Carotene jaundice in a child is not a disease. It is a syndrome in which the skin becomes yellowish or orange due to the fact that beta-carotene accumulates in the cellular structures of the dermis.
Many diseases are associated with such symptoms (especially with the gallbladder and liver), so you need to be able to distinguish between them. If the child's body turns yellow, then you should immediately go to the hospital.
Features
False jaundice (pseudojaundice) is another name for this syndrome. It is a physiological response to excess beta-carotene (a provitamin A) in the human body.
This phenomenon occurs due to excessive consumption of food with a high concentration of such a compound. Beta-carotene is present in large quantities in vegetables and fruits that are yellow, red or orange. For example, these are tangerines and other citrus fruits, carrots, bell peppers of the corresponding color, pumpkin, apricots, persimmons.
Beta-carotene is a fat-soluble substance. In other words, for thatin order for it to be absorbed, fats are required - vegetable or animal. Carotene is converted to vitamin A in the cellular structures of the liver. If a person eats a lot of foods that contain carotene, but at the same time, a sufficient amount of fat does not enter the body, an excess occurs. Molecules of free carotene penetrate into the blood, due to which the skin becomes yellow.
Factors
Children are diagnosed with this problem more often. This is mainly due to the following factors:
- Consumption of plenty of foods rich in carotene. So that the child does not have beriberi, many parents prefer to feed their children with he althy fruits and vegetables.
- Use of a woman during breastfeeding a large amount of products with coloring compounds, which causes pigmentation in the baby.
- Incorrect introduction of pumpkin, carrot or spinach complementary foods in infants in their first year of life.
By the way, similar pigmentation appears even in babies, if every day they bathe them in water with a decoction of a string. This plant contains a lot of carotene, which colors the baby's body.
Distinguishing carotene jaundice from other forms
There are several varieties of real (true) jaundice. The causes of such pathologies are as follows:
- insufficient binding of bile pigment by bilirubins by hepatocytes;
- rapid breakdown of red blood cells, causing large amounts of bilirubin to enter the blood;
- blockage of bilechannels, due to which bilirubin is not excreted from the digestive tract.
This condition is provoked by severe pathologies of the hepatobiliary system. Manifested by yellowness of the skin, mucous membranes, eye sclera. If these symptoms occur, you should immediately go to the hospital so that the doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and carry out appropriate treatment.
Carotene jaundice develops due to other provoking factors. It is less dangerous for the he alth of the child. Doctors often call this form false jaundice. It has similar manifestations with liver pathologies, but there are also distinctive symptoms by which the doctor makes an accurate diagnosis.
What is typical
Symptoms of carotene jaundice in children (pictured) include the following:
- skin becomes more orange (and with liver disease - bronze);
- colouring is uneven. it is more pronounced around the nose and lips, on the cheekbones, palms, feet;
- white of the eye does not change color - this is the main difference from true jaundice.
With false jaundice, the general well-being of the child does not get worse. The fever does not appear - the body temperature is stable. Pain under the ribs on the right side also does not occur. Urine does not darken, and feces do not lighten. The results of the blood test show that the amount of bilirubin in the blood remains normal.
It is also important to distinguish carotene jaundice from an excess of vitamin A (retinol hypervitaminosis). This substance affects the bodythe person is more aggressive. It provokes malfunctions in the functioning of internal organs. This also applies to carotenoderma, which occurs in the form of swelling and peeling of the skin.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis for carotene jaundice involves the exclusion of other causes that could cause such a condition. The pediatrician must examine the skin and sclera. When he detects a physiological shade of the mucous membranes, he clarifies with the mother the nuances of lactation, the introduction of complementary foods, her diet. If the child is already older, then the features of his nutrition are specified.
After that, the doctor prescribes laboratory tests and other procedures that are carried out to differentiate between different types of jaundice.
What causes yellowness
Change in the shade of the skin and mucous membranes can be caused by the following:
- Congestive processes with bile. The problem may arise due to stagnant processes during the development of biliary canals or their compression by the tumor. In this case, jaundice lasts for more than a month.
- Viral hepatitis (B, C, Botkin). It develops due to the fact that the baby becomes infected during childbirth through contact with the mother's blood and damaged mucous layers.
- Medicated hepatitis. It develops due to an overdose of toxic drugs, which can damage liver cells. Because of this, yellowness of the skin appears.
- Massive hemolysis of erythrocytes. They are destroyed due to severe intoxication. Because of this, a large amount of bilirubin enters the bloodstream, which leads to yellowing of the skin.
- Genetic diseases associated with a lack of production of enzymes by the liver, which are intended for the utilization of bilirubin.
The nuclear form of jaundice is especially dangerous, as bilirubin has a toxic effect on the central nervous system. The child (especially if it is a newborn) becomes inhibited. Seizures and coma may occur. That is why it is extremely important to establish the diagnosis as early as possible. And if there is a suspicion of carotene jaundice, then an additional examination is also carried out to check the absence of other pathologies of the liver and biliary system. Be sure to conduct a biochemical blood test, ultrasound.
Treatment
Symptoms and treatment of carotene jaundice in children are interrelated. It is not a pathology, so that specific therapy is not required for the child. But if a gastroenterologist has doubts about the diagnosis, then he is sent for an additional examination to an infectious disease specialist, endocrinologist, hematologist to rule out other options.
Treatment of carotene jaundice involves only switching to a special diet and refusing to take drugs that can cause pigmentation. If, in addition to the yellowness of the skin, there are also symptoms of an allergic reaction, then antihistamines are prescribed. For example, "Tsetrin", "Erius", "Claritin", "Zodak" are suitable. Children are prescribed only drops and syrups, while adults are prescribed pills.
Diet
The transition to a diet will not give an instant effect. To remove excess carotene from the body of a child, it will take about a couple of months to a year. The gastroenterologist selects the right diet. He usually advises to exclude the following foods from the menu:
- carrot (it contains carotene the most);
- pumpkin;
- tomatoes;
- bell pepper yellow and red;
- peaches;
- apricots and dried apricots;
- melons;
- sea buckthorn;
- rosehip;
- prune;
- various exotic fruits, including citrus fruits;
- greens (especially spinach, sorrel and parsley).
Thinking through the menu for every day, you need to remember that a certain amount of the coloring compound is also present in potatoes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, green beans, beets, green peas, watermelon, plums. Dairy and dairy products are also included in this list. This is especially true for butter. A large amount of vitamin A, which causes pigmentation, is present in eggs, cheese, fatty cottage cheese, fish oil, liver.
To prevent the discoloration of the skin caused by such a substance, it is required to consume the listed products rich in beta-carotene in a limited amount. Then the coloring compound can be removed from the child's body in a timely manner, and not accumulate in the tissues.
It's not just about the baby's diet. The rules also apply to the diet of a nursing mother, ifbaby appeared yellowing of the skin. Before introducing complementary foods, you should consult with your pediatrician. It will help to create a suitable menu depending on the age of the newborn and his needs.
Recommendations
Another important point: ultraviolet radiation accelerates the process of carotene breakdown. Because of this, children and adults with false jaundice are advised to walk more often in sunny places. In winter, special UV lamps can make up for this.
Conclusion
Thus, carotene jaundice is not considered a dangerous condition. It occurs only because of an excess amount of carotene in the blood, which passes into other tissues, including the skin. At the same time, false jaundice is not associated with pathologies of the liver or biliary system.
But nevertheless, it is often confused due to the appearance of a yellowish-orange skin tone in a child. However, there is no specific treatment for this condition. That is, when wondering how long carotene jaundice lasts in a child, the answer is just to switch to a different diet, limiting the intake of foods rich in vitamin A. As a result, all symptoms will go away on their own, although not immediately.
Despite the fact that carotene jaundice is a fairly harmless condition, you should not neglect the advice of doctors and self-medicate so as not to worsen the condition of the child. At the first suspicious symptoms, it is recommended to contact the clinic and undergo an examination for the appointment of a comprehensivetherapy and dietary advice.
