Petechiae in the baby | Petechiae

Petechiae in the baby

Especially in very young children, petechiae can occur even in full health. The most common trigger for the formation of petechiae is a persistent cough. Infections caused by viruses also play a not insignificant role as a cause for the development of petechiae in childhood. However, if the petechiae persist for several days or become more frequent, it is advisable to consult the treating pediatrician.

How long do petechiae persist?

How long petechiae persist depends on what triggered them.It is not uncommon for them to disappear again after days or weeks, even without therapy. However, if leukemia is the cause, for example, petechiae can persist until treatment is initiated and is effective.

Are there any petechiae that can be pushed away?

Petechiae can be distinguished from other punctiform skin changes in that they cannot be pushed away by pressure with a glass spatula. If apparent petechiae in the skin can be pushed away, they are not petechiae. This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that petechial hemorrhages are extravasations, which means that the blood is outside the vessels.

Push-off red dots, on the other hand, indicate that the blood is inside the vessels. A possible cause of skin symptoms with push-away red dots is a viral infection. But hemangiomas also fade when pressure is applied.

Does the hickey belong to the petechiae?

A so-called hickey occurs when a negative pressure is created on the skin through the mouth of the partner when kissing. Similar to bruises caused by bumping, the negative pressure causes injuries to blood vessels and bleeding into the skin. However, this typically results in bleeding over a large area, which corresponds approximately to the area of the mouth opening of the person causing the bruising. Petechiae, on the other hand, are punctiform bleedings, which do not represent the typical appearance of a hickey. Like a bruise, a hickey heals within a few days and changes its color from blue to green to yellow.