Why does a child develop varicose veins?

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Every third person on Earth suffers from such an unpleasant ailment as varicose veins (or just varicose veins). This is a pathological process in the veins that carry blood to the heart.

As a result, the walls of the vessels become thin, tortuous, and increase in diameter. As a rule, varicose veins affect the lower and upper limbs, but can be localized in any organ.

It is generally accepted that this pathology occurs in older and elderly people who have crossed the forty-year line.

However, a similar problem can appear even in a child of school or preschool age.

Most often, varicose veins in a child is a congenital disease that can progress as a person grows. Varicose veins are more common in girls than in boys. Children whose parents suffered from venous insufficiency are more susceptible to illness.

In 90% of cases, the disease is localized on one or both legs, but it can also affect both upper limbs.

Symptoms

Symptoms of congenital varicose veins appear already in infancy. Vascular and age spots can be seen on the legs of a newborn baby. Closer to two years, the peripheral vessels become wider, they can be seen with the naked eye.

In children of preschool and primary school age, the appearance of enlarged veins is observed, which can decrease when squeezed, but do not disappear if the child lifts his legs up. The main symptom of varicose veins at this age is the sensation of pulsating blood when you put your hand to a sore spot.

In addition, you can pay attention to the elevation of skin areas where the veins are affected by the disease.

At the age of 10-11, children begin to complain of painful sensations in the legs, especially with active movement or other physical exertion. The skin on the leg becomes covered with age spots, sometimes non-healing ulcerative defects may appear.

The activity of the joints decreases, the teenager becomes slow, difficult to climb, complains of pain in the legs during active movements, swelling of the limbs, tingling in the legs, night cramps.

Congenital varicose veins in a child in medical terminology is called Knippel-Trepane syndrome, another of its varieties is Parks Verber syndrome. Both of these diseases require mandatory long-term treatment under the supervision of a doctor. Lack of treatment can be fraught with disability for the child.

Another type of the disease is acquired varicose veins. It can manifest itself for the first time in children 12-13 years old, most often in girls in puberty.

Varicose veins are manifested by the following symptoms:

• pain, swelling, tingling in the lower extremities;
• convulsions at night;
• the appearance of "asterisks", a venous mesh, and subsequently - enlargement of peripheral veins;
• discomfort during active games, lifting weights, prolonged stay in an upright position;
• fast fatiguability.

Causes of the onset of the disease

The reliable reasons why children experience congenital varicose veins have not yet been determined.

Presumably, the birth of a child with such a pathology is the following factors:

• smoking, alcohol abuse by one or both parents;
• fetal malformations;
• abnormal congenital structure of the venous valves, their dysfunction;
• the wrong way of life of the mother during the bearing of the fetus (hobby for bad habits, staying in an ecologically unhealthy environment, etc.);
• severe infectious diseases of the baby in the first months of life.

The provocateurs of the acquired ailment may be the following reasons:

• inappropriate nutrition, passion for fatty, pickled, sweet foods, baked goods, fast food;
• alcohol, smoking;
• wearing uncomfortable, tight clothes and shoes (and girls often have varicose veins due to their hobby for high-heeled shoes);
• liver disease;
• an inactive lifestyle, a long stay at the computer;
• the habit of sitting with your legs tucked under you or throwing one leg over the other.

In adolescent boys 15-17 years old, varicose veins can occur as a result of weightlifting.

Treatment

At the first appearance of symptoms of congenital varicose veins, a baby should be shown to a baby phlebolg - a doctor specializing in venous diseases. The sooner the doctor makes the correct diagnosis and begins complex therapy, the more chances that the baby will lead a full life in the future.

At the age of up to one year, if necessary, specialists give preference to surgery, that is, surgery to remove varicose vessels. At an older age, after 10-12 years, such a procedure becomes meaningless.

Treatment of acquired varicose veins in middle school children consists in taking medications and local therapy.

To strengthen the venous walls, reduce the permeability of blood vessels, increase their tone, the children are prescribed venotonics. Such drugs are Troxevasin capsules and its analog Troxerutin. These drugs help to reduce edema, inflammation in the veins, pain, seizures, reduce the severity of trophic ulcers, and eliminate the venous network.

Children should take Troxevasin one capsule twice a day during or after meals. You need to drink the tablets with clean water without gas and additives.

The duration of such treatment is determined by the doctor on an individual basis, depending on the age and condition of the teenager. As a rule, capsules are taken for three weeks in a row, after which they take a break.

Troxevasin and Troxerutin in solid dosage form is prohibited for children with varicose veins if they have individual intolerance to the components of the drug, diseases of the stomach and duodenum, chronic gastritis during exacerbations.

The drug should be taken with caution in babies with renal failure.

The child's legs with affected veins should be lubricated with medicinal ointments and gels. Gels Troxevasin, Troxerutin, Hirudoven are well suited for this purpose. It is necessary to process the skin in the area of varicose veins twice a day for a week. If necessary, external therapy can be extended up to one month.

Prophylaxis

To avoid varicose veins in the legs of a child, you should first monitor his diet. Limit the heir to the use of flour, fatty, sweet. Make sure that the teenager leads an active lifestyle - moves a lot in the fresh air, goes in for sports (preferably, such kinds of it as swimming, athletics, gymnastics, fitness, jogging, Nordic walking).

Buy comfortable, comfortable shoes and clothing that does not pinch blood vessels.

At the slightest suspicion of varicose veins, show the child to a phlebologist and start treatment on time.