Intestinal infection is a large group of diseases caused by microbes that enter the child through the mouth and provoke disturbances on the part of the whole body as a whole, and the digestive system in particular.
The most common types:
a) bacterial intestinal infections: salmonellosis, dysentery, Escherichiosis (inflammation is provoked by pathogenic types of E. coli - Escherichia), campylobacteriosis;
b) viral: enterovirus, rotavirus infection.
Intestinal
infection in children has very similar
symptoms - both viral and bacterial - therefore, it is important to correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.
How does intestinal infection manifest in children
The disease begins acutely, that is, until a certain moment, the child feels absolutely good, then the symptoms appear and increase:
- increase in body temperature;
vomiting
- diarrhea.
At the same time, you can find a connection with the use of some not very high-quality or “suspicious” food: a soup that stood for several days in the refrigerator, expired yogurt or cottage cheese, a cream cake, a raw egg. Such symptoms can also occur after close communication in the children's team, when one of the children is already sick, and his saliva falls on common toys, and from them through unwashed hands into the mouth of the remaining babies.
An intestinal
infection in children, the symptoms that distinguish it specifically are fever, vomiting and a violation of the general condition. It is understood that the reaction to a new type of product introduced into the baby’s food can manifest itself only in the form of diarrhea, which goes away after a day or a little less when this product is canceled. But if the food contained precisely the microbe (that is, it is an intestinal infection), then all the signs will be observed.
Intestinal infection in children: symptoms that may be misleading
1) If the child is lethargic, drowsy, has fever and diarrhea, this is not necessarily an intestinal infection. These symptoms can also manifest pneumonia caused by an atypical microbe (for example, chlamydia). A medical examination is required.
2) An increased temperature is accompanied by a headache or a change in general condition, there is no diarrhea or it is single, vomiting is observed regardless of food intake. There can be several reasons for this condition (including, in fact, an intestinal infection), and the worst of them is meningitis. In that case, a doctor’s examination is also very important.
Intestinal infection in a child: symptoms that need help in a hospital setting
- Violation of the general condition of the child: agitation or, conversely, weakness. This usually indicates dehydration, and the first option corresponds to an easier stage.
- High body temperature, especially in a child of the first year of life. Up to 6 years of life, each child can respond to temperatures above 38 degrees with convulsions with impaired or respiratory arrest.
- Frequent breathing (compared with the age norm).
- Change in skin color, especially in the area of the mucous membrane of the lips, nail beds, nasolabial triangle: in the case of blue or blanching of these areas, hospitalization is required.
- Dry skin and mucous membranes; in infants, a fontanel is sagging.
- Sinking eyeballs.
- Decrease in the amount of urine.
- Persistent vomiting or repeated loose stools.
- Cramps in the limbs.
You can try to cope at home, under the guidance of the local pediatrician, if you manage to make up for all the fluid lost with diarrhea, temperature and vomiting (plus you give it an age norm), if the temperature gets off with Nurofen or Paracetamol preparations. Otherwise, do not wait for serious consequences - call the ambulance and go to hospital.
Intestinal infection in a child: first aid and what is important to remember for a lifetime
In no case should you stop diarrhea by taking drugs such as Loperamide. So you can only "run" the infection into the blood, which is very life-threatening.
If you suspect that your child has an intestinal infection (there are the above symptoms), your actions should be as follows:
- give the child a means of "Smecta" or "White coal" in an age-specific dosage;
- drink it with water, a little sweet tea, if it continues to vomit, but most of the liquid is absorbed - a solution of Regidron, Humana Electrolyte, or others;
- buy a test for rotavirus infection (Rotatest) at the pharmacy, if it turns out to be positive - antibiotics are not needed, if it is negative and there is a high body temperature, then buy Enetrofuril or Nifuroxazide in syrup or tablets (these are antibiotics) ;
- It is also important to buy an acetone test (these are strips that are dipped in urine). Acetone should normally be negative if it is “++” or more, this may be the reason that persistent vomiting persists, only intravenous administration of solutions and proper drinking will help, but already in a hospital setting;
- in parallel with antibiotics, you need to buy probiotics (Enterozhermina, Bio-Gaia, Latsidofil)
If you have a intestinal infection in children whose symptoms are worrying (indicated above), or because of severe vomiting, you cannot fill up the volume of fluid, go to the hospital.