The source of chlamydia are special bacteria of the type of chlamydia, which enter into healthy cells. Therefore, they are called intracellular parasites. Bacteria penetrate into the cells of the respiratory organs, into the mucous membranes of the eyes. This insidious disease, unlike other infections, is much more difficult to identify and treat - it develops imperceptibly, but gradually worsens and drags on for several months or even years. It is very important to determine the symptoms and treatment of chlamydia in children in time, so as not to start the disease.
Causes and ways of infection
Chlamydia can appear in a child of any age, even immediately after his birth. Specialists conducted many years of research, and according to their results identified several ways of infection with chlamydia in children.
- Airborne. In most cases, chlamydia pneumonia is transmitted this way. If one of the parents gets sick, then the baby (the probability is 40-45%) may develop this infection. Of great importance is the contact of the child with objects of common use.
- The contact-household pathway occurs in the transmission of chlamydia psitaki. Infection can occur during the child’s play with birds (even domestic ones) or cats, which may have pathologies of ENT organs or organs of vision. There are also cases of chlamydia infection while in a dusty room in which many harmful parasites fly. Moreover, the pathogen has the ability to maintain its activity up to 4 days!
- Vertical. A child can become infected with chlamydia even during its intrauterine development, since microorganisms can freely cross the placenta, quickly falling into the water. In addition, the baby may become infected during childbirth. Chlamydia is also sometimes found in breast milk, transmitted to a newborn baby.
Immunity in a newborn baby is not formed enough, and therefore contaminated air is called the most common cause of chlamydia.
A feature of infection of the fetus is the risk of intrauterine infection, aspiration (ingestion of amniotic fluid in the nose or mouth) and contact (intranatal) routes at the onset of labor.
The source of the development of chlamydia can be eliminated only after the exact determination of the route of infection. If you choose the wrong therapy, then, most likely, even after treatment, there is a risk of a recurrence of chlamydia.
Symptoms and signs
First of all, you can notice such a sign of chlamydia in a child as a pronounced painful appearance and obvious changes in behavior - causeless spleen and crying. Several disorders immediately appear: conjunctivitis of the eye and purulent mucous discharge from the nose, then the child’s breathing quickens, body temperature rises, and a dry cough appears.
If the disease is acute, then several organs are affected simultaneously:
- liver;
- heart;
- lungs (pneumonia develops);
- stomach (regurgitation and even bouts of vomiting appear);
- intestines - which provokes bloating and stool disturbance (constipation or, conversely, diarrhea).
Sometimes even this leads to damage to the brain and nervous system - the child becomes capricious, irritable and nervous, with increased excitability, there is a small tremor of the limbs - both arms and legs. If the disease is left without proper attention and started, then the result can be with serious complications. The disease progresses and becomes chronic.
Kinds
The type of infection depends on the path that caused the bacteria to enter the body. Depending on these factors, doctors distinguish the following types of pathology:
- Respiratory chlamydia in children is the most studied and common form that children of any age can catch. Usually this is the age of 5-15 years, but there are cases when even newborns fell ill with respiratory chlamydia. It is worth noting that it is rather difficult to diagnose respiratory chlamydia in children: the clinical picture is similar to ARVI, and the pediatrician can not always differentiate the symptoms correctly.
- Congenital chlamydia - this type affects the child during fetal development, is transmitted from the mother who has not been treated, or through the amniotic fluid, since chlamydia easily penetrate the placenta. Often the disease is characterized by an inflammatory process in the mucous membranes of the eyes, therefore, after birth, the baby can be diagnosed with chlamydial conjunctivitis.
- Pulmonary chlamydia in children is a rather dangerous condition, since bacteria that get into the lungs can provoke the development of serious diseases that are difficult to treat, especially in children. Of particular note is chlamydial bronchitis and pneumonia. It is known that determining this type of pathology in infants is not easy.
- Urogenital chlamydia is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, usually this form of the disease affects the genitals. In girls, vulvitis often appears, and in boys, urethritis. With this type of chlamydia, the child also becomes infected mainly during childbirth.
Given the variety and complexity of the disease, the doctor determines the most optimal and effective treatment regimen. It is very important to catch the symptoms and the first manifestations of the disease in time, as well as to know the symptoms of chlamydia in a child.
Treatment regimen
After all the tests prescribed by the doctor have been done, chlamydia in children is treated according to this scheme:
- Preparation - goes on for five to seven days. This period includes immunocorrection (if necessary with low immunity) "Polyoxidonium" or "Amiksin", multivitamin complexes, vitamin E, "Wobenzym", "Trypsin". In addition, local therapy of the symptoms of the disease is used: microclysters with the substance "Chlorhexidine", baths and installations with pharmaceutical preparations.
- Basic therapy - is carried out for fourteen days with antibiotics, antifungal agents, if necessary, peptic enzymes (Mezim, Festal, Pancreatin). It is possible to conduct basic therapy, combining it with the initial stage of therapy.
- Recovery - lasts for fourteen days. During this period, the restoration of the equilibrium of intestinal microflora by probiotics is performed. Hepatoprotectors are used, they conduct physiotherapeutic procedures.
Drug treatment
If a child identifies such an infectious disease as chlamydia, it is extremely important to start appropriate medication in a timely manner - this is the only way to prevent the spread of infection throughout the baby's body and avoid serious consequences and pathologies.
A feature of the drug treatment of respiratory chlamydia in children is that a child's body, weakened by the infection, requires a dosage of drugs carefully calibrated by the attending physician (as a rule, the child should be prescribed the minimum dose to avoid complications).
Antibacterial agents
The main treatment is carried out with drugs of the antibacterial group (the lower the age, the lower the dosage).
- It is recommended to use a group of macrolides of the 1st to 3rd generation, including: Roxithromycin, Erythromycin, Clarithromycin, Azithromycin, Josamycin, Rovamycin.
- The drugs of the lincosamide group are used: Amoxicillin, Clindamycin.
- Recommended for use are antibiotics of the tetracycline group, the most famous among them: Doxycycline, Tetracycline. It should be noted that such drugs are only allowed for children over 8 years of age.
- In addition, medications of the pharmacological group of fluoroquinolones are prescribed, including Lomefloxacin, Ofloxacin. However, these drugs are not used for drug therapy in children under 12 years of age.
Immunomodulators
As you know, the effect of drug treatment is most powerful if the body itself includes all its defenses, and the state of the immune system plays an important role in this. Therefore, in order to maintain the child’s immunity, immunomodulators are recommended for use, the most acceptable of those presented in pharmacy chains today are the following drugs:
- "Cycloferon" is used parenterally with antibiotics.
- "Viferon", as a rule, is produced in the form of candles and is used according to the following scheme: a child under three years of age is shown one candle twice a day; a child from three to six years, half a candle twice a day; a child over six years of age is shown to use twice a day for a whole candle. This drug is used for 10 days with a second course in 20 days.
For the medical treatment of local manifestations of chlamydia in children, topical preparations are used. To lubricate affected surfaces, erythromycin or tetracycline ointments are recommended. With signs of damage to the child’s mucous membrane similar to viral conjunctivitis (lacrimation, redness of the sclera, morning occlusion of the eye), drops of Sulfacil Sodium, Colbiocin are recommended.
Vitamins
In parallel with the appointment of a group of antibiotics, as a rule, vitamin courses are always recommended, namely vitamin E, vitamin A, C, their dosage is determined individually by the attending physician, taking into account the age and condition of the child.
To neutralize the influence of the antibiotic group on the state of the intestinal flora and in order to prevent dysbiosis, doctors prescribe appropriate probiotics and biological products, including:
- Acipol;
- "Acylact";
- Baktisporin;
- Kipferon candles also worked well.
In some cases, antifungal drugs, such as Nystatin, are needed to treat chlamydial infections in children. In addition, drugs that eliminate concomitant symptoms, such as an expectorant for coughing, are included in drug therapy.
Saxifrage Thigh
The healing herb, saxifrage thigh, has amazing properties that make it possible to carry out the necessary treatment for chlamydia in children. To treat a child, the grass is collected during flowering. The broth is prepared in the proportions: a spoon on a glass of boiled water. The medicine should be infused overnight and consumed 1/3 cup 3 times a day thirty minutes before eating. If necessary, the broth is used for washing eyes and douching.
Parsley infusion
It is necessary to chop the stems of greens - one tablespoon, pour boiling water. The composition is prepared for 5 minutes, and then insist 20 minutes and drink half a glass before meals.
It is necessary to mix in equal portions of birch leaves and field horsetail. A tablespoon of plants is poured with two glasses of boiling water and insisted for half an hour. After this, the composition is filtered and drunk 3 times a day in a spoon.
Herb decoction
In identical parts, you need to take a string, penny, licorice root and chamomile. All ingredients are crushed and pour a collection spoon into a thermos, pouring 200 milliliters of boiling water. This must be done at night. The resulting raw materials are drunk the next day - three times a day for 1/3 cup.
Garlic
It is necessary to clean and grind the cloves of the bulbous plant. To the resulting mass add ghee at room temperature and form candles, which are wrapped in cellophane and placed in a refrigerator for solidification. Then they are introduced into the vagina every day before bedtime for a week.
The consequences of chlamydia for a child
In children, this disease can cause sepsis, Reiter's syndrome, convulsions. The disease can occur from three days to a month. In girls, due to the disease, itching and redness appear near the genitals, as well as unusual discharge.
In boys, the disease causes inflammation of the urethra or proceeds without symptoms. The child may begin a protracted cough, which sometimes lasts a whole month. Often drowsiness appears, body temperature rises.
The disease leads to the fact that the child begins to sweat heavily. This disease often affects the visual system, leading to purulent processes.
Not only dry, but also wet cough with sputum may appear. The child eats weakly, he has an emetic reaction. This disease can affect various organs and systems. A consequence of chlamydia is also shortness of breath.