Raynaud’s, Acrocyanosis

At times my daughter’s hands and fingers have turned blue/purple. Her hands used to be affected mainly in the winter months when it’s cold or when her hands would be wet such as during meal time. Now it seems to be happening even when she’s not eating. We had one incident when her forearms from elbow to fingertips turned bright red when she was showering. She rubs her hands together and puts them in her mouth frequently. Can you provide me with any information regarding CdLS and Raynaud’s?

There are two likely possibilities based on your description. Raynaud’s phenomenon often has a period of paleness/blanching associated with it that is not described in this case. One of the distinguishing features is that Raynaud’s is associated with numbness/pain.It may be difficult with this population to determine the pain factor. The second possibility is acrocyanosis. Acrocyanosis is a similar condition but is not associated with pain and does not restrict blood flow enough to cause tissue damage.Generally, it’s recommended to take preventative steps (wear gloves) to avoid cold stress that can temporally worsen the discoloration. People with acrocyanosis tend to have the discoloration to one degree or another most of the time, whereas Raynaud’s is definitely more episodic. Your daughter’s behavior of rubbing her hands and sticking them in her mouth could definitely be interpreted as indicating paresthesias and therefore Raynaud’s is a good thought. JR – TK 3/25/11

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