How to treat an intestinal virus in children. Symptoms of intestinal infection in children, home treatment and disease prevention

Intestinal infection in children is one of the most common groups of diseases.

After all, it is children who most often neglect hygiene standards, and their immature immunity is not able to fight back bacteria and viruses.

Intestinal infection is a disease characterized by disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and general intoxication of the body. The causative agent of the disease, entering the human body most often by the fecal-oral or airborne route, begins to multiply in the intestine, causing inflammation, interruptions in its work. Hence the typical manifestations of such infections: diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain.

Classification of intestinal infections

A bacterial intestinal infection is characterized by a severe course of the disease, it is characterized by high fever, nausea, vomiting, severe diarrhea and, as a result, dehydration.

The viral one is usually caused by rotaviruses and enteroviruses and is much more common, because it is transmitted by airborne droplets, and the patient excretes the virus for another 2-4 weeks after recovery. Despite this, viral infections are much easier to treat, have less pronounced symptoms and are less dangerous for the child.

Protozoal intestinal infection occurs much less frequently in children, since infection occurs when drinking water from reservoirs or very dirty vegetables and fruits, but its course can be longer than bacterial and viral, up to chronic forms.

It is noteworthy that the disease is seasonal in nature: in the summer, children are most often susceptible to bacterial infections, because in the heat, microorganisms multiply especially quickly in some products. In winter, children are most susceptible to rotavirus and enterovirus infections indoors in kindergartens and schools.

Pathogens and clinical manifestations in children

The causes of intestinal infections in children are diverse. Entering the body, pathogens actively multiply in a favorable environment, causing inflammation of the cells of the intestinal mucosa. As a result, diarrhea occurs - the main symptom of an intestinal infection in children. Other manifestations of the disease - vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, fever, general weakness - do not belong to the obligatory symptoms of the disease.

Dysentery, or shigellosis, is the most common bacterial infection among children, which is manifested by a sharp increase in temperature, frequent stools with impurities of mucus or pus (from 4 to 20 times a day), tenesmus, spasmolytic pain in the iliac region, as well as intoxication and weakness. The younger the child, the more pronounced intoxication of the body.

Salmonellosis often has a gastrointestinal form with a slight temperature, liquid and copious stools. There are also flu-like, septic and typhoid-like forms. Influenza-like is manifested by rhinitis, pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, typhoid-like - a long period of fever. The septic form of salmonellosis occurs in newborns, premature babies and children under one year old and is accompanied by the appearance of purulent foci throughout the body, it is extremely difficult.

Esherechiosis develops as a result of infection with an enteroinvasive, enterotoxigenic or enteropathogenic bacillus. Such a disease is characterized by fever, weakness, lethargy, regurgitation, flatulence, watery diarrhea, possibly even with blood. Children under 2 years of age are more likely to be infected with enteropathogenic eschecheriasis, and the disease is severe.

Yersiniosis is most often infected from animals. The manifestation of the disease begins with an increase in temperature. There are localized and generalized forms of the disease. Localized is manifested by liquid, fetid stools, gas formation in the intestines and the presence of first white and then raspberry plaque on the tongue. The generalized form is notable for a rash, damage to the liver, spleen, and enlarged lymph nodes.

A staphylococcal infection can be primary when eating contaminated food or secondary when the infection spreads from other sites in the body.

The disease is manifested by frequent stools, intoxication, and in case of secondary infection, it occurs simultaneously with the main disease: tonsillitis, pneumonia, etc.

Rotavirus intestinal infection in children begins acutely, often with fever, followed by vomiting and diarrhea. It is the most common among children.

Adults get sick with it much less often, because after one illness, immunity to a certain virus is formed. Also, the disease can be accompanied by rhinitis, sore throat, cough and conjunctivitis.

Enterovirus infection in a child occurs mainly in infancy. Clinical manifestations depend on localization: tonsillitis, myalgia, conjunctivitis, myositis, meningitis. In the gastrointestinal form, the disease proceeds in the form of enteritis.

Manifestations of the disease in children

First of all, it should be noted that intestinal infections in infants are most often accompanied by a violation of the general condition and dehydration. Therefore, it is advisable to treat them in a hospital setting.

Since a group of diseases is accompanied by intestinal damage, the general symptoms of intestinal infection in children can be grouped and designated as characteristic:

• diarrhea;
• vomit;
• temperature;
• nausea;
• flatulence;
• lack of appetite;
• pain and cramps in the abdomen;
• general weakness;
• dehydration.

The main symptom is diarrhea, which causes severe dehydration. If an intestinal infection is diagnosed in infants, it is necessary to carefully monitor the signs of dehydration:

• dry mouth;
• decreased frequency or lack of urination;
• sunken eyes or fontanel;
• dryness of the skin.

Diagnostics

A pediatrician or an infectious disease specialist can suggest a disease based on examination and clinical manifestations. But to determine the type of infection and choose the right treatment is possible only after the establishment of the pathogen.

According to statistics, acute intestinal infections in children in 80% of cases are caused by rotaviruses. Today, many pharmacies can already offer a test for determining rotavirus, which greatly simplifies diagnosis and treatment.

In case of bacterial etiology of the disease, the main method for diagnosing the disease in children is bacteriological examination. Also used in some cases enzyme immunoassay (ELISA), determination of antibody titer. A scatological examination can help with the definition of the affected area of ​​the gastrointestinal tract.

When diagnosing AII in children, it is important to exclude diseases such as acute appendicitis, lactase deficiency, pancreatitis, and others. Therefore, during hospitalization, an examination is carried out by a pediatric surgeon, a gastroenterologist, and in some cases, ultrasound diagnostics are also prescribed.

Intestinal diseases in children are manifested primarily by vomiting or diarrhea. This is how the protective reaction of the body manifests itself. If you know that the child has eaten something that can cause poisoning or infection, it is necessary to induce vomiting and give a cleansing enema.

Parents should not forget that in babies the supply of fluid and salts in the body is much lower than in an adult, therefore, in the treatment of intestinal infections, first of all, it is required to provide the child with liquid, preferably mineralized.

Treatment

Treatment of acute intestinal infection in children involves the use of complex measures.

Because it is necessary:

• facilitate the work of the intestines;
• remove intoxication;
• neutralize the pathogen;
• relieve the symptoms of the disease.

You can ease the work of the intestines by adhering to a special diet using enzymes (for children from 3 years old).

When diagnosing an intestinal infection in children under one year old, sour-milk mixtures, mixtures with bifidus and lactobacilli, as well as low-lactose and lactose-free mixtures are introduced into the diet.

It is advisable to puree food, do not consume dairy products, vegetables and berries, bread in the first days of illness.

Before making an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to remove intoxication and replenish fluid losses using oral rehydration drugs. If there are no such drugs, you can use decoctions of dried fruits or green tea. In extreme cases, ordinary mineral water without gas is also suitable.

For optimal restoration of the balance of salts and water, the temperature of the liquid should be as close as possible to body temperature. Only in this case, the assimilation of the liquid occurs as quickly as possible.

Fluid children need to be given frequently, but in small portions of a few milliliters every 5-10 minutes. In the treatment of intestinal infections in newborns, infusion therapy (intravenous fluid infusion) in a hospital is recommended.

To relieve intoxication, any pharmacy can offer a lot of enterosorbents in the form of tablets, suspensions and powders.

The use of drugs to reduce the number of bacteria, viruses and their metabolic products - toxins - is called etiotropic therapy.

This stage of treatment involves the use of antibiotics, bacteriophages, sorbents, immunoglobulins, lactoglobulins. To date, new drugs have been developed - eubiotics, which allow you to get rid of pathogenic bacteria without disturbing the intestinal microflora, as antibiotics do.

Unpleasant symptoms of the disease: cramps and pain in the abdomen are relieved with antispasmodics (drotaverine, papaverine), and the use of antidiarrheal drugs and antiemetics is agreed with the doctor, since there are strict age restrictions when using these drugs.

Nutrition for intestinal infections

The first rule: feed the child at will in the first few days of illness and in small portions.

In case of infection, it is advisable for infants to be fed exclusively with breast milk in small portions, additionally supplemented with ready-made water-salt solutions. Formula-fed babies are recommended to use low-lactose or lactose-free formulas.

For children under one year of age who are on complementary foods, in the first days of illness, it is recommended to reduce food intake. First, dairy-free porridge is introduced: rice or buckwheat. Then, with positive dynamics, you can add low-fat cottage cheese, sour-milk products, puréed meat or fish of low-fat varieties, as well as mashed berries or fruits in a small amount. Among vegetables, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower are the most suitable for the diet.

Fruit jelly, oatmeal, and biscuit cookies are also very useful during the recovery period.

Depending on the age of the child, after a week you can already return to the usual foods, with the exception of fatty, fried and confectionery.

During the recovery period, the diet is cut by 30-50%, so it is necessary to organize a gradual increase in food volumes.

A very important factor in recovery is the drinking regimen: in the first days of the disease, the child needs to consume fluids of at least 100 ml per 1 kg of weight.

Preventive measures

The main cause of intestinal infection in children is still a violation of hygiene rules, pollution of water bodies. Insects (most often flies) can also be carriers of pathogens. Therefore, the prevention of acute intestinal infections in children lies precisely in the observance of hygiene standards.

Prevention of intestinal infections in children of the first years of life is to keep bottles, pacifiers and toys clean. On the street, you should use only those toys that can be treated with antiseptic solutions. Bottles and utensils must be washed thoroughly.

Food products must be stored according to the conditions indicated on the packages, especially for dairy and meat products. Vegetables and fruits should be washed well with water. All food and water for children should be adequately cooked.

If someone in the house falls ill, it is necessary to isolate them if possible, or at least allocate separate dishes and a place to store them in order to avoid infecting others.

Intestinal infection in children is a very unpleasant and dangerous disease, therefore, at the slightest suspicion, it is necessary to stop visiting the kindergarten or school in order to avoid the spread of infection (especially rotavirus).

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Source: influenza: symptoms, treatment in children and adults

Intestinal flu, the symptoms, the treatment of which will be described below, is medically called "rotavirus infection". The disease is caused, as the name implies, by rotavirus. It is transmitted from a sick person to others with saliva, feces and even urine, that is, you can get infected through unwashed hands, when drinking unboiled water or dairy products, when using shared toys or utensils with a sick child, by airborne droplets. Contagious is someone who clearly has rotavirus infection (usually children), as well as someone who has had subtle symptoms of an intestinal infection caused by this microbe (usually adults). The contagiousness of a patient with a latent or overt form of rotavirus persists for a day.

Explicit clinical symptoms usually occur in children. Children under 7 years of age are most susceptible to the disease. Adults usually have a mild illness - within a couple of days they have loose stools and a reddened throat (and they are contagious). Intestinal flu, the symptoms, the treatment of which is necessary for parents of young children, begins acutely, with the appearance of vomiting and loose stools, fever. The temperature gets off badly, often while the child's limbs become marble. Against this background, babies may experience convulsions with respiratory failure. Vomiting during the day is repeated, the child does not drink well, he is sick of eating and drinking. Very quickly, many develop an acetonemic state. Diarrhea: stools are frequent, thin, may be brown or yellow, frothy in nature, with a fetid odor. So the child can lose a lot of fluid, so it is important to properly and actively drink it. Minor catarrhal phenomena are noted - a reddened throat, perspiration, discharge of light mucus from the nose.

How is the stomach flu diagnosed? Are the symptoms, treatment the same as with another intestinal infection?

If a child has symptoms that are very similar to those described above, do not be lazy, go to the pharmacy to buy a Rota test. After spending it with the child's feces as written in the instructions, in a few minutes you will find out if it is an intestinal flu, or a bacterial disease. Treatment depends on this: if antibiotics are not indicated for a rotavirus infection, then a bacterial intestinal infection cannot be cured without them (rotavirus does not cause sepsis, it does not enter the bloodstream, but the bacterium, if it is not killed in time, can be deadly by itself). yourself). In addition, you will need to buy Acetone Test strips to determine the level of acetone in your urine.

1. The main thing in treatment is to provide the baby with a sufficient amount of liquid. You need to give him in the form of water, tea, compote not only his norm (for example, for a child weighing 11 kg it is a liter per day), but also the liquid that he loses with diarrhea and vomiting. It is necessary to drink in small doses, 5-10 ml (tea-dessert spoon), cool liquid (with severe nausea) or at room temperature. The best option is to drink the child with solutions of Regidron, Oralit, Humana. You can prepare a solution yourself: dilute 6 tsp for 1 liter of water. sugar and 1 tsp. table salt.

2. Sorbents: "Smecta", "White Coal", "Enterosgel" in the age dosage, little by little during the day. For example, at 2 years old, 1-1.5 sachets of Smecta are prescribed per day, we give it a little, 5-10 ml every half hour, we take a break from taking the sorbent when you need to drink the medicine.

3. There is a proven practice of using Viferon suppositories in an age dosage as an antiviral agent.

4. Antipyretic drugs in the age dosage. Do not forget about such cooling methods as undressing and rubbing with cool water, and also that it is impossible to wrap a child at a temperature in any case, otherwise it is not far from convulsions. If you can't cope with a fever, call an ambulance.

Intestinal flu: symptoms, treatment of complications

Renal failure. Occurs due to insufficient intake of fluid in the body with large losses. It looks like a deterioration in the condition, a decrease in the amount of urine, which becomes darker. Treatment here should be done as soon as possible, until the kidneys have died, it consists in intravenous fluid (dropper).

acetone condition. That it can be the culprit of persistent vomiting, because of which the child cannot drink. Symptoms: abdominal pain, vomiting, smell of acetone, Acetone test strips show that the indicator is more than one plus (normally it should not be at all). Treatment: in the hospital. This is a drip of liquid, and drinking the child "Borjomi" without gas, semi-sweet teas, rehydrating solutions. In the treatment of this condition, "Citrarginin" helps well, the ampoule of which must be dissolved in a glass of water and given during the day (you can add a spoonful of sugar there).

High temperature that does not go astray. Treatment - in the infectious diseases hospital, call an ambulance and go to the hospital.

Convulsions against the background of high temperature with respiratory failure. While one person calls an ambulance, the second must take the child out into the fresh air, push his lower jaw forward so that the tongue does not interfere with breathing. If at the same time there is also a very high temperature, the child should be simultaneously wiped with a half-alcohol solution (water:alcohol = 1:1). If the child stops breathing, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (usually this is rarely needed).

To avoid all these terrible complications, it is best to try to treat this type of infection in a hospital. It will become easier for the baby - go home.

Source: Stomach Flu in Children - Everything Parents Need to Know

“Intestinal infections in a child can only occur during the hot season,” many parents think so. This view is only partially correct. Infections such as salmonellosis, dysentery occur in the summer. In the cold season, a child can also become infected with intestinal infections. For example, in winter, the incidence of intestinal flu increases. Experts call this disease rotavirus infection.

The disease is very dangerous for the life of the baby, especially if his health is weakened. That is why if a child develops symptoms of intestinal flu, you should immediately contact a pediatrician.

If the baby has not yet encountered rotavirus, then you can get vaccinated (vaccination starts at 1.5 months). The state does not provide the drug. It is recommended. In order for the baby to be vaccinated, you need to contact the pediatrician. The specialist will examine the young patient and tell you where you can buy the vaccine.

What is rotavirus infection

Intestinal flu is an infectious disease that develops due to the ingestion of rotavirus in the body. Humanity learned about this pathogen not too long ago. Rotavirus was first discovered in 1974. It is very resistant to adverse environmental influences. Intestinal flu occurs in all children who have not previously encountered this disease.

Rotavirus infection is referred to as “diseases of dirty hands”. Most often, the disease is diagnosed in children from 6 months to 2 years old, who are just starting to get acquainted with the world or attend nurseries, kindergartens and do not properly observe the rules of personal hygiene. Intestinal flu can also be detected in older children. By the age of 5, almost all babies suffer from this disease.

Compliance with the rules of hygiene, boiling water, careful processing of food before cooking cannot protect 100% from infection with rotavirus, since the infection is very resistant to various influences and can enter the body in different ways. For example, the enteral route of infection (through the mouth) is not the only one. Pathogens can be transmitted by airborne droplets from a sick person or a carrier of the infection.

Rotaviruses very easily penetrate the intestines. The protein shell of microorganisms is not destroyed by the action of gastric juice, bile and other enzymes. In the body of a child after infection, the following processes occur:

1. Rotaviruses enter the cells of the tissue lining the intestines;
2. Microorganisms multiply;
3. The inflammatory process begins in the intestine;
4. There is a violation of the processes of digestion and absorption of nutrients into the blood.

The causative agents of intestinal flu in a child are excreted from the body with feces. In 1 g of feces they contain a huge amount, about 10 trillion. 10-100 microorganisms are enough to infect a healthy child.

The acute period of the disease can last from 3 to 7 days. In severe cases of intestinal flu, the symptoms of the disease can be observed for a longer period. This will be followed by a recovery period (4-5 days).

Why is the stomach flu dangerous?

Rotavirus infection is dangerous for a child because it leads to dehydration. It can occur several hours after the onset of the first symptoms of the disease. The baby, due to vomiting and frequent diarrhea, very quickly loses water and useful minerals (potassium, chlorine, sodium salts). The condition of the sick child is deteriorating greatly.

When dehydrated, the nervous system of the baby is affected. He starts having seizures. They may end in respiratory arrest. Dehydration also affects the lungs. The child may develop pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs). This is a typical complication of the intestinal flu. Another danger of dehydration with rotavirus infection is the loss of potassium, which leads to disruption of the cardiovascular system.

How the disease manifests itself

After rotavirus enters the body, symptoms do not appear immediately, but after 12 hours or a day. In some cases, the incubation period can last up to 5 days. This disease has an acute onset. A sick child has the following main symptoms:

• a sharp increase in body temperature;
• frequent vomiting;
• multiple and watery stools (up to 15 times a day);
• redness in the throat;
• runny nose;
• loss of appetite;
• deterioration in well-being.

In the future, the symptoms of dehydration and intoxication join the above signs. The baby becomes lethargic, weak, can cry without tears. Urine becomes dark, acquires a pungent odor, the number of urination is sharply reduced. The life of the child in such cases is in danger. The help of a doctor is necessary, because only he can determine whether it is possible to replenish the lost fluid at home or whether it is necessary to immediately go to the hospital.

Experts distinguish several forms of intestinal flu in children:

With a mild form, the child's condition worsens slightly. The kid complains of discomfort in the stomach. Body temperature rises slightly. Fecal masses are mushy. Bowel movements occur 3-5 times a day.

With moderate severity, body temperature rises to 37.5-38.5 degrees. The child has a stomach ache, weakness occurs, symptoms inherent in a cold are observed. A characteristic sign of an intestinal flu of moderate severity is a watery stool of a yellowish hue up to 10 times a day.

A severe form of rotavirus infection is rarely diagnosed by pediatricians. A sick baby has very pronounced symptoms of intoxication. He is gloomy, lethargic, refuses to drink and eat. Body temperature can rise up to 40 degrees. The child is suffering from severe abdominal pain. He also has frequent watery frothy stools (more than 10 times a day), repeated vomiting. Urination with a severe form of intestinal flu is rare, and the skin becomes flabby.

How to help the baby before the arrival of the doctor

Before the arrival of the doctor, it is necessary to give water to the child. Portions should be small. A large amount of liquid drunk by the child at a time will provoke vomiting, as well as increase dehydration. It is recommended to solder children with saline solutions. They can be purchased at any pharmacy. They are sold in the form of a powder, which must be diluted with boiled water.

If it is not possible to go to the pharmacy, then decoctions of rose hips, raisins, mineral waters, dried fruit compote are suitable. If there is nothing at hand, then ordinary water should be given. You can solder according to the following scheme:

• babies need 1 tsp. fluids every 5 minutes;
• older children can increase the dose to 2-3 tbsp. l.

The temperature of drinks should be the same as body temperature. Due to this, the absorption of fluid from the stomach into the blood will be as fast as possible.

Treatment of intestinal flu in children can be carried out at home or in a hospital setting. If the pediatrician determines that the child is losing a huge amount of fluid due to diarrhea, then you will need to go to the hospital. At home, you will not be able to restore the lost volume. In the hospital, the baby will be helped. He will be replenished with the missing amount of fluid by injecting drip solutions intravenously.

Hospitalization is necessary not only for dehydration, but also in the following cases:

• the child is not yet 1 year old;
• the baby has severe comorbidities;
• stomach flu presents with life-threatening symptoms (eg, convulsions, loss of consciousness).

How is stomach flu diagnosed and treated?

Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis. The pediatrician takes into account the complaints of the baby, asks the parents what suspicious symptoms they noticed in their child. The epidemiological situation is also taken into account. As a rule, outbreaks with a large number of sick children are characteristic of rotavirus infection.

In the treatment of the disease, the doctor will not prescribe any antiviral drugs. Currently, there are no drugs that would have a negative effect on pathogens. The main method of treatment is rehydration. The child is recommended to give saline solutions.

Together with rehydration therapy, a doctor may prescribe drugs such as dioctahedral smectite, activated charcoal, attapulgite. These remedies help with intoxication. They remove toxins from the body of the child, which are the waste products of pathogens.

With intestinal flu, the body temperature of the baby is very high. It is very difficult to influence it with antipyretic drugs. The temperature can last up to 5 days. Despite this, doctors prescribe antipyretics in order to at least slightly alleviate the condition of a small patient. Pediatricians prescribe drugs in the form of rectal suppositories or syrup. In parallel with antipyretic therapy, physical methods of cooling can be used - applying a bandage soaked in cool water to the forehead of the child, wrapping the shins with a wet cloth. To increase heat transfer, it is recommended to undress the baby.

After recovery, the child will not have other health problems due to the illness. The body will develop protective antibodies, thanks to which there will be no symptoms of intestinal flu in the future and treatment will not be needed. After two cases of transferred rotavirus infection, the child will be almost completely protected from this disease.

How and what to feed a child

During treatment for rotavirus, the baby needs a strict diet. The following products are recommended:

• porridge (rice, buckwheat) cooked in water;
• lean meat (beef, chicken breast);
• apple compote;
• fish;
• vegetables (potatoes are best);
• fruits (bananas are preferred).

Dairy products must be abandoned for a while.

Parents should not overly restrict their child in food. Fasting does not contribute to a speedy recovery. The child's condition will only get worse. The baby's immune defenses will be significantly weakened. However, a small unloading in nutrition is still needed. The amount of food eaten earlier by a child per day is reduced by 15–20% with a mild form of the disease, by 20–30% with a moderate degree of severity, by 30–50% with a severe form. If the condition improves after the first symptoms of intestinal flu in children and treatment, then the food is brought to the usual volume, and then the range of foods consumed is gradually expanding.

If intestinal flu occurs in a small child who is breastfed, then parents should adhere to the following feeding rules:

• feed more often, but in small portions;
• on the first day of therapy, reduce the amount of food consumed up to 40%;
• on days 2-3, slightly increase the amount of food consumed and make longer intervals between feedings;
• within 4-5 days to restore the usual amount of food;
• feed the child only with cereals cooked in vegetable broths or water (provided that complementary foods were introduced before the illness).

You don't have to give up breastfeeding. It is possible only with the permission of a doctor to partially replace mother's milk with lactose-free or low-lactose mixtures (lactose, which is part of mother's milk, is poorly digested during rotavirus infection).

Intestinal infections in children are caused by various bacteria (Salmonella, rotaviruses, Shigella, Escherichia, Campylobacter and others), which mainly affect the digestive tract and are characterized by a toxic reaction of the body with a possible tendency to generalization of the process (damage to various organs and tissues).

Who treats, which doctor to contact? .

The source of infection can be an animal (zoonotic infection), a sick person (anthroponotic infection), a convalescent and patients with a subclinical form of the disease, as well as bacteria carriers. The greatest contagiousness in patients with intestinal infection is noted in the first three days of the disease. The mechanism of infection is most often fecal-oral, and the main routes of transmission are alimentary, water and household contact. Usually, children of the younger age group, from 2 to 5 years old, get sick with an intestinal infection, children under one year old get sick extremely rarely due to breastfeeding. Intestinal infections may be seasonal (for example, summer-autumn with shigellosis), and may not be associated with the season (rotavirus infection).

Symptoms of an intestinal infection in children

Symptoms of an intestinal infection depend on the source of infection.

dysentery or shigellosis

With dysentery or shigellosis, the clinical manifestations of the infection are associated with intoxication and a predominant lesion of the distal intestine. The incubation period lasts from several hours to 7 days. Characterized by an acute onset with the appearance of general toxic and diarrheal syndromes. Dysentery can occur in colitis, gastroenterocolitic and gastroenteritis variants. Stools with shigellosis are frequent, fecal, thin, scanty, with an admixture of cloudy mucus, pus and blood. Tenesmus is characteristic, accompanied by pulling cramping pains in the iliac region.

With a mild form of dysentery, signs of colitis and intoxication are mild, the temperature does not exceed 38 degrees, the stool retains a fecal character.

Gastroenterocolitic and gastroenteric variants proceed as an acute toxic reaction, with a short incubation period, acute onset, fever, and intense diarrhea. Dehydration of varying severity often develops.

Atypical forms of dysentery usually occur without the development of colitis, and sometimes without impaired bowel function. The hypertoxic form of the disease is characterized by the development of neurotoxicosis and infectious-toxic shock from the first hours of infection.

Escherichiosis

There are the following clinical forms of escherichiosis:

1. Enteroinvasive, characterized by an acute onset, fever up to 38-39 degrees, abdominal pain. The chair is liquid, 5-10 times a day, often with an admixture of blood and mucus.
2. Enterotoxigenic escherichiosis is characterized by frequent vomiting, loose stools, without impurities, up to 10-15 times a day and resembles rice water. The development of isotonic dehydration is characteristic. An increase in temperature is not typical.
3. Enteropathogenic escherichiosis is typical for children of the first year of life. Toxicosis and exsicosis develop. The disease is quite severe.
4. Enteropathogenic escherichiosis type II resembles salmonellosis in the clinic. The disease begins acutely, with fever up to 38-38.5 degrees. Characterized by chills, stool 3-6 times a day, liquid, without impurities. Abdominal pains are paroxysmal in nature.
5. Enterohemorrhagic escherichiosis is characterized by frequent stools, up to 10 times a day, bloody, almost devoid of feces. On the 2-4th day of the disease, deterioration is noted. High temperature is not typical.

salmonellosis

The incubation period of the disease depends on the severity of infection and varies from 5 hours to 2 days.

There are the following clinical variants of the disease:

1. Gastric and gastroenteric variants are most common in children older than 3 years. Characterized by repeated vomiting, pain in the epigastric region, plentiful, liquefied, fecal, often fetid stools. A very characteristic greenish color of the stool (stool like "swamp mud").
2. Enterocolitic and gastroenterocolitic form occurs in young children. The maximum severity of symptoms is observed on the 3rd-7th day of the disease. The stool sooner or later acquires a dark green color, an admixture of blood appears in it.
3. The typhoid form proceeds with prolonged fever, headache, vomiting, sometimes with manifestations of meningism, delirium, impaired consciousness, and enteric stools. At the height of the disease, a roseolous-papular rash may appear.
4. The septic form of salmonellosis occurs in debilitated children of the first year of life and premature babies. The appearance of purulent foci in various organs is characteristic: lungs, kidneys, meninges, joints, bones. The stool in such children is enterocolitis.
5. The erased form of salmonellosis is characterized by mild and rapidly passing symptoms. The diagnosis is established only on the basis of laboratory data.

Yersiniosis

The onset of the disease is acute, with a rapid rise in temperature to 38-39 degrees. Depending on the prevailing clinical manifestations, localized and generalized forms of the disease are distinguished.

• The localized form is characterized by pain in the abdomen of varying intensity, flatulence, rumbling. The stool is liquid, viscous, offensive, sometimes with an admixture of greenery, mucus and blood. The tongue in the first days of the disease is covered with a white coating, then, having cleared, it transforms into a “raspberry”.
• The generalized form manifests itself in the form of abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, and a small-spotted rash on symmetrical areas of the trunk and extremities. In some patients, damage to the liver, spleen, enlarged lymph nodes, development of scleritis and conjunctivitis are observed. In children with immunodeficiency conditions, generalized forms of yersiniosis acquire the features of sepsis.

Rotavirus infection

The disease is characterized by watery diarrhea, vomiting, intoxication, fever. Often secondary lactase deficiency develops.

campylobacteriosis

The incubation period of the disease is from 2 to 7 days. The disease proceeds in the form of acute gastroenteritis and enterocolitis.

Treatment of intestinal infection in children

The complex of treatment of intestinal infection in children includes therapeutic nutrition, etiotropic therapy, pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy.

Health food

With a mild form, an age-related diet is maintained with restrictions: a decrease in the amount of food - according to appetite, mechanical sparing, and others. In moderate forms of infection, the amount of food is reduced by 30-50%, while increasing the frequency of feeding up to 5-8 times a day. In the diet of children older than 4 months, it is advisable to include fermented milk mixtures. With invasive enteritis, gastroenteritis occurring with severe flatulence, low-lactose or lactose-free mixtures are prescribed. In acute intestinal infections, mixtures enriched with protective factors are used: bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, biologically active additives.

Older children in the first days of illness are shown easily digestible, pureed food. It is not recommended to use: whole milk, black bread, yogurt, fermented baked milk, cream, whole milk cereals, beets, legumes, citrus fruits, meat and fish broths, fatty meats, fish, poultry. In severe forms of intestinal infection, when a protein deficiency occurs in young children, it is corrected from the 3rd day of illness with mixtures enriched in protein. In violation of the exocrine function of the pancreas and the development of malabsorption syndrome, the appointment of therapeutic mixtures is indicated.

Etiotropic therapy

Etiotropic therapy includes antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, specific bacteriophages, enterosorbents, enteral immunoglobulins, lactoglobulins.

The following antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs are prescribed: nalidixic acid (nevigramon, nergam), furazolidone, ercefuril, gentamicin, anamycin sulfate, kanamycin.

Reserve drugs include: rifampicin, meronem, thienam, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime.

Specific bacteriophages are indicated as monotherapy for mild and obliterated forms of intestinal infection.

Enterosorbents are indicated for secretory diarrhea (rotavirus infection). Smecta is the drug of choice for mild to moderate intestinal infections. The course of treatment with enterosorbents is 5-7 days.

Pathogenetic therapy

Infection with an intestinal infection occurs by the fecal-oral route, that is, through the mouth. And intermediaries can be dirty hands, unwashed fruits, non-compliance with hygiene standards. You can't follow a child here. In general, intestinal infections are most susceptible to children under the age of seven years. After all, children's immunity to pathogenic bacteria and viruses is very weak compared to adults. This is especially true for newborns.

Intestinal infection in children under one year old

Intestinal infection- this disease caused by pathogenic viruses or bacteria (dysentery bacillus, salmonella, staphylococcus aureus, typhoid bacillus, cholera vibrio), which affects the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. Penetrating into the human body, pathogens of intestinal infections begin to multiply actively. As a result, the digestion process is disturbed, and the intestinal mucosa becomes inflamed - the dirty deed is done.

Depending on the "culprit" of the disease, the source of infection and the affected area, many intestinal infections are distinguished: gastritis, duodenitis, pancreatitis, colitis and others.

In everyday life, we come into contact with billions of different bacteria. But nature provides a whole system for protecting the human body from foreign invasion: saliva with bactericidal properties, poisonous gastric juice, favorable microflora in the intestines. But under certain conditions (for example, in summer, when a large amount of fluid intake dilutes our gastric juice), natural defenses weaken, making us vulnerable to various pathogenic organisms. Infection also occurs under the condition that our own protective functions prevail, that is, when there are too many pathogenic viruses and microbes attacking us.

There are an unrealistic multitude of sources of infection around the child:
poor quality food and drinking water;
non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene: dirty hands, dirty toys, contact with feces (especially during walks);
violations of the conditions of storage and preparation of food;
insect vectors;
contact with contaminated earth or sand;
contact with a sick person.

Symptoms of an intestinal infection

Each of them can be the source of a specific intestinal disease. The diagnosis can only be made by a doctor and only after microbiological tests. Despite the fact that the classification of intestinal infections is very extensive, almost all of them have common symptoms of manifestation:
diarrhea;
vomit;
nausea;
increased gas formation;
stomach ache;
increase in body temperature;
lack of appetite;
general weakness and malaise.

Diarrhea- the surest sign of an intestinal infection, unlike all the others. If a child has a fever or abdominal pain, this does not mean that he has an intestinal infection. And the presence of diarrhea always speaks of this disease. The treatment of diarrhea in children must be approached responsibly, despite the apparent frivolity of the disease. Because real debilitating diarrhea can be very dangerous for the health and life of a child.

Treatment of intestinal infection in children

If a child begins to vilify and/or vomit, the child is 100% sick and the parent should take immediate action. The biggest mistake of parents is the desire to stop the seemingly undesirable manifestations of the disease. But in the first hours it is absolutely impossible to do this, because vomiting and diarrhea are a protective reaction of the body, which is trying to cleanse itself of toxins. Stopping cleaning will lead to even more intoxication. Moreover, if you know for sure that the child has eaten something wrong and the fever and abdominal pain are caused precisely by this, it is necessary to provoke salutary vomiting or defecation (for example, by administering a cleansing enema).
It is important to constantly replenish the loss of fluid and mineral salts (potassium, sodium, calcium). Dehydration and demineralization are very dangerous not only for health, but also for the life of the child. Moreover, in children, these processes occur very rapidly, since the reserves of water and salts in the child's body are very small, and often in such situations the clock counts. You must ensure that the child drinks plenty of fluids. It is necessary to drink with special solutions, powders for the preparation of which are sold in every pharmacy (for example, Regidron). But if this is temporarily impossible (this was not at hand), let the child drink anything: water, green tea, dried fruit compote, a decoction of raisins or rose hips - only unsweetened ones. No juices or dairy!

Remedies for intestinal infections in children

For acute intestinal infections, a saline solution is used: 1 teaspoon of table salt, 4 teaspoons of sugar and 1.5 teaspoons of baking soda per liter of water. You need to drink a child 2-3 teaspoons every 3-5 minutes.

If the child vomits, then it is necessary to drink in small portions so as not to provoke repeated attacks - literally in a sip, but very, very often. Replenishment of fluid is the most important task now, otherwise (if it is not possible to drink, profuse vomiting continues), it is necessary to put droppers, and immediately.

To make sure that the fluid intake into the body is sufficient, monitor the child's urine: if it is light (ideally transparent), there is no fluid deficiency.

It is best to give the child a warm drink (body temperature): in this case, the absorption of fluid from the intestinal walls into the blood will occur as soon as possible, which is now extremely important.

Menu for intestinal infections
Feeding a child with an intestinal infection is highly undesirable and one might even say that it is impossible. Hunger is the second remedy in such a situation. The gastrointestinal tract is now affected, he is not at all up to digesting food. He is ill. When the child becomes easier, and he still needs to eat (only in this case!), Stick to a diet: light rice soup, oatmeal or rice porridge, low-fat cottage cheese or kefir, mashed potatoes on the water. You can also make puree from baked apples, steamed carrots, pumpkins, zucchini, grated apples and bananas. It is forbidden to give the child products that cause gas formation or include coarse fiber. And no sweets, fatty, spicy, salty, smoked meats. At the same time, portions should be small: it is better to feed the child often, but fractionally.

If the baby is breastfeeding - continue to feed, but reduce the dose. Do not force, feed only on demand and in small portions: 10-20 g each.

Do not give your child any medication, because the body can react to treatment in a very unpredictable way. It is possible and even desirable to use sorbents - activated carbon or Enterosgel. But it is better to refuse Smecta.

Boil all the dishes and generally thoroughly disinfect everything that you can. Be very careful with your child's hygiene. Be especially vigilant about washing your hands after going to the toilet and before meals.

Despite the fact that the manifestations of various intestinal infections are often very similar to each other, in each case we are talking about a separate specific disease. And in case of any complications or in the absence of relief, it is necessary to call a doctor or an ambulance. All further treatment can only be carried out by a medical officer. Do not self-medicate your child with medications. Different causative agents of intestinal infections require different approaches in the choice of medications. The best solution would be to call an ambulance.

The doctor must be called in the following cases:
a child with an intestinal infection is not yet a year old;
the most disturbing symptom of an intestinal infection is abdominal pain;
because of persistent vomiting, you cannot give the child a drink, which means that he needs a dropper;
no urine for more than 6 hours, indicating dehydration;
dry tongue, sunken eyes, grayish skin;
there is an admixture of blood in the feces;
diarrhea has stopped, but vomiting has increased, and (or) body temperature has risen sharply, and (or) abdominal pain or headaches have appeared.

The expediency of prescribing antibiotics and other drugs can only be judged by a doctor. "Advanced" pediatricians can prescribe eubiotics and bacteriophages to the child - beneficial bacteria and viruses designed to expel the infection from the body and promote recovery. But the effectiveness of such funds is absolutely not proven (which is why in most countries of the world they are not practiced at all). And recovery does not go faster than without them. Nevertheless, in the vast majority of cases, treatment may well get by with a plentiful drink and diet, if only everything is done on time and correctly.

The term "intestinal infection in children" in medicine refers to a group of infectious diseases of various etiologies. The causative agents of infection can be various pathogenic agents - viruses and bacteria, such as salmonella, rotaviruses, shigella, escherichia, cambilobacter and a number of other microbes. Acute intestinal infections in children, affecting the gastrointestinal tract, usually cause a toxic reaction and lead to dehydration. This condition of the child requires urgent medical attention.

The source of infection with pathogenic microorganisms - viruses and bacteria that lead to the development of intestinal infection, can be animals, a sick person or bacteria carriers. The highest contagiousness is noted in the first three days of the course of the disease. During this period, an infected child poses a threat to healthy people.

The mechanism of infection with acute intestinal infection in children

The mechanism of infection is predominantly fecal-oral, and there can be several ways of transmission:

• alimentary;
• water;
• contact-household.

The main age group, which is most often exposed to the development of intestinal infectious diseases, is children from 2 to 5 years. Children under the age of one year who are breastfed practically do not get sick, as they are protected by the mother's immunity.

Often intestinal infections are seasonal, the peak incidence occurs at different times depending on the causative agent of the disease, but may not be associated with seasonality, such as rotavirus infection.

Microbes-causative agents of intestinal infection are released into the external environment along with feces, saliva, urine and vomit of a bacteriocarrier or a sick person. Pathogenic microorganisms, getting into the water, food, household items, children's toys, remain on them for a long time, penetrating into the body of healthy people.

Infection with infectious agents occurs as a result of pathogenic microorganisms entering the child's gastrointestinal tract through the mouth along with contaminated food, water or toys.

All intestinal infections, regardless of their etiology and pathogen, cause the development of an inflammatory process in the mucous membrane of the stomach, intestines and other digestive organs. Depending on the mucous membrane of which particular organ was affected by pathogenic microbes, the following forms of intestinal infection develop:

• gastritis;
• enteritis;
• colitis;
• gastroduodenitis;
• enterocolitis.

Common infectious intestinal diseases

The manifestation of symptoms of intestinal infection in children depends on the type of disease and its causative agent. The most common diseases of the digestive tract caused by pathogenic microflora are the following:

• dysentery and shigellosis;
• escherichiosis;
• salmonellosis;
• yersiniosis;
• rotavirus infection;
• campylobacteriosis.

Violation of the stool in the form of diarrhea is the main characteristic feature of almost all intestinal infections.

Signs of Shigellosis Intestinal Infection in Children

Signs of an intestinal infection in a child caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella, and known as dysentery, or shigellosis, first occur within 1-7 days from the moment the pathogenic microflora enters the child's body. That is how long the incubation period of dysentery lasts.

The disease begins acutely, the body temperature rises to 39-40 ° C, the feeling of weakness and weakness is rapidly increasing, there is a decrease in appetite, vomiting is possible. Against the background of fever, symptoms of the disease may occur, such as:

• headache;
• chills;
• stomach ache;
• violation of the stool - the frequency of defecation can vary from 4-6 to 15-20 times a day;
• rave;
• convulsions;
• loss of consciousness.

Usually the stool contains impurities of mucus and blood. Severe forms of dysentery may be accompanied by hemorrhagic syndrome, up to intestinal bleeding.

Symptoms of acute intestinal infection escherichiosis in children under one year old

Escherichiosis is an acute intestinal infection caused by various serogroups of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Mostly the disease affects young patients under the age of 3 years.

In gastroenterology, the following types of escherichiosis are distinguished:

1. Enteroinvasive. This form of infection is characterized by an acute onset, a sharp increase in body temperature up to 38-39 degrees, abdominal pain. The child has diarrhea with a frequency of stools up to 5-10 times a day, possibly even with an admixture of mucus and blood.
2. Enterotoxigenic. This type of escherichiosis is accompanied by frequent vomiting, loose stools without any impurities, repeated up to 10 times a day, the consistency resembles a rice water. This form of intestinal infection is characterized by dehydration of the isotonic type. An increase in body temperature with enterotoxigenic escherichiosis does not occur.
3. Enteropathogenic. This form of infectious intestinal disease affects children under the age of one year. The development of toxicosis and exicosis is noted, the disease proceeds in a rather severe form. Enteropathogenic escherichiosis can develop acutely or gradually. The stools are most often watery, have a yellowish or orange tint, with a small amount of mucous impurities. The bowel movements can be mushy, but they must be frothy. Among other symptoms of this form of escherichiosis in children are vomiting with a frequency of 1-2 times a day, regurgitation, loss of appetite, low-grade fever.
4. Enteropathogenic escherichiosis type 2. The clinical picture resembles salmonellosis. The disease always begins acutely, with an increase in body temperature to 38-38.5 degrees. The characteristic symptoms of the disease are chills, loose stools up to 6 times a day without impurities. The child is worried about cramping pains in the abdomen.
5. Enterohemorrhagic. For this form of escherichiosis, loose stools with a frequency of up to 10 times a day with blood impurities, almost devoid of feces, are characteristic. Usually, on the 2-4th day of the course of an infectious disease, a strong deterioration in the patient's condition is noted. High body temperature is not characteristic of enterohemorrhagic escherichiosis.

Diarrhea and other signs of an intestinal infection with salmonellosis in a child

Salmonellosis is an acute infectious disease of the digestive system caused by the action of Salmonella bacteria. This bacterial infection can develop in the form of isolated cases or whole outbreaks of salmonellosis infection. The peak incidence occurs in the summer, when food storage conditions are violated.

The incubation period for salmonellosis ranges from several hours to 5 days. The main signs of Salmonella infection are:

• fever that lasts from 5-7 days to 2-3 weeks;
• frequent fetid stools;
• dryness of the mucous membranes and skin, which indicates dehydration of the child's body as a result of severe diarrhea.

Diarrhea from an intestinal infection in a child caused by Salmonella bacteria usually resolves in 7 to 10 days.

This intestinal infection in children under one year old is characterized by slightly different symptoms than in older patients. In children, the symptoms of intestinal disorders are dominated by general signs of intoxication of the body. The body temperature can remain normal, in infants malnutrition is noted, during the course of the disease, babies practically do not gain weight.

With salmonellosis in children of the first year of life, the following symptoms are observed:

• anxiety, tearfulness and moodiness;
• frequent regurgitation;
• bloating;
• cold extremities.

Dehydration in salmonellosis is manifested by dryness of the mucous membranes, skin and tongue, oliguria and retraction of the fontanel.

Gastrointestinal form of intestinal infection in a 2-year-old child

The most common is the gastrointestinal form of salmonellosis. This intestinal infection in a child at 2 years old occurs in the form of gastritis and gastroenteritis. The disease is characterized by such signs:

• pain in the epigastric region;
• heat;
• malaise, general weakness;
• frequent vomiting;
• frequent loose stools with particles of undigested food;
• the tongue is dry and heavily coated;
• slight flatulence.

How long does a typhoid-like intestinal infection last in children?

The typhoid-like form of salmonellosis is characterized by such symptoms as prolonged fever, headaches, vomiting, delirium, disturbed confused consciousness, enteric stools. At the peak of the development of the infection, the formation of a roseolous-papular rash on the child's body becomes possible. How long does an intestinal infection last in typhoid-like children? With proper treatment, recovery occurs after 14 days, as with typhus.

There is a septic form of salmonellosis, which is mainly diagnosed in debilitated children of the first year of life and in premature infants. With this infectious bacterial disease, the formation of purulent foci of various localization occurs - in the lungs, kidneys, meninges, joints and bones. There is a chair with a frequency of up to 5-10 times a day, liquid or mushy continuous with impurities of greenery, mucus, white lumps with a sharp sour smell.

Complications of an intestinal infection in an infant

After an intestinal infection, an infant continues to release bacteria into the external environment for a long time, this lasts for about a month. If the carriage of Salmonella bacteria continues for more than 3 months, then the intestinal infection becomes chronic.

Salmonellosis for children, especially the first year of life, is dangerous with many serious complications:

• swelling of the brain and lungs;
• kidney failure;
• peritonitis;
• reactive arthritis;
• abscess of internal organs.

If the development of salmonellosis in infants is suspected, parents should immediately show the baby to a specialist, since there is a risk of death.

Norovirus intestinal infection in children

Norovirus intestinal infection in children is one of the most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in children. The causative agents are noroviruses.

The first signs of the disease appear 24-48 hours after the entry of noroviruses into the child's body. The disease begins with severe vomiting, which is soon joined by diarrhea, body temperature rises, muscle and headaches occur, and general weakness.

Usually, these signs of norovirus intestinal infection go away on their own after 12-72 hours, but symptomatic treatment of the child is required to alleviate his condition. After the illness, an unstable immunity to the pathogen is developed, which lasts up to 8 weeks. After this time, the child may again become infected with norovirus infection.

Symptoms of acute intestinal infection yersiniosis in children

This is an infectious disease characterized by toxic-allergic syndrome and damage to the digestive system. The causative agent of yersiniosis is the mobile bacterium Yersinia enterocolitica, which resembles short sticks in its shape. How many days does an intestinal infection in children last from the moment pathogenic microorganisms enter the body? The incubation period lasts from a day to 7 days, but in medical practice there are cases of its increase up to 3 weeks. Full recovery with adequate therapy occurs 10-14 days after infection.

All symptoms of acute intestinal infection in children caused by Yersinia enterocolitica bacteria are divided into several groups for convenience. The following general toxic symptoms of yersiniosis are distinguished:

• high body temperature - up to 40 degrees, such indicators can be maintained for up to 10 days;
• severe headaches;
• general weakness of the body, muscle and joint pain;
• a significant decrease in appetite;
• nervous system disorder.

Regarding the bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal tract of a child, intestinal yersiniosis is characterized by the following symptoms:

• nausea and vomiting;
• pain in the abdomen of fuzzy localization;
• unstable loose stools;
• runny nose, sore throat, tearing;
• redness and pallor of the skin;
• crimson color of the tongue a week after infection.

In some cases, children may experience allergic reactions - rashes on the skin in the form of small red spots, small dots and bubbles. The main places of localization of the rash are the soles of the feet and hands. Such dermatological manifestations of the disease are accompanied by dryness, itching and burning.

Incubation period of viral intestinal infection in children

Intestinal infections can have both bacterial and viral etiology. Rotavirus is a viral intestinal infection in children that usually occurs as acute gastroenteritis or enteritis. The incubation period of this intestinal infection in children lasts from 1 to 3 days. All the characteristic symptoms of the disease appear on the first day, while intestinal lesions are combined with catarrhal phenomena.

There are such symptoms of the respiratory syndrome as hyperemia of the pharynx, rhinitis, sore throat, coughing. Simultaneously with the defeat of the oropharynx, there are signs of gastroenteritis - liquid watery or frothy stools with a frequency of bowel movements from 4-5 to 15 times a day, vomiting, fever. Such a frequent stool leads to dehydration of the child's body and enhances the signs of intoxication. All these symptoms disappear within 5 days.

Symptoms of rotavirus intestinal infection in a child under 1 year old: temperature and intoxication

Rotavirus intestinal infection in a child under 1 year old is always accompanied by vomiting, which lasts for 1-2 days. In children after a year, such a symptom is usually observed only on the first day.

With this intestinal infection in a child, the body temperature usually rises very strongly - up to 39 ° C, it is kept for no more than three days.

Intoxication of the body is the first symptom of an intestinal infection in children under one year old, caused by rotaviruses. The baby becomes lethargic, he practically does not perform any movements, refuses to breastfeed and constantly cries, there is increased sweating. To these signs of intoxication in children after a year, an intestinal infection can also be accompanied by severe headaches and dizziness.

Abdominal pain is mild, and may worsen on palpation. All these symptoms can have varying degrees of severity, as a rule, the older the child, the easier the disease. When these signs of a viral infectious disease appear, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.

Symptoms of staphylococcal intestinal infection in children

The causative agent of staphylococcal intestinal infection in children is Staphylococcus aureus and other pathogenic strains of this microorganism. Staphylococcus is one of the conditionally pathogenic microflora, which means that it is present in many people without making itself felt, and only under certain conditions causes the development of the disease.

The provoking factors are:

• weakened immunity of the child, which is the result of congenital immunodeficiencies, HIV;
• pathology of the development of internal organs;
• children belonging to the category of often and long-term ill with respiratory diseases;
• the presence in the body of chronic foci of inflammation - tonsillitis, sinusitis, gastroduodenitis and others.

Often, infection of a child with Staphylococcus aureus occurs during a stay in the hospital, then the signs make themselves felt in the first days of the baby's life. During the course of staphylococcal infection in newborns, the following signs are characteristic:

• bloating and intestinal colic;
• frequent loose, fetid stools, possibly with impurities of mucus and greenery;
• in some cases, there is an increase in body temperature;
• violation of the general condition of the newborn - causeless crying, refusal to eat, lethargy and anxiety.

With prolonged diarrhea, signs of dehydration appear. It is manifested by dryness of the skin and mucous membranes, crying of a newborn without tears, a sunken fontanel. This condition requires urgent hospitalization of the infant in a hospital.

In children under the age of one year, the signs of a staphylococcal infection are slightly different from the characteristics of the manifestation of this disease in newborns. Usually in children under one year old, this intestinal disease is manifested by signs of toxic infection or gastroenterocolitis - an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine.

Experts distinguish such main symptoms in children under one year old, which are characteristic of an intestinal infection caused by staphylococcus aureus:

• weakness, lethargy, lack of appetite;
• increase in body temperature up to 38, 5̊ C;
• headache and dizziness;
• nausea and severe vomiting;
• weight loss;
• frequent loose stools with impurities of mucus, blood, foam and greenery;
• bloating and pain in its area.

Treatment of symptoms of intestinal infection in children caused by the action of staphylococci is carried out by a combination of antibacterial drugs and specific agents. Therapy for mild and moderate forms of staphylococcal infection is carried out using the following groups of antibiotics:

semi-synthetic penicillins: oxacillin, ampioks;

macrolides: erythromycin, roxithromycin;

lincomycin.

In the case of severe forms of staphylococcal intestinal infection, aminoglycosides are prescribed for children:

gentamicin, rifampicin, and

1st generation cephalosporins - cefazolin.

Symptoms of intestinal infection campylobacteriosis in children under 2 years of age

This is an infectious intestinal disease, the causative agent of which is Campylobacter, an opportunistic pathogen. The disease is mainly manifested by lesions of the gastrointestinal tract of the child.

Campylobacteriosis usually occurs in debilitated infants and adults who suffer from tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, hemoblastoses and other oncological diseases. Children of the first year of life also fall into the risk group.

The incubation period of campylobacteriosis lasts 3-5 days. The disease is characterized by an acute onset, shortly after infection with an infection, an increase in body temperature to febrile levels is noted.

The child is worried about muscle pain and general weakness. In most children under 2 years of age, a symptom of an intestinal infection caused by campylobacter is also severe pain around the navel, which is especially aggravated by palpation.

The first days of the course of the disease may occur vomiting, sometimes repeated. The main symptom of the disease, as with many other intestinal infections, is severe diarrhea - from 4-6 to 20 times a day. The stools are copious, watery, yellowish in color.

In infants, a generalized form of campylobacteriosis predominantly develops. Symptoms include severe fever with frequent daily fluctuations, vomiting, diarrhea, liver enlargement, weight loss, anemia. Due to bacteremia in infants, purulent organ lesions can occur - purulent meningitis, meningoencephalitis, endocarditis, thrombophlebitis, septic arthritis, pneumonia.

The most susceptible to campylobacter intestinal infection are young children. The tactics of treating the disease depends on the severity of its course in the child's body. In mild and moderate forms of campylobacteriosis, medications of the following pharmacological groups are prescribed:

• antispasmodics;
• enzymes;
• biological bacterial preparations.

Such therapy is aimed at correcting intestinal dysbacteriosis and populating it with beneficial microflora. For these purposes, a special therapeutic diet and oral rehydration are also prescribed.

In severe forms of the disease, it becomes necessary to take antibiotics, to which campylobacter is sensitive. These are erythromycin, tetracycline, doxycycline, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, macrolides, metronidazole, furazolidone. The course of antibiotic therapy is 7-14 days, set by a specialist on an individual basis for each patient.

Methods for the treatment of symptoms of acute intestinal infection in children

Antibiotic therapy is the main method of treating intestinal infections in children when bacterial agents are the causative agents. However, it is not always used, but only for advanced, moderate and severe forms of damage to the child's gastrointestinal tract.

Treatment of symptoms of acute intestinal infection in children must necessarily be complex and consist of several therapies, such as:

• medical nutrition;
• conducting oral rehydration;
• etiotropic therapy;
• pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy.

Treatment of acute intestinal infection in children is almost never complete without etiotropic therapy, which consists in taking antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, specific bacteriophages, enterosorbents, enteral immunoglobulins, lactoglobulins.

For intestinal infections of various etiologies, antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs such as nalidixic acid (nevigramon, nergam), furazolidone, ercefuril, gentamicin, anamycin sulfate, kanamycin are usually prescribed.

Specific bacteriophages are recommended for use as monotherapy for mild and mild forms of the disease. Enterosorbents are necessarily prescribed for such a symptom as diarrhea. With mild and moderate forms of infection, Smecta has proven itself well. The course of treatment with enterosorbents is 5-7 days.

Pathogenetic therapy consists of the following methods:

oral rehydration with rehydron, oralit, gastrolith;

enzyme therapy, in which Panzinorm Forte, Abomin-pepsin is prescribed,

Pancreatin, Pankurmen,

Digestal, Festal,

Mezim Forte, Creon;

antiallergic therapy by taking antihistamines;

correction of dysbacteriosis with probiotics.

What to give a child with an intestinal infection accompanied by diarrhea?

Symptomatic therapy is aimed at eliminating the symptoms characteristic of an intestinal infection. What to give a child with an intestinal infection when severe diarrhea occurs?

Specialists in this case prescribe antidiarrheal drugs:

Imodium, Diarol.

With osmotic diarrhea in children under 2 years of age, such drugs are not prescribed.

To eliminate severe pain syndrome, antispasmodics are used:

drotaverine, papaverine,

spasmomena 40 and some other drugs prescribed by a specialist.

Vitamin therapy is mandatory for all children, regardless of the type of intestinal infection, for a course of 14 days.

Treatment of intestinal infection in a child of 3 years

In the antibacterial treatment of an intestinal infection in a 3-year-old child, antibiotics such as:

ciprofloxacin,

Ofloxacin,

Lomefloxacin.

The dosage is determined by a specialist for each patient individually.

How to treat an intestinal infection in children caused by pathogenic agents such as viruses? The goal of therapy is to remove viruses from the intestines that are located on its machines and destroy their cells. For these purposes, sorbent preparations are prescribed:

Activated carbon- up to 4-6 tablets per dose several times a day;

Smecta or Neosmectin- 3-4 sachets per day;

Enterodes or Polysorb- 1-2 sachets per day.

In the fight against rotaviruses, the effectiveness of such antiviral drugs as Anaferon and Arbidol has been proven.

During the course of rotavirus infection in the intestines, a significant part of the beneficial bacteria that ensure the healthy functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is inevitably destroyed. That is why therapy must necessarily consist of taking probiotics, children are prescribed:

Lactofiltrum, Bifiform,

Linex, Bifidum,

Bifidumbacterin.

Diet menu for intestinal infections in children: how to feed a child

A diet for intestinal infections in children is a mandatory method of therapy that allows you to restore impaired functions of the digestive system and speed up the healing process. Many parents are interested in how to feed a child with an intestinal infection.

The first day after infection, it is better for the baby to eat nothing at all. If the child has an appetite, he can be given rice water, older children - crackers.

The diet menu for intestinal infections in children should consist of easily digestible and pureed food. Foods such as whole milk, black bread, fermented baked milk, yoghurts, cream, milk cereals, beets, legumes, citrus fruits, meat and fish broths, fatty meats, poultry and fish are prohibited.

The menu for intestinal infections in children should be based on food such as cereals on the water - corn, rice, buckwheat, and lean meat - turkey, chicken breast, veal, rabbit meat. Then fermented milk products are gradually introduced into the diet, vegetables and fruits can be eaten after the disappearance of the unpleasant symptoms of the digestive system disorder. It is recommended to solder the child with rosehip broth, weak tea, rice broth, dried fruit compote, but without prunes.

A menu might look like this:

Breakfast- semolina porridge cooked in water, a glass of unsweetened tea.

Snack- steam soufflé from homemade fat-free cottage cheese.

Dinner- light broth from lean chicken meat, steam veal meatballs, fruit jelly.

afternoon tea- 200 g of rosehip broth, rye bread cracker.

Dinner- low-fat steam fish, unsweetened tea.

Before bedtime You can give your child a glass of low-fat homemade yogurt.

Diet recipes for children after an intestinal infection

A variety of diet recipes for children after an intestinal infection will allow parents to avoid problems with choosing the right dishes for a still weakened child's body.

Steam chicken soufflé

To prepare a dish according to this recipe for intestinal infections in children, you will need boiled chicken breast, an egg, 4 tbsp. l. chicken broth, 1 tbsp. l. flour.

Follow this sequence of making soufflé after an intestinal infection for a child according to this recipe:

pass the boiled chicken breast through a meat grinder;

• combine chopped chicken meat with egg yolk, whipped protein, add a spoonful of flour, salt and mix;
• mix the mass thoroughly, put it in a mold greased with vegetable oil, and steam.

blueberry jelly

You can use this diet recipe for children with an intestinal infection to make blueberry jelly:

1. 2/3 cup blueberries should be rinsed with running water.
2. Pour 4 cups of water into a saucepan, put on fire, bring to a boil.
3. Add 2 tbsp. l. Sahara. In a glass of cold water, stir 1 tbsp. l. starch, gradually pour into the sugar syrup.
4. Place washed blueberries in a saucepan, mix.
5. Reduce heat, bring to a boil and remove from stove.

What to cook for a child with an intestinal infection: recipes for diet meals

slime soup

To prepare a slimy soup, use this recipe for this dish for intestinal infections in children:

1. Put a saucepan with 2 liters of water on the fire, pour ½ cup of washed oatmeal into it.
2. Finely chop the onion and carrot, add to the soup, season with a little salt, boil for another 15 minutes and remove from the stove.
3. When the soup has cooled down a bit, it should be rubbed through a sieve, if desired, you can add a spoonful of vegetable oil.

Vegetable salad

At the end of the course of the disease, when the symptoms of intestinal infection begin to gradually disappear, fresh vegetables can be introduced into the child's diet. If you don’t know what to cook for a child with an intestinal infection, this recipe will diversify the baby’s diet menu:

1. Boil carrots, cauliflower and zucchini.
2. Cut all the vegetables into small cubes, salt a little, mix well, season with 1 tbsp. olive oil.

Prevention of the development of intestinal infections in children

Prevention of intestinal infections in children, first of all, consists of the formation of personal hygiene skills. Parents should teach their child to eat fruits and vegetables only after washing them, and also remember to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating.

Other preventive measures include careful handling of food and boiling water. In addition, the prevention of the development of intestinal infections is the observance of such rules:

1. Never eat foods that you doubt the quality of, especially if they have already expired.
2. Observe the temperature regime and the cooking time of raw foods. Boiling completely destroys almost all pathogens.
3. Be sure to wash the eggs before cracking them for cooking. This will help prevent salmonellosis infection.
4. To prepare raw foods, you need to use different cutting boards.
5. Before use, boil ready-made soup or borscht.
6. Pathogenic microorganisms multiply rapidly in raw vegetable salads, especially dressed with sour cream. That is why it is recommended to season them immediately before serving and cook at a time.
7. If there are pets in the house, they should be regularly dewormed and vaccinated.