What diseases do children have? Infectious diseases in children
Infectious diseases are quite diverse, they can be acute and chronic, harmless and dangerous, and there are those that only affect children. Pathogens - viruses or bacteria, entering a favorable environment, begin their “subversive activities”. And here it is important to promptly identify the disease and begin treatment. Having suffered from certain infections in childhood, immunity to them remains for life.
Which ones exactly? infectious diseases are for children.
Measles
Measles is a highly contagious disease, the virus of which, moving with air flow, spreads quickly. Incubation period can last from a week to 20 days. At first they look like colds. Fever, dry cough, runny nose, severe headache, red eyes. Around the 4th day of illness, the child becomes covered with a rash, which, starting behind the ears, instantly spreads throughout the body.
There are small gray dots even in the oral cavity. The temperature will remain until the rash stops appearing. As the temperature drops, the rash loses color and the child feels better. This disease creates a “gap” in the child’s immunity, increasing the risk of other infections, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, stomatitis, and otitis media.
Rubella
Very similar to measles. The incubation period is two to three weeks. The same red rashes, temperature up to 38 degrees, cough, stuffy nose. But with rubella, the lymph nodes in the neck and back of the head become inflamed and enlarged. A child tolerates rubella more easily than measles. After three days, the rash disappears without a trace. There are no complications after rubella.
Viral mumps (mumps)
The infection enters through the respiratory tract. The incubation period is from a week to 20 days. Signs: temperature 38-39 degrees and headache. The sites of mumps “attack” are the central nervous system, salivary glands, pancreas, and in boys the testicles also suffer (in severe cases may lead to infertility in the future).
The child has difficulty chewing reflexes. Meningitis can be a serious complication of mumps. It is important not to refuse vaccination against viral mumps.
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a streptococcal infection. Contagious from the first day of illness. The incubation period is short, up to one week. Vomiting, sore throat, fever - occur suddenly. A rash appears, localized on the cheeks, abdomen and groin area, armpits. Complications are possible - otitis media, lymphadenitis, nephritis.
Diphtheria
The cause of the disease is infection with diphtheria bacillus, which penetrates through the tonsils. It takes up to 10 days from infection to the appearance of symptoms of the disease. It differs from tonsillitis in the appearance of tonsils: with diphtheria, they are covered with a gray film.
The initial stage of the disease is characterized by a temperature of 40 degrees. The child suffers from pain in the throat, head, and abdomen. The disease is very dangerous, threatening the child’s life! The combined DPT vaccination has placed this disease in the category of rare diseases.
Polio
A viral infection transmitted through dirt and air. The incubation period can last a whole month, but generally 10-12 days. The symptoms are similar to any other infectious disease, but main feature– pain in the limbs. Paralysis of the legs or arms, and even the torso may occur. To prevent this serious illness children are vaccinated.
Chicken pox
The first manifestation of the disease is a rash that looks like small blisters. It is easy to get infected, as is treatment. There is practically no person who has not suffered from it. The incubation period is two to three weeks. The course of the disease is mild, without complications.
Infectious diseases also include acute intestinal infections, such as dysentery and salmonellosis, caused by pathogenic microflora. The general picture of the disease looks like this: high fever, pain in the intestines, foamy stool.
Intestinal infections
Viral intestinal infections - diseases early age. These include rotavirus, with signs of inflammation respiratory tract and enteroviral (meningitis, myocarditis) infections. Treatment of intestinal infections primarily involves restoring the microflora.
Respiratory diseases
Acute respiratory viral infections (,) affect respiratory system child, contributing to intoxication of the body with the possible addition of complications of bacterial etiology. Children often get ARVI; there is no stable immunity to such diseases. But with age, respiratory diseases become less common. Against the background of ARVI, any chronic disease present in the child is more severe.
Infectious diseases in children can occur against a background of weakened immunity. Therefore, it is recommended to support the child’s body useful vitamins And proper nutrition. If any of the symptoms of any disease are detected, treatment must begin.
Scarlet fever is an acute bacterial disease that occurs only among humans. The course of the disease is extremely severe, infectious pathology requires timely treatment. The causative agent of scarlet fever is group A β-hemolytic streptococcus, Streptococcus pyogenes....
Scarlet fever is an acute infectious disease manifested by a small cell rash. The infection is transmitted by airborne droplets In children, this pathology is also transmitted through contact and household contact through contamination of household items. Signs of scarlet fever in children...
In fact, there is no vaccine against scarlet fever. After suffering from the disease, the victim develops immunity to the disease, however, there is a possibility of relapse. The scarlet fever vaccination is carried out in the maternity hospital, it is not specifically against this pathology, but a vaccine that...
Scarlet fever is a contagious disease that is quickly transmitted through household contact and airborne droplets. Infectious pathology quickly affects a large number of people who develop signs of intoxication and other symptoms characteristic of this disease. Previously...
Chickenpox - dermatological disease, manifested as a small rash on the skin. Every child suffers from this disease once in his life. Chickenpox goes away without complications if the pimples are not scratched. The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets. Besides pimples, maybe...
Chickenpox is only tolerated safely by children; it is undesirable to suffer from this disease as an adult, as it can be fatal. Pimples appear on everyone's body, but if there are a lot of them, you should worry about your health and get all the necessary...
A common childhood infection brings a lot of trouble to children, to alleviate the suffering of the little ones they use various means for external use. Poksklin gained its popularity for chickenpox. Lately it is often prescribed, the gel is a modern...
Children's infectious diseases have been known since ancient times. Written sources of Mesopotamia, China, ancient egypt(II-III century BC) indicate a description of cases of tetanus, polio, erysipelas, mumps And febrile conditions in children. It was only in the 20th century that vaccine prevention of such diseases was introduced. Historically, infectious diseases that occur primarily in children are called childhood diseases.
So, childhood infections is a group of infectious diseases that are recorded overwhelmingly in children's age group, are transmitted from patient to healthy child and capable of acquiring epidemic spread (that is, acquiring an outbreak or mass character).
What might be the reason for classifying childhood infections into a separate group? Due to its high prevalence, the first encounter with the infectious agent occurs in childhood. IN in rare cases the child manages to survive to adulthood without becoming infected by patients or carriers of the causative agents of these infectious diseases. After an illness, a stable (sometimes lifelong) immunity is formed, so most adults do not suffer from these diseases again.
Due to close contacts in the children's age group, when one person becomes ill, the others are almost always infected.
What infections are called childhood infections?
1. Traditional childhood diseases with an aerogenic mechanism of infection (rubella, chicken pox, whooping cough, diphtheria, measles, scarlet fever, mumps, polio, pneumococcal infection, hemophilus influenzae infection)
2. Infections occurring both in the children’s age group with the possibility of developing outbreaks of the disease in groups, and among adults with various mechanisms infections (meningococcal infection, infectious mononucleosis, acute respiratory diseases, acute intestinal infections, acute viral hepatitis A).
A child can become infected with almost any infectious disease through casual contact with a sick person. The exception is the first year of a baby’s life, when maternal antibodies to many diseases circulate in his blood, which protects his body from infection when encountering an infectious pathogen.
Causes of childhood infections
The source of infection is humans. It can be a clinically expressed form of the disease, an asymptomatic form of the disease, or a carrier of an infectious pathogen.
One of frequently asked questions parents: when does a patient become contagious and how long can he infect?
Contagious period for childhood infections
| Disease | Beginning of the infectious period | Is a child contagious during illness? | Is a child contagious after the disappearance of complaints (recovery) |
| The period during which you can infect others (infectious period) | |||
| Rubella | 3-4 days before symptoms appear | entire period of rash + 4 days | |
| Measles | 4 days before symptoms appear | entire period of rash + 4 days | |
| Chickenpox | from the first symptoms of the disease | entire period of rash + 5 days | |
| Scarlet fever | from the first symptoms of the disease | first days of illness | not contagious |
| Whooping cough | the day before symptoms appear | 1 week of illness = 90-100% “infectivity”, 2 weeks = 65%, 3 weeks. = 35%, 4 weeks = 10% |
more than 4 weeks |
| Diphtheria | with the onset of the disease - the first symptoms | 2 weeks | more than 4 weeks, “carrier” more than 6 months |
| Mumps (mumps) | 1 – 2 days before the first symptoms | up to 9 days of illness | not contagious |
| Polio | 1-2 days before the first complaints | 3-6 weeks | |
| Hepatitis A | from 3 – 23 days | entire period of jaundice, 1 month | months |
| Dysentery | from the first symptoms of the disease | the entire period of illness | 1 – 4 weeks, months |
| Salmonellosis | from the first symptoms of the disease | the entire period of illness | 3 weeks, then more than a year in 1 – 5% of patients |
Mechanism of infection for traditional childhood infections – aerogenic, and route of infection: airborne. Nasopharyngeal mucus, bronchial secretions (sputum), and saliva are contagious; when coughing, sneezing, or talking, the patient can spray them in the form of a fine aerosol at a distance of 2-3 meters from himself. All children who are close to the sick person are in the contact zone. Some pathogens spread well over a distance. For example, the measles virus can spread throughout the cold season ventilation system in a separate building (that is, patients can be from the same entrance of the house, for example). The contact and household route of transmission (household items, toys, towels) is also of epidemiological significance. In this regard, everything depends on the stability of pathogens in the external environment. But, despite this, an example is the high infection rate of chickenpox through contact and household contact with the persistence of the virus in the external environment for only 2 hours. The causative agents of scarlet fever and diphtheria are highly resistant in the external environment, so the contact and household route is also significant. Also, with some diseases, infection occurs fecal-oral route(intestinal infections, hepatitis A, polio, for example), and transmission factors can be both household items - toys, furniture, dishes, and contaminated food.
Susceptibility to childhood infections is quite high. Of course, specific prevention (vaccination) does its job. Due to it, an immunological layer of individuals is created that is immune to measles, mumps, polio, whooping cough, and diphtheria. However, unvaccinated children at risk remain quite vulnerable. In childhood infections it is common frequent occurrence collective outbreaks of infection.
Features of the course of childhood infections
Children's infectious diseases have a clear cycle. There are several periods
diseases flowing from one another. There are: 1) incubation period; 2) prodromal period; 3) the period of the height of the disease; 4) period of convalescence (early and late).
Incubation period– this is the period from the moment the child comes into contact with the source of infection until the appearance of symptoms of the disease. During this period, the child is called a contact child and is in quarantine (under supervision medical workers). Quarantine can be minimal or maximum. Typically, the quarantine period is set to the maximum incubation period. During this period, they monitor the health of the contact child - measure the temperature, monitor the appearance of symptoms of intoxication (weakness, headaches, etc.).
Incubation period for childhood infections
Rubella from 11 to 24 days
Measles from 9 to 21 days
Chickenpox from 10 to 23 days
Scarlet fever from several hours to 12 days
Whooping cough from 3 to 20 days
Diphtheria from 1 hour to 10 days
Mumps (mumps) 11 to 26 days
Poliomyelitis from 3 to 35 days
Hepatitis A from 7 to 45 days
Dysentery from 1 to 7 days
Salmonellosis from 2 hours to 3 days
As soon as one of the complaints appears, the second period begins - premonitory, which is directly related to the onset of the disease. In most cases, the onset of illness in childhood infections is acute. The child is worried about temperature, symptoms of intoxication (weakness, chills, headaches, fatigue, sweating, loss of appetite, drowsiness, etc.). The temperature reaction can be different, but in the vast majority of children - the correct type of fever (with a maximum in the evening and a decrease in the morning), the height of the fever can vary depending on the pathogenicity of the causative agents of childhood infections, the infectious dose, and the reactivity of the child’s body itself. More often this is a febrile temperature (more than 38°) with a peak towards the end of the first or second day of illness. The duration of the prodromal period varies depending on the type of childhood infectious disease, but on average 1-3 days.
The period of the height of the disease characterized by a specific symptom complex (that is, symptoms characteristic of a specific childhood infection). The development of specific symptoms is accompanied by ongoing fever, the duration of which varies with different infections.
A specific symptom complex is the sequential occurrence certain symptoms. For whooping cough, this is a specific cough that is dry and paroxysmal in nature with several short cough bursts and a deep wheezing breath (reprise). For mumps (mumps) - this is inflammation of the parotid, submandibular and sublingual salivary glands(swelling of the parotid area, pain when touched, puffiness of the face, pain in the affected area, dry mouth). Diphtheria is characterized by specific damage to the oropharynx (enlarged tonsils, swelling and the appearance of a characteristic fibrinous grayish coating on the tonsils). For hepatitis A, the peak period is manifested by the appearance of jaundice. With polio - a characteristic lesion nervous system.
However, one of the common manifestations of childhood infections is rash (infectious exanthema). It is the rash that is the “frightening calling card” of infections in children and requires correct decoding. The rash can occur suddenly or in stages.
With rubella, the rash has a small-spotted, and then maculopapular character, occurring mainly on the extensor surfaces of the limbs and torso - the back, lower back, buttocks, the skin background is not changed. It first appears on the face, then spreads to the body during the day. Disappears without a trace.
With measles, a maculopapular rash is observed; a descending sequence of rashes is characteristic (1 day of rash - face, hairy part heads, upper part chest, 2nd day of rash – torso and upper half of arms, 3rd day of rash – bottom part hands, lower extremities, and the face turns pale), the rash tends to merge, after disappearance the skin pigmentation remains. Sometimes the rash with rubella resembles measles. In this situation, the doctor comes to the rescue specific symptom– Filatov-Koplik spots (on the inside of the cheeks there are whitish-greenish papules that appear on the 2-3rd day of illness).
Filatov's spots in measles
With chickenpox, we see a vesicular rash (vesicular), the elements of which are located against a background of redness. At first it is a spot, then it rises, a vesicle with serous tissue forms. clear liquid, then the bubble dries up, the liquid disappears and a crust appears. Characterized by rashes with repeated rises in temperature every 2-3 days. The period from the moment the rash appears until the crusts completely fall off lasts 2-3 weeks.
With scarlet fever, a profuse, pinpoint rash appears on a hyperemic background of the skin (background of redness). The rash is more intense in the area of skin folds (elbows, armpits, inguinal folds). The nasolabial triangle is pale and free of rash. After the rash disappears, peeling lasts 2-3 weeks.
Meningococcal infection (meningococcemia) is characterized by the appearance of a hemorrhagic rash, first small and then confluent in the form of “stars”. The rash most often appears on the buttocks, legs, arms, and eyelids.
In addition to the rash, any childhood infection is characterized by lymphadenopathy (an increase in certain groups lymph nodes) . Participation lymphatic system– integral part infectious process for infections. With rubella, an increase in the posterior cervical and occipital lymph nodes is observed. With measles they increase cervical lymph nodes, with chickenpox - behind the ear and cervical, and with scarlet fever - anterior cervical lymph nodes. With mononucleosis - strong increase posterior cervical lymph nodes (packets of lymph nodes are visible when the child turns his head).
Period of convalescence (recovery) characterized by the extinction of all symptoms of infection, restoration of the functions of affected organs and systems, and the formation of immunity. Early convalescence lasts up to 3 months, late convalescence affects a period of up to 6-12 months, and less often longer.
Another feature of childhood infections is the diversity clinical forms. Highlight
manifest forms (with characteristic symptoms of the disease) mild, moderate, severe, erased forms, subclinical (asymptomatic), abortive forms(interruption of the course of infection).
The expected complexity of infections in children is also the danger rapid development heavy
complications. These may be: infectious-toxic shock at the onset of the disease (critical drop in pressure, which is more often observed with meningococcal infection, scarlet fever), neurotoxicosis with high temperature (developing edema brain), sudden cessation of breathing or apnea during whooping cough (due to depression of the respiratory center), syndrome true croup for diphtheria (due to powerful toxic edema oropharynx), viral lesions brain (rubella encephalitis, measles encephalitis, chickenpox encephalitis), dehydration syndrome (with acute intestinal infections), broncho-obstructive syndrome, hemolyticouremic syndrome, DIC syndrome.
Considering all of the above, it is necessary to maintain a critical attitude towards the child’s condition and promptly seek medical help.
Symptoms of childhood infections that require seeing a doctor
1) Febrile temperature (38° and above).
2) Severe symptoms intoxication (lethargy, drowsiness of the child).
3) The appearance of a rash.
4) Vomiting and severe headache.
5) The appearance of any symptoms against a background of high temperature.
Diagnosis of childhood infections
Staging preliminary diagnosis carried out by a pediatrician. What matters: the patient’s contact with other patients with infection, data on vaccination (vaccinations), characteristic symptoms of infection.
The final diagnosis is made after laboratory tests.
- Non-specific methods (general analysis blood, urine, feces, biochemical blood tests, blood electrolyte studies), instrumental diagnostic methods (radiography, ultrasound, MRI if indicated)
- Specific methods for identifying pathogens and/or their antigens (virological, bacteriological, PCR), as well as for identifying antibodies to pathogens in the blood (ELISA, RNGA, RTGA, RA, RPGA and others).
Basic principles of treatment of childhood infections
The goal of treatment is the recovery of a small patient and the restoration of impaired functions of organs and systems, which is achieved by solving the following problems:
1) fight against the pathogen and its toxins;
2) maintaining the functions of vital organs and systems;
3) increasing the immunological reactivity (resistance) of the child’s body;
4) prevention of complications of childhood infection.
Treatment objectives are carried out by carrying out the following activities:
1. Timely identification and, if necessary, hospitalization of a sick child, creation of a protective regime for him - bed rest in severe and moderate condition, good nutrition, drinking regime.
2. Etiotropic therapy (specific drugs aimed at suppressing the growth or destroying the infectious agent). Depending on the infection, antibacterial drugs are prescribed, antivirals. Incorrect interpretation of the diagnosis and prescription of etiotropic treatment not according to the profile will lead to a possible worsening of the infection and the development of complications.
3. Pathogenetic therapy is mainly associated with infusion therapy solutions of a certain direction (glucose-saline solutions, colloids, plasma, blood preparations), as well as specific parenteral drugs(protease inhibitors, glucocorticosteroids and others), immunomodulators.
4. Syndromic therapy is carried out for any infection (antipyretics, antiemetics, vasoconstrictors, expectorants, antitussives, antihistamines and many others).
How to prevent infections in childhood?
1) Strengthening the child’s body and increasing its resistance to infections (hygiene, hardening, walks in the fresh air, good nutrition)
2) Timely appeal see a doctor at the first symptoms of infection
3) Specific prevention pediatric infections- vaccination. For many childhood infections, vaccination has been introduced National calendar vaccinations – measles, rubella, diphtheria, polio, mumps, hepatitis B). Currently, vaccines have been created for other infections (chickenpox, meningococcal infection, pneumococcal infection, hemophilus influenzae). Parental neglect routine vaccination children without any particular medical reason creates a vulnerable layer of non-immune children, primarily susceptible to infection by infectious pathogens.
Infectious disease doctor N.I. Bykova
Childhood diseases a group of diseases that occur predominantly or exclusively in childhood and are associated with the developmental characteristics of the child’s body. The intensive growth and development of a child is determined by the anatomical and physiological characteristics of his body and the uniqueness of the pathology. Even diseases that occur predominantly in adults have a unique course in children, which also depends on the age of the child. In the development of a child in medical practice, two periods are distinguished - intrauterine and extrauterine, which, in turn, is conditionally divided into the following periods: newborns (the first 18-24 days), infancy (up to 1 year), early childhood (from 1 to 3 years), preschool (from 3 to 7 years), junior school (from 7 to 12 years), senior school (from 12 to 17 years) and teenage (15-17 years). For everyone age period specific groups of diseases are characteristic. During the neonatal period (see Newborn baby), the body adapts to new living conditions. Functional systems his body is in a state of unstable equilibrium, which is easily disturbed. During this period, changes are detected in the child’s body associated with developmental disorders of the fetus in the prenatal period (intrauterine asphyxia of the fetus; maternal illness: Listeriosis, Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Influenza, etc.; the effect on her body of certain chemicals, for example alcohol, radiant energy, etc.). From the first days after birth, malformations, prematurity, consequences of birth trauma (intracranial hemorrhage, etc.), hemolytic disease of the newborn, as well as some hereditary diseases, appear. High sensitivity newborns to coccus and viral infections causes the frequent occurrence of purulent-septic diseases of the skin and navel, acute viral and bacterial diseases respiratory organs. The rapid increase in body weight of a child in infancy (see Infant) and intensive metabolism determine the child’s significant need for food (by 1 kg A child’s body weight is 2-2.5 times more caloric than an adult’s). Thus, the load on the child’s functionally imperfect digestive system is sharply increased, which causes frequent development in children of this age gastrointestinal diseases(Dyspepsia), as well as diseases gastrointestinal tract caused by bacteria and viruses (Dysentery, colienteritis, viral diarrhea), and chronic disorders nutrition (childhood dystrophy), especially if its regime is violated. Improper feeding, insufficient use of air and sun can lead to the development of Rickets. Due to the child’s high need for oxygen, the functional load on his respiratory organs (the number of breaths per minute and the amount of air passed through is relatively greater than that of an adult), the tenderness and vulnerability of the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs determine their frequent illnesses. At this age, pneumonia (See Pneumonia) of bacterial and viral origin. In early childhood and preschool age the incidence of acute childhood infections increases: Measles, Whooping cough, chickenpox (See Chicken pox), scarlet fever (See Scarlet fever), diphtheria (See Diphtheria), and tuberculosis. This is explained by a decrease in the titer of antibodies (see Immunity) received by the child from the mother, as well as by the increasing contact of children with peers and others. Diseases in the development of which Allergies play a major role are becoming more frequent ( bronchial asthma, rheumatism, eczema, nephritis, etc.). In younger children school age Along with acute infectious diseases, internal secretion disorders are observed, and the incidence of rheumatism, heart disease and nervous system diseases is increasing. In high school and adolescence During puberty, internal secretion disorders and abnormalities of the genital area may be detected. Psychoneuroses, rheumatism, disorders of the cardiovascular system, in particular vascular dystonia; exacerbations of tuberculosis are possible. Prevention of D. b.: Antenatal protection of the fetus, prevention of birth injuries, careful care of newborns, correct mode nutrition and hardening, combating infectious diseases ( preventive vaccinations against tuberculosis, smallpox, diphtheria, measles, etc.); ensuring normal physical development(physical education, sports, hardening the body from a very early age). Lit.: Belousov V. A., Textbook of childhood diseases, M., 1963; Tur A.F., Propaedeutics of childhood diseases, 5th ed., Leningrad, 1967. R. N. Ryleeva, M. Ya. Studenikin.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .
See what “Childhood diseases” are in other dictionaries:
CHILDREN'S DISEASES- CHILDREN'S DISEASES. Thanks to a number of anatomical physiol. characteristics of the child's body, its functions. instability and pronounced plasticity, the occurrence, course and outcome of D. b. often present such unique features that they fully justify...
See Pediatrics... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
See Pediatrics. * * * CHILDHOOD DISEASES CHILDHOOD DISEASES, see Pediatrics (see PEDIATRICS) ... Encyclopedic Dictionary
See Pediatrics... Natural science. Encyclopedic Dictionary
A disease is a process that occurs as a result of exposure of the body to a harmful (extraordinary) irritant from the external or internal environment, characterized by a decrease in the adaptability of a living organism to the external environment while simultaneously ... ... Wikipedia
CHILDREN'S PARALYSIS- CHILDREN'S PARALYSIS. Contents: Cerebral palsy. Etiology................... 818 Pathologist, anatomy and pathogenesis...... 816 Forms cerebral palsy...... 818 A. Cases with predominant damage to the pyramidal tracts........ 818 B. Cases with ... Great Medical Encyclopedia
Children's hospices in Russia and the world- Hospice is the basic structure of palliative medicine for providing care to seriously ill people in a terminal condition (when organ damage is irreversible), who have days and months to live rather than years. Palliative... ... Encyclopedia of Newsmakers
CHILDREN'S INFECTIONS- infectious group diseases that occur predominantly. in children. A common sign of all infections. diseases are the ability to be transmitted from an infected organism to a healthy one and, under certain conditions, to become widespread (epidemic). Source... ... Russian Pedagogical Encyclopedia
Childhood infections- a group of diseases that occur mainly in children and can be transmitted from an infected organism to a healthy one and, under certain conditions, become widespread (epidemic). The source of infection can be not only... ... Pedagogical terminological dictionary
There are a number of diseases that are best dealt with in childhood. As adults, people tolerate these diseases worse, and complications can unexpectedly begin. If you have not yet had anything from our list, we advise you to be careful and maintain your immunity. After all, it is a weak immune system that cannot resist viruses. Be healthy!
Traditionally, childhood diseases include measles, rubella, mumps (or mumps), chicken pox(or chickenpox) and scarlet fever
Childhood diseases are airborne and are highly contagious. You can literally walk down the corridor behind a person who is sick, inhale the virus, and get sick after the incubation period. It usually lasts 7-21 days. During this period, the person is usually not infectious to others.
The diseases in question are characterized by some common symptoms:
- acute course with a sudden increase in temperature to 38-40 (even the attending physician will mistake this for the flu);
- headache;
- general malaise;
- drowsiness;
- moderate or long incubation period;
- rash various kinds(except pig).
According to WHO, childhood infections are especially dangerous for pregnant women if they become ill. expectant mother, then the baby will probably have birth defects. In adulthood, it is more difficult to tolerate similar diseases, often with the development of complications such as pneumonia, nephritis, rheumatic processes. Let's talk in more detail about each disease. If you notice such signs, contact your doctor, he will prescribe appropriate treatment.
Chickenpox
The disease is caused by one of the herpes viruses. You can become infected through direct contact or staying in one small room. Walk outside more often; chickenpox does not live long in the fresh air! The virus is not stable in the external environment, so final disinfection after the patient is not carried out. A person with chickenpox becomes contagious two days before the rash appears, and remains contagious for the first 5-7 days after the rash appears. The virus enters the human body through the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and pharynx. The virus stays for life spinal ganglia, the nuclei of the cranial nerves, which are associated with the areas of the skin most affected by the primary infection. Reactivation of the virus occurs in conditions of weakened immunity in the form of herpes zoster.
Measles
The symptoms are approximately the same as with chickenpox. However, the patient is also tormented by a dry cough, runny nose with copious mucous or purulent discharge. After 3–5 days, the fever becomes less pronounced, and the patient’s well-being improves. However, after a day, intoxication intensifies again and the patient’s body temperature again becomes high. During repeated deterioration of health, white spots with a reddish border appear on the cheek mucosa. A period of rash begins, characterized by the appearance of maculopapular exanthema. Then gradually the state of health returns to normal. Special care is required during measles oral cavity and eyes. The patient should be protected from bright sunlight and artificial light, as photophobia often develops during illness. As a result of the disease, stable lifelong immunity is formed.
Rubella
Mild forms of rubella usually do not require hospitalization. Its manifestations are similar to the symptoms common cold and include headaches and red eyes. A characteristic symptom is a rash in the form of flat pink spots that appear primarily on the face, and then spreads to the body and limbs. It usually disappears within a few days. In some cases, more often in adults, inflammation occurs in the joints, accompanied by arthralgia.
Piggy
The disease is caused by a paramyxovirus. It is transmitted by airborne droplets, but cases of household infection cannot be excluded. The main symptom of mumps is inflammation of the parotid salivary glands, sometimes the submandibular and sublingual glands are involved in the process. A swelling appears in their projection; palpation causes pain to the patient. This usually lasts for several days, but in adults the swelling may persist for about two weeks. Most often, when the virus that causes mumps enters the blood, the glandular organs are affected: the pancreas ( acute pancreatitis), testicles in men (orchitis), ovaries in women (oophoritis). The most serious complications of mumps in men are priapism and infertility. When the virus enters the brain, meningitis may develop. In rare cases, people who have had mumps develop hearing loss or complete deafness.
Scarlet fever
The causative agent is group A streptococcus (S. pyogenes), which also causes other streptococcal infections- sore throats, chronic tonsillitis, rheumatism, acute glomerulonephritis and others. You can become infected through food, public transport. First, the temperature rises sharply, the throat hurts, and pustules appear in the mouth. Then a small, itchy rash begins, which covers almost the entire body within a few hours. An important sign of scarlet fever is thickening of the rash in the form of dark red stripes on the skin folds in places of natural folds - in inguinal folds, armpits, elbow bends. The skin feels very dry and feels like sandpaper. After 3-5 days the skin turns pale and begins severe peeling, especially pronounced on the child’s palms: the skin is removed from them like gloves.
– group of infectious diseases of various etiologies, occurring with a predominant lesion digestive tract, toxic reaction and dehydration. In children, intestinal infection is manifested by increased body temperature, lethargy, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Diagnosis of intestinal infection in children is based on clinical and laboratory data (history, symptoms, isolation of the pathogen in feces, detection specific antibodies in the blood). For intestinal infections in children, antimicrobial drugs, bacteriophages, and enterosorbents are prescribed; During the treatment period, it is important to follow a diet and rehydrate.
Sporadic cases of intestinal infection in children are most often recorded, although group and even epidemic outbreaks are possible with food or waterborne infection. The increase in the incidence of some intestinal infections in children has a seasonal dependence: for example, dysentery occurs more often in summer and autumn, rotavirus infection - in winter.
The prevalence of intestinal infections among children is due to epidemiological features(high prevalence and contagiousness of pathogens, their high resistance to environmental factors), anatomical and physiological characteristics digestive system child (low acidity of gastric juice), imperfection defense mechanisms(low concentration of IgA). Acute morbidity in children intestinal infection contributes to disruption of the normal intestinal microbiota, non-compliance with personal hygiene rules, and poor sanitary and hygienic living conditions.
Classification
According to the clinical and etiological principle, among the intestinal infections most often recorded in the pediatric population, there are shigellosis (dysentery), salmonellosis, coli infection (escherichiosis), yersiniosis, campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis, rotavirus infection, staphylococcal intestinal infection, etc.
According to the severity and characteristics of symptoms, the course of intestinal infection in children can be typical (mild, moderate severity, severe) and atypical (erased, hypertoxic). The severity of the clinic is assessed by the degree of damage to the gastrointestinal tract, dehydration and intoxication.
The nature of local manifestations of intestinal infection in children depends on the damage to one or another part of the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore gastritis, enteritis, colitis, gastroenteritis, gastroenterocolitis, enterocolitis are distinguished. In addition to localized forms, generalized forms of infection can develop in infants and weakened children with the spread of the pathogen beyond the digestive tract.
During an intestinal infection in children, acute (up to 1.5 months), protracted (over 1.5 months) and chronic (over 5-6 months) phases are distinguished.
Symptoms in children
Dysentery in children
After a short incubation period (1-7 days), the temperature rises sharply (up to 39-40° C), weakness and fatigue increase, appetite decreases, and vomiting is possible. Against the background of fever, there is a headache, chills, and sometimes delirium, convulsions, and loss of consciousness. Intestinal infection in children is accompanied by cramping abdominal pain localized in the left iliac region, symptoms distal colitis(pain and spasm sigmoid colon, tenesmus with rectal prolapse), symptoms of sphincteritis. The frequency of bowel movements can vary from 4-6 to 15-20 times per day. With dysentery, the stool is liquid, containing impurities of cloudy mucus and blood. In severe forms of dysentery, hemorrhagic syndrome may develop, including intestinal bleeding.
In young children with intestinal infection, general intoxication prevails over colitis syndrome; disturbances in hemodynamics, electrolyte and protein metabolism occur more often. The most common intestinal infection in children is caused by Shigella Zona; heavier - Shigella Flexner and Grigoriez-Shig.
Salmonellosis in children
Most often (in 90% of cases) develops gastrointestinal form salmonellosis, occurring as gastritis, gastroenteritis, gastroenterocolitis. Characterized by subacute onset, febrile fever, adynamia, vomiting, hepatosplenomegaly. Stool with salmonellosis is liquid, copious, fecal, the color of “swamp mud”, with admixtures of mucus and blood. Typically, this form of intestinal infection ends in recovery, but in infants it can be fatal due to severe intestinal toxicosis.
Influenza-like (respiratory) form of intestinal infection occurs in 4-5% of children. In this form, Salmonella is detected in cultured material from the throat. Its course is characterized by febrile temperature, headache, arthralgia and myalgia, symptoms of rhinitis, pharyngitis, conjunctivitis. From the cardiovascular system, tachycardia and arterial hypotension are noted.
The typhus-like form of salmonellosis in children accounts for 2% of clinical cases. It flows with long period fever (up to 3-4 weeks), severe intoxication, dysfunction of the cardiovascular system (tachycardia, bradycardia).
The septic form of intestinal infection usually develops in children in the first months of life who have an unfavorable premorbid background. It accounts for about 2-3% of cases of salmonellosis in children. The disease is extremely severe, accompanied by septicemia or septicopyemia, disruption of all types of metabolism, and the development of severe complications (pneumonia, parenchymal hepatitis, otoanthritis, meningitis, osteomyelitis).
Escherichiosis in children
This group of intestinal infections in children is extremely extensive and includes coli infections caused by enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic, enteroinvasive, and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia.
Intestinal infection in children caused by Escherichia, occurs with low-grade or febrile temperature, weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, persistent vomiting or regurgitation, flatulence. Characterized by watery diarrhea (copious, splashing yellow stool mixed with mucus), quickly leading to dehydration and the development of exicosis. In Escherichiosis, caused by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia, the diarrhea is bloody.
Due to dehydration, the child develops dry skin and mucous membranes, tissue turgor and elasticity decreases, the large fontanelle sinks and eyeballs, diuresis decreases, such as oliguria or anuria.
Rotavirus infection in children
Usually proceeds according to the type acute gastroenteritis or enteritis. The incubation period lasts on average 1-3 days. All symptoms of intestinal infection in children develop within one day, while damage to the gastrointestinal tract is combined with catarrhal symptoms.
Respiratory syndrome is characterized by hyperemia of the pharynx, rhinitis, sore throat, and coughing. Simultaneously with damage to the nasopharynx, signs of gastroenteritis develop: loose (watery, foamy) stools with a frequency of bowel movements from 4-5 to 15 times a day, vomiting, temperature reaction, general intoxication. The duration of intestinal infection in children is 4-7 days.
Staphylococcal intestinal infection in children
A distinction is made between primary staphylococcal intestinal infection in children, associated with eating food contaminated with staphylococcus, and secondary, caused by the spread of the pathogen from other foci.
The course of intestinal infection in children is characterized by severe exicosis and toxicosis, vomiting, and increased bowel movements up to 10-15 times a day. The stool is liquid, watery, greenish in color, with a small admixture of mucus. For secondary staphylococcal infection in children intestinal symptoms develop against the background of a leading disease: purulent otitis, pneumonia, staphyloderma, tonsillitis, etc. In this case, the disease can take a long, wave-like course.
Diagnostics
Based on an examination, epidemiological and clinical data, a pediatrician (pediatric infectious disease specialist) can only assume the likelihood of an intestinal infection in children, however, an etiological deciphering is possible only on the basis of laboratory data.
The main role in confirming the diagnosis of intestinal infection in children is played by bacteriological examination of stool, which should be carried out as early as possible, before the start of etiotropic therapy. In case of a generalized form of intestinal infection in children, blood cultures are performed for sterility, bacteriological examination of urine and cerebrospinal fluid.
Certain diagnostic value present serological methods (RPGA, ELISA, RSK), which make it possible to detect the presence of antibodies to the pathogen in the patient’s blood from the 5th day from the onset of the disease. The study of the coprogram allows us to clarify the localization of the process in the gastrointestinal tract.
In case of intestinal infection in children, it is necessary to exclude acute appendicitis, pancreatitis, lactase deficiency, biliary dyskinesia and other pathologies. For this purpose, consultations are held with a pediatric surgeon and a pediatric gastroenterologist.
Treatment of intestinal infection in children
Complex treatment of intestinal infections in children involves organizing therapeutic nutrition; carrying out oral rehydration, etiotropic, pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy.
The diet of children with intestinal infection requires a decrease in the volume of food, an increase in the frequency of feedings, the use of mixtures enriched with protective factors, and the use of pureed, easily digestible food. An important component of the treatment of intestinal infections in children is oral rehydration with glucose-saline solutions and drinking plenty of fluids. It is carried out until fluid loss stops. If oral nutrition and fluid intake are impossible, infusion therapy is prescribed: solutions of glucose, Ringer, albumin, etc. are administered intravenously.
Etiotropic therapy of intestinal infections in children is carried out with antibiotics and intestinal antiseptics (kanamycin, gentamicin, polymyxin, furazolidone, nalidixic acid), enterosorbents. The use of specific bacteriophages and lactoglobulins (salmonella, dysentery, coliproteus, klebsiella, etc.), as well as immunoglobulins (antirotavirus, etc.) is indicated. Pathogenetic therapy involves the administration of enzymes, antihistamines; symptomatic treatment includes taking antipyretics and antispasmodics. During the period of convalescence, it is necessary to correct dysbiosis, take vitamins and adaptogens.
Prognosis and prevention
Early detection and adequate therapy ensure full recovery of children after an intestinal infection. Immunity after ACI is unstable. In severe forms of intestinal infection in children, the development of hypovolemic shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome, pulmonary edema, acute renal failure, acute heart failure, and infectious-toxic shock is possible.
The basis for the prevention of intestinal infections in children is compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards: proper storage and heat treatment of products, protecting water from contamination, isolating patients, disinfecting toys and utensils in children's institutions, instilling personal hygiene skills in children. When caring for infant the mother should not neglect treating the mammary glands before feeding, treating nipples and bottles, washing hands after swaddling and washing the baby.
Children who have been in contact with a patient with an intestinal infection are subject to bacteriological examination and observation for 7 days.