your child's physician to determine the cause and what course of action to take.

Feeling Blue

• Although rare, the bluish tint on a child's fingers or toes (also known as peripheral cyanosis) may be a symptom of a larger problem. Common causes are congenital heart disease, impending heart attack, congestive heart failure, arterial obstruction/congestion or asthma, to name a few. In some instances, Raynaud's Phenomenon may to blame. This disease, uncommon but not unheard of in children, is idiopathic (meaning the cause is unknown), but results in vasoconstriction, the narrowing of blood vessels.

Treatment

• Besides testing for the various aforementioned causes (EKG, EEG, CAT scans, etc.), blood tests look for anemic qualities or hypothyroidism. Being proactive and avoiding certain triggers, such as cold environments, are advised. Drug therapies with calcium channel blockers like nifepidine is common. Surgical intervention is not usually the norm; amputation is an option when all else fails. Alternative and natural medicines, chiefly ginkgo biloba, have been shown to decrease the frequency of flare-ups in chronic cases.

Additional Warning

• Furthering the potential seriousness of the disease, Raynaud's Phenomenon (classified as either Raynaud's Disease or Syndrome, although there is little distinction between them) may be indicative of other life-threatening auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, or the chronic and painful inflammation of salivary glands known as Sjogren's Syndrome. Seek immediate medical attention once the symptoms of Raynaud's manifest to ensure timely and appropriate testing.