"RACCOON EYES"

"My 8-month-old daughter has had a cold for about a week. Symptoms include coughing, hoarseness, runny nose, congestion, but no fever. She's not drinking her bottle like she usually does and she seems a little lethargic. Last night, underneath one of her eyes started turning red and the other eye started turning purple. We could look at her and watch it appear. This morning the purple side was black. What could this be?"

Darkening of the skin below the eyelids is usually due to allergies, colds, sinus infections, or lack of sleep. If the skin has only been dark for a few days, then it�s probably just a cold. If it has been over a week, then maybe a sinus infection is brewing. If it has been several weeks or longer, then maybe it�s time to think about allergies.

If the skin under the eye is a bright, �angry� red, then it could be a potentially serious infection of the eye socket. This is called peri-orbital cellulitis; be sure to see your doctor if this is the case.