Dark circles: allergy, iron deficiency or diseased thyroid

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Dark circles in children do not necessarily indicate a lack of sleep. In addition to iron deficiency, hypothyroidism or allergies such as hay fever can also be the cause.

Adults with dark circles under their eyes like to indicate a drunken and sleepless night. Children with shadows under their eyes are not always caused by lack of sleep or dehydration. In fact, various diseases such as a kidney disorder or hypothyroidism can be the cause. If your child shows persistent dark circles under the eyes, you should investigate the cause and clarify this with a doctor. This phenomenon may be an indication of a disease that requires treatment.

Your child has dark circles under the eyes: hay fever or a thyroid disorder can be the cause

Dark shadows under the eyes can be a sign of an allergy or a thyroid disorder. (icon picture)

© Aleksei Ivanov/Imago

Dark circles under the eyes are particularly visible in children with pale and delicate skin and in many cases are an indication of lack of sleep and dehydration. The latter can be a result of not drinking enough or an enormous loss of fluids due to a gastrointestinal disease. Make sure that your child drinks enough, for example water, tea or diluted fruit juices.

The ten most common allergies: from hay fever and gluten intolerance to fragrance and sun allergies

In the case of a pollen allergy, those affected react with typical symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, burning and watery eyes, coughing and respiratory problems.
Hay fever or pollen allergy in general is one of the most common allergies. The symptoms of hay fever are caused by pollen from various plants, cereals and grasses such as birch, alder, mugwort, plantain, acacia, sorrel and rye. (icon picture) © North Rhine Westphalia/Imago
Not only cats, but also horses, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits and even goats can cause allergic symptoms in sensitive people. It is not the hair itself, but certain proteins in the saliva, sweat, sebum, urine, faeces or in the dander of the animals - so-called allergens - that are the cause of allergic reactions in humans.
Intensive cuddling with cats, for example, is not possible for people with a sensitive immune system without symptoms. Even if cats are not present or in a room, but have left their hair or allergens behind, people with animal dander allergies can show severe symptoms such as sneezing and coughing. The overreaction to animal allergens is one of the most common allergies after house cold. (icon picture) © Evgenia Sunegina/Imago
A house dust mite allergy is also incorrectly called house dust allergy in the vernacular. It is not the dust that can trigger the allergy in humans, but rather the faeces of the house dust mite in the dust. Typical reactions to this are red eyes, a permanent runny nose and constant sneezing - the symptoms occur especially at night and in the morning after getting up and are difficult to distinguish from other allergies such as hay fever or a cold.
Watery eyes and sneezing in bed in the morning – if it’s not an infection, you could possibly be allergic to house dust mites or their faeces. Mites prefer to live in beds as they mainly feed on human dander. The reason for the allergic reaction in humans are proteins that are in the body of house dust mites and their excretions. If these get into the human mucous membranes via the air, typical symptoms such as a runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing can occur. Along with pollen and food, house dust mites are among the most common allergy triggers. (icon picture) © leungchopan/Imago
The skin areas affected by a sun allergy are primarily the arms and legs as well as the shoulders, the décolleté, the neck and the face.
More than ten percent of Central Europeans suffer from a sun allergy – the so-called “polymorphic light eruption” is the most common. The symptoms can express themselves very differently, that is, are polymorphic. Redness, itching, swelling, pustules, wheals and blisters are typical of an allergic reaction after sun exposure. The shoulders, arms and legs, the décolleté, the neck and the face are particularly affected. However, skin areas that are not directly exposed to the sun’s rays due to clothing can also show skin reactions. (icon picture) © Christine Langer-Püschel/Imago
As a rule, an allergy to fragrances and cosmetics is a type IV allergy, also called “delayed type”. As the name suggests, the reactions do not occur immediately after contact with the allergen, but only with a certain delay.
Put on your favorite scent – and you’ll feel better straight away. But what do people do who suddenly react to perfume and fragrances with severe itching, a rash and eczemas? There may then be a fragrance allergy that many of those affected are unaware of – even though fragrance and cosmetic allergies are among the most widespread contact allergies. The extent of the allergy often depends on specific fragrances, their formulation and dosage. (icon picture) © Arne Trautmann/Imago
Healthy people lack the endogenous enzyme lactase to break down lactose in the small intestine and absorb it through the blood.
People who react to lactose with symptoms prefer to drink their coffee black or with the now universally popular oat milk. Symptoms after drinking cow’s milk are often abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting and cold sweat. About 15 percent of people in Germany are affected by lactose intolerance. A true lactose allergy is very rare. (icon picture) © Thomas Trutschel/photothek.de/Imago
Symptoms of gluten intolerance are diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence, abdominal cramps and intestinal bleeding with sometimes blood in the stool.
Fresh smelling bread from the baker, how wonderful. But people with gluten intolerance or gluten allergy (celiac disease) must avoid it. The gluten contained in grains such as wheat triggers an inflammatory reaction in them because the antibodies are directed against their own body. As a result, the intestinal villi recede. Due to the reduced surface, nutrients can no longer be absorbed as well and there is a risk of malnutrition. Symptoms are diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence, abdominal cramps and intestinal bleeding with sometimes blood in the stool. (icon picture) © Fleig / Eibner-Pressefoto/Imago
Like soybeans, beans, lentils and peas, peanuts are legumes. Allergy sufferers therefore do not necessarily have to do without all nuts if there is no cross-allergy.
“May contain traces of nuts.” – A note that can often be read on the label of desserts and spreads. It is particularly important for people with a peanut allergy, as eating peanuts can be life-threatening in acute cases due to swelling of the airways. In western countries, peanut allergy is not only one of the most common food allergies – peanuts are the cause of most food allergy-related deaths. (icon picture) © Gottfried Czepluch/Imago
In Germany, around two to four million people are affected by an apple allergy.
Bite into a juicy apple, delicious! Less tempting for people with an apple allergy. Because they react when eaten with a so-called oral allergy syndrome (OAS). A person affected by an apple allergy may develop symptoms such as a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, a furry tongue and swollen lips just from eating the fruit. In Germany, around two to four million people are affected by an apple allergy. (icon picture) © Sunsi Albets/Imago
Symptoms often last longer than 24 hours and are accompanied by chills and a general feeling of illness. In the worst case, there is even a threat of anaphylactic shock, which can be life-threatening.
As beautiful as the sight of a bee on the flower may be, people with an insect sting allergy prefer to keep their distance here. If you get bitten, you often not only react with an allergic reaction such as itching, burning, reddening and swelling of the skin around the bite site – in the worst case, an allergic shock can occur and there is a risk of death. (icon picture) © fotogroupmedia/Imago

The reason for the shadows under the eyes can be the following diseases:

  • Colds and flu infections: When you have a cold, the veins around your eyes dilate. The reason for this is the excess nasal secretion, which is difficult to drain in the case of inflammation (sinusitis). Nasal douches and exercise in the fresh air help the immune system get the flu-like infection under control again.
  • Pollen allergy: Dark circles under the eyes can be a sign of an allergy in children. With hay fever, the child usually looks sickly and pale around the eyes. Typical symptoms of a pollen allergy or hay fever are the itchy and burning eyes in the acute phase. They are also red, swollen and tear more often. In addition, those affected may be more sensitive to light. With the beginning of the pollen season, hay fever can be announced by dark shadows under the eyes.
  • iron deficiency: Does your child have one Iron or vitamin deficiency, this can also cause dark circles. A blood test by the doctor can confirm a possible suspicion. In order to prevent iron and vitamin deficiencies, it is important to ensure a balanced diet with lots of fruit, vegetables and iron-rich foods (meat, legumes, nuts).
  • Kidney and Thyroid Diseases: If your child’s dark circles appear yellowish, this can indicate a kidney or thyroid disease. You should definitely discuss this with a pediatrician and have it clarified.

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Dark circles do not always have to be an indication of a disease. In some cases, these are also predisposition. Especially in children with pale skin, the blue veins under the eyes can show through and appear like dark circles.

This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.

Rubric list image: © Aleksei Ivanov/Imago

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