Bruising occurs when the soft tissue composed of blood vessels becomes damaged and results in a bluish discoloration of the skin. A bruise appearing occasionally on your body is quite common. However, excessive and unexplained bruising can cause concern, especially when bruising appears on children. Causes of bruising among children result from dietary deficiencies, physiological conditions, environmental influences and serious illnesses.
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
Deficiencies in vitamin K and vitamin C can result in bruising on your child. Foods rich in vitamin K include green leafy vegetables, such as kale, broccoli and spinach. Kiwi, cantaloupe, oranges and pineapple are good sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron. Iron deficiency results when a low iron level is present in the blood. Iron-deficiency anemia occurs from inadequate consumption of dietary iron, which causes symptoms of bruising, fatigue, brittle nails and irritability. Good sources of iron include red meat, tuna, beans, whole grains and spinach.
Skin Disorders
Some skin disorders can cause discoloration of the skin resembling a bruise-like appearance. For example, Mongolian spots are a gathering of melanocytes creating bluish spots on the skin. More than 80 percent of African-American children and less than 10 percent of Caucasian children experience Mongolian spots at birth, according to the Children and Family Research Center at the University of Illinois. Erythema nodosum is another skin condition resembling bruises. Erythema nodosum symptoms include pinkish to bluish tender lumps on the arms and legs caused by an infection, inflammation or medication.
Leukemia
According to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, leukemia is the most common childhood cancer and most commonly identified among children ages 2 to 6 years. Leukemia is characterized by excessive bruising or bleeding, as well as symptoms of anemia, infections, abdominal pain, respiratory difficulties and swollen lymph nodes. Leukemia is a cancer in the blood and bone marrow in which blood cells have difficulty maturing. Mature blood cells aid in clotting, fighting infections and transporting oxygen.
Child Abuse
Bruising on a child may indicate child abuse or maltreatment of a child. According to a review study conducted by the Children and Family Research Center at the University of Illinois, bruising is more common among abused children. Bruising on the head and face are more prevalent among abused children compared to their non-abused counterparts. Bruising on the chest, abdomen and extremities are not typical among abused children. Children learning to walk possess more accidental bruising than infants and crawling children.
References
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Leukemia; Beverly J. Lange; May 2005
- Children and Family Research Center at University of Illinois; Bruises Literature Review; Sam Choi, et al.; May 2002
- New York University Langone Medical Center; Erythema Nodosum; Ricker Polsdorfer; September 2010
- University of Alabama at Birmingham; Bruising; November 2003
- Appalachian State University; Iron Deficiency Anemia; Paulina Arce
