5 year old blue lips

[raspberryjo]

Hi all. My daughter is almost 6 is generally healthy no recent colds but today has come up with blue lips. Breathing is fine doesn't seem unwell, any ideas? Also no eaten anything blue either so not sure? Thanks all!

I took my then 5 year old to the doctor re blue lips and he discovered she had a heart murmur. Caused by a flap in her heart not having closed over as it should have at birth (excuse my lack of technical knowledge). By the time she got to see a specialist it had closed over by itself and she was fine. It didn't seem that big a deal at the time. She has been fit and healthy in the 15 years since.

I think she was often tired and pale too which is why I brought her to the doctor.

A friends son had the same as a toddler a d, as w pp, it turned out to be a heart murmur. He was seen by a specialist but it never required any treatment and, as he grew, it stopped happening.

If you are sure that there are no innocent explanations for this I would be seeking medical advice such as out of hours GP.

Give 111 a call and see if you can get an out of hours appointment today. Blue lips isn’t something that should be ignored in my opinion.

Honestly if her lips have suddenly changed colour and you’re sure it’s not from just stained from something she’s eaten I would be going straight to A&E, she needs to be checked over urgently.

A&E

A&E

Blue lips are a sign of lack of oxygen. Phone 111 now

Yes same with my daughter, blue lips and blue soles of the feet also which turned out to be a heart murmur. A&E OP hope everything is ok x

Phone 111. It could be something or nothing but you’ll rest easier knowing what is causing it 💐

Oh wow ok didn't expect that sort of response, expected to be told I was being over cautious! Will call 111, thanks all!

You’re not being OTT at all and personally I would take her straight to A&E and miss out 111. What colour are her fingers and cheeks?

I wouldnt mess around with 111.

A&E now

Any news OP?

How are you OP?

Sorry to hijack, OP, but my DS is 6 and often has this but it's mostly when he's got too cold. At the moment it happens when we go swimming as he has lessons in the training pool which is warm, then joins us in the main pool which is colder. Sometimes it can turn his lips blue and the area around his mouth goes grey.

Until now I've assumed it's a circulatory issue that my Dad suffered from (which was due to in laymen's terms thick/sticky blood cells) but I will get this checked out with the GP.

I think also because DS has asthma and sleep apnea (sp?!) I thought it might be linked to that too in that everything is always quite blocked up. Never occurred to me that it might be a symptom of something new...

PorridgeAgainAbney I would definitely see your GP about that. This page explains it in more detail, but basically if there is a problem with someone’s circulation or they are very cold, the small blood vessels in the extremities constrict, and you might see a blue/grey tinge to the hands and feet. That is known as peripheral cyanosis. If there is a blue/grey tinge to the mouth and face, this is known as central cyanosis and is generally a sign that the oxygen levels in the blood are too low, which can be caused by conditions like asthma. If oxygen levels are low enough to cause this discolouration that is a medical emergency as there’s a risk that the body’s vital organs aren’t getting enough oxygen and may shut down. Hopefully for your son (and for the OP’s daughter) there is an innocent explanation, but it’s definitely something that should be checked out.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/blue-skin-or-lips-cyanosis/

One of my boys used to throw blue lips when he was getting a virus. I took him to A and E the first couple of times and then we worked out it was just what he did. He has grown out of it now and was never seriously ill. My doctor at the time used the phrase 'they can get a bit peripherally shut down' to explain it.
It's still sensible to get a medical check-up if this isn't typical for her.

Just remembered - it's all so long ago - Apparently the fact that his tongue was pink not blue was a sign that it was less serious....

@SpuriouserAndSpuriouser thank you for that link. We have an appointment for tomorrow

Hi all sorry for the delay. Called 111 who advised to monitor as it had never happened before and no other symptoms and then went to docs today who checked over and found nothing but said if it does happen again go through to hospital. Any luck porridge? X

Hi @raspberryjo we're seeing GP later but I guess they will say the same as it's not showing now. Annoyingly it didn't happen at swimming on Sunday otherwise I could have taken pictures! Fingers crossed your DD is ok too.

My little boy does this. He also goes blue around his eyes too. He looks like he’s been beaten up. It’s scary to see. However, he’s totally fine. I was told to look at his tongue and if his tongue, hands and feet weren’t blue and he was otherwise generally well, then it was fine.
Our GP did send us for a heart scan to be on the safe side (the blueness was quite extreme) and it was all fine. We also had his oxygen monitored whilst he was blue and again it was totally normal.