Young children are often particularly sensitive to food and environmental changes. A fragile body cannot cope with a large number of irritants, reacting to them with the appearance of diathesis. This pathology scares parents, because its treatment can be difficult. Diathesis cannot be called a disease. This phenomenon is considered the first sign of the presence in the body of factors that irritate the immune system. Why does diathesis occur in a child? How to treat this pathology?
General information
The term "diathesis" is commonly understood as a pathology of the body, which causes a predisposition to certain diseases. For the first time this concept was introduced into pediatrics at the beginning of the 20th century. The level of development of science at that time did not give accurate ideas about the genetic and molecular mechanisms of diseases. Therefore, the term "diathesis" was used to denote a predisposition to something. Today, the doctrine of this pathology is of more historical interest, but is still used in pediatrics.
Diathesis is not an independent disease or syndrome, but a feature of the organism. It is closely related to hereditary, environmental, age factors. In modernIn pediatric practice, it is customary to distinguish three forms of constitutional anomalies:
- nerve-arthritic (prone to inflammation of the joints, atherosclerosis, diabetes and obesity);
- lymphatic-hypoplastic (predisposition to pathologies of the lymph nodes, infectious diseases);
- exudative-catarrhal (tendency to allergic reactions).
These are the most common forms in which diathesis can manifest itself. Photos of small patients with such a diagnosis practically do not differ, because in their pure form, various pathology options are rare. Usually a child has a combination of several disorders at the same time with a clear predominance of one of them.
Causes of diathesis
The key cause of anomalies of the constitution is the immaturity and weakness of the digestive system. The intestines of a newborn, due to a deficiency of certain enzymes, are not able to effectively break down food components. The permeability of the walls of this organ in a child's body is several times higher than in an adult. Unsplit food molecules as a result penetrate into the baby's blood. As a result, antibodies begin to be produced. Thus, diathesis gradually develops.
The causes of this pathology may be hidden in individual intolerance to certain types of protein. Genetic predisposition to allergic reactions also contributes to the appearance of this constitutional feature. Drug/herbal abuse and improper diet during pregnancy can affect the baby's he alth.
The abrupt introduction of complementary foods also often results in diathesis (a photo of the pathology is presented in the materials of the article). Foods most likely to cause this disorder in children include:
- citrus;
- cow's milk protein;
- red vegetables and fruits;
- chocolate, honey, nuts.
If the baby is breastfed, and the mother does not follow the principles of proper nutrition, in 80% of cases diathesis occurs in the child. How to treat this disorder, the doctor should tell. Initially, it is necessary to determine which product is causing the allergic reaction. In the vast majority of cases, the pathology resolves on its own after the formation of the child's digestive system.
Symptoms of exudative catarrhal diathesis
This form of the disorder is often referred to as allergic diathesis. The child is a month old, and the doctor has already made such a diagnosis? Do not worry ahead of time. The fact is that this pathology occurs in every third baby.
The most common clinical manifestation is atopic dermatitis. At its core, this disease is a food allergy. Its development is due to omissions in the diet of a woman both during pregnancy and during breastfeeding. Allergic diathesis is one of the most common pathologies among babies. Pediatricians explain this trend by the imperfection of the digestive system of the child's body. Against the background of certain age characteristics,various aggressive substances that cause an immune system reaction. In 75% of cases, such an anomaly resolves on its own after the first year of a child's life.
What does diathesis look like? Symptoms in most cases are associated with disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, damage to the skin and mucous membranes. The digestive tract reacts to the appearance of an allergen with bloating, intestinal colic. External signs of diathesis include redness of the face, the appearance of rashes on the skin and diaper rash. In adolescents, this form of pathology is also not uncommon. Her appearance is usually indicated by allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, conjunctivitis.
Symptoms of lymphatic-hypoplastic diathesis
Lymphatic-hypoplastic diathesis accounts for about 10% of cases of all constitutional anomalies. Its development is due to a violation of the endocrine function of the adrenal cortex. The trigger for the onset of the disease can be toxicosis or birth trauma. What does diathesis look like?
Kids with this diagnosis are distinguished by a disproportionate physique: a short neck, elongated limbs, a wide chest. Already in the first months of life, such children have proliferation of lymph nodes, enlargement of the liver and spleen. They have poorly developed muscles, pale skin. Such children get tired very quickly, often suffer from infectious diseases. The characteristic features of the constitution are pronounced from the first months of life. With favorable development, they disappear by puberty. Some have symptoms of thymico-lymphatic statuspersist throughout life.
Symptoms of neuroarthritic diathesis
This form of pathology is caused by a violation of the metabolism of uric acid and individual purine compounds. Toxic products gradually accumulate in the body, affecting the work of the central nervous system, joints and other systems. Nervous diathesis begins to manifest itself in the first year of a child's life. Such children do not gain weight well, require constant attention from their parents. After a year, babies with this diagnosis are ahead of their peers in mental development. They have a good memory and learning ability. The other side of the coin is sleep disturbances, enuresis, poor appetite.
Medical examination and confirmation of diagnosis
Diathesis is not an independent disease. Therefore, babies with manifestations of constitutional anomalies can be patients of various specialists - a pediatrician, nephrologist, endocrinologist, dermatologist. Laboratory methods are used to confirm the final diagnosis. All small patients take a blood and urine test to determine the level of glucose, cholesterol, uric acid. It is mandatory to study feces for dysbacteriosis. With lymphatic-hypoplastic diathesis, ultrasound of the lymph nodes, liver and spleen is additionally performed.
General treatment recommendations
If a child is diagnosed with diathesis, what should I do? This is the question parents ask. You can get rid of insidious symptoms with the help of a strict diet, medications and the exclusion of direct contact with allergens. Sometimesstandard therapy is supplemented with traditional medicine recipes.
Doctors recommend strictly following the prescribed diet. In addition, it is necessary to take care of the skin of the baby. For example, seborrheic crusts should be removed periodically, after softening them with petroleum jelly. It is recommended to pay special attention to the clothes of the baby. Vests and blouses are best purchased from natural materials. When washing, use special hypoallergenic powders and products.
What needs to be changed in the diet?
Mother's milk is considered the ideal food for a newborn. Its unique composition creates a kind of barrier against foreign organisms in the child's body. However, in some children, even breast milk causes allergies and provokes diathesis on the cheeks. Treatment in this case is based on a hypoallergenic diet for the mother. From the diet should be excluded all foods that could provoke skin rashes in a child. It is recommended to pay special attention to garlic, meat, fish, chicken and mushrooms. The amount of dairy products in the diet can be increased. Diversify the diet should be vegetables, low-fat cheese, fruit juices.
If the child is on mixed and artificial feeding, parents are also forced to make adjustments to the diet. If you are allergic to protein compounds in cow's milk, this drink should be excluded. In such cases, children are transferred to sour-milk mixtures. If such a diet is ineffective, mixtures based on soy protein are introduced into the baby's diet. The positive effect of their use is observed not earlier than in 2-3 weeks. Pediatricians recommend complementary foods from the age of four months. It starts with a one-component vegetable puree or porridge on a soy mixture. From six months, you can give your baby meat purees. It is recommended to exclude egg yolk, fish and seafood from the diet. Pasta is introduced a little later.
Diet therapy is the main method of dealing with such a disorder as diathesis. Treatment of children is based on the replacement of foods that provoke an allergic reaction with equivalent ones. The choice of a specific diet is determined by the doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of a small organism. It should be followed until the symptoms of the disease disappear.
Drug therapy
An important step in treatment is drug therapy. Medications are designed to eliminate unpleasant symptoms and alleviate the condition of the child. For catarrhal and allergic diathesis, the following remedies are considered especially effective:
- Ointments and creams. They relieve irritation and itching on the skin. Any diathesis ointment contains a small dose of hormones. Drugs are prescribed by a doctor only with pronounced signs and inflammatory processes. Among the most popular means are "Elokom", "Advantan", "Celestoderm".
- First generation antihistamines. Medicines have a slight sedative effect, so they are recommended for restless children. Among the most effective means are"Suprastin", "Tavegil". The course of treatment is two weeks.
- Antibacterial drugs. If a pathogenic microflora joins the pathological process, antibiotics are prescribed. In combination with them, it is necessary to take probiotics: Linex, Bifidumbacterin.
- With poorly healing prickly heat, diathesis ointment is used with zinc oxide. Exceptionally positive feedback from parents deserved the drug "Desitin".
- Immunomodulators. The need to prescribe medications that correct the work of the body's defense system remains in question. In young children, regardless of the presence or absence of a pathological process, it is immature. Additional load on the immune system can lead to autoimmune reactions, and not overcome diathesis.
Treatment of any form of pathology can only be prescribed by a specialist. The action of drugs is aimed at reducing the external manifestations of the disease. Most of them contain hormonal substances. Therefore, they should be used with caution and only as prescribed by a doctor.
The course of therapy for lymphatic-hypoplastic diathesis additionally includes the intake of synthetic adaptogens and vitamins. With the development of adrenal insufficiency, glucocorticoids are prescribed.
Treatment at home
Diathesis is an ailment that is almost impossible to get rid of without home treatment and traditional medicine. However, before starting a course of therapy, you should consult your doctor.
During the periodexacerbation of pathology, small patients are shown daily baths. With weeping eczema, a small amount of potassium permanganate is added to the water, and with diaper rash, herbal infusion. To prepare it, you need to mix in equal parts a string, sage and starch. Then a tablespoon of herbal collection is poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for about 20 minutes. After that, the broth should be filtered and added to water.
After a bath, pediatricians recommend lubricating the skin folds with warm vegetable oil. For the treatment of allergic rashes, furacilin lotions are used. Half the tablet is diluted in a glass of water, and then a cotton pad is moistened in the solution and wiped over the baby's skin. Soda lotions are used to relieve itching. A teaspoon of soda must be diluted in a glass of warm water. Then the cotton pad should be soaked in liquid and gently applied to the inflamed area.
To care for the affected areas of the skin, pediatricians recommend using special medical cosmetics with moisturizing ingredients. Pharmaceutical companies today offer not so many options for products designed specifically to eliminate the external effects of diathesis. Cosmetic creams help relieve swelling and itching, get rid of rashes. However, almost all drugs contain substances that can cause new allergic reactions in especially sensitive babies.
Prevention measures and prognosis
Catarrhal diathesis is considered the safest form of pathology. If you follow the doctor's recommendations fornutrition and treatment, its symptoms disappear without a trace. A different attitude requires neuro-arthritic and lymphatic-hypoplastic variants of the disease. In this case, serious therapy and constant monitoring of the child's condition are required. At the initial stage of any form of diathesis, there are no pathogenic microbes on the skin, that is, the inflammation is aseptic. Complications appear over time if the baby does not receive proper care and treatment. Through scratching, pathogenic microflora can enter the wounds on the skin. As a result, the affected area becomes inflamed, pyoderma develops. If the diet is not followed and constant contact with allergens, the symptoms of pathology can be observed in adolescence. In this case, the manifestations of an anomaly of the constitution indicate a weakness of the immune system and inadequate functioning of the systems of internal organs.
To avoid the above-mentioned consequences, it is necessary to take care of the prevention of diathesis and treat it properly. To prevent this disease, doctors recommend:
- follow a hypoallergenic diet during pregnancy;
- wash baby clothes with special powders;
- care for baby skin;
- harden the child, strengthen his immune system;
- at the first symptoms of diathesis, visit a doctor;
- identify the allergen and avoid contact with irritating substances.
Diathesis is primarily a signal for parents about problems in the child's body. Its manifestations should not be ignored and considered a harmless phenomenon. The first symptoms of the disorder should be the reasonto contact the pediatrician. Only timely treatment and proper care of the baby can help in the fight against this pathology. Otherwise, the likelihood of complications increases. The most dangerous among them can be considered pyoderma.
Take care of your baby's he alth from the very first days of his life. Modern medicine helps to cope with any disturbances in the work of a small organism. Often this does not require the use of serious medications, it is enough just to adjust the diet. Stay he althy!
