Swelling of the upper lip in a child indicates the development of pathological processes in the body that require mandatory treatment.
This article discusses the main causes, symptoms and treatment methods depending on the etiology of edema. Possible complications and prevention of this condition in a child are also described.
Why is my child's upper lip swollen?
A swelling on a child’s lip cannot occur on its own. This signals the emergence of some problems that affect the baby’s health.
To prevent them, it is important to correctly and timely identify the factors that provoked swelling.
Among them, experts highlight:
- It is important to correctly and timely identify the factors that provoked swelling
Allergy, as a reaction to certain foods , oral hygiene products. This is also how the body can react to taking certain medications or the presence of orthodontic structures in the mouth.
- Insect bites provoke swelling of the mucous membranes of the lips, as a result of individual allergies.
- Teething may be accompanied by slight swelling of the baby's lips.
- Traumatic injury. In addition to mechanical damage, a swollen lip in a child can cause frostbite, chapping, or burns.
- Pathologies of systemic viral, infectious or bacterial origin. Most often, the body reacts this way to ARVI, herpes infection, or acute respiratory infections.
- Dental diseases: periodontal disease, stomatitis of any etiology, periodontal disease, periostitis.
- Dentist mistakes. Incorrect treatment or poor quality dental procedures can cause lip swelling.
- Inflammation. This symptom is characteristic of many diseases, or may be a response to a lip injury.
Important! If the swelling of the lip is caused by an inflammatory process, then the presence of accompanying symptoms is mandatory. This may include hyperthermia, soreness and a change in color. Also, depending on the etiology, ulcers may appear on them. - The habit of biting your lip provokes constant mechanical damage, which becomes the main cause of the formation of microcracks and wounds with subsequent infection.
- Hygiene problems. Children begin to learn about the world through their mouths, so it is impossible to maintain proper hygiene of the oral cavity and all objects that the baby puts into his mouth. The entry of bacteria into the mouth provokes the development of inflammatory processes, which can cause the lip to swell.
Causes of swollen lips in a child
Sometimes, swelling appears suddenly against our wishes.
It’s unpleasant when this happens to an adult – an external defect and internal discomfort. But it’s twice as hard if this happens to a small child. After all, such changes do not occur without reason; they indicate some problems that affect the health of the victim. Finding the cause and eliminating it is the main goal of therapy. So what are the most common causes of swollen lips in a child? First, let's figure out what kind of swelling occurs. The swelling can affect both lips evenly, it can affect only the upper or only the lower lip, and it can be shifted to one side. Swelling can be observed independently, or can be combined with the manifestation of purulent processes or a defect in the mucous membrane.
Before you see a doctor and begin treatment, you should not panic, but, having calmed down, analyze the situation in order to understand what preceded the appearance of swelling.
- The cause of a swollen lip in a child may be an allergic reaction to some food product.
- This may be a consequence of an insect bite.
- This is how a toddler can cut his teeth.
- The consequence of the inflammatory process occurring in the baby’s body.
- Children are inquisitive and active, so this symptom may appear after a bruise or injury.
- A disease caused by an infection or virus.
- Inflammatory process on the oral mucosa and gums.
- Herpes.
- Consequences of activities related to dental treatment.
- Stomatitis can also provoke this problem. With this infectious disease, small ulcers and swellings can affect the surface of the entire oral mucosa, including the sponge.
- Piercing - it would seem that this does not apply to children, but newfangled mothers stop at nothing to make sure their child looks stylish.
- Baby's bad habit of biting his lips.
To properly understand the causes of swollen lips in a child, it is better to seek help from a pediatrician rather than take any measures on your own. If the need arises, the local pediatrician can give a referral to a more specialized specialist. This could be a surgeon, dermatologist, traumatologist or dentist. To eliminate the problem, it is necessary to eliminate the source causing it. Sometimes it will be enough for a qualified specialist to examine the baby to make a diagnosis, and if necessary, he will prescribe the required additional research.
After visiting the dentist
When treating a tooth, the child is given anesthesia. An anesthetic medicine is injected into the gums with a syringe. After the procedure, the patient feels numb and the upper lip becomes swollen. This is a natural process during such an operation.
If a child’s lip is swollen after dental treatment and the following symptoms develop within 24 hours:
- the lips do not take on a natural shape;
- the baby feels pain in the injection area;
- pain is present under the nose.
It is necessary to urgently contact the dentist. Symptoms indicate an inflammatory process.
Periodontitis can cause swelling. You should consult a dentist and take methods to treat the disease. In some situations, the help of a surgeon may be needed if the child develops flux and has an elevated temperature.
Swelling of the baby's mouth can be caused by the materials from which the filling is made. The cause is allergic reactions to Lidocaine and Novocaine during pain relief.
Failure to comply with the rules of disinfection by a doctor and treatment of instruments when examining a child’s oral cavity is fraught with infection.
In such situations, an infectious disease forms on the lips - herpes.
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Symptoms of the disease:
- there is itching, tingling;
- the upper lip is swollen;
- small pimples appear.
The development of symptoms takes from 5 to 12 hours. In such situations, you should contact a dentist, dermatologist, and sometimes an immunologist.
Orthodontic structures and braces can provoke an allergic reaction.
Stomatitis causes swelling of the lips. When it occurs, the mucous membranes become irritated and the baby cannot eat. Food gets on small ulcers, irritates them, causing severe pain. The cause of the disease can be unwashed hands and food.
Allergy
If a child’s lips swell due to allergies, the body’s constant reaction is present:
- Rashes on the body.
- Scabies.
- Redness.
Allergens enter the body through the following components:
- mouth rinses;
- children's toothpaste;
- medicines;
- cosmetics, decorative products.
In such situations, it is necessary to remove the source of the allergen if a reaction is present:
- on animal fur;
- dust at home;
- for fluff in pillows, clothes;
- household items: soap, shampoo.
If you cannot find out the negative factor, contact an allergist for testing.
Teething
During teething, not only problems appear with the gums, but with the entire oral mucosa. Swelling affects the part of the lip that is closest to the site of the growing tooth. The symptoms go away on their own. But this does not mean that parents should not take measures to alleviate their child’s condition.
If the development of a tumor is the result of teething, then a special ointment can help. Apply it to the lips, it will relieve swelling and protect against infection in the wounds.
Inflammatory process
The development of inflammation can be triggered by injury or infection. The main cause of oral disease is hygiene that is performed incorrectly. Bacteria penetrate into wounds in the oral mucosa, causing inflammation, accompanied by the appearance of swelling of the upper or lower lip. In addition to the main symptom, pain appears in the jaw area and the child’s condition worsens.
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In children with stomatitis, yellow ulcers appear, and the child’s lips are swollen and painful. The disease is not dangerous, but unpleasant for a small patient.
The lack of treatment for a child’s condition in which his upper lip is swollen leads to the development of dangerous pathologies. Only a doctor can prescribe the correct therapy. Parents should remember that if a child's lower lip is swollen, this may be a symptom of inflammation.
We recommend further reading: Causes of hematoma or swelling on the head of a newborn after childbirth, treatment and consequences
Virus
An increase in the volume of one or both lips can be caused by a herpes infection or stomatitis. In this case, not only could the lower or upper lip swell, but the lips could also swell and the temperature rise. The peculiarity of a viral disease lies in its specific symptoms. Ulcers appear in the mouth and lips and wounds become covered with crusts.
Treatment is carried out only under medical supervision. Because self-medication for this pathology leads to relapses of the disease.
Other illnesses or injuries
If the baby's upper lip is swollen when feeding milk, the young mother does not attach the baby to the breast correctly. As a result, a small blister forms on the mucous membrane. It causes discomfort and begins to hurt. In such situations, it is necessary to change the feeding principle. A visiting nurse or pediatrician will help you correct the nuances.
A baby biting his mouth can cause a negative reaction. This habit is associated with fear, stressful situations, and freezing. Therapy will be based on symptoms.
A blow or a fall causes swelling on the lips. The injured area turns red and a bruise appears. In such a situation, it is necessary to provide first aid by cooling the affected area.
A symptom of damage may be problems with the gastrointestinal tract. In such a situation, you should urgently contact your pediatrician.
Symptoms
In medical practice, swelling on the lips can be localized in any area. Most often in children, its upper part swells. But, regardless of where the swelling is located, this condition can be a sign of a life-threatening condition.
The appearance of swelling on the upper lip, depending on the etiology, may be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Regardless of where the swelling is located, these symptoms may be a sign of a life-threatening condition.
The anatomical shape of the lips changes.
- Rapid and sudden development of a tumor.
- The appearance of swelling of the mucous membranes of the tongue and oral cavity.
- There is an unpleasant odor from the mouth.
- Increased pain on palpation of the lip and area under the nose.
- Labored breathing.
- Itching sensation on the lips, throat or mouth.
- The skin began to darken and acquire a blue tint.
- High body temperature, chills, fever.
- Sensation of a foreign object in the throat.
- There may be small pimples and blisters on the lips.
Important! If a child shows the slightest sign of swelling on the upper lip, it is necessary to immediately seek qualified medical help. The specialist will be able to correctly determine the cause of swelling and prescribe appropriate treatment to stabilize the child’s condition.
Associated symptoms and what do they indicate?
In addition to the main symptoms, swelling of the lips in a child is always accompanied by additional symptoms.
According to the accompanying manifestations, the diagnosis is made easier:
Sign | What does it indicate? |
Temperature | The development of both general and local hyperthermia indicates an infectious etiology of the disease and the appearance of inflammation. |
Only the middle of the lip is swollen | The formation of an abscess as a result of mechanical trauma to the soft tissues and pulp of the tooth. |
My lip is very swollen | For the occurrence of an allergic reaction in the form of Quincke's edema, disruption of the functionality of the salivary glands, or severe injury and insect bites. |
Swollen lower lip | For the appearance of neoplasms of various etiologies, the development of angioedema or allergic edema. And also for mechanical injury to the integrity of the lip. |
The lip is festering | This sign is a symptom of bacterial infection of the oral cavity, the development of purulent stomatitis, cheilitis, type 1 herpes, or the presence of closed acne. |
Important! Regardless of the visual signs, to make an accurate diagnosis it is necessary to undergo a full examination, which includes laboratory testing.
The child's upper lip is swollen
At 7 months and 7 days, the bunny began to lift an object from a support. So cool! Squats or bends, holding onto a support with one handle, and the other taking an object from the floor.
She learned to climb from a high support, that is, she does not need to grab with her hands and pull herself up, she just needs to lean (on a wall, for example).
He is learning to walk with support, there is progress, but this is not walking yet.
It crawls very, very deftly and quickly. Like a cockroach! You can call her, she will crawl)))) At the support I call, she does not understand that she needs to go, lets go of her hands, plops down on her butt and quickly, quickly crawls towards me))))
I had a lot of trouble with her on the train. During the 3.5 hour drive, she slept 40 minutes. The rest of the time she was jumping like an electric broom!!!! And if she didn’t jump, then she was going to roar and I had to jump))))))))))))) I arrived like a squeezed lemon. Yesterday every cell of my body ached, and at night there was a slight stagnation (hello, we’re here, for the first time in 7 months!), it turns out it’s so painful. True, I quickly took action, everything worked out, everything resolved) And now it almost doesn’t hurt.
But Ali didn’t have a problem in her butt, she had a hammer drill there, or a real motor! This is something with something!!!! Skoda, hooligan!!!! But so affectionate! So cool!!! She stopped yelling at strangers and even smiles at some of them. But he can't live without me. Maybe not for long.
We have two upper teeth on the way. More precisely, they have been climbing since 3.5 months, and again resumed their movement in the gums. They have been visible from the front for a long time, and I noticed that the gums have swollen more and the teeth have become even closer to the exit. Because of this, simply unrealistic whims! Often even in your arms. But there are no hour-long hysterics, so I don’t apply anything for now. I don’t want her to eat any kind of chemical once again, although, of course, if everything is very bad, it’s better to apply it and not torment the child.
We started eating corn porridge. Fleur alpine is a thing! I am delighted! Alya eats) It’s obvious that she doesn’t really like it, because for now I give it on water, but it’s edible)))) She opens her mouth and doesn’t do any harm.
Today I left her in the playpen for a couple of minutes, putting a box of toys there. I come, and she sits and sucks the pacifier, I almost fell)))))))) It looks so cool))))))) She doesn’t take the pacifier, never, ever. He purses his lips, turns away, and yells even more. She has a pacifier in her toys, but she hasn’t played with it for a long time, but then she found it and decided to suck it))))
I really liked sleeping on my side. And recently, after I put her to bed and was getting ready for bed, I found Alya sleeping on her stomach!!! This is unreal! She only slept on her stomach a few times! First she raised her head, then rested on her hands. And for the last couple of months I’ve been getting down on all fours and swinging! And then she turned over in her sleep and slept) Almost all night!
Can be harmful if something is prohibited. She begins to cry loudly with tears and at the same time looks at me with eyes full of reproach))))) I find it funny at such moments))))) I distract her, show her something, she calms down.
She's smart, but she rejects all sorts of children's things, like peek-a-boo, lanterns, pyramids, and other things. Everything is running somewhere. She is not interested in Cook from the very beginning. Everyone is playing, but the child looks at me like I’m a fool))))) He doesn’t want to do anything with his hands, except for clasping my hand. She is more interested in crawling and standing. I read to her, she more or less loves it. I used to look at books and chew them. And now she listens, but at the same time she jumps on my lap, jumps, gets up... But she still likes it. As soon as you put the book away, she reaches for it and hits it with her hands. Asks for continuation))) Shilopopina is small)
I get very tired of her, this is natural. But it’s not a burden for me to work with her. In the evening, after bathing, I put him to bed, and I don’t have thoughts like putting him to bed and running away. No matter how tired I am, I do everything with pleasure. She is so beloved, small, dear, and growing so quickly! I enjoy our days with her. Even her harmfulness makes me smile!
Diagnostics
To make an accurate diagnosis and identify the causes of the disease in case of swelling of the upper lip in a child, it is necessary to undergo a timely medical examination.
If rapid swelling occurs, you must urgently call an ambulance or consult an allergist yourself. This condition is dangerous because swelling of the throat can develop, which can result in asphyxia, which can be fatal.
If swelling appears gradually and is accompanied by additional sensations, to eliminate them, you may need the help of doctors such as:
- An examination by any doctor begins with a visual examination.
Dentist.
- Pediatrician.
- Infectious disease specialist.
- Maxillofacial surgeon.
- Otolaryngologist.
- Oncologist.
An examination by any doctor begins with a visual examination. Then, taking into account the clinical picture, specialists prescribe a series of examinations.
Among them it is worth highlighting:
- Laboratory tests: clinical blood test, flora smear, general blood test, biopsy, biochemical blood test.
- Hardware examination: radiography, ultrasound, MRI or computed tomography.
Important! Timely and complete diagnosis of the pathology will allow you to choose the right treatment. This will significantly reduce the child’s recovery time.
What to do if your lip is swollen - treatment, depending on the cause
If there is swelling on the lip, the therapeutic complex is selected taking into account the main factors that provoked this condition in the baby.
The doctor also takes into account the child’s age and his individual physiological characteristics of the body and health in general.
What to do if your lip is swollen:
- The doctor takes into account the child’s age and his individual physiological characteristics of the body and health in general.
Herpes virus , in which the mucous membranes are covered with small ulcers and blisters: treatment with peroxide, furatsilin solution, levomikol ointment.
- An allergic reaction is treated with general and local antihistamines.
- Tramming. The damaged area is treated with a disinfectant. Afterwards, the use of wound-healing ointments, essential oils, and propolis is allowed.
- Dental pathologies and errors are treated exclusively by specialists in a specialized clinic.
Important! In most cases, as a universal aid, if a child’s lip is swollen, doctors recommend rinsing the mouth with antisemitic drugs and herbal decoctions.
How to relieve swelling?
When treating swelling of the upper lip in a child, medical practice uses drugs and traditional medicine that have decongestant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antihistamine, and analgesic effects.
Among pharmacological drugs, particular effectiveness is observed in complex treatment, consisting of oral and local medications:
- Self-prescription and incorrect dosage can not only aggravate the development of edema, but also reduce the overall health of the baby
General drug therapy, depending on the etiology of the cause of swelling , consists of using tablet drugs: Suprastin, Ibuprofen, Rimantadine, Anaferon, Gerpivir.
- Local therapy has a symptomatic effect and stimulates tissue regeneration. Most often in pediatrics, when a child has swollen lips, the following are prescribed: Stomatidin, oxalic ointment, Acyclovir, brilliant green solution, Lamisil, hydrogen peroxide.
- Natural medicines recommended by naturopaths are prepared based on herbal ingredients. Most often in this case they use: aloe juice and pulp, decoctions of medicinal herbs, herbal infusions, beekeeping products, Fuller's earth, baking soda. In addition to the local use of folk remedies, children are recommended to drink herbal teas to strengthen general immunity.
Important! The prescription of medicines and folk remedies should be carried out exclusively by a pediatrician based on the results of the examination. Self-prescription and incorrect dosage can not only aggravate the development of edema, but also reduce the level of overall health of the baby.
What to do if your child has a swollen lip?
Many people, especially young mothers who are having their first baby and don’t have any experience yet, panic and begin to figure out what to do if the child has a swollen lip?
There are quite a few cases where a child’s lip is swollen due to an allergic reaction. If the mother knows what the child may be allergic to, it is necessary to protect her baby as best as possible from sources of irritation. If there is no such knowledge, then it is worth analyzing what the child ate. Especially note the new, just introduced food products. Assess whether the baby has been in contact with animals, poultry, household chemicals, or maybe it is an allergy to indoor dust. If you are unable to identify the source of irritation on your own, an allergist will help in this situation. After conducting test tests, he is able to accurately determine the “culprit” of children’s discomfort. The doctor usually recommends protecting the baby from the allergenic source and prescribes an antihistamine. For example, suprastin, zyrtec, kestin, cetirizine, claritin.
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The antiallergic drug Cetirizine is developed as a selective antagonist of H1-histamine receptors. Its main characteristics are excellent antiserotonin, anticholinergic and sedative properties. It is used as a drug that effectively relieves itching, swelling and has anti-inflammatory properties. Cetirizine is not addictive. For young patients, the attending doctor mainly prescribes it in the form of drops or syrups. The amount of active substance administered directly depends on the child’s age and body weight. The medicine is taken under the direct supervision of a doctor.
Toddlers from one to two years old are usually prescribed drops, which are administered in a dosage of five drops twice throughout the day.
Children whose age ranges from two to six years and whose body weight is less than 30 kg are prescribed five drops (or 2.5 ml of syrup, measured with the measuring spoon included in the package). The drug is administered twice throughout the day. Or 10 drops (or 5 ml of syrup) once, immediately before the baby goes to bed.
For older children, from six to twelve years old, weighing more than 30 kg, the drug is administered in the amount of 10 drops (or 5 ml of syrup form), taken twice a day. A one-time administration of the drug is also acceptable, but the dosage is doubled and amounts to 20 drops (or 10 ml of syrup), which are drunk immediately before going to bed.
The administration of the drug is not related to the time of the meal. The duration of therapy is adjusted by the attending physician depending on the form and severity of the allergy and can be either one or six weeks. If a sick patient is diagnosed with a disease that affects the kidneys and/or liver, the amount of the drug is prescribed purely individually, most often this dosage is half as much as the usually recommended therapeutic dosage.
Mostly, the drug in question is well tolerated by the little patient’s body, but in some cases, this medicine should not be prescribed. Such cases include hypersensitivity to the components of the drug and renal failure.
What should you do if your child’s lip is swollen due to dental problems? There is only one answer - immediately contact a pediatric dentist. Only he can understand the problem and solve it. A swollen lip in a child can cause damage to the tooth by certain pathologies, for example, dental caries. If the doctor cleans the tooth and closes the entrance canal with a filling, this may be enough to solve the problem. But sometimes it is the filling material that is the source of irritation, causing allergies, then the baby will have to be patient and have the filling replaced.
Such a reaction of a child’s body can also happen to the process of teething, and if this natural action occurs with an increase in body temperature, it is necessary to urgently seek help from a dentist. The same doctor also solves problems with pathological gum disease.
All children by nature, with rare exceptions, are terrible fidgets. Therefore, if parents notice swelling on their child’s lips, the first thing to do is to remove the possibility of a bruise or blow. If this is the result of just such an injury and the bruise is minor, then it will be enough to apply iodine to the problematic area (just in case, to prevent infection).
If an obvious inflammatory process is observed, pain symptoms appear, a purulent infiltrate begins to form, and an unpleasant odor appears from the wounds. In such a situation, it is worth disinfecting the problem area with hydrogen peroxide as soon as possible. The source of such a wound can be a cut, an accidentally ripped off pimple, or, as a consequence of a blow, a rupture of soft tissue. The affected area should be disinfected and dried with iodine. If there is no improvement, consult a doctor. If the therapy was not carried out efficiently or time was lost, then it may be necessary to open the abscess surgically.
If the reason that a child's lip is swollen is herpes or another infectious lesion, treatment includes antiviral drugs: tablet form or ointment, for example, such as acyclovir.
In the form of an ointment, the drug is applied in a thin layer to the problem area twice throughout the day until the symptoms go away.
If tablets are prescribed for oral administration, the dosage of the drug is determined individually. This indicator is influenced by the patient’s age, severity of the disease and immune status. In case of viral infection by herpes strains, patients over two years of age are prescribed 0.2 g, which corresponds to one tablet taken five times a day. The duration of treatment is five days. For children from one to two years old, the dosage is halved, the number of injections remains the same.
Contraindications to the use of this drug are the age of children under one year and individual intolerance to the components of the drug.
If ulcers are present or inflammation has affected the periosteum, urgent treatment measures must be taken. Otherwise, the inflammatory process can reach the brain tissue, which can be fatal.
Stomatidin is a local antiseptic. The medicine is used undiluted for rinsing or applied to a tampon to wipe the oral mucosa. The drug should not be swallowed. The procedure is carried out two to five times a day for 30 seconds. One procedure takes approximately 10 - 20 ml. Duration of therapy is seven days. Using the medicine in the form of an aerosol, therapeutic procedures are carried out two to three times a day, one to two presses of the nebulizer.
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While feeding a newborn with breast milk, the baby may experience swelling, which may be caused by improper feeding. When a baby is applied to the mother's breast, the baby may develop a callus in the mouth, which causes discomfort and swelling. It is necessary to reconsider the situation and change feeding tactics. Such data can be conveyed to a young mother by a visiting nurse or local pediatrician.
The baby's bad habit of biting his lips can also cause lip swelling. It is very difficult to get rid of such a problem, but it is possible and even necessary. This habit can be psychological in nature, and is caused by fear and fear. The discomfort in question can also be provoked by secondary factors: a stressful situation, low immune status, hypothermia. In this case, therapy is purely symptomatic.
It cannot be excluded that a swollen lip in a child is a symptom of damage to one or more organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Usually, problems of this nature appear suddenly and the sooner you take countermeasures, the faster you can get rid of the unpleasant discomfort. And if the medicine cabinet does not have the necessary medications, then you can use traditional medicine, but then, nevertheless, it is better to see the baby to the doctor.
- Take an aloe leaf and extract juice from it. The age of the plant should not be less than three years (at this time it comes into force). Soak a cotton swab or gauze folded in several layers in the liquid, or wrap the paste, and apply a lotion to the disturbing area for 15-20 minutes.
- The following components are used: Fuller's earth and such an oriental spice as turmeric, taken in equal proportions. Using water, mix the ingredients until a paste-like structure is obtained. The prepared ointment is applied to the problem area and after fifteen to twenty minutes is washed off with plenty of water.
- You can use a beekeeping product. Apply honey to the swelling and leave for a third of an hour. Wash off the remaining honey. The procedure is repeated several times throughout the day.
- Soda is diluted in a small amount of water until it becomes paste-like. The resulting medicine is used in the form of lotions. The procedure lasts ten minutes, after which the residue is washed off with enough water.
- If an insect bites you, you can apply a piece of ice to the affected area.
The happy face of a child is an unspeakable joy for his parents, but if the baby is naughty, the mother is ready to do everything to ensure that her baby returns to a good mood. If a child’s lip is swollen, it is worth taking the first steps of medical care and trying to independently find out the cause of this symptom. But it would still be a good idea to show the baby to the doctor. This step allows you not to miss a more serious disease, which became the source of the swelling. Therefore, take care of your children and be more attentive to them. Good health to the kids and their parents!
Topical products
Local emergency aid for swollen lips in children:
- iodine and brilliant green;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- Acyclovir ointment against herpes (do not use for children under one year of age) (we recommend reading: how to take Acyclovir syrup for children?);
- Stomatidin is an antiseptic mouth rinse;
- antifungal ointments (Lamisil);
- oxolinic ointment (we recommend reading: instructions for use of oxolinic ointment for children).
Preparations for oral administration
The cause of swollen lips can be herpes, which manifests itself in the form of accumulations of blisters with liquid (we recommend reading: how can you treat herpes on the lips in children?). To treat the virus, special ointments and antiviral drugs are used.
After establishing the reason for the swelling of the upper or lower lip, the doctor recommends for oral administration:
- antiallergic drugs: Fenistil, Suprastin, Zyrtec, Cetirizine (for infants);
- antiviral drugs: Orvirem, Rimantadine, Arbidol, Anaferon, etc. (we recommend reading: how to take Arbidol children's syrup?).
Before giving tablets to a child, you need to study the instructions in detail. Many medications have serious contraindications.
Folk remedies
To treat swollen lips, traditional medicine is used, which is effective and safe. Aloe (agagave) will help with the inflammatory process. To do this, take 1 leaf of the plant and squeeze out the juice. Moisten a piece of cotton wool with it and apply to the inflamed area for 20 minutes.
Bee products cope well with inflammation. They can be used for treatment only if the child does not have allergies. It is enough to lubricate a swollen lip with honey several times a day.
Soda lotions are suitable for relieving swelling. Baking soda is diluted with water to the consistency of a thick paste. Compresses with the resulting mixture are made several times a day until the swelling goes away.
Possible complications
Most often, a swollen upper lip in a child, with timely and correct medical care, does not pose a danger to the health, much less the life of the child. In most cases, swelling goes away and leaves no negative consequences.
But it is worth noting that neglecting the baby’s condition or not following medical prescriptions can provoke the development of the following negative consequences:
- In most cases, swelling goes away and leaves no negative consequences.
Having a large scar.
- Eczema in an advanced stage.
- Development of sepsis.
- Life-threatening infection.
- The spread of herpes rash not only over the entire lip area, but also on the face.
- Rapid development of Quincke's edema during an allergic reaction.
- The appearance of a malignant neoplasm.
Important! To prevent the development of complications, treatment of lip swelling in a child must begin at an early stage.
Preventive measures
You can easily prevent the development of puffiness on your lips.
To do this, the following preventive measures must be observed:
- Consume exclusively clean foods.
- Keep your hands and mouth clean.
- Drink vitamin complexes systematically.
- During seasonal exacerbations, take antiviral drugs.
- Avoid trampling.
- Have regular dental checkups.
- Treat dental pathologies in a timely manner only from trusted specialists.
- For allergy sufferers, avoid contact with allergens and always carry antihistamines with you.
- Avoid psycho-emotional stress.
- Minimize stressful conditions.
Important! The main thing in preventing swelling of the upper lip in a child is its regularity. Only with this approach is it possible to avoid the appearance or recurrence of this condition.
Swelling of the lip in a child is not always an independent disease. In most cases, this is a clear sign of more serious pathologies. Therefore, if even the slightest swelling occurs, you must immediately consult a doctor.