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What Causes Pale Skin And Dark Circles Around Eyes In Children?
Question: My almost 12 year old daughter has suffered from dark circles under her eyes for years. She has been very pale for the last 1-2 months. Her sleep pattern is quite good (around 10 hours per night) and she is a healthy eater. She is 5'4" and 110 pounds (tall and healthy build) She has had asthma in the past and was hospitalized at age 7 for HSP. I am concerned that she has another immune deficiency or that we should look into her having some allergy tests done (my husand has history of allergies)
Brief Answer:
HSP (Henoch–Schönlein purpura ) & related condition
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
If your daughter looks very pale ,you need to check her complete blood count to exclude anemia.
The only related condition of HSP is IgA nephropathy (immune mediated disorder).
If she is found anemic,it will be prudent to undertake her renal function tests.
Regards
Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX
HSP (Henoch–Schönlein purpura ) & related condition
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
If your daughter looks very pale ,you need to check her complete blood count to exclude anemia.
The only related condition of HSP is IgA nephropathy (immune mediated disorder).
If she is found anemic,it will be prudent to undertake her renal function tests.
Regards
Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
She was watched and tested for a year after her HSP hospitalization for kidney and heart issues. Would the IgA issue not have shown up in those tests? Or, is this a condition that may have been unseen at that stage? I will have her CBC done to check for anemia first and go from there. Do you then think that allergies would not be an issue for her?
Brief Answer:
HSP (Henoch–Schönlein purpura )
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
The exact cause of HSP is unknown, but most of its features are due to the deposition of abnormal antibodies in the wall of blood vessels, leading to vasculitis. These antibodies are of the subclass IgA1 in polymers.Hence it is immunological in origin.
HSP can develop after infections (commonly throat infection with streptococci (β-haemolytic group A), hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus, parvovirus B19, Coxsackievirus, adenovirus, Helicobacter pylori,measles, mumps, rubella, Mycoplasma and numerous others.
One of these infectious agents might have triggered HSP in your daughter.
Drugs linked to HSP, usually as an idiosyncratic reaction, include the antibiotics vancomycin and cefuroxime, anti-inflammatory agent diclofenac, as well as ranitidine . Whether any of these drugs she was exposed prior to occurrence of HSP in your daughter can be obtained by detail history.
HSP usually resolves within several weeks and requires no treatment apart from symptom control, but may relapse in a third of the cases (usually within the first four months after the initial attack and more so in older children).
Allergies as such should not be issue except to infectious agents and few drugs as already mentioned above.
Regards
Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX
HSP (Henoch–Schönlein purpura )
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
The exact cause of HSP is unknown, but most of its features are due to the deposition of abnormal antibodies in the wall of blood vessels, leading to vasculitis. These antibodies are of the subclass IgA1 in polymers.Hence it is immunological in origin.
HSP can develop after infections (commonly throat infection with streptococci (β-haemolytic group A), hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus, parvovirus B19, Coxsackievirus, adenovirus, Helicobacter pylori,measles, mumps, rubella, Mycoplasma and numerous others.
One of these infectious agents might have triggered HSP in your daughter.
Drugs linked to HSP, usually as an idiosyncratic reaction, include the antibiotics vancomycin and cefuroxime, anti-inflammatory agent diclofenac, as well as ranitidine . Whether any of these drugs she was exposed prior to occurrence of HSP in your daughter can be obtained by detail history.
HSP usually resolves within several weeks and requires no treatment apart from symptom control, but may relapse in a third of the cases (usually within the first four months after the initial attack and more so in older children).
Allergies as such should not be issue except to infectious agents and few drugs as already mentioned above.
Regards
Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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