home Audience 12 Blue nasolabial part of a newborn. What does the blue nasolabial triangle mean? Causes of blue nasolabial triangle

Blue nasolabial part of a newborn. What does the blue nasolabial triangle mean? Causes of blue nasolabial triangle

Observant parents can often notice blue discoloration in the nasolabial fold area of their newborn baby. This condition causes anxiety and concern among young parents who begin to think about the development of a pathological process in their child’s body. There are many reasons for the formation of this phenomenon.

They can be associated with both pathological phenomena and physiological norms. The most rational tactics for parents in this case is to visit a medical specialist for an unscheduled examination of the baby. In medical terminology, this phenomenon is called cyanosis. This process occurs due to a lack of oxygen in the blood.

Causes

Blueness of the nasolabial area occurs when the oxygen concentration in the blood decreases below 95%. In the body of a healthy baby, this phenomenon occurs under the influence of the following reasons:

Thinness of the skin in the facial area. This especially applies to children who have fair skin and light hair color;
Excessive emotional overstimulation and excess of emotions. Excessive emotions always provoke a narrowing of blood vessels, resulting in a decrease in oxygen concentration and a blue discoloration of the nasolabial fold;
The consequences of swimming in cool water. If parents do not comply with the recommended temperature of water for bathing a newborn, the child increases the risk of vascular spasm and, as a result, cyanosis of the nasolabial area.

In addition to physiological ones, there are a number of pathological factors that can lead to the appearance of this symptom. These factors include:

General hypothermia of the body. Constriction of blood vessels is a normal reaction to exposure to low temperatures. In this case, blueness of the nasolabial area in a baby cannot be avoided;
Birth ahead of schedule. The premature birth of a baby is usually accompanied by underdevelopment of the respiratory system. In this regard, the baby’s body is faced with the problem of oxygen starvation, which manifests itself in the form of cyanosis of the nasolabial fold;
Finding a foreign body in the respiratory tract. Severe oxygen deprivation is often caused by the entry of a foreign body into the upper and lower respiratory tract of a child. Not only does the baby's nasolabial fold turn blue, but also the tips of his toes and hands. In addition, the child begins to choke;
Respiratory allergosis and bronchial asthma. These pathological conditions occur when the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract is irritated. The result of such irritation is a spasm of the smooth muscles of the bronchi. If a child suffers from one of these diseases, then every breath is difficult for him. This entails cyanosis of the nasolabial area;
Valvular malformations of the heart. If a newborn baby has pathology of the valvular apparatus of the heart, a failure occurs in the distribution of blood volume, resulting in hypoxia of the body. One of the manifestations of such a serious disease is cyanosis of the nasolabial area;
Complications associated with previous pneumonia or parainfluenza. Infectious pathogens of these diseases lead to complications such as laryngitis. With this disease, it will be difficult for the baby to take a breath, as a result of which his body experiences oxygen starvation. Against the background of general hypoxia, cyanosis of the nasolabial area appears. Similar changes are also characteristic of inflammatory lesions of the lung tissue. Pneumonia is characterized by blue discoloration not only of this area, but also of the skin around the eyes.

Another less common reason for the appearance of this symptom is a sharp decrease in blood pressure in an infant. As a rule, this phenomenon is associated with the development of serious pathologies of the cardiovascular or nervous system in a child.

When is emergency medical consultation necessary?

The following signs serve as a cause for parental concern:

The baby has been suffering from a respiratory viral infection for a long time. As a result, the child experiences wheezing, shortness of breath, night breathing becomes heavy and harsh, and blue discoloration is observed in the nasolabial area;
On the eve of the appearance of this sign, small toys, buttons and other small objects were noticed near the child. If a foreign body enters the bronchi, the baby’s breathing becomes intermittent, his skin begins to turn pale, wheezing, suffocation and pronounced cyanosis occur.

In this case, parents are required to call emergency medical assistance. It is strictly forbidden to resort to the use of tweezers and forceps to independently remove a foreign body.

Diagnostics

To identify the exact cause of this condition, the child is shown the following research methods:

Ultrasound examination of the heart;
Electrocardiogram;
X-ray examination of the chest organs. Using X-ray examination, it is possible to detect diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia;
Bronchoscopy. This study allows us to detect the presence of a foreign body in the lumen of the respiratory tract;
In addition, the baby is given consultations with medical specialists such as a neurologist and a cardiologist.

Treatment

The nature of assistance to a child facing pathological cyanosis of the nasolabial area depends on the cause of this condition. If this phenomenon is caused by an infectious-inflammatory process of the respiratory tract, then the baby will need specialized medical care, observation in a hospital setting, taking antibacterial drugs, anti-inflammatory and other groups of medications. If the cause of cyanosis is a foreign body, it should be removed by an emergency medical technician.

Prevention

Preventive measures to prevent the occurrence of this condition consist of following these recommendations:

In the room where the newborn baby is located, it is necessary to maintain a comfortable temperature and air humidity;
Daily exercise in the fresh air is beneficial. In this case, the baby must be dressed in accordance with temperature indicators;
From the moment your baby is born, you should stick to a daily routine. It is necessary to put your child to bed at the same time. How to properly improve sleep for an infant, read the article at the link.

It is important to remember that the correction of serious diseases that caused the formation of this symptom is carried out in a specialized medical institution under the supervision of a doctor.

Sometimes parents notice that their newborn babies' nasolabial triangle turns blue. In medicine, this phenomenon is called cyanosis. Let's take a closer look at this concept and analyze the reasons for its appearance.

Causes of cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle in newborns

A blue nasolabial triangle can also occur in completely healthy newborns. This phenomenon is observed, as a rule, at moments of crying. Why is this happening? While the baby is crying, the level of oxygen entering the blood decreases - 92%, while the norm is 95%. These cases in medicine are called cyanosis of pulmonary origin. In healthy children this goes away within a few weeks.
Another reason for the blueness of the nasolabial triangle in a healthy newborn is too thin and transparent skin. For the same reason, babies may also experience cyanosis throughout the rest of the body. In such cases it is not at all dangerous.
The cause of blueness of the nasolabial triangle in infants can also be inflammation, or any pulmonary disease that is characterized by attacks and severe coughing.
In case of difficult or premature birth, the baby may also experience blue discoloration around the nasolabial fold while crying. In this case, the mother needs to do everything to make the child feel comfortable and cry as little as possible. This will give his lungs the opportunity to fully “mature.”

Now let's move on to pathologies. The manifestation of cyanosis in the nasolabial fold in children in a calm state can signal cardiac defects, malformations of the pulmonary artery, or speak of acute heart failure.

Unhealthy blueness

In cases where parents observe blueness in the nasolabial fold of the child for longer than normal, or in moments when the child is absolutely calm, this is a reason to consult a doctor as soon as possible. The pediatrician will immediately send you for a consultation with a cardiologist and an ultrasound of the heart. The ultrasound procedure lasts about 15 minutes. Parents should try to ensure that the child is calm and not nervous at this time. This procedure will either rule out heart problems in the child or help more accurately determine the nature of the disease.

If the study reveals a patent oval window, but with a preserved valve, doctors will tell parents how to properly care for such a child. Most often, this phenomenon goes away on its own, the valve grows to the septum on its own, closing the open oval hole. But, until this moment, it is necessary to monitor the child’s condition by conducting periodic examinations. It is recommended to walk with your baby in the fresh air as often as possible, to ensure that he does not have a nervous breakdown, and that he sleeps as much as possible.

In cases where the study shows that the child does not have a valve, surgeons intervene, because this situation indicates an atrial septal defect. After consultation with the surgeon, the time for the operation is determined, which may be delayed due to the general condition of the child.

If the ultrasound does not reveal any abnormalities, then the child is sent for examination to a neurologist. The pediatric neurologist, after conducting an examination, will give the parents the necessary recommendations, and, most likely, will refer them for a massage and.

Remember, the main thing is not to waste time and start visiting all the necessary specialists on time. Then, with the right approach, by the end of the first year of the child’s life, all disturbing symptoms disappear.

Often, young parents notice that some areas of the baby’s skin are “the wrong color,” and turn to the pediatrician with the question of why the nasolabial triangle of the baby turns blue. Blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle occurs in the vast majority of infants and is usually not a worrying symptom. But sometimes it can still mean a pathology of the cardiovascular or respiratory system or have other serious causes.

What is cyanosis, its types

Cyanosis (blue discoloration) is a sign of a lack of oxygen in the body, as a result of which the production of reduced hemoglobin (methemoglobin) increases. It gives a dark color to the skin or mucous membranes.

If cyanosis is observed in the perioral area, on the hands and feet, this is peripheral cyanosis, or acrocyanosis. It can mean both normal and pathological. More common in. But if the blue discoloration extends to the head, torso, or mucous membranes of the oral cavity, this is central cyanosis, which almost always indicates a pathology of the blood, heart, or lungs. Here you cannot do without the help of a doctor.

The causes of cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle in infants can be either physiological (normal) or a sign of a serious systemic disease.

Physiological

In most children, the nasolabial triangle becomes bluish as a result of increased physical activity.

For a long time. While crying, the child exhales a lot and inhales little, as a result of which the amount of oxygen in the blood decreases slightly, which leads to the blueness of the nasolabial triangle.
At . Sucking at the breast is a serious burden for a newborn, during which the superficial vessels dilate and become more noticeable.
Height . When a child is high above sea level for a long time, the amount of oxygen in the blood decreases slightly, but this is not dangerous.
Hypothermia. If the room is not warm enough when changing clothes, the child may freeze, which will lead to cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle. Warm your baby immediately after bathing - if the blue discoloration disappears, it means normal physiological cyanosis.

If the darkening of the nasolabial triangle does not go away for a long time after feeding or when warming up, and is also combined with a blue discoloration of the tongue, nail phalanges of the fingers, toes and other parts of the body, contact your pediatrician immediately.

Pathological

Depending on the mechanism of origin, pathological cyanosis is divided into three main types.

Permanent (central origin). It can be observed after birth trauma, with increased, immaturity of the respiratory or vasomotor center of the brain. The nasolabial triangle in infants often turns blue with such pathologies, in combination with a decrease in the sucking reflex and tension in the large fontanel.
Respiratory (pulmonary) origin. In this case, blueness near the nose and mouth is usually combined with blueness around the eyes and pale skin. Sometimes when breathing, retraction of the intercostal muscles is observed. This condition occurs with bronchitis, bronchial asthma, diaphragmatic hernia, aspiration of the respiratory tract (foreign body entry), inhalation or carbon monoxide, and even with a common runny nose.
Cardiovascular origin. With congenital heart defects (for example, patent oval window of the interatrial septum), the nasolabial triangle of a newborn often turns blue already in the maternity hospital. But due to the nature of the baby’s heart, murmurs cannot always be heard in the first weeks after birth. Therefore, it is so important to go for routine examinations in the first year of a baby’s life in order to promptly identify possible pathologies in the development of the cardiovascular system and other parts of the body.

Norm or pathology?

Before you panic, try to analyze your baby's health by answering the following questions.

Is the child growing and developing normally?
Have any heart murmurs been detected previously?
Is there difficulty breathing during periods of cyanotic nasolabial triangle?
Do other parts of the body turn blue along with the perioral area?
Is the baby active enough, does he get tired too quickly compared to his peers?
Does he experience constant drowsiness and lethargy?
Does he have pale skin?

If at least one item on this list raises even the slightest doubt, you should consult your pediatrician as soon as possible. He will be able to figure out the situation on his own, or he will refer you to a neurologist or cardio-rheumatologist.

Necessary actions

If you observe cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle in your child, first of all you should pay attention to the conditions under which this happens and how quickly it goes away. If a symptom is visible, for example, during bathing, but then quickly passes, then there is nothing to worry about. But if this phenomenon is observed constantly, measures must be taken.

Consult a doctor. At the clinic, you may be prescribed an ECG (electrocardiogram), ECHO (ultrasound examination of the heart), or a chest x-ray. You may be referred to a neurologist for a more extensive examination.
Lifestyle . Support him at home, walk with your baby more often, try to make him cry less often (be more attentive to his comfort). All this must be done even when the child is completely healthy.
Massage . After consulting with a specialist, perform a daily massage - it will help stimulate the nervous system and improve the functioning of the respiratory center.

If a foreign body gets into the child’s respiratory tract, you need to act without delay: place the baby on your knee with his stomach and hit his back several times. The blows must be strong enough, otherwise the foreign body will not move. If this does not help, call an ambulance immediately.

A blue nasolabial triangle in a baby is a symptom that always deserves the attention of parents. Analyze your child's condition and be sure to share your concerns with your doctor. Timely measures taken minimize the consequences of any disease.

Blue discoloration caused by a network of capillaries can occur gradually, or it can develop quite abruptly. Disorder caused by health problems is often accompanied by other symptoms. Blue skin mainly indicates improper gas exchange in the lungs, pathologies of the cardiovascular system or other disorders in the patient’s body.

Most often, signs of the disease are observed on protruding parts of the body: lips, tip of the nose, phalanges of the fingers. They are usually combined with other symptoms and appear in severe stages of the disease.

Causes of the disease

With a change in blood composition, namely with an increase in the amount of deoxyhemoglobin (hemoglobin deprived of oxygen), skin color changes. Blood, almost deprived of oxygen, becomes darker and translucent through the skin. The normal hemoglobin concentration is 3 g/l. If it becomes more than 30 or 50 g/l, this disease occurs.

Cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle in a child indicates that the baby may suffer from neuralgia, heart or lung disease. In an adult, such a triangle appears as a result of diseases of the respiratory system or due to cardiovascular failure.

Note. The bluish color of the skin around the mouth and nose in a small child does not always indicate the presence of serious causes, since children's skin is very thin and the venous plexuses are very noticeable.

What else causes cyanosis to develop?

Cyanosis can develop on any part of the body, but is most often observed in the area of the nasolabial triangle. Some patients suffer from this disease only during the cold season. It happens that the appearance of symptoms begins in a person who has been at high altitude for a long time. Lack of oxygen in the air affects the body in exactly this way.

The nasolabial triangle is more noticeable in young children. In adults, the symptom appears in cases of severe condition. In some patients it manifests itself as a result of poisoning, diphtheria, asthma, tuberculosis, thrombophlebitis.

Cyanosis in a newborn

Cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle is very common in infants. The weakest cyanosis, which manifests itself when the baby cries, is of respiratory origin (the child inhales little oxygen and exhales a lot). Turning blue in this area when straining or screaming is considered normal.

Other causes of blue skin in the area of the nasolabial triangle, which is considered normal:

The baby's superficial blood vessels dilate, becoming more visible, during breastfeeding.
In case of hypothermia, which can occur during the period of changing clothes or swimming. But after the baby warms up, the color of his skin above the upper lip returns to its original color.

A serious threat to the life and health of the child is posed by any dysfunction of the cardiovascular and respiratory organs, which are manifested by the same symptom.

Attention. If, after the nasolabial triangle turns blue, its color does not return to normal after some time, and the fingers and tip of the tongue also turn blue, you must definitely seek help from a medical facility.

Types of disease

Variants of the algorithm for the development of lip cyanosis divide it into 3 pathological groups:

The permanent type is of central origin. In addition to the cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle, it is characterized by a sluggish sucking reflex. Pathology occurs as a result of abnormal development of any part of the brain, increased intracranial pressure or trauma during childbirth.
Respiratory nature of the disease. Additional symptoms of this group:

pale skin color;
blueness in the eye area;
When you inhale, the small intercostal muscles retract.

This type includes pulmonary diseases (pneumonia, runny nose, bronchial asthma).

Cardiovascular type of pathology. The child suffers from the time of birth. The cause is congenital heart disease.

Baby health analysis

To recognize the pathology, parents should observe their child. What excludes pathology:

during the appearance of cyanosis there is no cough, breathing is not difficult;
the child’s development and growth are appropriate for his age;
the color of the skin around the mouth and on other parts of the body does not differ and has a normal appearance;
the baby is active, not lethargic;
absence of heart murmurs.

Important. You should not hesitate if the nasolabial triangle rapidly turns blue. Urgent consultation with a doctor is required.

Actions to take if cyanosis appears in a child

Procedures that are usually prescribed by a doctor:

Ultrasound of the heart muscle;
X-ray of the chest area;
electrocardiogram .

For a complete examination of the baby, you need to visit a neurologist. It is very important to maintain comfortable conditions in the apartment, because this is a mandatory requirement for proper development. Temperature and humidity must comply with the standards. It is necessary to regularly walk with him in the fresh air.

Daily massage stimulates the nervous system and normalizes the respiratory system.

Treatment of cyanosis

To determine the exact cause of the disease, it is necessary to undergo a professional examination. Each patient has his own individual characteristics, due to which a certain type of examination is prescribed. These can be various studies of the heart, lungs or blood flow.

The most common type of treatment is oxygen inhalations, which enrich the blood with oxygen. A special massage gives a good result, but in case of a chronic disease, this treatment will not solve the main problem.

Traditional medicine methods

The treatment process must start from the origins of the disease. In the fight against cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle during intoxication, it is necessary to use substances that can remove toxins. A decoction of viburnum is suitable for this. Pour a liter of water over the leaves or fruits of the plant and boil for one hour. The strained drink should be taken in small portions between meals.

Traditional methods should be used only after the primary treatment has been prescribed. If the development of cyanosis is accompanied by difficulty breathing and chest pain, you should urgently call a doctor.

Cyanosis does not cause pain, but is a symptom of some disease. For treatment it is necessary to establish its cause. Cyanosis often occurs as a manifestation of serious illnesses, so hospitalization of the patient may be required. For prevention purposes, it is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Mothers and fathers of newborn children often note that their infants' nasolabial triangle turns blue. Moreover, this condition can be observed not only in babies who have abnormalities in the functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular and other body systems, but also in completely healthy babies.

Blueness of the nasolabial triangle in an infant is due to a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the blood. The medical name for this phenomenon is cyanosis. An oxygen saturation level of 95% is considered normal, however, with crying or strong screaming, its value can drop to 92%. Conventionally, this level of oxygen in the blood can be attributed to pathological conditions.

Blue nasolabial triangle in a healthy baby

In the first month of a child’s life, blueness of the nasolabial triangle often appears in the baby. It occurs when crying or screaming for a long time, due to which there is a lack of oxygen in the child’s blood. This cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle is also called cyanosis, which is of a pulmonary nature. Gradually, the child grows and matures, the functioning of his organs, blood vessels and systems improves, and such cyanosis completely disappears. If blueness of the nasolabial triangle persists in an infant after several months of life, it is worth informing the pediatrician about this. There is no need to hope that the situation will resolve itself, because cyanosis can be caused by some pathology.

Another reason that a baby has a blue nasolabial triangle lies in the too transparent and thin skin in this place. The plexus of veins can be visible through it, which gives the skin a slight bluish tint. If the blue color of the nasolabial triangle is associated with this moment, then no treatment is required, since the child is healthy.

Blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle in a patient's infant

The nasolabial triangle may turn blue as a result of serious pathologies of the respiratory tract. This phenomenon may be one of the symptoms of pneumonia and other serious respiratory ailments. In such cases, in addition to the cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle, the baby experiences heavy breathing with shortness of breath, which has a pronounced paroxysmal character, pale skin, etc. In the absence of treatment and the disease worsens, attacks of shortness of breath become stronger, and the change in skin color becomes more noticeable. Colds of a viral or bacterial nature can lead to this condition.

Another pathology that leads to blueness of the nasolabial triangle in an infant is the presence of a foreign object in the respiratory system. If such symptoms have not previously been observed, the baby’s breathing is difficult, then it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance, and also examine the child for foreign bodies in the respiratory tract.

Blueness of the nasolabial triangle in an infant due to pathology

The most common pathological cause of blueness in this area is congenital heart disease. Acute heart failure and pulmonary artery malformation can manifest themselves in a similar way. However, only specialists can make all these diagnoses, so if you suspect the presence of such pathologies, you should consult a doctor. He should definitely be informed about the appearance of blueness in the nasolabial triangle in the baby, especially if it persists for quite a long time.

The complex of diagnostic measures for cyanosis includes ultrasound of the heart, ECG, and chest x-ray. If a possible heart defect has been ruled out, the baby is prescribed a consultation with a neurologist.

In most cases, when visiting this doctor, insufficient development of the infant’s respiratory system is revealed. To cope with this problem, you need to walk more with your child and give him a massage course. Usually, with proper care, by the baby's first birthday, all symptoms disappear and the problem disappears. But this does not mean that you can make a diagnosis yourself and self-medicate. In any case, if a baby’s nasolabial triangle turns blue, you need to inform your pediatrician about this and undergo the course of examination prescribed by him.