acrodynia

1. Pain in peripheral or acral parts of the body. 2. A syndrome caused almost exclusively in the past by mercury poisoning : in children, characterized by erythema of the extremities, chest, and nose, gastrointestinal symptoms and by polyneuritis (in Japan); in adults, characterized by anorexia, photophobia, sweating, and tachycardia. SYN: acrodynic erythema, dermatopolyneuritis, erythredema, Feer disease, pink disease. [acro- + G. odyne, pain]

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ac·ro·dyn·ia .ak-rō-'din-ē-ə n a disease of infants and young children that is an allergic reaction to mercury, is characterized by dusky pink discoloration of hands and feet with local swelling and intense itching, and is accompanied by insomnia, irritability, and sensitivity to light called also erythredema, pink disease, Swift's disease

ac·ro·dyn·ic -'din-ik adj

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n.

see pink disease

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ac·ro·dyn·ia (ak″ro-dinґe-ə) [acr- + -odynia] a disease of early childhood characterized by pink, swollen, painful fingers and toes; listlessness, irritability, failure to thrive, and photophobia; rashes, profuse perspiration, loss of teeth, and sometimes redness of the cheeks and tip of the nose. Most cases are toxic neuropathies caused by mercury poisoning; individual sensitivity may also be a factor. Called also erythredema polyneuropathy and Bilderbeck, Selter, Swift, Swift-Feer, or pink disease.