Friday, July 26, 2013

Gastroenteritis in children

Infectious gastroenteritis is an infection of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that cause vomiting and diarrhea.



Gastroenteritis can cause a number of diverse bacteria. Some bacteria cause symptoms exuding toxins, others grow in the intestinal wall. If you are growing inside the wall, can penetrate into the bloodstream.Viruses and parasites, for example. Giardia, can also cause gastroenteritis. In fact, one virus (rotavirus) is responsible for almost half of all cases of severe diarrhea hospitalizations ending in the U.S. and developing countries. Bacteria and parasites are somewhat less important in the U.S. than in developing countries, but they also cause outbreaks of food poisoning and diarrhea.



The consequences of severe diarrhea are quite different in developed countries than in developing countries, for example. in the United States, despite the millions of cases of diarrhea in children each year, all of them ending fatally hundreds, while the proljevne disease, killing more than 3 million children under 5 years in developing countries.



Symptoms and diagnosis

Gastroenteritis is usually manifested by vomiting and diarrhea. To determine the cause, the doctor takes into account whether the child may have been exposed to a source of infection (eg, a particular food, animal or sick person), how long had the symptoms and what are the symptoms and how often the child vomits or has shed chairs . One must also take into account the child's age.



Within 24 hours of the occurrence of gastroenteritis in infants under 6 months can fall into dehydration, the loss of too much water and salt (electrolyte). However, each child may run into dehydration within 24 hours if they are severe vomiting and diarrhea and fluid intake is insufficient.



Dehydrated infant has poor appetite, dry mouth, fever and scantily urine production and thirst shows and weight loss. More severe dehydration gives eye inflammation and dry appearance, and the soft part between the bones of the scalp (fontanelle) is also inflamed. A child may be sleepy.In older infants and children fat symptoms may occur before dehydration becomes critical. Such children may seem very weak, with hot, dry skin and inflammation, dry eyes.



Treatment

First, given fluids and electrolytes, usually the mouth, but if dehydration is severe, intravenous, to compensate for the loss of vomiting and diarrhea. Older otherwise healthy infants and children are given antibiotics for certain bacteria and parasites, for example. 
Those that cause bloody diarrhea or cholera.Infants under 6 months and those with impaired immune systems are treated with antibiotics, even when there are no signs of infection beyond the intestines. Antibiotics are ineffective when the gastroenteritis is caused by a virus. Antibiotics are often given to people who are traveling befalls diarrhea and when heavy or persistent diarrhea.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.