Not obvious at first glance, notice the Sugar Bug or subtle blue vein between baby’s eyes.
Both of my children were born with a faint blue vein on the bridge of their noses, and like any sufficiently paranoid mother, I would squint and study it trying to figure out what it could possibly be… a bruise, a birth mark, something else? For years in the Chinese medicine community I heard whisperings of this blue vein being a reliable diagnostic tool for predicting a sensitivity to sugar. I took note, and have used this as a good excuse to limit sweets in my childrens’ diets.
This weekend at a pediatric acupuncture seminar with Raven Lang, the blue vein finally got a name: “Sugar Bug,” or in Japanese, “Kanmushi” – a syndrome in Japanese medicine. Sugar Bug babies may cry more, have more issues with sleep, and – my personal favorite – shriek. These children have a propensity to more temper tantrums and potentially attention and hyperactivity issues when they get older if proper care is not taken to divert this tendency along the way.
Why a Sugar Bug occurs is unclear, but my theory is that it has to do with the quality of gut flora (or digestive qi or energy) we inherit from our parents at the time of birth. (Stay tuned for a future post on how to bequeath healthy gut flora to your future children!). In Chinese medicine, the digestion system (Spleen energy) and the nervous system (Liver energy) are interdependent, so it would stand to reason that a Sugar Bug child with sensitive digestion would also have a sensitive nervous system.
Regardless of the ‘why’, the presence of a Sugar Bug on your beautiful baby is not a reason to panic. The faint blue mark is barely visible to others, and can be a major blessing in disguise…
If you see blue, don’t panic!
This diagnostic sign is much like a curvy road sign. It warns you to drive ahead with caution to prevent an accident. The Sugar Bug also provides us with some convenient street sign warnings – that most parents should follow anyway!
- Limit your child’s consumption of sugar (especially processed candy, cakes, and other sweets) but also monitor ‘natural’ sweets like honey, maple syrup, agave and even fruit). Fruit juice is just as sugary as a candy bar and should be avoided. Foods that quickly turn into sugar in the body such as bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes should be consumed only in moderation.
- Create clear boundaries and routines for a Sugar Bug baby/child. These children should have consistent rhythm to their day with meals, snacks, bath, and bed time occurring like clockwork as much as possible. Sugar Bug babies should not stay up late or skip naps.
- Mellow out – Sugar Bug kids do not need extra stimulation, so limit the amount of beeping toys, flashing lights, tv shows, loud parties, and other overwhelming stimuli that he/she is exposed to.
- Load up on nutrients – A nutrient dense diet is essential for Sugar Bug babies. Essential fatty acids from fish (fermented cod liver oil is ideal), B vitamins, amino acids, and zinc are all important brain foods that will reduce the propensity for ADD/ADHD down the road. Whenever possible provide these nutrients from Real Food.
- Tune in - Make a mental note when your child has challenges. If melt-downs tend to follow a particular food, skip it for awhile. If he/she seems to be getting cranky in the afternoons, make bedtime earlier. Around the age of 4 or 5 most blue veins on the nose bridge will fade, but your child may still be sensitive to sugar and over-stimulation.
- Get preventative care – Find a good pediatric acupuncturist that can work with your child monthly to monitor and treat any minor imbalances that may arise in order to prevent bigger issues down the road. Practicing preventative care is great advice for any parent, so consider that the Sugar Bug is not an omen of doom, just your baby’s way of making sure you keep your parenting skills sharp and promote health down the road.
This post is part the following blogging carnivals:
Butter Believer’s Sunday School
Real Food Forager’s Fat Tuesday
Very interesting! My son has that blue vein and I have always wondered about it. I do have a question, though. The vein is already structurally in place at the time of birth, so how can it be affected by the flora a child inherits? I took special care to populate my birth canal with good flora and am fairly certain I succeeded. Regarding temperment, my son is very mellow. BUT – he was an awful sleeper! Turns out, though, that he was tongue-tied (http://www.mommypotamus.com/tongue-tied/) and therefore hungry all the time. Once we had it corrected he because sleeping almost through the night. Maybe the sugar bug pops up when there are issues with soft tissues (aka tongue ties)? It’s a theory.
Oh, and although he is calm most of the time he DOES love a good shrieking match with his big sis
Hi Heather,
Your son is a perfect example of a Sugar Bug baby who’s digestive system was properly nurtured (no sugar or junk even before conception), and as a result, his nervous system had smooth sailing from the get go. In Chinese medical theory the Spleen meridian (aka digestive energy) is responsible for “holding blood in vessels” and weak digestive energy is associated with varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and bruising easily.
As for tongue tie, as far as I know it is not linked to any pathology in Chinese Medicine (perhaps another reader may know different – please comment!), though it certainly contributes to a baby not being able to get the nourishment he needs on his own. This is an instance of when conventional medicine (to correct the tie) is a blessing! Anyway, keep up the great work, mama!
My son also has the blue vein, didn’t sleep well and was tongue tied. I am sure there is more than coincidence here. He does not have a proclivity for sweets, he doesn’t like soda, he is not “hyper”. His tongue tie was “cured” by exercises as he learned to talk and voila it is gone now. He is very computer savvy and video game oriented. He is set in his ways and regiments are better for him, type A personality possibly?
My son also has the vein, and I’m worried a out the sugRbug,,my problem is that my son gets constipated all the time Nd our ped told us to use brown sugar in half his bottles, what should we do
Hi Jolene – I am surprised your pediatrician recommended putting brown sugar in his bottles! Perhaps this is because black strap molasses can help with constipation. I would probably try other methods first (abdominal massage, cranial sacral therapy, Chinese herbs) before trying molasses, but personally I would never put brown sugar in a baby’s bottle – sugar bug or not.
There has to be something more here. My two oldest sons both have this blue vein and although not tongue tied, they both have an extremely tight frenulum on the top lip. My oldest’s effected speech and we had it laser clipped. If they get sugar, its like a monster has been awakened and they want more, more, more!! I am going to research this some more. Thanks for the info!
Omg, I have two boys too brandy, and both have this blue vein and I have always wondered about it! The youngest had the same surgery as one of your sons! His speech was affected and and he had a very tight upper lip! I am trying to eat organic and really limit sugar! Best of luck!!
Hello Jolene,
My son had terrible terrible constipation until I removed gluten. You might want to try it for a week or 2 and see how he does. My son;s appetite increased, his bowels are regular and normal, and he is overall doing great.
Good luck!
My son also has a blue vein and he had severe tongue and lip tie (discovered at a year thanks to Mommypotamous – thank you!). He is 17 months now and certainly seems to have the personality traits of the blue vein as well. I was on GAPS the entire time I was pregnant with him (taking biokult daily as well as preparing the birth canal) and we have led a very strict grain free traditional diet with only honey as a sweetener for about three years. Although I have Celiacs (gluten free for 8 years) and I do not think I totally recovered nutritionally from my daughters birth who is 3 1/2 and does not have a blue vein but did have severe lip tie. I should note that my son also had severe cradle cap which he still has to this day, to me that also points to a gut flora issue.
Christi – thanks so much for sharing!
Oh boy. Kate had that.
She’s always been super hyper, too. Like a boy. She started tearing the heads off Barbies when she was 2. She didn’t just cut the Barbies hair, she cut MY hair one time when I was sleeping.
I remember I took a picture of her when she was about 9 months old and her little foot was kicking so fast, it was a blur. My brother said, “Uh oh, look at that foot.”
She loves sugar, sweets and carbs of all kinds, she’s addicted to computer games, and she is a total night owl.
I’m terrible about getting her to bed on time because I have to work so much. She won’t go to sleep without me. Hopefully we can rectify this in the coming weeks when we hire a FT nanny.
PS: I’m the same way — guilty on all charges. I used to stay up and watch Saturday Night Live when I was 8.
Our son we adopted from Russia in 2008 has this and he is hyper/impulsive and sensitive to so many foods (following mono it’s like his digestive system went kerplunk). We’re about to put him on GAPS intro diet b/c removing gluten and grains and soy and dairy have not totally cleared up is tummy issues (probiotics have helped some). He takes GABA and 5HTP and cod liver oil and a couple of other things to help with him neurologically. He’s a bright boy but emotionally still lagging behind his 4 1/2 years.
How old was your sob when you adopted and was it difficult to adopt from Russia? We like to have one more kid so our kid would be lonely.
That makes sense, thank you! I doubt the tongue tie is related now that you’ve explained more . . . I think I was trying to make him fit the typical sugar baby profile and fussiness from being hungry is all I could connect! Side note: Though ties have been around for all of recorded history they seem to be becoming more frequent. Some studies link them to chemical exposure, which I know I had a lot of years ago when I remodeled our house. Ugh.
How about a Vit A deficiency as a potential cause of tongue tie? Our boy had a mild tongue tie which our midwife snipped at 2wks. He also has an underbite. I wonder if it is all part of the lower jaw not forming properly due to lack of nutrient building blocks that fully form the facial structure. Thoughts?
I have seen a number of kanmushi veins in young children under 6yo…
I also wonder what the faint red rash/patch on the skin between the eyebrows might mean. I’ve seen a lot of those in children over the past three years. The children are in the 0-6yrs range. Any ideas??
Michelle I was told by a midwife that those marks the red patch between the eyebrows are “birth” marks. They are marks that occured during the birth of a child, likely when the head is coming through the pelvis. The skin gets rubbed on the pelvic bone. One of my friends says that 3 of her 5 babies had them because her labors are so fast that it’s just a little rough. These thoughts are also applied to the “stork bite” on the back of almost all babies necks.
His is not a red mark, it’s a blue vein.
none of my kiddos had the blue vein. But I do have a daughter, now 14 years old, who is ‘tongue tied.’ We opted not to have it clipped as it wasn’t causing any difficulty nursing or later speaking. It is an inherited difference, just like blue eyes or freckled skin. Most kids who were born “tied” were clipped, even before the parents knew, as part of “routine baby care” in previous decades. Most doctors now take a wait and see approach. I was a “clipped” baby as were 6 of my 9 siblings. Most of us have at least one tongue tied child, some clipped some not. Its not a defect, just a difference.
i didnt notice my baby’s blue line at birth, but at one year old it has disappeared on the left side and is fading on the right side. he doesnt eat grains, starchessoy, chocolate, dairy, corn, and only eats fruits between meals, never with protein. guzzles meat broths-which are healing to the entire system. we are doing a GAPS based diet. he was also TT.
Sorry this is off topic, but Lou, why never eating fruit with a protein? And in general, why does everyone stay away from grains? Because they turn to sugar in the body? Thanks all, my youngest boy has that vein. I am interested in this conversation! (and overwhelmed by all that we have to do to prepare and protect our children!)
Very interesting! My son has it and I never paid to much attention to it. Luckily, he is 5 now and we haven’t had any of the issues listed above. We have never been to an acupuncturist (which we will in the future) but we do go to a chiropractor on a weekly basis. Thanks for the info!
Fascinating. My youngest has this and I had never given it much thought. I have a fairly prominent vein below my left eye and thought it was just a physical quirk. He does have a propensity to have tantrums and doesn’t sleep well at all compared to my two older boys. Thanks for sharing!
Interesting. I think my younger daughter was born with this but not my older. They are both very intense kids but the older one is more intense (I hadn’t fixed my diet when she was born). My younger dd has a tendency to shriek though. Neither one sleeps very well.
Both of my girls have tongue ties and I plan to get them clipped asap. We are seeing a Dr about it in 2 days in fact. My dh also has a tongue tie and I may. We are all getting them evaluated. My older dd’s permanent teeth are coming in very crooked. My DH can be very difficult to understand when he speaks quickly. My younger dd has loads of digestive problems and her front teeth are being effected already. We are hopeful that it may help everyone to have it clipped since it can impact all of those issues. I almost wish that it would have caused breast feeding issues with my girls and been addressed at birth instead of now that they are old enough that it could be a very big deal.
I know this isn’t about tongue tie but since it came up and is on my mind…
All babies have this blue vein… it’s just more visible on some than on others. All of your tips for handling “sugar bug” babies are good solid common-sense for raising any baby, though.
Hi Kalera – Yes, all baby’s have the vein, but the visibility is what makes it a Sugar Bug, or as the Japanese call it, Kanmushi.
My daughter has the blue vein and she used to crash if she didn’t ear frequently. We added more protein and reduced the carbs and her blood sugar got stabilized, and she didn’t crash or crave carbs much anymore. Now we eat Paleo and we don’t have any problems with her at all.
I work with children with autism (I’m a nutritionist). I’m hearing this blue vein is a common experience for many of them, and of course we know they have lots of gut issue, yeast, sugar cravings. This is very interesting – thanks for sharing!
Emily, I was just thinking that same thing. Of course we all have veins in the same (close) places, but this totally makes sense that some are more visible and are an earmark for sensitivities to things. My son is totally reactive to sugar. His sugar bug was VERY faint. I actually had to look back at photos after reading this article to see if he had it, because I discovered a long time ago his sensitivity. He was a very calm baby, almost too calm. But now as a 5 year old, sometimes I see some more of these signs that are associated with having a sugar bug in him. Really interesting information, I’ll have to look into it some more. I’ve never taken him to a chiropractor or an acupuncturist, but maybe it’s time!
My 5 year old has a very prominent blue vein across the bridge of his nose, I thought it was a birthmark. My son sleeps well, isn’t a tantrum thrower, actually his teachers comment on what a calm child he is. He doesn’t like cakes, doesn’t mind a bickies or a bit of chocolate now and then, absolutely loves his yoghurt, something I’ve never had to push on him. The only thing that worries me is that his father is an insulin dependant diabetic and I have type II, he was born with extremely low blood sugar levels and was given glucose straight away. I’m petrified that as well as being Autistic he’ll develop type 1 diabetes. I’ll have to look into this further, it’s very interesting.
This is such a timely post! Many family members have commented on my daughters blue veins on her forehead……needless to say we are on the GAPS diet for MANY gut imbalances and nervous system problems (a horrible sleeper for one!) My question to you is this; while googling kanmushi I came across a textbook that talks about therapies for these kids to do….wondering if you know anything about that/anything in your practice you do (besides what is listed) to help out? Thanks again for the post, I will be sharing this with others!
What was the website or textbook. i would love to know
and maybe all our kids have the blue vein there because our modern culture all to some degree has gut dysbiosis due to environment/diet not being what it was 100-200+ years ago.
Wow Emily, this is good to know! Now I want to look back on my kids’ baby pictures and see if any of them had this! I think GAPS would help with this, for sure! Thanks for sharing!
I’m an acupuncturist and my youngest son has the blue vein. I learned in school that it’s a sign of digestive deficiency. He definitely has sugar issues, much more so than my first two boys. And I noticed that with my pregnancy that I was craving sugar much more than with previous pregnancies (I also gained more weight with him as well). A good, easy therapy to do on children is moxabustion. It is a warming therapy that many children enjoy (you can do it on them when they are sleeping if they don’t like it). Acupuncture is so helpful for gaps kids, it is great for strengthening the spleen system and calming the liver system. I also believe the tongue tie is related to digestive health (of the mother or father). Our holistic dentist recommends frenectomy so that everything will be aligned in terms of their cranium.
Thanks for all the real food blogs, you all have helped our family and my practice so much!
Thanks for sharing, Kyung! I haven’t been doing much moxa for kids in my practice – what methods do you like to use?
Tongue tie is a midline defect caused by a folate defincicy. Most people get their folate from folic acid (synthetic) in prenatal vitamins. However some people have a genetic problem where they can’t make folate folic acid. Thus the deficiency is inherited, not the tongue tie.
Tongue tie is fire- probably heart or San Jaio
Interesting but I just can’t buy it. I have a daughter DX with Asperger’s and ADHD and she would fit all the “Sugar Bug” criteria however it’s my other daughter who actually has the vein. But she has great attention ability at 2 1/2 years old, she does not have hyperactive episodes, etc. Now my Aspie kids does have two MTHFR mutated genes related to detoxing the body so my other daughter likely carries these as well, or maybe just one. My daughter with the vein does have a good gut system though, when compaired to my Asperger’s daughter so maybe that makes all the difference.
Hi Becky – As with any diagnostic information, from blood tests to the color of the tongue, the blue vein is just information that we can take or leave. It sounds your daughter with the blue vein and healthy gut may not be exhibiting symptoms because of her healthy digestion. Keep up the great work.
Becky — maybe that is because the visibility of veins has absolutely nothing to do with the digestive or nervous system? Because this entire post is nothing but the kind of middle-age superstition that should properly be laughed at?
Hi Dan,
Thanks for sharing your opinion. There are many diagnostic tools of Oriental medicine that modern medicine disciples will quickly dismiss and laugh at. But keep in mind that traditional medicine has been in practice for thousands of years with much efficacy, whereas western medicine has been in practice for not much more than a century and has many failings. And while there are many wonderful things about western medicine, we would be fools to dismiss thousands of years of wisdom as merely laughable.
Does the vein have to be on the bridge of the nose? I have a daughter that has a very visible blue vein on her cheek. She does have some of these symptoms. Just curious. Thanks.
Jessica, my understanding is that the Sugar Bug is only on the nose bridge.
My daughter has the blue vein! She’s not tongue tied but she was born with an upper lip tie, receding chin (more than is normal), and a high arch palate.
Hmm interesting, now I am going to have to go ask my wife if any of our kids had the blue vein. Yea I should know that, but im a dad, what do I know?
amazing! My son to a t!
Interesting! This is very timely as we have been dealing with shrieking tantrums the past couple of months and my daughter definitely has the blue vein on the bridge of her nose. She also didn’t sleep through the night until she was over a year old, cried a lot as a baby, her digestion is off, etc. This definition fits her and gives me a good place to start from to work on managing things better. Thank you!
My acupuncturist added this comment – “It can also show up as green. Another sign to look at is the child’s pointer finger underside behind the middle knuckle. My ped class was so fascinating.. It’s all 9/10 times a digestive root issue. But the dynamics of parents play a huge role.”
I’d already forgotten that my son had this! He’s 7 now, but when he was a baby it was so prominent I constantly got comments from people that he had some food stuck on him still, or they thought it was a bruise. He does have digestive issues – sensitive to dairy then and now. He is very calm-natured, but had a horrific time sleeping in his early years. It’s been hard to get him really good nutrition as my husband’s vegetarian and allergic to eggs, so we haven’t ventured into GAPS-land yet. And I get a lot of my good stuff from grass-fed dairy, which my son doesn’t tolerate. He does like eggs and fish, though! We keep sugar pretty limited, but we do allow a small dose on a daily basis. He self-regulates really well. A bigger problem for him is fruit and fruit juice. More than a small serving of juice, or a moderate serving of certain fruits (grapes and melon in particular) makes him pretty nutty, so we’ve had to stay aware of that.
Hi Emily,
My daughter is 4 months old. She has a very prominent thick green vein under her right eye. It is becoming more noticeable as she is growing older. She is 100% breastfed. I read your article on holistic Kid website. I am nervous as to how it would affect my baby? Will she have problems in future? Can she become autistic? Right now, she is a very calm baby. Sleeps well at night. Her weight/height gain has been perfect. She is a very social baby. Her doctor said that it is because she is light and thin skinned. To my surprise her pediatrician had many prominent green veins around her eyes.
She has a very tiny blue mark/ vein on the bridge of her nose. It is less than the size of a grain (quinoa) towards her left eye and hardly noticiable. It is not running across, just a tiny spot. What would that mean? Is that a sugar bug? I will definitely make sure that we eat good food. What is a predisposition? Does that mean if care is taken early on, this is curable? Or will she always have to be cautious about what she eats?
Also, can this lead to anything major?
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thank you,
Ru
Don’t worry about the green vein under her eye. The Sugar Bug is specifically found on the bridge of the nose, and it is only indicates a predisposition, not a life sentence. Regardless, make sure you eat (and feed her when she’s ready) only good quality, real food. Every child deserves this.
Oh you poor thing! It sounds like you are a great mother and have a wonderful daughter! Don’t let anything on the internet worry you so much!
the blue mark is a vein. it is prominent in babies who have compression. in most babies it resolves over time, very easily if the child has not experienced any form of head injuries during the early years of childhood. this vein is a hallmark and guide that i use for mommies to gauge when they need to come back for osteopathic cranial treatments. how do i know? i treat, the vein disappears, the babies are calmer, happier, sleep better, head shape looks better, the scalp is less splotchy, the soft spot is softer and larger; i tell parents to watch, when the vein reappears, this will coincide with increased fussiness, behavior issues, poor sleep. i treat, and they are better. very easy. read my post, “Doctor, what is that blue mark on my baby’s face?” at http://www.doctorhoang.wordpress.com
This is really interesting! My niece had the blue vein on her nose as a baby and we noticed and commented on it but never really put much effort into researching it. However, my friend’s child has it too and I mentioned to her that my niece had the same vein in the same place as a baby and she looked it up and found this site… It is so crazy to me because we have always thought my niece was going to be a hyper-active child and try so hard to keep her away from too much junk food, but its almost like she CRAVES it. She’s 2 1/2 and she will pull up chairs and climb like a monkey on the counters over to the cabinet where she knows the snacks are hidden. She’s also a screacher!! Funny thing too, is my friends child, who is 7 months old- JUST started screaching as well!! How strange!! Thank you for this post!!! I cant wait to share it!!
My son has the blue vein on the bridge of his nose on the right side. He is also tounge tied. He’s a very calm baby sleeps fine but afterall, he is only 6 weeks old right now… He screeches too. This site has so much reassuring information. I trust chineese medicine and western medicine were very blessed to have all this information. Just thank god he’s alright, his aunt thought it was a bruise!
Hi Emily,
I use a tiger warmer on kids under 9. So easy and no risk of burning them. I get mine from Lhasa. Love your blog, you’re sharing such important information!
Hi Kyung – I love my tiger warmer too! Thanks for reading.
I just find this difficult to believe. I think this could be scary for some parents to read and almost like you’re dooming a child to have a problem. It’s like saying “You child has a birth mark on their left leg? They’re quite possibly going to have ADHD and autism.”
My son has a faint line that comes and goes, mostly visible when he is being very active. He rarely gets any sugars, juices, processed foods, and doesn’t eat meat. He is 17 months and is at that toddler stage – the one where kids tend to become frustrated easily and have an occasional tantrum. No amount of attachment parenting/western medicine/tradition medicine/diet systems can prevent that – that is normal toddler behavior. It seems a little frightening and irresponsible to make parents worry themselves sick that their child is going to have problems over a vein!
Hi Tawnie – Thanks for your concern about this post being irresponsible. My intention is not to ‘make parents worry themselves sick’ – As I state in the post:
“If you see blue, don’t panic! This diagnostic sign is much like a curvy road sign. It warns you to drive ahead with caution to prevent an accident. The Sugar Bug also provides us with some convenient street sign warnings – that most parents should follow anyway!” A history of obesity in one’s family does not destine a person to be fat, just as a child with a sugar bug will not automatically develop hyperactivity. But the former may wish to eat responsibly and exercise just as the latter should avoid excessive sugar and activities that will over-stimulate the nervous system.
Thank you so much for posting this article. My wife and I have been wondering why our child has this vein. I am blessed that we are very selective with his foods and have not cross that bridge with process foods. Thanks again for such a great article. Dion
I love this post! and I love Raven Lang. Took her whole prenatal series. I was going to take her pediatric class in December, but couldn’t make it that weekend d/t various reasons (one being my little sugar bug having major sleep issues). Now that I’ve read your post, I’m even more sorry I couldn’t make that class. I’m so glad you did though! Just think, we almost met in person. Ah well.
After reading this, I am definitely looking forward to checking out the rest of your site and following your blog. Thank you for posting such wonderful information! It’s so nice to find other acupuncturists who share important info for the benefit of all rather than just for the benefit of their own patients. And it’s wonderful to find someone in the “traditional foods” online world who also understands traditional chinese medicine.
Perhaps we will get to meet in person someday in the future. Won’t that be just lovely?
ps – do you provide GAPS diet consultations for your patients? If so, maybe I need to consult with you. I’m just discovering GAPS now as a nursing mom.
Yeah, not buying this one, sorry. Has to do with your skin type and “see-through” it is. Everyone in my family has this…kids, myself…everyone. Zero sugar problems. Thin, healthy, no hyperactivity….my background is also autism and ADHD…proper nutrition is always a good thing. Ever heard of phrenology? ; )
I have no idea whether I had the blue vein as a child or not (very few photos), but I still have a fairly pronounced blue vein on the bridge of my nose as an adult, and definitely fit the description of a sugar-craving carbivore. I always chalked it up to thin delicate skin, but now I’m wondering if there may be more to it? It’s only the past 3-4 years that I started following a more traditional whole foods diet, and I have seen my cravings for sweets decrease, but could this mean I still have a lot of work to do gut-wise?
Lana – The visible blue vein referred to here typically fades by the time the child is 5 or 6. As an adult, I would not use this as a diagnostic tool, but (as a practitioner of Chinese medicine) would examine your tongue and pulse (as well as a complete history and intake) for signs of digestive weakness.
oh no! I have these problems and my little girl has that blue vein! she is a shrieker, but only when she needs somthing, so we taught her sign language for change and milk and thankful the shrieking has subsided:) We both just found out we are allergic to gluten. I have felt better every day since. I appreciate everyone’s comments. I am being very careful with our diets and hopefully Lily can avoid some of these challenges!!!
My son is.3 he also has the blue vain I never knew wat nd why he was acting out now I understand. These doctors have told me my son has sleep terror disorder add and adhd I now believe in mu heart that is untrue
My son had this when he was a baby, too. I can remember starring at it and wondering what it was, too. Now he is 8, and I notice no difference in him from my children who didn’t have the blue vein. In fact, I think he was my quietest , easiest baby. I recall neighbors in my close neighborhood tell me they forgot I even had a baby, because they never heard him cry. He really didn’t. I breast fed and carried him with me all the time, and he was delightful.
Now, he is still amazing. He is artistic, very intelligent with an aptitude for learning that makes me excited. He is curious and energetic, but I would not say hyper. My personal opinion on the whole use of the word hyper, is that many doctors and parents and the like misuse that word. Sometimes all a child needs is a little discipline, or help setting limits. Guidance. But, all in all, I wouldn’t worry too much about the blue vein thing. My son had it, and was nothing like the description above.
This is very interesting! My 4 month old has a Sugar Bug and he was SUPER colicky from about 6 weeks until right around the 3 month mark. I had read that colic can be caused by a deficiency of certain probiotics in the gut. Our doctor gave us a probiotic supplement to try and low and behold, his colic was gone within a week. The fact that you even mention that the Sugar Bug could have something to do with gut flora really makes me wonder if it’s all connected!
Question though – He is not eating solid food yet, and is exclusively breast fed. Should I be limiting MY sugar consumption at all? I know that eating dairy while breastfeeding can make colic worse, but I never really thought about sugar. I really don’t eat very much sugar (and I never eat processd sugar), usually just a little honey in my yogurt for breakfast and a piece of fruit later in the day. I don’t like things overly sweet.
This is taking things a bit too far. Sugar Bug, really?? The appearance of veins has more to do with how fair a child’s skin is. And your advice for caring for “Sugar Bug Babies” are obvious and basic concepts for raising any child, regardless of how much their veins show. Routines and consistency, low sugar consumption, toys that help a child *do* and think and experiment instead of just pushing buttons for lights and noise – should be pretty much a “duh” type list.
My son had a very prominent blue vein at birth at developed intense colic on day 3. He screemed atleast 6 hours at a time and and didnt sleep through the night until he finished formula at 12 months. He was very hyper and aggressive for many years. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 6 years of age and dylexia. my obgyn put me on sugar busters when i pregnant with him because I was gaining weight faster than normal.
YES YES YES!!! I stumbled on this article fter coming here for something different….and yes. My three year old has always had the blue vein on her nose. We are accustomed to it, but every noce in awhile someone else will notice it for the first time and think that she has bumped herself.
This little oneis also my number one sugar fiend. She had no taste of refined sugar until around 18 months, and then it was like she became an instantaneous addict..and being my first child i was also suprised to seejust how hyper she gets after sugar.
She was never a big crier, but she has been an infamously bad sleeper….still not really sleeping through the night at year old, but at least putting herself back to sleep….what an interesting read!
DD has a dark blue line on her right eye lid. Could that be a sugar bug? Or is it only when it’s on the bridge of their nose?
I doubt it, but I’d have to see it. Why don’t you send me a photo: emily at holistickid dot com.
Early in the comments Heather Brandt says:
(December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am)
“He takes GABA and 5HTP”
I didn’t know what those were so I googled them and according to the article at the link below they shouldn’t be taken together. I have not done any real research but I felt compelled to leave a comment here. I wanted to directly reply to her comment but didn’t see a way do do it.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/484573-can-you-take-gaba-with-5-htp/
This is really interesting! My 2nd child who is now 10 had this and we always talked about it but it never occurred to me it could have any significance. He was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago and is by far the most excitable (good and bad) of my four kids and is definitely the most emotional. He’s also a crazy early riser and was a light sleeper as a baby.
He was born extremely fast, totally labour was less than 2 hours and there was no pushing phase, he just flew out (less than 5 minutes after getting to the hospital!). There could definitely be something to the gut flora issue.
Hi Maranda – It’s so interesting that out of your 4 children the one child with a Sugar Bug has the most excitable energy and was diagnosed with ADHD. At 10 years old, you can probably positively affect his gut flora pretty quickly. Thanks for sharing!
The link between the digestive & nervous system really clicked for me. My middle child (5-yr son) is very much like the description. He is sensitive to sugar, craves carbs, and often used to say his stomach hurt. He has always been thin and I’ve worried a lot about his nutrition, though we are a natural-health oriented family. He has an extremely low pain tolerance and will shriek at a small scratch. He’s very sensitive to loud noises, bright lights, new tastes, etc. Plus he is emotionally volatile and threw magnificent tantrums from age 1-4. Thankfully he sleeps well and is not hyperactive, though he is high-strung. We used to attribute it to being the middle child and wanting attention. The strange thing is, he never had the blue mark. On the other hand, his younger brother (3-yr) has a very noticeable blue vein and is nothing like this, not even a sugar craving. So whether the blue vein is an accurate diagnostic tool seems questionable to me, but no doubt there is a category of children who have this group of traits, or syndrome if you want to call it that. Thanks for the info! It gives me hope that there are more things to try that might help with the hyper-sensitivity.
This is very interesting. My son has a sugar sensitivity, he is 8 years old. We first noticed it when he was 1 on Halloween Night. Since then sugar and red food coloring immediately change his behavior and attitude. He is now old enough to know which foods/drinks he can and can not eat and usually makes good choices. When I read this article a flashback of his newborn face came back to me and I remember a blue line on his nose. I also remember being worried. Thanks for this information.
My almost-4 month old has the blue line on the bridge of her nose. She is only getting breastmilk now. She is a great sleeper, at this point she sleeps through the night with one feeding (and she knocks right back out after it). My son did not have the blue line, and he was a horrible sleeper! I did crave sugar with her pregnancy, though. She seems to be much more vocal in comparison to my son as a baby. She’s very happy overall, but if she’s hungry or tired, watch out, she will let you know! I’ll be interested to see if she has food sensitivities as she grows. I too had a very fast labor and delivery with her – 3 hours total. Interesting article overall.
This caught my attention because my 4 year old has this, and I’ve often wondered why it’s so visible. It has been on the bridge of his nose since birth. He has never been one to cry a lot, and never had sleep issues. He’s a bit of a shrieker though. He has had several health issues since birth, and I’ve been trying to figure out if there is any kind of link to somehow explain everything. He was born with positional clubfeet and torticollis. He has had constipation issues since 6 weeks of age. He has eczema. He is anaphylactic to peanuts and eggs, and allergic to some tree nuts (we don’t know the severity as he’s never consumed them). He was labeled as Failure to Thrive at one point. He has never been above 10 percentile for height or weight, and is usually between 0 and 5 percentile for both. He has apraxia, a neurological disorder that affects speech. He has some sensory issues. He has hypotonia and fine motor delays. He had pneumonia 5 times between the ages of 12 months and 23 months, was diagnosed with immune deficiency during this time, but outgrew it. He has illness induced asthma.
I remember one of my good friends growing up had this line, and I always assumed it was just a birth defect or genetic. Last time I saw her as a teenager she still had it.
My 5 year old daughter has the line as well and does not fit in with the description, other than she loves sugar (most kids do).
She has never been to a doctor or been vaccinated and she seems to have a very healthy digestive system, so I don’t see an issue.
My theory is that the blue vein has more to do with how one was birthed than a digestive disorder, but I could be wrong.
Hi Rebecca – You certainly could be right. I am just relaying the theories of ancient Japanese medicine here, but I’m sure not EVERY baby fits into this description of temperment, and for them, their particular birth (or some other factor) may be the cause of a blue vein on the bridge of the nose.
I’m so glad you pinned this post today! My kids (7 & 9 yrs old) have had that visible vein since they were babies. Doctors have always said it’s nothing. It’s still very visible now on both their noses. Both have very different personalities, but both can be very emotional. They both slept well at night as babies, but only took short naps during the day. Thanks for the info!
I am so glad I finally have an explanation! My son was born with a blue vein between his eyes & loves sugar. I even have a name for him – sugar bug! He loves to load up on starches & sweets – rice, corn chips, apple sauce, toast. I always make him eat some protein & good quality fat with the starch. I will implement the suggestions listed above. Thank you!
Huh. My second son has this, quite distinctly, but he’s been my easy baby – laid back, good sleeper, pretty calm. He has his moments, but he’s two. My older son fits the description nicely but no mark, and he’s always had yeast issues too. If I had to make a guess, I’d say the vein is something that can appear with the syndrome but not necessarily.
Interesting, I’ve never heard this before. My son had a blue vein like you have described (so obvious, that people often assumed it was a bruise), but was an easy, easy, easy child. He is 2 years old now, and is compliant, observant, and obedient (with OF COURSE an occasional I-can’t-handle-anything-right-now tantrum/melt down), and WONDERFUL with his little sister, who is only 15 months younger. I never would have thought to describe him as hyperactive, and he was sleeping through the night by 4 months. He never had any refined sugar until his first birthday, though, so I guess we can file this anecdote under “inconclusive, but needing further study.”
Dose te vai
Ha! This must be a typo, but it’s almost cussing in Portuguese.
Dose the vain have to be across the nose or can it be down and kinda purpleish?
I find this interesting I myself have a blue vein down my nose and is clearly seen all the time even with makeup now I have a beautiful baby girl who is 6 months n she as well has a blue vein on her nose not as noticeable as mine hers seems to change but is always there I have never had any problems with my sugar until I became pregnant with my baby Taylin and I got gestational diabetes but now I am fine once again she is a great baby hardly ever fusses. I have never heard of this before until my best friend sent me this link I’m amazed and don’t feel so alone now!!!
My 8-year-old still has the vein, and we’ve been struggling with sleeping and mood issues since birth.
My in-laws thought the vein was from letting her cry too hard when she was a baby.
That is not a cool thing for in-laws to say! Babies cry hard, even when you are trying to comfort them!
My daughter has the vein and she is nothing like the article describes… As a baby she always slept very well and at 18 months still does. She is also very laid back and eats things like honey and pb sandwiches and fruit daily as well as pasta, rice…sweet potatoes are her favorite. We keep her schedule pretty consistent, but if it’s not clockwork she doesn’t have a cow about it, and she handles stimulation extremely well.
Where is the science here? This is something completely made up….. Why would the structure of the veins and fairness of skin have anything to do with being sensitive to sugar? Someone please explain this to me in scientific terms.
Of course it is smart to limit sugar….duh. But this has nothing to do with kids that have more prominent veins between the eyes. Some people are so latched onto alternative or non-western medicine that they won’t question the validity of anything – just except these stories like a religion.
Hi Jennifer – As a daughter to a family physician and oncology nurse, I truly understand your need for a scientific explanation. When I began school for Chinese medicine, I was always the student with my hand in the air, saying “That just isn’t POSSIBLE!” Until I realized there are many different ways of looking at the same thing.
This information comes from handed down wisdom of ancient Japanese medicine. Is there a scientific explanation? Probably. But I have no idea what it is.
I will say that most things that hold true in alternative medicine tend to have some underlying scientific explanation if you dig deep enough. Sure the Sugar Bug theory won’t apply to everyone, but not everyone who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day will get cancer either.
Finally, while many modern folks cling onto science as truth, in many ways it is no less a religion than Christianity or Buddhism. Like religion, science is just a human way of explaining the unknown.
Wishing you the best…
My daughter just turned 1 on the first, since she was born she has had a very defined blue vein across the bridge of her nose, she showed allergies early on as due to my lupus I lost all supply to bf at 4 months. She was almost to calm lol as a newborn slept through he night slept all day if she wanted, and was like that until 4 months it seemed. She shrieks, omg does she shriek, does not like sleeping at all, and throws some mighty tempertantrums. She’s also only 17 lbs at a yr old. She started crawling at 5 months, and walking by 9 so she’s hitting mile stones greatly. Glad someone posted about this bc she fits every mark and it will help me out with elimination that much more than I already do thank you
I’m just not buying this-show me some type of evidence.I respect accupuncture and traditional medicine but every system gets it wrong sometime.This just sounds absurd.and I chalk it up to coincidence.Whenms the last time you saw a baby that DIDN’T have a blue vein between their eyes?While the theory of weak/visible veins(ie:varicose veins) being connected to sugar and other imbalances may have some plausibility behind it,you have to keep in mind newborns have thin skin and it’s going to show more.
My older daughter, middle child, is the only one of my three with this and was notably my most mellow child. She was and still is a great sleeper, was always a smiley and fair tempered baby, and now that she’s in school she has no issues with attention or hyperactivity, quite the contrary. She’s very bright, she is in many enrichment/extracurricular activities and can go-go-go without getting upset at all-better than any adult I know!
Could there be any other cause, because this does not describe my gal at all?
My son and nephew(both extremely fair boys) both had the blue vein. And they both were awesome sleepers and happy good natured babies. And at 10 and 7 are still . They get treats and sugar but within reason of course.
‘Stay tuned for a future post on how to bequeath healthy gut flora to your future children!’….
I was wondering if you posted info on this? Would love a link! Thanks!
Hi Jennifer – Here’s a post to get you started: http://holisticsquid.com/make-your-own-kombucha-kefir-cultured-veggies/
My son is almost 7 and still has a dark blue vein there.
He is MAJORLY addicted to sugar. I cant make cookies or he will sneak and eat them all. I cant treat him to a doughnut or he will want 3 or 4 and be mad as heck if he doesnt get that many.
He had INTENSE colic as a baby, to the point my husband and I are still dealing with the turmoil that put us all through.
Pasta, potatoes and bread products also cant enter the house or thats all he will eat. I am just figuring out that these foods turn into sugar in the body, so it makes total sense why he loves them so much.
VERY, VERY interesting article!!!
I’m really trying to copy down a recipe from one page but, when I saw the title of this post on the sidebar, you totally grabbed my attention. My oldest son has had that blue vein since birth. He had two surgeries IN his nose though around that area so I sort of chalked it up to that but, I have always stared at it wondering what it was.
Your description, down to THE last detail is spot on. And yes, one of his diagnosis was ADHD! I’m definitely going to recheck his diet to see what sugar is left in it and what happens after he gets it! Truly awesome article! Thanks!
I know you said babies with a visible vein TEND to be the way you described, but I still feel the need to share my personal experience.
My daughter is going to turn 3 in a few months and was born with a pretty dark vein (compared to the child pictured, my daughter’s was much more visible than his.)
She is so opposite from what you described. She’s been vegan since birth, and eats much healthier than I EVER did at her age. She loves whole grains, every fruit and vegetable she’s ever tried, and she doesn’t react even slightly different as a result of eating sugar. She eats a healthy diet, so we don’t feel bad about letting her have treats (vegan cookies, vegan ice cream, etc.)
In some cultures, if you have a baby with a visible vein, it means your next baby will be the opposite gender. I have never heard of the sugar bug before, and in our daughter’s case, it doesn’t seem to apply to her. She’s an excellent sleeper, has an even temperament, is very easy to get along with, very social and smart, etc.
The tips you suggested seem like great advice for parents of every child, not just ones with a visible blue vein.
Just thought I should chime in with “an exception to the rule” story.
My Youngest has this Blue Vein. I do as well and I am an adult!!!. I need to check my other two… but he IS a mellow child. He sleeps well, but is a moving sleeper!!! Will have to look up more about this!!! Glad I found this post!!
What if the blue area is off to the side of the bridge of the nose? Does it have to be in the middle? I was very aware and careful of gut health during my pregnancy and have always wondered why the little blue area showed up after he was born…
My granddaughter was born with the blue line and as a preschooler has several of the symptoms you mention. I’m curious as to whether the blue line ever goes away? I’m thinking like after appropriate dietary changes and perhaps probiotic supplementation. If so, this could be a good way to gauge “treatment” effectiveness.
I’m not sure I could ever get her parents to change to a healthy diet unfortunately. It’s so hard as a grandparent. We know what needs to be done but are not in a position to make the changes. Family is the hardest people group to help! Oh well, I keep loving and praying for them.
Hi gma – the sugar bug is just a diagnostic warning, and is not likely to change based on lifestyle. Kids usually outgrown it by 3 or 4 – though their tendencies will probably remain.
My 2 children 4 year old boy and 7 month old girl have this. The description fits my son to the T he is very hyper active has major digestive issues and although he has NEVER had soda or candy or other such sweets he CRAVES anything that equals sugar such as juice, bread, starches and wants to eat only these foods DISPITE my efforts to avoid these foods. He has had skin rashes since birth. We figured out he is allergic to milk (although the allergist said he was not when we tested him). He was having pale colored stools (indicative of liver troubles) and passing a lot of undigested food. We took milk out and his stools greatly improved but we still have a long ways to go. I myself have suffered from constipation since childhood, and have crazy bouts of gas. I also have very pronounced and visible vains all over my body. When I was pregnant with my daughter I developed an extreme intollerance to ANY sugars. I COULD NOT eat breads, corn, potatos, fruit and even lettuce tasted sweet to me. Thanks to this I am no longer addicted to sweets. My daughter is mellower than my son and sleeps better too. I have always been very health consious and overall healthy but have also had some health issues dispite everything that I cannot figure out. My sons health has been a HUGE puzzle I have been trying to figure out for the last 2 years with no help from the doctors. Thank you for adding another piece to the puzzle. I feel like I’m getting closer to having it put together
Hi Sarah, thanks for your comment and glad to have helped even a little. Good luck with everything and hope to hear positive feedback from you!
My daughter has the blue vein on the bridge of her nose too and we have wondered what it was. Thank you so much for giving us an explanation. She is sensitive to sugar and even at age 2 does not sleep through the night. The most she sleeps at once is 6 hours.
Thank you too for the real food debate. Now all of those times I have banned junk and sugary foods in our house is all the more reason to keep them out.
Thank you too for your wonderful posts and blog. They are very helpful in getting my family to eat real food.
My 2 kids born with that!!! None of my doctor give a damn!!!! That’s so good to know!!!
HI!! My best friend’s two year old son has the blue line and hasn’t slept through the night, has awful meltdowns and doesn’t like to listen. I had her read this and she said O.M.G this is my child!!! The only problem is he’s a VERY picky eater and he mainly eats Potatoes, pasta, rice, juice and fruit!! He wont eat anything else. What can she do to get him to eat better foods to see if it will help his behavior? She’s asked her doctor for help but they just say he’s two they are picky at this age.
Nichole – while toddlers are notoriously picky eaters, extreme pickiness is often a sign of gut flora imbalance – which is directly relevant to the ‘sugar bug’ presentation. Here’s a good post to get you started: http://foodforkidshealth.com/how-to-get-fussy-eaters-to-eat-nutrient-dense-food/
Thank you! I will forward this to her! I really hope this helps. None of the drs seem to think he’s got a problem but as a mother she knows somethings not right.
I came across this site after searching online about blue vein on bridge of nose. The reason as to why I was searching this was because both of my kids (son, 5 and daughter 9 months) both have this and a aboriginal man commented on these markings on children as having aboriginal bloodline, which in fact they do on my maternal side. I find all of these comments very interesting to any the least. Although both kids have this marking they are completelydifferent. My son was a horrible sleeper, but a pretty calm kid and very routne oriented he had to get tubes at 2 yrs old we limit candy and cakes and treats, as like in any kid, sends him on a sugar rush and does alter his behaviour. But he is very attentive and a great student. no digestive problems (he had bowl movements like clock work) my daughter has slept through the night since 4weeks olds a good 13 hr. 2 nAPS a day and does not cry.very even keeled. A great eater and again regular bowl movements and no digestive issues. most kids I know behave better with structure and balance and a good diet. In our household with follow these key things.
My daughter has a blue vein! I can definitely see her matching this profile for a ‘sugar bug’ even though she’s still very young.
For the first 5 weeks of her life she screamed, and I mean SCREAMED for 4 or 5 hours non-stop, completely un-consolable, no matter what I did, at least once a day, usually all night. I was beginning to think it was colic and would never end. She is breastfed and I tried cutting out million different things. We were super broke and weren’t eating very well because of it and as we started to eat better she calmed down. We now eat almost all organic, zero corn syrups, waaay less bad sugars, no fast food and use no chemicals in our cleaning/bathing. We also put her on a bedtime routine. I’m willing to bet that it was our lifestyle changes that helped her out as she is now the calmest baby, rarely cries and sleeps well at night. She’s only 3 months old now, but I believe it was cutting out processed/bad food and excessive sugars, establishing a routine and being more calm. And now I know to keep an eye on it in as she gets older.
The blue-vein sign seems a little bit silly without using rational methods. But most of this stuff seems like good common sense for most babies.
Especially limiting sweets. Children should be so lucky to have their tastebuds trained away from sugar from the beginning.