The main system that protects the body from the effects of foreign substances is the immune system. Usually, if everything is normal in a person, then it does not react to the tissues of its own body. This is called immunological tolerance.
But sometimes there are disorders due to which one's own cells and tissues are perceived as foreign. And the immune system attacks these objects, causing autoimmune diseases in children, the list of which is varied.
Features
Body cells can become a target under the influence of any external factors, such as cold, ultraviolet radiation. Some kind of infection or medication, and the like.
A special place is given to viral infections, because, as you know, a virus is able to penetrate a cell and change its properties, as a result of which it will become a stranger toimmune system.
Autoimmune diseases occur across age groups and even children.
What autoimmune diseases can children suffer from:
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
- Ankylosing spondylitis in children.
- Dermatomyositis.
- Lymphocytic tereoiditis.
- Acute rheumatic fever.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus.
What are these diseases, discussed in more detail.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
This is a chronic inflammation of the joints that develops in children under the age of 16. Stimulates the development of the disease most often a viral infection, joint injuries, hypothermia, etc.
This disease affects the joints, so it is accompanied by pain, swelling, possible limitation and deformation of movements, fever in the affected area.
Extra-articular symptoms of an autoimmune disease in children include fever accompanied by a rash. The rash can be on the back, chest, face, limbs, buttocks. Itching is not observed.
From the side of the cardiovascular system, pain in the heart and behind the sternum is possible. A person is forced to be in a sitting position, there is a lack of air. The child himself is pale and has bluish limbs and lips. In addition, there may be a cough (if the lungs are affected) and abdominal pain (if the abdominal cavity is affected).
On the part of the lymphatic system, there is a significant increase in the lymph nodes up to 5 cm. They themselves are painfuland movable.
Eye damage is also possible: decreased visual acuity, photophobia, redness of the eyes. All this can even lead to loss of vision or glaucoma.
One of the important manifestations is growth retardation and osteoporosis, accompanied by increased bone fragility.
Arthritis treatment
With juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children, the clinical recommendations of doctors are ambiguous. It is quite difficult to treat this disease. Therapy includes diet, medication, exercise therapy and orthopedic correction.
Drug therapy is divided into symptomatic and immunosuppressive (to prevent further destruction and disability). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Diclofenac, Nimesulide, Meloxicam are used to reduce pain. They are used for no more than 6-12 weeks, after which you need to combine the medicine with immunosuppressive drugs.
Immunosuppressive therapy should begin immediately after diagnosis. The main drugs are Methotrexate, Cyclosporine, Leflunomide. Often they are combined. These drugs are well tolerated and have few side effects.
Medicines such as Cyclophosphamide, Azathioprine and Chlorambucil are rarely used in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis according to clinical guidelines. This happens due to the presence of severe side effects.
In the treatment of arthritis with this group of drugsbe sure to monitor blood counts (erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, leukocyte formula). Biochemical parameters are analyzed once every two weeks. In the event that the level of leukocytes, platelets and erythrocytes decreases, and the level of urea increases, it is necessary to stop taking immunosuppressive drugs for a week. After the indicators are normal, you can resume taking the medication again.
Recently, a new group of drugs for the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis has been created. These are Infliximab, Rituximab. They belong to the group of biological agents. But treatment with these drugs is possible only under the supervision of specialists.
Surgical intervention with further prosthetics is possible in severe joint deformities.
Systemic lupus erythematosus
What kind of disease, not everyone knows. This disease can affect different organs of the body, and manifests itself as a butterfly-shaped rash on the face (on the nose and cheeks). The affected organ will become inflamed. As a result, this part of the body becomes red, swollen, and may even hurt.
Inflammation is dangerous because it can affect the activity of other organs and tissues, and cause undesirable consequences. Therefore, therapy is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of inflammation.
Pain may start slowly at first, and over time (weeks, months or years) new symptoms will appear. Initially, children complain of malaise and fatigue, and the temperature may also rise. Next, fromfor organ damage, a rash appears. Ulcers appear in the mouth and nose. Raynaud's syndrome is also observed, when the hands change their color from red to blue when exposed to temperature.
Possible autoimmune hemolytic anemia in children, muscle pain, chest pain, headaches and seizures. The kidneys are often affected, which guarantees a long course of the disease. At the same time, pressure rises, edema develops, and blood appears in the urine.
Treatment of lupus
There are no specific drugs for autoimmune disease in children, as such. Treatment helps prevent complications and control symptoms. Basically, therapy is aimed at reducing inflammation.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen or Naloxen are used to reduce pain. Reduce the dose as symptoms improve.
Often used "Hydroxychloroquine", which belongs to the group of antimalarial drugs. It regulates abnormalities in the immune system and allows better control of the condition of the kidneys and heart, preventing further damage.
The main group of drugs used in systemic lupus erythematosus are corticosteroids. With severe kidney damage, anemia and CNS damage, high doses of drugs are used.
There is a special group of antirheumatic drugs that prevent the development of inflammation in children with an autoimmune disease. This includes the following drugs: Methotrexate,"Azathioprine", "Cyclophosphamide".
Ankylosing spondylitis
This is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints and spine.
Pain in the lumbar spine is the very first symptom. It prevents movement, it is difficult for a person to bend down, move to the sides.
Further, the pain spreads to the joints. After some time, the lower back is smoothed out, the curves of the spine disappear and a stoop is formed. The body in this disease takes as if the "pose of the petitioner." The joints themselves are swollen and sore.
Therapy for Bechterew's disease
As usual, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are taken to relieve pain.
Physiotherapy is also often used. But applying heat may exacerbate symptoms rather than relieve them.
Pick up a special physical therapy. Such patients should definitely follow a diet and monitor their weight in order to prevent excessive stress on the joints.
Dermatomyositis
This disease affects the small blood vessels of the skin and muscles. Because of this, a rash appears on certain areas of the body.
The child is tired, his joints are swollen and sore due to inflammation. A rash on the face, swelling around the eyes is characteristic. Next comes muscle pain and weakness.
One of the symptoms is calcification (hardening under the skin). On the surface of such formations there may be ulcers from which a white liquid containing calcium oozes.
There may also be bowel problems, resulting in abdominal pain orconstipation.
Muscle weakness can lead to difficulty swallowing and breathing problems. Shortness of breath often develops.
Dermatomyositis treatment
There is no cure for this disease. Symptomatic therapy is used to control the course of the pathology.
Corticosteroids such as methotrexate are used to relieve inflammation. Treatment begins with high doses, which are gradually reduced due to the many side effects of these drugs. In addition to this group, you can use other immunosuppressive drugs like "Cyclosporine", "Cyclophosphamide" (in severe cases of the disease), "Mofetil".
To improve vascular mobility and normalize physical condition, physiotherapy exercises are recommended.
Lymphocytic thyroiditis
Pathology is common. Represents autoimmune thyroid disease in a child. The process of inflammation begins imperceptibly. First, there is pain in the neck. The child has difficulty swallowing and may experience weakness, malaise, and a hoarse voice.
After some time (a few days or a couple of months) the temperature rises, headache, sweating, tachycardia appear. The size of the thyroid gland increases, it becomes dense and painful. The veins of the neck expand, edema and hyperemia of the face develop. These symptoms may persist for up to 6 weeks, after which the size decreases and soreness subsides.
Required diet food in the formliquid and semi-liquid food. Antibiotics are prescribed for 7-10 days. Depending on the symptoms, painkillers, heart medications and sleeping pills are used.
Acute rheumatic fever
This is an inflammatory disease of the heart and joints, which develops most often with insufficient treatment of pathologies caused by streptococci (for example, tonsillitis, scarlet fever and others).
Characteristically persistent rise in temperature, sometimes even up to 39 degrees. There is general fatigue, discomfort and swelling in the joints. Pain in the heart is accompanied by shortness of breath and palpitations, which increase with exertion.
In addition, the heart can increase in size. The rhythm of cardiac activity is also disturbed.
Possible painful rash with torn edges on the skin. The movements of the body, especially the limbs, are sometimes uncontrollable. There may be sudden outbursts of strange behavior like inappropriate laughter or, conversely, crying. These symptoms are collectively referred to as chore.
The main goal of treatment is the elimination of streptococcal infection, for which antibiotics from the penicillin group are used. Within 2 weeks, the symptoms of the disease disappear. But after that, long-term antibiotics are prescribed to prevent relapses.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce fever and pain. If their action is not enough, then glucocorticoids are prescribed.
For symptoms caused by chorea, anticonvulsants such as Carbamazepine and Valproicacid to prevent serious involuntary movements.
In any case, despite the type of disease, treatment is prescribed exclusively by a doctor. It is strictly forbidden to ignore unpleasant symptoms, and even more so to purchase various products on the advice of friends, in order to avoid undesirable consequences for the child's body.
