Colitis in children: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

One of the common ailments of the colon is colitis. The disease causes inflammatory-dystrophic changes in this organ. In newborns, pathology leads to damage to the small intestine. Symptoms of colitis in children cause a lot of discomfort. Usually this is a problem with stool, abdominal pain, malaise. The symptoms and treatment of intestinal colitis in children are described in the article.

The concept

Colitis is called inflammation of the large intestine, which gradually causes degeneration of the mucous layer. This is dangerous due to organ dysfunction. Typically, the disease is diagnosed in people of middle and older age categories, but the risk of its appearance remains high in infants, children of preschool children.

The disease has no specific signs. All symptoms of colitis in children can occur with other gastrointestinal ailments. But usually with a disease, bowel movements and pain deep in the abdomen are observed.

Causes

Considering the topic of symptoms of colitis in children, you should familiarize yourself with the factors that provoke the appearance of the disease. Sources of intestinal inflammation are various. Acute colitis occurs from pathogens of the digestive tract infections:

• Salmonella
• retrovirus;
• rotavirus;
• Escherichia;
• Shigella.

Another acute form of the disease appears due to gastritis, enteritis, gastroenteritis. The chronic form of the disease is associated with dysentery, ascariasis, giardiasis, pancreatic dysfunction, poisoning with toxic substances.

Other reasons

Colitis appears from:

• long-term use of anti-inflammatory, laxative, antibacterial drugs;
• severe food poisoning;
• malnutrition;
• early introduction of complementary foods;
• intestinal lesions by parasites;
• allergies
• private stress;
• autoimmune ailments;
• burdened by heredity;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• bad habits of the mother during pregnancy;
• congenital malformations of the intestine;
• intestinal dysfunctions of an unclear nature.

Symptoms and treatment of colitis in children are interrelated. To prescribe effective therapy, the doctor must conduct a diagnosis to identify the cause.

Kinds

According to morphological characteristics, colitis is atrophic, catarrhal, ulcerative-erosive. Given the nature of the course, the disease can be mild, moderate, severe. By type, it is divided into monotonous, latent, progressive and relapsing. According to the broadest classification, it happens:

• primary;
• medication;
• non-specific;
• parasitic;
• neurotic;
• alimentary;
• allergic
• toxic;
• post-infectious;
• radiation;
• spastic.

Symptoms, treatment of ulcerative colitis in children are almost the same as in other forms. At a young age, an acute, chronic, nonspecific form of the disease is often detected. Symptoms of spastic colitis in a child are as painful as with the other types.

There is another classification of the disease. Since the large intestine includes several sections, colitis may have different localization. By this criterion stands out:

• typhlitis;
• transverse;
• sigmoiditis;
• pankolite;
• proctosigmoiditis;
• angulitis;
• proctitis;
• tiflokolit.

With any form of colitis in children, the symptoms are painful. If they appeared, do not hesitate to visit a doctor. Timely treatment will improve well-being in a short time.

Symptoms

In acute intestinal colitis, the symptoms in a child are accompanied by signs of intoxication. Occurs:

• hyperthermia;
• weakness;
• chills;
• vomiting

Due to intestinal cramps, tenesmus occurs - false urge to defecate. Pain in the ileum of the abdomen is also observed. The frequency of stool is 5-15 times a day. The symptoms of intestinal colitis in a child include the presence of:

• a greenish, watery stool with foam;
• impurities of mucus and blood in the feces;
• prolapse of the rectum;
• nausea
• tissue turgor reduction;
• dry skin;
• sharpening facial features.

Symptoms of intestinal ulcerative colitis in a child manifest as constipation, diarrhea, or their alternation. With the discharge of solid feces at the anus, cracks may appear. When defecation, scarlet blood comes out.

Other manifestations

In chronic colitis, the symptoms in children under one year old are wave-like: after remission, an exacerbation occurs. There is pain in the navel, iliac region. She appears after eating and has a aching character. In chronic colitis in a 3-year-old child, symptoms appear as:

• loss of appetite;
• bloating;
• rumbling in the intestines;
• fatigue
• irritability;
• headache;
• sleep disturbances;
• delays in weight gain and height.

In infants

A clear symptom of ulcerative colitis in children and other forms of the disease is a change in stool. It can be liquid, solid. In the feces there are streaks of blood. Also, the disease manifests itself in the form of:

• loss of appetite;
• bad sleep;
• high excitability;
• frequent spitting up;
• vomiting
• dryness and pallor of the skin;
• temperature increase;
• moodiness;
• refusal of food;
• crying often.

Complications

In allergic colitis in infants there is a delay in growth and weight gain. This also applies to other forms of intestinal inflammation. In older children, complications may appear in the form of:

• hypovitaminosis;
• anemia;
• anal fissures;
• intestinal perforation;
• peritonitis;
• anemia
• perforation of an ulcer;
• sphincter weaknesses;
• vascular thrombosis;
• intestinal obstruction;
• paraproctitis;
• intestinal abscesses.

All negative consequences can be avoided if timely cured colitis. The main thing is that the therapy is carried out under the supervision of a doctor and in compliance with all his recommendations.

Diagnostics

A gastroenterologist can identify an ailment in children. First, he performs an external examination and palpation of the abdomen. This is required to establish visual signs of the disease and soreness in the abdominal region. Additionally, the doctor prescribes studies:

1. Colonoscopy In this procedure, a coloscope with a micro camera at the end is inserted through the anus. Also, air is introduced into the intestine to expand its walls. This procedure is required to determine latent bleeding, diverticulum, inflammation, and tumors.
2. Sigmoscopy Unlike the previous procedure, this technique is considered gentle. During diagnosis, a flexible long sigmoscope is inserted into the anus, which is connected to the camcorder and monitor. This is necessary to assess the condition of the mucous membrane of the colon.
3. Endoscopic biopsy. During the procedure, an endoscope is inserted into the intestine through the rectum. The tool studies the digestive tract. At endoscopy, biopsy material is taken from a suspicious site to determine the nature of the altered tissues and differentiation such as colitis.
4. Blood analysis. Manipulation determines anemia, decreased electrolytes and hypoalbunemia. These symptoms indicate the presence of inflammatory processes.
5. Coprology of feces. The study consists in the study of color, smell, texture, the number of bowel movements.
6. Irrigography. The colon is filled with contrast medium, and then an x-ray is taken. Such radiography evaluates the contours, location, size of the inspected organ.
7. Rectoscopy. The procedure checks the rectum and lower part of the sigmoid. When a special tube is inserted into the anus, the doctor identifies the presence of erosive, tumor, infectious or inflammatory processes.

Treatment

The main goal of therapy is to eliminate the cause of the disease and restore the intestines. If a pseudomembranous form is detected, urgently need to cancel the drug, which led to inflammation.

In case of helminthic infestation, the child is prescribed antiparasitic drugs, for example, Metronidazole. The remaining forms of colitis are treated with other means:

1. With a non-specific ulcerative form, antibiotics, immunomodulators, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are needed.
2. If the course of the disease is acute, special treatment is required: you need a warm, plentiful drink, rest, taking "Festal", "Almagel" or activated charcoal.
3. If chronic colitis, antispasmodics (No-shpa) with adsorbents (Fosfalugel) are needed. Additionally, a diet is prescribed, in which fried, spicy, fatty, canned dishes are excluded.
4. A spastic form of colitis is treated with Trimedat, which normalizes intestinal motility. Buscopan, which eliminates pain, is also prescribed. You can cure diarrhea with Loperamide.

What else is prescribed?

Drug treatment consists in using several drugs at the same time. To get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of the disease, drugs with an astringent and enveloping effect are often prescribed. This action has bismuth, infusions of chamomile or St. John's wort. With an allergic disease, antihistamines are prescribed:

1. Suprastin.
2. "Diazolin."
3. Fenistil.

The basis of therapy is usually antibiotics. They can only be prescribed by a doctor when the results of an analysis to identify the causative agent of the disease are obtained. Broad antibacterial effects have:

1. "Mexform".
2. Sulfasalazine.
3. "Erythromycin."

Colitis treatment is not limited to antibiotic therapy. It will be possible to alleviate the condition with medicines:

1. Probiotics - “Bifikolom”, “Intestopanom”, “Bifidumbacterin”. With antibiotic therapy, these drugs provide the restoration of impaired intestinal microflora.
2. Analgesics - Novocain, Platyphylline, Metacin. Eliminate severe pain.
3. Enzymatic - Mezim, Digestal, Abomin. Digestion improves with them.

Physiotherapy is effective only in remission of the disease. In place of the epigastrium of the child, a heating pad is applied. The therapy is supplemented with ozokerite, paraffin therapy, diathermy. For most children, this treatment regimen helps a lot.

If there are no results from conservative treatment, the doctor may advise the operation. It is based on the resection of the problematic part of the colon, after which the direct segment fuses with the ileum.

Diet

When treating, you must adhere to a special diet. During therapy, children are forbidden to give fried foods, rich soups. Products must be baked, cooked or steamed. If the baby is breastfed, then his mother should not eat aggressive food, which can lead to allergies.

The food of a nursing woman should be well digestible. When lactating, it is useful to eat mashed potatoes, low-fat soups, grated cereals, chicken broths. Fresh vegetables and fruits should be excluded. The specific diet differs from the type of colitis:

1. With nonspecific and ulcerative colitis, the use of berries, lean meat, boiled eggs, mucous porridges, and cheese liver is allowed. Food needs to be eaten warm. Products are steamed or boiled. Eat small meals every 3 hours. Dinner should be no later than 8 pm.
2. If spastic pricks, eat legumes, bran bread, fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, mashed soups, jelly. If there is no pain, you can eat cereals, juices, diluted with water. But with an exacerbation this cannot be done.
3. During an exacerbation of inflammation, wheat bran, weak tea, rosehip decoctions, mucous cereals, jelly are useful. Products should be chewed carefully. Do not eat too hot or cold dishes.
4. During remission, dairy products, baked fruits, tea, low-fat meat, stewed vegetables are needed. Warm meals needed. Drink should be at least 1.5-2 liters. Do not overeat.
5. If there is constipation, it is useful to eat wholemeal bread, inedible pastries, dry biscuits, honey, and prunes. Food should be boiled or baked.
6. With diarrhea, dried white bread, pasta, low-fat cottage cheese, buckwheat, green tea are used. You need to eat at least 5 times a day.

Prevention

The main condition for prevention is dietary compliance. The menu should be selected based on the age of the child. Colitis in newborns appears with improper nutrition of the mother, so a woman should follow a diet prescribed by a doctor.

In addition to restoring the child’s diet, you need to regularly go to the pediatrician, which will allow you to timely identify the ailment. It is important to abandon bad habits (adolescents). Antibiotics and other medicines should not be given without a doctor’s prescription. Timely treatment of helminthic invasions, dysbiosis and intestinal infections is also required. Compliance with the rules of prevention will prevent such an unpleasant ailment as colitis.