Geographic Language In Children: Symptoms And Treatment
Geographic tongue in children usually presents without pain in most cases, although some circumstances lead to discomfort and irritation. Therefore, it is important that you know how to help your child cope with this condition.
What is geographic language?
It is an inflammatory condition of the tongue that produces the appearance of irregular patches in the shape of a map. They are usually red and white around the edges.
Its official name is benign migratory glossitis . This name is due to the fact that the stitches move around the entire lingual limb.
These points usually appear on the tip, back, and parallel edges of the tongue. Even, in some cases, they reach the ventral segment of that organ.
Although it is a persistent condition, it is completely benign. Therefore, it does not pose any danger to children’s health.
What are the symptoms of geographic language in children?
It often manifests as a smooth, shiny plaque that rapidly increases in size.
Although it is painless, it sometimes causes discomfort, a burning or burning sensation in the affected part, especially when consuming spicy or acidic products.
The geographic tongue causes the loss of taste buds on the surface, so it doesn’t affect the taste buds. Furthermore, the papillae are renewed quickly and constantly. The duration of the geographic language in children is very varied, it can take between a week and a month or more.
It’s a transient condition. That is, its appearance changes every day and even in a matter of hours. Furthermore, it is persistent or chronic, which means that it occurs several times during a person’s life.
However, if you notice that the child’s tongue is swollen, if he has difficulty breathing, speaking, swallowing or chewing, this may be related to some other more serious illness. Therefore, you should immediately consult your doctor.
Causes of benign migratory glossitis
Although the reason why this condition occurs is unknown, it is believed to be due to a lack of vitamin B. In addition, doctors have associated it with emotional factors such as stress and anxiety, and also with irritants such as acids, spicy foods, too much food. hot drinks, alcohol and tobacco.
On the other hand, geographic language in children has been linked to diseases such as rhinitis and asthma.
Is there a treatment for geographic language?
When the causes are not known, there is no specific treatment. Basically, doctors recommend avoiding factors that can cause more irritation and discomfort.
In addition, they suggest having excellent oral hygiene, brushing your teeth and tongue with a soft-bristled brush. You can also use sterile gauze to clean food debris from your child’s mouth.
On the other hand, older children should use mouthwashes with oral antiseptics containing chlorhexidine. If discomfort persists, it is possible to apply an antihistamine gel to the desquamation area. This helps to regenerate the papillae more quickly.
Another suggestion is to observe the food the child consumes. Some foods such as kiwi fruit, bananas, melon, nuts, vinegar and tomatoes accelerate the emergence of geographic language in children.
What else should you know about geographic language
You may feel more secure knowing that it is not a disease but a benign condition. Although it can last a long time in children, it usually doesn’t involve pain, just some discomfort generated by external factors that you can control. It does not require rigorous or expensive treatments or specific exams.
It is noteworthy that this condition is not common in babies , although cases have occurred at six months of age.
However, it is more frequent in children, which leaves a smaller percentage margin in young and middle-aged adults. On the other hand, more cases are registered in women than in men.
In short, as parents interestedin the well-being of our children, it is advisable to follow the medical suggestions and recommendations to avoid and cure geographic tongue in children. Naturally, therefore, a medical consultation should be one of the first steps to be taken.
