Neuro-arthritic diathesis in children is a dangerous disease with a fairly severe course and unpleasant consequences. Fortunately, the disease is not diagnosed so often - different sources contain information that about 2-5% of children suffer from the disease. On the other hand, many researchers argue that the number of cases increases every year, so parents should carefully monitor the condition and developmental features of the baby.
Naturally, many people are looking for information about what constitutes an ailment and with what deviations in the functioning of the body it is associated. What signs should I pay attention to? Are there any drugs that can permanently relieve the disease?
The main characteristics of the disease
Neuro-arthritic diathesis in a child is a chronic pathology that is associated with a violation of normal metabolism. In particular, in small patients, there is a failure in the exchange of purine nucleotides, which leads to an increase in the level of uric acid. Associated with this are metabolic disorders of fats and carbohydrates.
In addition, in children with this diagnosis, an altered reactivity of the nervous system is observed, which, of course, affects the general development of the body, behavior, and the process of personality formation. This ailment is dangerous, as it increases the likelihood of developing obesity, allergies, calculous processes and other problems in the future. The sooner he is diagnosed, the greater the chance of his successful correction.
Causes and Risk Factors
Of course, the first thing parents are interested in is the causes of a particular disease. Neuro-arthritic diathesis in children is a hereditary problem. It is believed that this pathology is transmitted genetically from parents who suffer from impaired purine metabolism (gout, urolithiasis, etc.).
Risk factors also include maternal diseases during pregnancy, in particular obesity, diabetes mellitus, gallstone disease. According to statistics, parents suffering from neuropsychiatric diseases, such as neurasthenia, schizophrenia, have a higher chance of having a baby with this form of diathesis.
Of course, there are other possible causes - improper nutrition of a pregnant woman, eating too many animal proteins. A disease in infancy, by the way, can also be triggered by too early introduction of complementary foods, especially meat and other protein products. An unfavorable ecological environment also plays a partial role in the formation of diathesis.
First signs of the disease
In fact, the symptoms of this form of diathesis are very diverse, and they appear in different periods of life. It is pleasant to divide them into four main groups - these are cutaneous, dysmetabolic, spastic and neurasthenic syndromes.
What to look for if there is a suspicion of neuro-arthritic diathesis in children? Symptoms in infancy are usually associated with nervous disorders. The baby is very excited, often cries and gets annoyed, sleeps poorly, and his sleep is very restless and short.
Due to spasms of smooth muscles, which also develop against the background of metabolic failures, intestinal colic is disturbing the child. In such children, prolonged constipation is often observed.
Neuro-arthritic diathesis in children: photos and manifestations of the disease in older children and adolescents
The remaining signs (and they are very diverse) begin to appear as the child grows older. For convenience, they should be considered in groups.
Skin lesions are a characteristic manifestation of neuro-arthritic diathesis in children. Often a child develops eczema and urticaria, atopic dermatitis. In addition, Quincke's edema may appear. All these symptoms are associated with allergic reactions.
As for the spastic syndrome, it is associated with an increase in muscle tone, which provokes a spasm of smooth muscles. That is why children often develop bronchospasm, constipation, renal and intestinal colic, and hypertension. Symptoms of the disease include persistent migraines. Often, children complain of pain in the heart. It is also worth saying that in small patients sometimes bronchial asthma develops, which, fortunately, is relatively easy to treat.
In addition, diathesis often causes metabolic disorders. Uric acid gradually accumulates in the joints and crystallizes, provoking inflammatory processes. Children often complain of joint pain, which becomes most intense at night.
One of the most striking and dangerous manifestations of the disease is considered an acetonemic crisis. As a result of eating a large number of meat products, as well as during intense physical exertion, stress and emotional overstrain, the appearance of acetone in the blood and urine is observed. A sharp smell of acetone can be felt in the patient's breathing - it is especially strong in the morning.
This phenomenon is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and a sharp decrease in appetite. By the way, these symptoms are more often diagnosed in girls aged 2 to 10 years (although they can also occur in boys) and in most cases disappear during puberty.
Disorders from the nervous system also appear. Due to an increase in the level of uric acid, children are usually too active, and they develop much faster than their peers - this applies to both psycho-emotional and intellectual development (often children with this form of diathesis master the school program much easier and faster). Pathology is accompanied by other symptoms - it is tearfulness, causeless irritability, a sharp change in mood, hypersensitivity to odors, frequent headaches, and sleep problems. Often there is bedwetting. The characteristic features include a significant increase in the amount of feces, which is observed even with a sharp decrease in appetite. Children with diathesis often suffer from anorexia and other eating disorders.
What does the diagnostic process look like?
Unfortunately, it is very rare to diagnose neuro-arthritic diathesis in a child in the first months of life, because the clinical picture can be blurred. Disorders in the behavior of the baby of the mother are often attributed to colic in the stomach and other childhood problems. Nevertheless, informative diagnostic methods exist and are applicable even in infancy - this is a detailed analysis of blood and urine.
In a laboratory study of urine, you can detect the presence of different salts, which indicates an incorrect metabolism and the possible formation of calculi. When studying blood samples, an increase in the level of uric acid and creatinine can be noted. In the future, instrumental examinations are required, for example, ultrasound of the organs of the excretory system, an x-ray, etc.
There are many diseases with a similar clinical picture - cholecystitis, infectious arthritis, pancreatitis, neurosis, rheumatism, pyelonephritis and some other ailments. These pathologies often resemble neuro-arthritic diathesis in children. Diagnosis must necessarily include tests and measures that can confirm whether the symptoms are really related to diathesis. Only then can a treatment regimen be drawn up.
Neuro-arthritic diathesis in children: treatment
Unfortunately, this is a chronic pathology. This means that even in adulthood, the patient will remain prone to metabolic disorders, allergies, urolithiasis, etc. What measures does neuro-arthritic diathesis in children require ? How to treat such a disorder?
The therapy in this case is long and complex - not only medication is important here, but also a certain way of life, which must be adhered to constantly. If we are talking about drug treatment, then for small patients, depending on the symptoms, the following drugs are prescribed:
- Children often take sedative drugs, such as tincture of valerian, Novopassit, Phthosed, etc.
- Means that reduce the amount of uric acid produced.
- Vitamin-mineral complexes that normalize metabolic processes (preparations should contain potassium and calcium).
- Hepatoprotectors (drugs that protect liver cells) - Essential, Hepabene, Karsil are considered effective.
- Sometimes it is necessary to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, in particular those that contain ibuprofen and paracetamol.
- In the presence of skin lesions, healing ointments, and sometimes creams based on steroid hormones (in especially severe cases) are also used.
- If an acetonemic attack occurs, it is recommended that the child be given sweet tea, fresh juice, or still alkaline water.
- Severe attacks of vomiting and developing dehydration - an indication for taking vitamin C and glucose solution.
Neuro-arthritic diathesis in children requires a certain lifestyle. In particular, severe stress, emotional and mental stress, excessive physical activity are contraindicated for such a child. This, of course, does not mean that the baby needs to be protected from any loads. Of course, a child with such a diagnosis can go to school. Swimming, long walks in the fresh air, regular massages and exercises in therapeutic gymnastics - all this will positively affect the state of the body.
The right diet for diathesis
There is another important step in the correction of such a disorder as neuro-arthritic diathesis in children. Diet is the key to the success of therapy, and the patient must adhere to certain principles of nutrition throughout life. The goal of the diet is to reduce the intake of foods that contain animal proteins and purine bases.
Experts recommend including soups and dishes from oat and pearl barley, buckwheat and rice in the diet. Useful will be fresh fruits and vegetables, which must be introduced into the diet. Patients can consume dairy products and fresh juices.
Is it necessary to completely exclude animal fats and proteins from the diet for a disease such as neuro-arthritic diathesis in children? Komarovsky, as well as other well-known pediatricians and researchers, says that proteins are simply necessary for the body of a growing child. Therefore, it is worth introducing dishes of chicken and low-fat fish into the diet, but they must be cooked steamed. In the period of exacerbation, I recommend that the child give alkaline non-carbonated water (Borjomi).
What is the disease dangerous? Possible complications
Many parents are interested in questions about what constitutes neuro-arthritic diathesis in children. Symptoms and treatment of the disease, its causes, as well as possible complications are key points. The presence of pathology means that children are prone to a number of diseases, in particular obesity and diabetes. Due to changes in the composition of urine, the risk of developing nephritis, nephropathy and urolithiasis in the future is increased.
The high content of uric acid in the blood creates the conditions for the development of inflammatory processes and gout in adulthood. Patients with this diagnosis are more prone to atherosclerosis and some other diseases of the cardiovascular system. Chronic migraines and neurological diseases can also occur.
Are there effective methods of alternative treatment?
Of course, folk healers offer a lot of tools to combat diathesis. And some doctors even consider the prescriptions to be useful. For example, eggshell is effective. First you need to boil a chicken egg (boil for about 5 minutes). The removed shell must be cleaned of the inner film and put in boiling water for a few more minutes. After that, the shell is dried (without exposure to sunlight) and crushed to a powder in a coffee grinder. It is recommended to take half a teaspoon of the powder, adding a few drops of lemon juice into it and drinking it with boiled water. The course of admission lasts a month, after which you need to take a break.
Useful in diathesis is considered fresh juice of black radish. First, the child should be given a drop of juice, gradually increasing the volume to one teaspoon, and then a tablespoon. Specialists also recommend giving children delicious mashed squash and pumpkin, brew mint tea with honey, and prepare juices from fresh carrots and raspberries.
Forecasts and preventive measures
Neuro-arthritic diathesis in children - a chronic pathology. It is impossible to get rid of it, but it is possible to prevent the development of concomitant pathologies, in particular obesity, diabetes, etc. A calm, measured lifestyle should not be abandoned even after reaching adulthood.
Important means of prevention are feasible, but not too intense physical exertion, proper diet, hardening of the body, massages. In childhood and adolescence, you need to undergo drug treatment once every six months. Of course, you need to carefully monitor the mode of work and rest, create conditions for a healthy full sleep and regularly undergo medical examinations that help detect the progression of the disease in the early stages.