One of the most dangerous diseases is enterocolitis in a child. As a rule, its symptoms and treatment are established by a pediatrician or gastroenterologist. With untimely treatment, the disease is dangerous death. When contacting a specialist in time, you can achieve a full recovery of your child.
Disease Description
Enterocolitis in a child is characterized by the development of inflammation, as well as swelling of the intestinal mucosa. In this case, its normal functioning is disrupted. This disease is the most common among pathologies of the inflammatory nature of the digestive tract. Enterocolitis in children is more complicated than in adults.
If untreated, there may be complications that are dangerous to health: perforation of the intestine, peritonitis. Enterocolitis in children under one year is most difficult. To eliminate the symptoms that give the child an unpleasant sensation, it is necessary to diagnose the disease and prescribe medications.
Causes of the disease and risk factors
As a rule, factors are divided into infectious and non-infectious types. The first include viruses, helminths, protozoa, and pathogenic bacteria. The second type is an allergic reaction, taking antibiotics, concomitant diseases of the stomach and eating disorders.
In addition, poor ecology, fetal infection in utero, diathesis may be related to the development of the disease.
How does intestinal inflammation manifest itself in newborns?
The severe course of enterocolitis in a child is due to the fact that at this moment the digestive organs are not yet adapted to other living conditions, often there are failures in the digestive tract.
The causative agent of this disease in newborns is usually staphylococcus. It enters the body of the child, if you do not follow the rules of hygiene. Another reason may be intrauterine infection of the fetus.
How the disease will proceed depends on the pathogen and the factors that exacerbate the inflammation. Enterocolitis in premature infants is very unfavorable. The treatment is prescribed very complicated and long.
Intestinal colitis: symptoms in children
These characteristics of the disease depend on the course and type. Often, enterocolitis in a child is similar to ordinary colic, that is, it manifests itself with cramping pains in the tummy. For this reason, most mothers and fathers are waiting for everything to pass by itself. But in the case when other signs appear along with colic, you need to immediately contact a specialist. It will help to exclude or confirm the diagnosis.
The main symptoms of enterocolitis in children are:
- cutting or cramping abdominal pain;
- frequent loose stools up to 9 times in 12 hours, which can alternate with constipation;
- feces mixed with greens or blood;
- increase in body temperature to 39 degrees;
- vomiting, nausea, or regurgitation;
- weakness and lethargy of the child;
- joint pain
- headache;
- heartburn or flatulence.
These signs indicate the development of inflammation in the intestines. You should contact a specialist or call an emergency medical care. In the chronic form of the disease, the symptoms are the same as in acute enterocolitis in children. It must be remembered that the timely appointment of therapy will help the baby recover faster and return to the normal pace of life.
What can be the complications of the disease?
Necrotic enterocolitis in children is one of the consequences of this disease with untimely treatment. It is characterized by the acquisition of an ulcerative form, which provokes the development of tissue necrotization. Usually in this case, surgery is used. Patients with this diagnosis are infants whose mass at birth was less than two kilograms. Other causes are severe child hypoxia and congenital malformations. Intestinal ischemia leads to such inflammation. This condition is characterized by circulatory disorders in the intestinal wall.
In this disease, developmental stages are distinguished such as prodromal (regular enterocolitis), clinical manifestations of NEC (baby's regurgitation of milk mixed with bile, weight loss, dysbiosis), preperforation (the baby’s condition worsens, dehydration, and blood from the rectum), perforated peritonitis (pain shock, decrease in body temperature). At the last stage: the earlier the operation is performed, the greater the chance that the baby will live.
Treatment of necrotic enterocolitis is carried out in the same way as with ordinary intestinal inflammation, both chronic and acute. A prerequisite is the use of antibiotics, vitamins and other medicines, dieting.
Treatment of enterocolitis in children
Where the child will be when diagnosing this disease: in the hospital or at home, depends on the condition of the baby and the reasons. With food poisoning, immediate gastric lavage is necessary. Enterocolitis treatment is carried out comprehensively. Medications, a strict diet, and bed rest are prescribed. Folk remedies may also be used. But a mandatory consultation with a specialist is necessary. When diagnosing enterocolitis in children, whose symptoms are very dangerous, you can not be treated on their own. This can adversely affect the health of the child and lead to disastrous consequences.
Medications for intestinal inflammation
Medicines that must be taken with the disease are prescribed by a specialist. To eliminate the cause, antibiotics or antiviral drugs are used. They are needed only if the inflammation of the intestine is of an infected nature. To normalize the functions of the stomach, enterosorbents and enzymes, as well as probiotics, should be taken.
Both the elimination of symptoms of enterocolitis, and treatment in children is carried out by the appointment of antipyretic and antiemetic drugs. With diarrhea, the child should be given an antidiarrheal medicine. In order for the cramping abdominal pain to stop, antispasmodics are prescribed. After a certain short time, they remove unpleasant sensations.
If dehydration has nevertheless occurred, infusion therapy should be performed immediately.
Treatment with folk remedies
They are used, as a rule, as additional elements during general therapy. Medicinal plants such as chamomile and mint, fennel seeds and calendula are used. Decoctions are made of them. For cooking, you need one large spoon of one of the plants, then it is poured with one cup of boiling water and allowed to infuse for half an hour. It should be taken immediately before meals in small portions.
An infusion of herbs of fennel, chamomile, calamus root and valerian root helps with diarrhea. They are taken in the required proportions and filled with a cup of boiled water. After put on fire and boil for 20 minutes. Infuse this mixture for about 3.5 hours. It should be taken three times a day.
The anti-inflammatory effect is inherent in carrot juice. In the absence of individual product intolerance to children, take one tablespoon twice a day.
Sea buckthorn oil has the same property. It should be drunk one teaspoon three times a day for two weeks. It is prescribed for chronic enterocolitis. With diarrhea, this remedy can not be used.
Propolis tincture improves the functioning of the immune system and the regeneration of damaged intestinal mucosa. It must be taken after dissolving in a small amount of water. Milk is not suitable in this case. The number of drops of propolis tincture should be taken according to the age of the patient. The course lasts two weeks.
What diet should be followed for enteritis?
In parallel with taking medications, the main requirement for enterocolitis in a child is compliance with certain rules in the diet. All this is called a diet. If you do not follow it, take only medications, then it is impossible to recover. In the future, complications will appear. So, the diet for this disease includes the use of products such as:
- low-fat varieties of meat, fish (preferably served as mashed potatoes);
- steamed dishes;
- soups on lean broth with rice;
- cereals cooked on water, you can eat buckwheat, rice and oatmeal;
- steamed omelettes;
- jelly, green tea or compote, also the child can be watered with a rosehip decoction.
In acute enterocolitis in children, it is recommended not to give him either water or tea in the first five hours. All this is done to unload the intestines.
For newborn babies, the amount of breast milk consumed should be reduced. Mom should also follow a special diet at this time.
Artificial nutrition for infants will require a treatment mixture. At first, the volume of its consumption is small with enterocolitis in children. Symptoms of this disease should gradually disappear. But this does not mean a quick cure for the disease.
It is strictly forbidden to eat dishes fried, salted and spicy.
Disease prevention
Compliance with certain rules does not guarantee that your child will not get sick, but will reduce the risks. Prevention must be applied not only to children, but also to mothers. Everyone, without exception, should observe hygiene. Unsanitary conditions attract harmful microorganisms that are carriers of most infectious diseases. Therefore, a day to devote several minutes to putting things in order in the house and the cleanliness of your hands, of course, is worth it.
In addition, you should eat right. Compliance with the daily routine is an integral part of a healthy human body.
Before you eat anything, the product must be properly processed. Namely, the fruits should be thoroughly washed under running water, and the meat must be thoroughly cooked. Then there is no doubt that infections will bypass you.
Do not put off the disease of the gastrointestinal tract for later. They should be treated promptly. Failure to comply with doctor's prescriptions can lead to complications of the functioning of the stomach. Take care of your health yourself.
Prevention and treatment of parasitic diseases is also one of the recommendations in order to warn the child against intestinal inflammation.
What do parents need to know about enteritis?
Moms and dads should understand that enterocolitis in a child is not a simple bowel disease. This is a very serious infectious disease, which is accompanied by inflammation of the intestines.
Immediately, after the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease, you need to contact a specialist. In 20% of cases when parents do not seek help, severe complications are observed in children, which can be fatal. Do not neglect the health of your child and refer to "maybe it will pass." Since it is a timely visit to a specialist that will increase the chances of a full recovery of the baby.