What Causes Black Discoloration On The Tongue In A Child?

Posted on Tue, 27 Dec 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 27 Dec 2016 Answered on

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi,
My 9 months daughter has developed a blackish tongue (towards the center) since couple of days. We are giving her iron drops and Vitamin D3 drops with normal food as suggested by our doctor. What could be the possible reason for this and is it a serious issue.
Please advice for proper care in this regard.
Thanks, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Iron supplement is the offending agent.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

Iron drops can often lead to formation of a blacking deposit over the tongue and that perfectly explains the reason behind the problem you report. It is not a cause for concern. You can dilute the iron drops with a small amount of water the next time you give her iron supplements. As regards the discoloration already present, you can choose to ignore it or scrape it off. It is not a cause for concern.

Let me know if I could help further.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar