Gastrointestinal diseases in young children are a fairly common type of pathology. In our country, these diseases are not so common due to the fact that we have a widely practiced rational nutrition, as well as other measures to prevent similar pathologies.
Changes in appetite in children
Children may lose their appetite for many diseases of the digestive tract, such as peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, gastritis, chronic liver diseases, etc. Anorexia or lack of appetite can be the result of various pathologies of organs related to the gastrointestinal tract, disturbances in the child's psyche, as well as malnutrition or feeding.
Change in saturation in children
If the patient has abnormally fast saturation, then this may be a sign of liver disease, chronic gastritis or biliary tract disease. Conversely, if the patient has a constant feeling of hunger, then perhaps he has celiac disease, hyperinsulinism or "short bowel" syndrome.
Thirst
Severe thirst can be a sign of dehydration due to vomiting or diarrhea in patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic pancreatitis and the like.
Increased salivation in children
Too high salivation in children older than six months can be observed with diseases such as ascaridosis, as well as in diseases of the pancreas.
Dysfunction in children
Dysphagia, or a violation of the swallowing mechanism, can occur for a variety of reasons, such as anatomical features of the structure of the esophagus (stenosis or atresia), nasopharynx ("cleft lip" or "wolf mouth"), various pathologies of the esophagus, malfunctions in the passage mechanism through the esophagus because of its compression of an enlarged thyroid or thymus gland, lymph nodes and tumors of various origin. Also, the causes may be mental illness, muscle damage, paralysis of the pharyngeal muscles (which is often observed in diphtheria polyneuritis, poliomyelitis and other diseases), CNS pathology. In children, one of the most common causes of swallowing disorders can be cardiopathy, which is caused by an inborn violation of parasympathetic nodes in the lower esophagus.
Nausea and vomiting in children
The first of these two symptoms, nausea, can be a sign of such diseases as biliary tract damage, gastroduodenitis, etc. It can also have a conditioned reflex character.
Vomiting occurs when stimulated by pulsation, which comes through the vagus nerve, the vomiting center. This pulsation can come from a variety of reflexogenic areas (gall bladder, pancreas, ureters, peritoneum, stomach, bile ducts, hepatic ducts, appendix, pharynx, coronary vessels of the heart and others). Also, the emetic center can be irritated by direct toxic effects or pathological processes in the central nervous system. In children, vomiting occurs very often, especially before reaching the age of three. By the nature of the process of vomiting, a qualified specialist can determine its possible origin.
Pain in the abdomen of children
Pain sensations in the abdomen can occur against the background of diseases of the digestive system, as well as pathologies of other systems and organs. It is necessary to clarify the nature of pain, time and localization of the occurrence, periodicity and so on.
Flatulence in children
This symptom can develop with enterocolitis, disaccharidic insufficiency, intestinal obstruction, intestinal dysbiosis, celiac disease, malabsorption syndrome, intestinal paresis.
Diarrhea in children
In a child, diarrhea develops with accelerated movement of the contents of the intestine, enhancing its peristalsis and slowing down the absorption of the intestinal fluid, as well as increasing intestinal fluid production in certain diseases. It can be observed with a variety of non-infectious and infectious diseases of the digestive tract in children of any age.
Constipation
The causes for constipation may become accumulation of feces in elongated or dilated intestinal segments, weakening of peristalsis, mechanical obstructions anywhere in the intestine, intestinal paresis, pathology in the defecation mechanism.