Facial edema in a child: causes, diagnosis and treatment

Children are mischievous fidgets, you will not have time to look around, and he already has a lump or bruise. Young parents often clutch their heads: how to monitor injuries and health, if the kids everywhere are trying to get through and try everything. Also, swelling of the entire face or one side of it causes panic in mothers. Indeed, in some cases, this is evidence of injury, and sometimes delay of excess fluid in the body. From this article you will learn about the causes of facial edema in a child and the treatment of diseases associated with it.

Common causes of the phenomenon

The first step is to eliminate the most common cause. Edema of the face in a child most often occurs after a long cry. Young children are very fond of crying for a long time and without it - this is the most common cause of swelling of the eyelids, lips and cheeks. An experienced parent always recognizes whether the face is swollen after tears or due to trauma, or maybe the child drank too much soda?

But young parents, due to the lack of experience in caring for children, can not always distinguish the causes of facial swelling in the child.

1. Kidney diseases of an inflammatory or infectious nature are most often accompanied by fluid retention in the body. Favorite places for localization of excess water are the face, the area around the eyes, wrists and ankles. Please note: if you remove the socks, then there will be a trace on the legs of the baby from the gum. If so, then the swelling of the child’s body and face is most likely caused by impaired kidney function.
2. Diseases of an allergic nature: this is urticaria, Quincke's edema, tearing, discharge from the nose. If a child has swollen one side of the face, then most likely this is a manifestation of an allergic reaction. The algorithm below describes what to do and how to help the baby in such a situation.
3. Parotid glands are usually inflamed due to mumps. The people call this disease "mumps." Pathology is most often observed in children older than five years and under ten.
4. Features of the formation, growth and development of the body, in some cases, can also provoke some swelling. Young parents may begin to panic for any reason. But sometimes edema of the face in a child after sleep can simply be associated with an incorrect position of the pillow and, accordingly, the child’s head.
5. In infants, teething can be the cause of facial swelling. This process in some cases is accompanied not only by an increase in temperature and swelling of the gums. Sometimes the child ’s cheeks and even nose swell .
6. Infectious diseases of the eyes can cause swelling of the eyelids and the area around the eyes. At the same time, the eyes are very itchy, pus remains on the eyelids in the morning, and painful tearing begins. Sinusitis, sinusitis, adenoiditis and other infectious diseases of the nasopharynx often have similar symptoms.

Professional help: which doctor to contact

Confused, parents can’t always navigate, where to go to get help and accurately determine the cause of facial swelling in a child?

If the baby himself reported that there was an injury - you should contact the emergency room. If necessary, they will stitch the wound (if any) and check the child for craniocerebral injury. Parents note: if there was a short-term loss of consciousness after a bruise or nausea and vomiting - most likely, there was a CCI (closed craniocerebral trauma).

If the child has a fever, and swelling is not only on the face, but also on the body - you need to call an ambulance. Most likely, this is a manifestation of acute pyelonephritis. In some cases, such symptoms indicate an infection in the ureter or bladder. Severe swelling, accompanied by an increase in temperature, may indicate an inflammatory process in the lungs. Ambulance doctors will take the child to the hospital, there he will be provided with the necessary assistance and conduct research to identify an accurate diagnosis.

A swollen red face in a child is a serious symptom, and if the parent is worried about the baby’s well-being, you should not hesitate, it is better to immediately call the attending doctor. An independent visit to a nephrologist or allergist can take a lot of time and the disease will have time to develop into a chronic form.

Urinary tract

Renal edema is a serious condition. They occur when the kidneys are disturbed - not endocrine, not hematopoietic, but excretory, which is closely associated with ion - and osmoregulatory.

In case of impaired kidney function, edema can be of the following types:

• nephrotic - to the touch soft, extensive in area (starting from the eyelids, walking along the face, descending hands, swelling hands and fingers). Such edema is a complication of membranous nephropathy, renal amyloidosis, glomerulosclerosis, and they are also characteristic of patients with diabetes mellitus.
• nephritic edema is characterized by the parallel development of jumps in blood pressure, the presence of blood in the urine, severe weakness and the inability to get out of bed. This condition requires emergency medical attention.
• retention edema of the face and body occur most often in chronic renal failure and are characterized by the fact that they first appear on the face and then on the legs. On the hands and body, fluid accumulation is practically not observed.

Methods of treatment and advice of nephrologists

The fastest and easiest method to rid a child of edema is to give him a diuretic, i.e. diuretic drug. Instructions for use with tablets "Furosemide" reports that this drug is contraindicated in children under three years of age. He can save older kids from swelling in a short time.

The use of diuretics affects the accumulation of fluid, contributing to its rapid elimination. But it does not cure the cause of swelling - the inflammatory process in the organs of the urinary system does not disappear, therefore, literally the next day, the child’s condition worsens.

In addition, almost all diuretics for children have many contraindications. Among the side effects are dehydration, depression of the central nervous system. So it is better to refrain from taking diuretics or give them to a child only in emergency cases, on the recommendation of a doctor.

What drugs are better to use

Here is a list of drugs with a diuretic effect that have an anti-inflammatory effect on kidney tissue:

• "Kanefron" is a homeopathic preparation that has a mild diuretic effect and promotes the discharge of sand and stones (if any), is effective as an independent tool and as part of complex therapy for chronic and acute pyelonephritis and cystitis;
• "Renel" is a drug whose positive result is achieved through the action of plant components. It has a beneficial effect on the tissues of the kidneys and bladder, helps to relieve swelling of the face and body due to the diuretic effect.

The desired result in all children is achieved in different ways. The edematous face will take its former shape literally two to three days after competent drug therapy. In some cases, the child may need a course of antibiotics (in the case of an infectious process in the organs of the urinary system).

Allergic reactions

Allergic reactions (angioedema) and obstruction (obstruction) of the superior vena cava are the causes of local facial edema. This term means that any one side or part of the body swells.

Puffiness of the eyelid in children or separately of the nose, or only the cheeks and one finger on the left side - all this speaks of the allergic nature of the problem. Insect bites belong to the same point, since the toxin injected by bees or mosquitoes under the skin provokes a local allergy.

Allergies most often do not pose a threat to life (except for some rare pathologies, for example, Quincke's edema). It is advisable to show the child to an allergist and conduct the necessary studies, the so-called tests, in order to identify the exact allergen and test its sensitivity to pharmacological treatment.

If the child has a tendency to develop allergic reactions, it is worth visiting an immunologist for advice. Most often, an increased tendency to rashes and swelling due to substances foreign to the body appears due to a weak immune system. Taking drugs with an immunomodulatory effect can help reduce the intensity of the manifestations of allergic reactions.

Methods of treatment and advice of allergists

The most effective drugs for the treatment of facial swelling in children, provoked by an allergic reaction:

• "Pilpofen" - used to relieve allergy symptoms in children older than two months. Release form - injection, pills, tablets. It has a number of contraindications, before use, parents should definitely read the instructions.
• Fenistil is available in the form of drops, tablets and a solution for injection. Allowed for admission for children from one month of age and older. It is better for babies to take the drug in the form of drops, for adolescents and adults - in the form of tablets.
• Diazolin is used to treat allergies in children from one year of age and older. Release form - tablets. The drug has a number of contraindications, before use, parents should definitely read the instructions.

Infectious diseases

The following infectious diseases often lead to the appearance of facial swelling in children:

1. Measles is a serious disease whose virus, moving with air currents, can easily enter the body of a child. The disease has a fairly long incubation period - up to three weeks. However, she will not manifest herself in any way, then symptoms similar to the flu will appear. In the first days, the temperature rises, conjunctivitis develops. Then there is a rash in the mouth. After a few hours, the rash can cover the entire face and gradually move to the body.
2. Scarlet fever is an infectious disease that is transmitted by airborne droplets. Symptoms: swelling of the eyelids and face, severe sore throat, temperature rises up to forty degrees, painful enlarged tonsils, vomiting and a small rash on the body are possible. The nasolabial triangle with scarlet fever turns pale.
3. Meningitis is one of the most dangerous diseases of an infectious nature, in which there is swelling of the face and body of the child. Meningitis is characterized by a high temperature, hemorrhagic rashes appear on day 2-3. Small hematomas begin to appear under the skin. Bleeding, loss of consciousness, severe headaches are symptoms of meningitis. The child urgently needs to be hospitalized.

Injuries to the face and head

Because of their injustice, children often injure their faces. With bruises of the nose, severe swelling of the area around the eyes appears, after a day a hematoma (bruise) usually develops in this place, i.e. accumulation of blood in the subcutaneous tissue.

For treatment, heparin ointment, Troxevasin or Troxerutin gel are most often used. Even without special treatment, swelling and hematoma will subside in about ten days.

If you urgently need to get rid of puffiness in the area around the eyes, you should use Veroshpiron (the dosage for edema in children is prescribed by the attending physician depending on the weight and height of the child) and Badyaga gel to prevent the appearance of hematomas on the face.

If the child received a serious head injury - you need to take him for examination at the emergency room. If necessary, they will stitch the wound (if there is one) and check the child for traumatic brain injury. If immediately after the impact there was a short-term loss of consciousness or severe nausea, vomiting - most likely, there was a CCI (closed traumatic brain injury). It is advisable to consult a neurologist and, if necessary, do an MRI of the brain.

Is it advisable to use diuretics

Practically all pharmacological preparations are prohibited or partially limited to children. Diuretics are no exception.

Here is a list of diuretics that are approved for use for children (should be used with caution, since drug dependence may develop):

• Furosemide. This tool is prescribed with caution. The instructions for use for tablets "Furosemide" provides a wide list of contraindications. However, there are situations when you can not do without this medicine. It can be used both in tablet form and in the form of a solution for intramuscular injection. It is able to get rid of the accumulation of excess fluid in the body in just an hour, it will exit through the kidneys and bladder;
• "Diacarb" is a diuretic, which is often prescribed to children by neuropathologists as part of complex therapy in the treatment of intracranial pressure. Tablets quickly and effectively contribute to the release of excess fluid from all parts of the body and from subcutaneous fat;
• "Hypothiazide" - tablets with a strong diuretic effect. Used for severe liver failure in children from three years of age and older.

Side effects and contraindications to the use of diuretics for children:

• chronic renal failure;
• liver diseases of various etiologies;
• violation of the water-salt balance in the body;
• diabetes;
• endocrine system diseases;
• taking cardiac glycosides;
• hypercalcemia;
• intolerance to sulfonamides.