The initial signs of scarlet fever are very similar to colds. The child has a fever, a sore throat, a headache, and vomiting may begin. And only after 1-2 days does a rash appear on the crumb body. The disease is dangerous by the development of complications. Therefore, it is very important to recognize the symptoms in a timely manner and seek the help of doctors. Only an adequate treatment of scarlet fever in a child can protect the baby from the development of unpleasant consequences.
Disease characteristics
Scarlet fever is a contagious disease that is a special kind of streptococcal infection. Such microbes are quite common and can provoke various pathologies. They are the culprits of rheumatism, tonsillitis. However, the most common disease is scarlet fever.
Children from 1 year to 16 years are most susceptible to the disease. At the same time, guys who are more than 10 years old, according to doctors, have a high level of immune defense. Scarlet fever is extremely rare in infants up to a year old. From the development of pathology, they are protected by stable immunity, which the mother gives to the newborn as a result of breastfeeding.
Scarlet fever is almost always accompanied by pain and inflammation in the throat, fever. For a long time, the disease was considered a severe childhood pathology. Today, when an effective treatment for scarlet fever in children has been developed, the disease has ceased to be so dangerous. However, we must not forget that pathology can cause serious complications.
That is why it is necessary to understand what constitutes scarlet fever in children. Symptoms and treatment, prevention of pathology - these are very serious issues that we will now consider.
Reasons for development and transmission
The main source of the disease is the streptococcus bacterium. Penetrating into the body, it produces a specific substance - erythrotoxin. As a result of this effect, there are:
- rashes on the body and face;
- sore throat;
- redness of the tongue.
A great many varieties of streptococci are known. They have a number of similar elements in the structure, but at the same time they have differences. They differ in their ability to produce a certain type of toxic substance in the body.
After the disease, as a result of exposure to one of the types of bacteria, a person develops immunity. As a result of a collision with another variety of streptococcus, completely different toxins arise. The immune system is again forced to fight them, producing new antibodies.
The main route of transmission of the disease is airborne. However, this is not the only possibility of infection. It is very important to remember how the disease spreads. Parents should know not only (if scarlet fever has already developed in children) symptoms and treatment. Prevention of the disease implies strict avoidance of all factors of possible infection.
So, if we talk about the main ways of scarlet fever transmission, the following stand out:
- Airborne (sneezing, coughing).
- Contact household (care items, toys, dishes and others).
- Food (crumbs are able to become infected through contaminated products).
- Damage to the skin surface (sometimes with cuts and various injuries of the epidermis and even with surgical interventions, streptococcus is able to penetrate the body).
Classification
Demonstrates how scarlet fever manifests itself in children, photo. Treatment is selected by the doctor, depending on the symptoms that are observed in the crumbs. The signs of scarlet fever can be quite diverse and primarily depend on the variety of pathology.
To date, there are several classifications of scarlet fever. Let's consider some of them.
In the form of the course, pathology can be:
The latter, in turn, is divided into:
- erased form (no rash is observed);
- extrapharyngeal (extra buccal), abortive;
- form with engraved signs (hemorrhagic, hypertoxic).
If we talk about the severity of the pathology, there are:
- light;
- moderate;
- severe (septic, toxic, toxic-septic) forms.
In the course of the disease, the pathology can be:
- spicy;
- with allergic waves, complications;
- protracted;
- without allergic waves, complications.
Of course, each variety has its own symptoms. That is why doctors take into account the type of disease in order to choose the appropriate treatment for scarlet fever in a child in each case.
Characteristic symptoms
Of course, for every parent who is faced with a disease such as scarlet fever, signs and treatment in children is her most acute and important issue. It was mentioned above that all the symptoms that occur in a baby depend on the type of disease. Therefore, we consider the typical signs of pathology characteristic of some types of disease.
Mild symptoms
The most common type. It is often diagnosed with a mild form of scarlet fever in children. Treatment of the disease in this case occurs at home. This form is characterized by the following points.
- A sharp increase in temperature to 38.5 degrees. In this case, there are cases when the indicator of the thermometer indicates small deviations or remains normal.
- Slight or completely absent signs of intoxication. The baby may experience headache, lethargy, single vomiting.
- A small dot rash appears on the body, which has a pale pink color. Manifestations on the surface of the skin are not abundant and focus in the area of the natural folds of the skin.
- Hyperemia of the skin in a mild form.
- Pain in the throat is moderate enough.
- Typical language changes.
- Catarrhal sore throat in a mild form.
- Peeling of the skin, characteristic of pathology.
- Purulent and allergic complications are possible.
In most cases, the mild form proceeds quickly enough and without serious complications. The healing process begins already on the seventh day.
Symptoms of a more serious type of pathology
The moderate form of scarlet fever is characterized by the following symptoms.
- High temperature (can rise up to 40 degrees).
- The kid can rave.
- Repeated vomiting is observed.
- The child is in an excited state.
- An abundant rash of bright color persists on the surface of the skin for about 6 days.
- The child experiences severe painful discomfort in the throat.
- Changes in language characteristic of pathology are observed.
- Enlarged tonsillar lymph nodes.
- Diagnosed lacunar tonsillitis. Sometimes, extremely rarely, follicular pathology can be observed.
- The presence of purulent or allergic complications.
- The rash is localized on the mucous membranes.
This is a rather complex form of pathology. The treatment of scarlet fever in a child requires mandatory medical intervention. In this case, the acute period lasts 7 days. And for the final recovery, the baby will need about 2-3 weeks.
Severe Symptoms
This is the most unpleasant kind of disease. Scarlet fever can occur in any of the following options.
- Toxic form. The child has pronounced symptoms of general intoxication.
- Septic. In this case, the baby has a lesion of certain tissues by necrotic processes. The oropharynx, tonsillar regional lymph nodes suffer.
- Toxic septic. The severity of the baby's condition is determined by local and general changes.
Severe toxic form of scarlet fever can be determined by the following symptoms:
- the disease has an acute onset, in which the temperature rises sharply (almost to 40-41 degrees);
- blurred consciousness;
- severe headaches;
- frequent vomiting, diarrhea;
- delusional state of the child;
- possible cramps;
- tongue and lips are very dry, while the first is densely covered;
- the presence of symptoms of meningitis;
- infectious toxic shock may occur, which is manifested by a filiform pulse, collapse, cooling of the extremities, cyanosis;
- on the third day of the disease, a rash with hemorrhages occurs;
- catarrhal sore throat;
- cyanosis on hyperemic skin.
Unfortunately, with this form, the risk of death is very high. Previously, death from such a pathology occurred very often.
But today the disease often proceeds in a mild form. Even moderate pathology is quite rare. According to doctors, treatment of scarlet fever in children with antibiotics avoids death and the risk of developing severe forms of the disease.
Diagnostic Methods
Before choosing a treatment for scarlet fever in children at home, you must clearly make sure that the crumbs really have this pathology. A typical form of the disease does not cause any particular difficulties, since this type of scarlet fever has quite characteristic symptoms.
But if the pathology proceeds in an atypical form, it is rather difficult to correctly recognize it. In this case, the doctor resorts to the following diagnostic methods.
- The study of epidemiological data. Possible contact with infected people is being clarified.
- Bacteriological examination. Mucus from the oropharynx is examined for the presence of beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Analysis allows you to establish its type.
- Immunofluorescence method. The study of mucus from the oropharynx.
- Serological examination. The increase in the number of antibodies to various streptococcal antigens is determined by blood serum .
- Immunobiological test. Allows you to identify the absence or presence of the body's susceptibility to scarlet fever.
- Blood analysis. The development of pathology is indicated by neutrophilic leukocytosis.
In addition, it is very important to differentiate scarlet fever with those pathologies that have similar symptoms. It:
- rubella;
- measles;
- pseudotuberculosis;
- toxic and allergic condition.
What is the disease dangerous?
From the foregoing, it is obvious that close attention of parents and doctors deserves scarlet fever (symptoms and treatment in children). Complications of the disease are very serious, therefore it is extremely dangerous to self-medicate.
But subject to the recommendations of the pediatrician and timely treatment of unpleasant complications practically does not happen.
Parents who deviate from the prescribed treatment regimen can doom their babies to the development of the following consequences.
- Joint rheumatism.
- Streptococcal glomerulonephritis. This is a consequence of improper therapy, as a result of which renal failure can develop.
- Rheumatism of the heart valves.
- Chorea. This is a late allergic complication. It is characterized by brain damage.
Exposure to toxins seriously impairs the functioning of the heart and kidneys. The child experiences shortness of breath, chest pain. He has low blood pressure and a weak pulse. In addition, pathological complications can affect the teeth, the upper layer of the skin.
Depending on the form and severity of the disease, the following complications may occur:
- otitis;
- phlegmon;
- meningitis;
- mastoiditis;
- nephritis;
- synovitis;
- myocarditis.
The disease does not lead to infertility in boys or a decrease in potency. However, it is quite capable of reducing the body's defense mechanisms and general tone.
Disease treatment
Depending on the symptoms and the form of pathology, the pediatrician determines the need for hospitalization of the baby. With a mild form, scarlet fever is treated in children at home.
Doctors advise to adhere to the following rules.
- The kid should be in a separate room. This will protect the rest of the family from spreading the infection.
- Bed rest is observed in the early days of the disease, when the crumbs are particularly symptomatic.
- Wet cleaning is carried out regularly.
- Dishes of a sick baby should be washed thoroughly.
- Dietary nutrition is an important component of treatment. It should correspond to the age of the crumbs. Treatment of scarlet fever in a child of four years implies perfectly cooked food with a semi-liquid (grated) consistency. The diet should contain a large amount of warm drink. Very useful linden tea.
Drug therapy
It should be remembered that this pathology is a bacterial infection. Therefore, for effective and quick recovery, treatment of scarlet fever in children with antibiotics begins. Only a pediatrician should choose a drug, course of therapy and dosage, because the choice is based on the safety and effectiveness of the drug for each patient.
The following drugs are most preferred for streptococcal infection:
- "Flemoxin-solutab";
- Amoxiclav;
- Ampiside;
- "Augmentin."
If there is an allergic reaction to penicillin antibiotics, the pediatrician will recommend macrolides:
- Hemomycin;
- Wilprafen
- "Sumamed";
- Macropen.
Sometimes cephalosparins are used:
Along with antibiotic therapy, in the presence of high temperature, antipyretic drugs are recommended for the child. Treatment of scarlet fever in a 5-year-old child involves the use of drugs:
- Efferalgan;
- Nurofen
- Ibuprofen
- "Panadol";
- "Kalpol."
Older children (from 12 years old) can use drugs to normalize their temperature:
In addition, it is important to remember that scarlet fever causes a sore throat. Therefore, the pediatrician will definitely prescribe means to get rid of the inflammatory process on the tonsils. For such purposes, local antiseptics can be used. Just do not forget to take into account age restrictions so that such treatment of scarlet fever in children is not harmful.
Medicines used to irrigate the sore throat:
- Hexoral;
- Tantum Verde;
- "Ingalipt";
- "Cameton";
- Stop Angin.
A beneficial effect is provided by tablets intended for resorption, such as:
- Grammidine
- "Lizobakt";
- "Faringosept."
Since antibiotic therapy is capable of disrupting the intestinal microflora, children must include medications that normalize this system in the treatment regimen:
- Linex
- "Acipol";
- Biovestin-Lacto;
- "Bifido-tank";
- "Lactulose."
Desensitizing drugs are required :
- "Suprastin";
- Zirtek;
- Diphenhydramine;
- "Tavegil";
- Claritin.
If the disease is mild, it is possible to treat scarlet fever in children without antibiotics. However, only a doctor can make such a decision, because with this pathology, the risk of developing serious complications is very high.
Treatment with folk remedies
To combat scarlet fever, you can use recipes that were used by our grandmothers. They protect against the development of complications and contribute to a significant mitigation of symptoms.
But it is important to remember that treatment of scarlet fever in children with folk remedies is possible only after consulting a doctor. This avoids the occurrence of allergic reactions and protect the baby from unpleasant consequences as a result of the incompatibility of certain components.
The following treatments are widespread.
- The use of black radish. Large root crops must be washed, and then chopped on a grater. The gruel is spread on cheesecloth. Such a compress should be applied to the throat and insulated with a woolen cloth on top. It should stay for 3 hours. It is recommended to put a compress twice during the day for 7 days.
- The use of horseradish. The middle root is ground. This ingredient is poured with warm water (boiled) in an amount of 1 liter. For 3 hours, the components are infused. After mixing, the solution should be filtered. This product is intended for gargling. Preheating the necessary portion, the procedure should be performed about 5 times a day. Such treatment should last 10 days.
- Propolis and milk. The honey component (1 tsp) is finely chopped. A glass of milk should be added to it. For 15 minutes in a water bath, the mixture is heated. Mixed composition should be consumed in small sips. The entire solution is recommended to drink at night. Before this procedure, be sure to gargle.
Pathology Prevention
So, how to protect the baby from the disease? If scarlet fever has been detected in children, prevention and treatment are of paramount importance.
They are not vaccinated against this infection. Therefore, the only way to protect your baby from illness is to protect him from contact with sick people. But if communication nevertheless happened, carefully monitor the health of the crumbs. And when the first symptoms occur, call a doctor.
However, even with prolonged communication with a sick person, not all children become infected. The body's defenses help to avoid scarlet fever. That is why doctors recommend:
- strengthen the immune system (proper nutrition, healthy lifestyle);
- consume freshly squeezed juices, fruit drinks;
- during periods of vitamin deficiency take vitamin complexes (prescribed by a doctor).
Today, when adequate therapy for scarlet fever has been developed, this pathology does not pose a threat to the life of the child. However, self-medication, like the lack of therapy, can lead to serious complications. Protect your child from dire consequences!