Enteritis in children is diagnosed quite often. This is a very common disease that is accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the small intestine. The development of such a disease is associated either with the activity of pathogenic microorganisms, or with other diseases of the digestive tract. In any case, the child needs therapy.
Of course, many parents are interested in additional information about pathology. Why does enteritis develop in children? Symptoms and treatment, causes and possible complications are important information worth studying.
The main causes of the development of the disease in children
Many parents are interested in information about the symptoms and treatment of enteritis in children. Of course, this is important information, but first you need to understand the causes of the development of pathology.
- Quite often, the disease develops against the background of the penetration of various viruses into the body (for example, rotavirus enteritis in children is diagnosed quite often). You can get an infection whencontact with the patient. In addition, viral pathogens are also spread through everyday life.
- Inflammation can be the result of bacterial and even fungal activity.
- The list of reasons also includes the ingestion of toxins into the body, in particular, certain types of fungi (poisonous), s alts of heavy metals, etc.
- Enteritis in children sometimes develops against the background of worm infestation.
- Inflammation can also be caused by physical effects such as radiation exposure.
- The disease sometimes develops while taking certain medications, in particular, sulfonamides, as well as drugs that contain iodine.
- Allergic reactions can also lead to inflammation in the small intestine.
- There are also nutritional factors. For example, the risk of developing inflammation is increased if the child eats foods that are inappropriate for their age, eating too much or too little, eating foods that are too cold or hot.
- In addition, the causes include somatic diseases, as well as pathologies of the digestive system, in particular celiac disease, pancreatitis and enzyme deficiency.
There are also some predisposing factors. In particular, the risk of developing the disease increases against the background of beriberi, severe hypothermia or overheating of the child's body. Dysbacteriosis is also potentially dangerous.
Enteritis in children: acute symptoms
This disease is accompanied by inflammation of the intestine,therefore the first symptoms resemble indigestion. As the disease progresses, the condition of a small patient worsens significantly. Viral enteritis in children (as well as its other types) is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- diarrhea, in which bowel movements occur 20 times a day, and sometimes more;
- feces are not hard, mushy, and sometimes you can see quite large remnants of undigested food in them;
- if we are talking about babies, then their stool is watery;
- there is flatulence, bloating, as well as rumbling in the abdomen, which increases with palpation;
- sometimes little patients suffer from nausea, and its attacks often end in vomiting;
- pain in the navel area after eating (they can be dull, sharp, cramping).
When these symptoms are present, it is extremely important to take the child to the doctor. The sooner treatment is started, the less likely complications will develop.
Other clinical features
Inflammation of the small intestine affects the processes of digestion and, accordingly, metabolism. In addition, there is dehydration. All this provokes the appearance of other symptoms, which at first glance have nothing to do with the intestines. Their list includes the following:
- dry skin;
- appearance of edema;
- muscle pain, weakness;
- quick weight loss;
- fatigue;
- loss of appetite;
- sleep problems (child often wakes up, suffers from daytime sleepiness, but cannot fall asleep despite being tired);
- dryness, brittleness and hair loss;
- appearance of bruises on the skin;
- recurrent headaches;
- weak nails that crumble and exfoliate;
- jaws in the corners of the mouth;
- constant irritability, mood swings.
Of course, you should not ignore such symptoms in any case - you need to urgently show the child to the doctor and pass the necessary tests.
Features of chronic enteritis in children
Unfortunately, this disease often becomes chronic. In this case, a constantly progressive inflammatory process leads to gradual dystrophy and atrophy of the intestinal walls.
As in the acute form, the patient has a rapid stool, and the volume of feces increases. During bowel movements, there is pain in the abdomen, palpitations, weakness, trembling in the limbs. There is an increased formation of gases in the intestines, as well as rumbling in the abdomen. Dystrophic changes in the intestinal wall lead to serious metabolic disorders.
Possible complications of enteritis
Mild forms of enteritis in children respond relatively well to treatment. Nevertheless, there is always the possibility of developing certain complications. You should definitely check out their list.
- As already mentioned, acute enteritis in children is accompanied by diarrhea. The body is rapidlyloses fluid, which eventually leads to dehydration, which is extremely dangerous for the child's body.
- Inflammation of the small intestine is associated with impaired digestion. In addition, there is always a risk of intestinal bleeding. Enteritis in young patients (especially when it comes to the chronic form of the disease) often leads to iron deficiency anemia.
- In the most severe cases, against the background of inflammation, perforation occurs in the small intestine, which is accompanied by the ingestion of the contents of the digestive tract into the abdominal cavity. This condition is extremely dangerous, as it can lead to various systemic lesions, including sepsis.
- Some patients develop anemia associated with vitamin B12 deficiency due to enteritis.
Diagnostic measures
If you have diarrhea and other symptoms, you need to urgently show the baby to the pediatrician. First, the doctor will conduct a general examination and collect information about the symptoms that have appeared in the little patient. Enteritis in a child can be accurately diagnosed using laboratory tests.
First you need laboratory tests of blood and urine. A coprogram is also mandatory - when studying feces, they pay attention to the consistency and color, as well as the presence of certain chemicals and helminth eggs. In addition, feces are used for bacteriological culture - this way you can identify the pathogen (if it is fungi or bacteria), as well as check the degree of its sensitivity to certain drugs.funds.
Scheme of treatment of the disease
Therapy for such a disease must be comprehensive. Moreover, the choice of the drug directly depends on the causes of the development of the disease, as well as on the general condition of the child.
As a rule, rehydration is carried out first of all, because the baby's body loses a lot of water. For this purpose, a small patient is injected intravenously with special solutions, for example, Regidron. If the cause of enteritis is a bacterial infection, then patients are prescribed antibiotics, and in case of fungal infection, antifungal drugs. Vitamins are also included in the treatment regimen (the entire spectrum of B vitamins must be present in the preparations). It is also necessary to take probiotics to treat or prevent dysbacteriosis. Antidiarrheals are not included in the treatment regimen for children.
Proper nutrition
Treatment of enteritis in children necessarily includes proper nutrition. In the process of therapy, it is important to provide the body of a sick child with the necessary amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, while relieving the load from the intestines.
If we are talking about a small child, then it is necessary to include sour-milk mixtures in his diet, as well as special milk porridges with probiotics - this will help restore normal microflora.
As for older children, their diet should be as smoky as possible. The menu can include mashed boiled vegetables, soups (also in the form of mashed potatoes), ricedecoction, pureed porridge. Carbohydrates, fiber and coarse fibers, milk should be excluded from the diet for a while.
Relapse Prevention
Unfortunately, there are no preventive drugs to prevent the development of such a disease as enteritis in children. Therefore, doctors recommend only avoiding risk factors, adhering to personal hygiene rules (parents should carefully monitor this).
In addition, children with various food allergies, functional disorders of the intestines and dysbacteriosis should be registered with a doctor and periodically undergo examinations by a doctor. Babies who have had acute intestinal diseases are also periodically tested.
After enteritis, as well as in the presence of risk factors, small patients undergo anti-relapse therapy, which includes proper nutrition, intake of enzymes and vitamin complexes. A child prone to relapse is shown periodic spa treatment (not earlier than three months after the inflammatory process has subsided).
