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Child Has Purple Color Under Eyes, Feeling Of Being Squeezed, Diagnosed With Psoriatic Arthritis. Any Ideas?
Question: My 9 yr old son has dark purple under his eyes with pale skin. The color under his eyes comes and goes with the sensation that he is being squeezed from chest to knees. When the feeling passes the color under his eyes returns to normal. He has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease (psoriatic arthritis) along with peripheral neuropathy, anemia, migraines, and restless leg syndrome. Most of his symptoms are under control with Imuran; however, he still experiences what he calls the "bad feeling" with the color change under his eyes.
My son's symptoms usually follow a virus. The following symptoms have repeated off and on over the last several years
-pain above and to the right of naval
-toes and fingers pins and needles, burning, or numb
-"bad feeling" - dizzy, tired, achy, nauseous, vision wavy
-jaw pain, radiates from chin out (not at joint)
-knees, hips, elbow pain (like needles in bone) This led him to be hospitalized because he couldn't walk due to hip pain.
-chest pain and pain from shoulder to bottom of ribs (changes sides)
-paraesthesia - feels cold water dripping on different parts of his body from toes, fingers, cheek, arms
-sharp pinch at top of head (like he was cut)
-pain in back to the right side of spine about 6" below neck
-needle pain in balls and heels of feet
-extreme temp. in different parts of body (freezing or on fire)
Thank you for your assistance!
Any ideas?
My son's symptoms usually follow a virus. The following symptoms have repeated off and on over the last several years
-pain above and to the right of naval
-toes and fingers pins and needles, burning, or numb
-"bad feeling" - dizzy, tired, achy, nauseous, vision wavy
-jaw pain, radiates from chin out (not at joint)
-knees, hips, elbow pain (like needles in bone) This led him to be hospitalized because he couldn't walk due to hip pain.
-chest pain and pain from shoulder to bottom of ribs (changes sides)
-paraesthesia - feels cold water dripping on different parts of his body from toes, fingers, cheek, arms
-sharp pinch at top of head (like he was cut)
-pain in back to the right side of spine about 6" below neck
-needle pain in balls and heels of feet
-extreme temp. in different parts of body (freezing or on fire)
Thank you for your assistance!
Any ideas?
Hello
Thanks for the query
Regarding the dark purple circles under his eyes, I personally feel dark circles are not typically a cause for concern when they occur in children. The most common cause of dark circles is "congestion of the nose, when the veins around the eyes become larger and darker." Enlarged tonsils or adenoids can also cause the blood vessels under the eyes of children to swell.
If your child does not have any other symptoms related to allergy problems or enlarged tonsils or adenoids and displays symptoms more associated with sleeplessness, such as difficulty concentrating or falling asleep during the day, these symptoms could indicate that the dark circles are due to lack of sleep.
However I don't have any scientific explanation for the relationship between squeezing sensation from chest to knees and dark circles of the eye. Rest of the symptoms mentioned to me are related to autoimmune peripheral neuropathy.
So I request you to XXXXXXX your child specialist for a good clinical examination to rule out the common causes for dark circles. Mean time you can apply a cold compress to your child's eyes for 10 minutes to reduce blood vessel dilation and dark circles.
I thank you again for submitting your question. I hope you found my response to be helpful and informative. If you have any additional concerns I would be happy to address them.
Sincerely,
Dr Shiva Kumar R
Consultant Neurologist & Epileptologist
Thanks for the query
Regarding the dark purple circles under his eyes, I personally feel dark circles are not typically a cause for concern when they occur in children. The most common cause of dark circles is "congestion of the nose, when the veins around the eyes become larger and darker." Enlarged tonsils or adenoids can also cause the blood vessels under the eyes of children to swell.
If your child does not have any other symptoms related to allergy problems or enlarged tonsils or adenoids and displays symptoms more associated with sleeplessness, such as difficulty concentrating or falling asleep during the day, these symptoms could indicate that the dark circles are due to lack of sleep.
However I don't have any scientific explanation for the relationship between squeezing sensation from chest to knees and dark circles of the eye. Rest of the symptoms mentioned to me are related to autoimmune peripheral neuropathy.
So I request you to XXXXXXX your child specialist for a good clinical examination to rule out the common causes for dark circles. Mean time you can apply a cold compress to your child's eyes for 10 minutes to reduce blood vessel dilation and dark circles.
I thank you again for submitting your question. I hope you found my response to be helpful and informative. If you have any additional concerns I would be happy to address them.
Sincerely,
Dr Shiva Kumar R
Consultant Neurologist & Epileptologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
How important is it to know the specific autoimmune disease? Isn't the treatment similiar for all of them? I trust my neurologist; however, I am concerned about my son's immune system being suppressed. I have learned that many autoimmune disorders have no definitive tests. So, do you just rely on the intuition of your doctor...the "art" of medicine?
My son's father has Devic's. With all tests and bloodwork normal (aside from anemia and Vit D deficiency), is the history and my son's symptoms enough to diagnose with autoimmune?
My son's father has Devic's. With all tests and bloodwork normal (aside from anemia and Vit D deficiency), is the history and my son's symptoms enough to diagnose with autoimmune?
Hello
Thanks for the follow up query
Though treatment is similar for all autoimmune diseases, prognosis and long term treatments vary. It is important to know the type of autoimmune disease to know the natural history of the disease. Laborartory tests diagnose only few of them and many remain undiagnosed.
I personally feel no relation exists between your's son autoimmune disease and his father's Devic disease.
Wishing your son good health
Sincerely
Dr Shiva Kumar R
Consultant Neurologist & Epileptologist
Thanks for the follow up query
Though treatment is similar for all autoimmune diseases, prognosis and long term treatments vary. It is important to know the type of autoimmune disease to know the natural history of the disease. Laborartory tests diagnose only few of them and many remain undiagnosed.
I personally feel no relation exists between your's son autoimmune disease and his father's Devic disease.
Wishing your son good health
Sincerely
Dr Shiva Kumar R
Consultant Neurologist & Epileptologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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