Enterocolitis in children
Causes and symptoms of enterocolitis in children
Enterocolitis in children is an inflammatory lesion of the intestine, which leads to disruption of a number of its functions: excretory, absorption, digestion and motility. The disease can develop due to acute intestinal infections, chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, parasitic invasion and dysbiosis. In young children, the cause of enterocolitis is mainly staphylococcal infection, which also causes otitis media, pneumonia, and staphyloderma.
Often enterocolitis occurs due to improper nutrition: overeating, eating dry food, eating disorders - all this negatively affects the work of the intestines. Thus, the risk group includes schoolchildren who, after lessons, are left to themselves and do not want to eat well.
Symptoms of enterocolitis in children
Symptoms of enterocolitis in children are identical to the manifestations of this disease in adults: alternation of constipation and diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, metabolic disorders, intoxication, dystrophy. A sick child suffers from headaches and abdominal pain, anemia, weight loss, loss of appetite.
With the defeat of the small intestine (enteritis), abdominal pains are paroxysmal, pulling in nature, localized mainly around the navel or spread throughout the abdomen. The stool is very frequent (5 to 15 times a day) and liquid, with food impurities and mucus. Feces can have a strong putrid odor.
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Sometimes painful attacks are accompanied by vomiting, fever. Appetite decreases, the child is worried about the heaviness in the abdomen, nausea. Due to frequent bowel movements, intoxication and dehydration occur, body weight decreases, and dryness of the mucous membranes of the body is observed.
Inflammation of the colon (colitis) causes acute pain, the stool is less frequent, but painful, sometimes with an admixture of red blood. The pain is localized in the lower abdomen. The child's diarrhea alternates with constipation.
With enterocolitis, psychovegetative syndrome also manifests itself: the child feels weakness, headache, he quickly gets tired and does not sleep well, becomes irritable and capricious. If enterocolitis in a child acquires a chronic form, it can cause a delay in growth and weight, disorders of protein and mineral metabolism in the body.
Stool disorders in a sick child usually last for quite a long time, and disappear in 3-4 weeks from the onset of the disease.
Treatment of enterocolitis in children
Treatment of enterocolitis in children involves a balanced diet, the appointment of antibacterial drugs, stimulation of metabolic processes, the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, the use of vitamins.
A water-tea diet, the use of low-fat meat broth, grated cereals and soups, cutlets and steamed fish are useful. Spices, raw vegetables and fruits, nuts, brown bread are excluded from the diet, as these products can irritate the intestines, causing food allergies.
To reduce pain use antispasmodic drugs (no-shpu, papaverine), cabbage juice, mineral waters ("Essentuki No. 17", "Borjomi", etc.). You can also apply a heating pad to the stomach.
Medicinal microclysters with chamomile decoction and rosehip oil are used for lesions of the large intestine. They help relieve bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.
In order to avoid enterocolitis, you need to monitor the child's diet, treat intestinal infections in time, and prevent worms and other parasites.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
