Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by a tubercle bacillus (an obsolete name is consumption), which leads to the formation of a specific inflammation in the organs and tissues of a person. According to statistics, in Russia the prevalence of this disease is 50 per 100 thousand population. Unfortunately, over the past two years, the incidence among children has grown by as much as 26%. For the first time this disease was thoroughly studied by Robert Koch in 1884m. Today, phthisiatricians (phthisiatricians, doctors treating patients with tuberculosis) distinguish 3 types of this disease:
- Tuberculosis intoxication, mainly in children and adolescents, is the initial stage of the disease, which even can pass without any treatment if the child has strong immunity;
- Tuberculosis of the respiratory system - most often, this is a lesion of the lungs;
- Tuberculosis of other organs and systems is the most severe type of disease (tuberculosis of bones and joints, intestinal tuberculosis, genital tuberculosis, etc.)
Like all infectious diseases, tuberculosis does not appear out of nowhere. Usually carriers are people with tuberculosis (infected with hygiene products and household items), as well as animals - mostly small, cattle. In addition, this infection can be transmitted by airborne droplets, through dust that contains particles of infection (note: this bacterium can live in one place for up to a year and not manifest immediately; its destruction in the external environment is facilitated by sunlight, boiling and irradiation with special rays ), through meat obtained from infected bacteria of animals, as well as ingestion through injuries on the skin.
Most often, tuberculosis, regardless of the type, manifests itself in older children and in schoolchildren. The most common and, unfortunately, not 100% protection against this infection is the Mantoux test (note: this inoculation is done to children when they are in grades 4, 7, 10, and inoculations from tuberculosis are made to the newborn in the maternity hospital on the 3rd, 5th and 7th day after birth, there are options to make them later) - the so-called vaccination, which is done to children at different ages. This vaccination of a tubercle bacillus in a minimal dose, which helps to detect the presence of tuberculosis in the body of the child, or on the contrary to strengthen its immunity to it. How to determine whether your child has a positive result or not? The trace from this test is usually a few millimeters, if there is still an infection in the body, it will immediately manifest itself: first, in the form of scratching the area of the injection, redness, possible temperature, and also increasing the area of grafting to more than 12 mm. In this case, you should immediately contact your TB physician.
How can we recognize the symptoms of tuberculosis, as far as possible under what types? This will be discussed later.
We live in a very progressive time, when children in schools receive a huge load, while still attending additional classes and doing some hobbies. By this
cause for general lethargy, fatigue and even leanness, parents may not notice obvious signs of developing infectious disease. The obvious symptoms of tuberculosis include: fatigue, temperature, headache, fatigue, stunted growth, tachycardia, lymph node inflammation, fever, bronchitis, stomach pain and even pain when pressing the stomach, sometimes enlarging the liver and spleen. Very often, the early stage of tuberculosis is very similar to influenza, when the child has a persistent cough and high fever - if anti-influenza drugs do not help, this may be the first sign of infection. When there are suspicions of this disease, first of all, it is necessary to make an x-ray, most often one can see a darkening at the roots of the lungs or other organs depending, from the lesion, but this is not always a bright indicator. The most common symptom is still the high temperature, which lasts longer than with the usual flu or common cold, inflammation of the lymph nodes of several groups, if usual tests are given, then in the blood - an increase in ESR (note: the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation), in the lungs - incessant rales, in urine - a large amount of protein.
It is necessary to dwell in more detail on the different types of tuberculosis and its signs, and also consider precautions so that the treatment of this infection does not get sick.
- If the child has: a slight increase in temperature, as well as marked inflammation of the lymph nodes, then most likely in his body penetrated the tubercle bacillus, which gives off special toxins that adversely affect the health of any person. This type of infection is called tubercular intoxication , the most common among children . If you have time to trace this form at the initial stage, it can be easily cured, but only if you combine: medical treatment prescribed by a doctor, exercise and walking in clean air, plus a special daily routine - your child will quickly recover.
- Very often children get tuberculosis of the bronchial glands . Very often, the symptoms of this type of disease are similar to the flu, as mentioned earlier (temperature, cough). But this type of tuberculosis is not always manifested in the form of high temperature. The child begins to lose weight sharply, becomes quickly tired and extremely pale, cough develops over time.
- Tuberculosis of the lungs is more common in adults, but children are also sick, but very rarely. When light children are hit, the most obvious and one hundred percent sign of this is the high temperature. Pulmonary TB is more difficult to cure in children than tuberculosis of bronchial glands. But if you start on time treatment and fight the disease intensively and persistently, then you can defeat the disease.
- Tuberculosis of bones or joints can lead to the formation of a hump or to lameness if the treatment is not started on time. Most often in this disease, children complain of pain in the joints, muscles - you need to immediately consult a doctor, otherwise after a while they may begin to limp.
- One of the most severe forms of tuberculosis is tuberculosis of meninges or tuberculous meningitis. Most often, it appears in children in families where there is already a patient with tuberculosis in an open form. Therefore, in this case, constant monitoring of the child is necessary in order to prevent any form of this infection.
Summing up, any child who has contracted this infection should be under close supervision of the doctor, take certain drugs strictly in time, follow a special schedule of the day, spend a lot of time outdoors, and if possible, even live in the village, at the cottage - in any place where nature is near (note: because this disease requires a large amount of oxygen consumption for the body), water procedures and sunbathing are also necessary, but in a moderate amount. According to statistics, as mentioned earlier, the incidence of tuberculosis is increasing every year throughout the world. Most often this disease occurs in an open form, when one person can infect dozens, and even thousands of people. Unfortunately, this disease can catch both adults and children. Therefore, in conclusion, I would like to give small but significant recommendations to all parents about what measures to take to reduce the likelihood of the disease of their child with this infection:
- It is necessary to vaccinate against tuberculosis in time, without delay;
- Every year Mantoux should be sampled, and for children of adolescence, as an addition - fluroography;
- If the pediatrician suspects the presence of a bacterium in your child's body, you need to immediately go to a TB specialist who is treating the problem;
- If there is a suspicion or an already detected bacterium, the child must comply with absolutely all the prescriptions prescribed by the doctor, and only the parents can help their child to overcome this ailment.
- It is necessary to give your child a maximum of time: he should receive a sufficient amount of physical and mental stress, hardening, not overwork and more out in the open air;
- Compulsory adherence to your child's hygiene rules will significantly reduce the likelihood of getting any infections.
Now you know how to recognize tuberculosis in the early stages of the disease in children. And remember, dear parents, we live in the 21st century, when there are practically no incurable diseases, we need only to monitor the health of our children and in time to be able to recognize a serious illness in order to defeat it once and for all.