3Ĭarotenes are present in all pigmented vegetables and fruits. 1-4 Children metabolize carotene more slowly than adults, which might account for the increased incidence of carotenemia in children. Consumption of carotene-rich foods is the most common cause of carotenemia. Awareness of carotenemia is important, so that unnecessary diagnostic procedures can be avoided and parental anxiety can be reduced.Įxcessive dietary intake of carotene. 2 However, it can be associated with diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism and can occasionally be confused with jaundice.
Carotenemia is common and benign, and as such it has received little attention in the pediatric literature. 1-3 The child described had been consuming an excessive amount of carrots, sweet potatoes, and peaches in the form of commercial baby food. It usually follows prolonged consumption of carotene-rich food. There was no hepatosplenomegaly.Ĭarotenemia is a clinical condition characterized by yellow pigmentation of the skin and an increased carotene level in the blood. Healthy infant with yellow pigmentation of the cheeks, nasolabial folds, palms, and soles. Her diet consisted of whole milk and a variety of commercial baby foods. Her developmental milestones were normal. There was no history of fever, vomiting, or tea-colored urine. A 13-month-old girl had a yellowish coloring of her skin for the past 4 months.
