What to give with an intestinal infection. Intestinal infection in children. Medications for intestinal infections

Among all the infections that children suffer from, the second place in the frequency of the disease is just intestinal - after SARS. In general, intestinal infections are quite common among the entire population, but such “popularity” among children has its own logical explanations.

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.

Acute diarrhea (diarrhea) - infectious diseases characterized by damage to various parts of the gastrointestinal tract and the development of dehydration and intoxication 1 of varying severity - are among the most widespread diseases of children around the world. In our country, at least 500 thousand acute intestinal infections are recorded annually in children, and children of the first year of life are most often ill. The high incidence of children of this age is explained by the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the characteristics of the immune system of infants.

The main protective link of the gastrointestinal tract, which stands in the way of the penetration of pathogenic microbes, is the intestinal mucous barrier, one of the main components of which is secretory immunoglobulin A, the production of which in children under one year old is reduced. In part, this deficiency is made up for by breast milk, so children who are bottle-fed are more susceptible to infections of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, in children, unlike adults, other protective systems of the gastrointestinal tract are weaker: they produce less hydrochloric acid in the stomach and less secretion of the pancreas, bile, which also prevent the introduction of pathogenic microbes.

In children, unlike adults, severe forms of intestinal infections are more often noted, since they become dehydrated faster, as a result of water loss with vomiting and loose stools, and children's cells, as you know, are 90% water and salts.

It should be noted that in the event of any infectious pathology, including intestinal infections, not only the number and pathogenicity of microbes that have entered the baby's gastrointestinal tract are important, but also the initial state of the child's health.

Risk factors for intestinal infections:

• artificial feeding;
• the introduction of complementary foods that are not subjected to heat treatment - there is a possibility of contact with pathogens with complementary foods;
• summer time of the year - elevated air temperature contributes to the reproduction of pathogens in water, soil, products;
• prematurity;
• immunodeficiency states in children;
• perinatal pathology of the central nervous system.

pathogens

Intestinal infections are caused by various microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa), in our country it is predominantly bacteria (dysentery bacillus, salmonella, escherichia).
Other bacterial infections also occur. In young children, opportunistic bacteria can become their causative agent - microbes that are part of the normal microflora, but under certain conditions cause a disease. In children of the first year of life, such conditions are the immaturity of the immune system, frequent uncontrolled use of antibiotics.
Viruses can also be causative agents of intestinal infections; the most common among these infections is rotavirus, this is the so-called "stomach flu", which is usually ill in winter, but other viral infections also occur.

Ways of infection

The main route of infection with intestinal infections is fecal-oral, in which the causative agent of the disease enters the child's mouth. This way of infection is realized through contaminated water, toys, nipples, food, household items. So, taking a fallen toy or nipple into his mouth, a child can get a portion of pathogens of intestinal infections. But it should be remembered that an adult cannot "sterilize" the nipple with his saliva, because in this way the mother contributes to the transfer of microflora from her mouth to the child's mouth and gastrointestinal tract.

Salmonella, the most common pathogens of acute intestinal infections, widespread throughout the world due to industrial poultry farming, most often enter the gastrointestinal tract with poultry meat and eggs. During evisceration of infected chickens, these bacteria infect the entire line that processes poultry meat. Salmonella are resistant to freezing, they die only during heat treatment. But if you carry the meat of an infected bird from the store in one bag, for example, with bread, then in the future the infection will occur precisely through the bread, and not through the chicken that has undergone heat treatment. If there are small cracks in the eggs, Salmonella can also enter them, so the eggs can also become a source of infection. Salmonella is also spread through milk.

Dysentery bacillus more often enters the gastrointestinal tract with low-quality dairy products, water.

In summer, pathogens of intestinal infections are often found in water bodies, especially stagnant ones. A child can become infected not only by drinking water, but also by inhaling it or swallowing splashes.

Any microbes and viruses can get into the baby's mouth from parents or people who care for the child, through the dirty hands of adults. If the period of introduction of complementary foods occurs in the summer, then along with “fresh vitamins”, parents can reward the child with intestinal infections. This path is most likely with the introduction of self-made juices from insufficiently washed fruits and berries.

Infection can also occur when children come into contact with infected animals, if the child, after stroking an animal on whose fur there were pathogens of intestinal infections, then puts his hands in his mouth or touches toys, and even more so food, with unwashed hands.

The duration of the incubation period - the period from the entry of pathogenic bacteria or viruses into the body until the onset of symptoms of the disease - depends on the number of microorganisms that have entered the child's mouth: the more pathogens, the shorter this period. This time can range from several hours to seven days (more often it does not exceed 3 days).

Symptoms

Various microorganisms that cause intestinal infections affect one or another section of the gastrointestinal tract. So, for example, salmonella "choose" mainly the small intestine. Depending on which parts of the gastrointestinal tract are affected, there are:
gastritis - damage to the stomach, manifested mainly by vomiting;
enteritis, colitis - damage to the small and large intestines, manifested by rapid stools;
lesions of several parts of the gastrointestinal tract are more common: enterocolitis, gastroenteritis.

What mom will notice: since the baby cannot tell that he has a stomachache, this symptom will manifest itself as anxiety, the baby often cries, it is difficult to calm him down, vomiting,
increased stool, bloating, elevated body temperature.

By the nature of the stool, acute intestinal infections are:
1. Secretory (watery). Such diseases are manifested by liquid watery stools. Viruses and toxins produced by bacteria, as it were, make the cell "cry", and epitheliocytes - the cells lining the gastrointestinal tract, lose their ability to absorb water; so there is a liquid watery stool.
2. Inflammatory (invasive). In this case, the microbe enters the cell, destroying it. In the stool, you can see mucus, blood, greens, pus, which indicates the destruction of intestinal epithelial cells. These are often bacterial infections.

Their manifestations:

• temperature increase;
• refusal to eat, weight loss;
• lethargy, vomiting, abdominal pain;
• the severity of the disease is indicated by retraction of the eyes, sharpening of facial features, retraction of a large fontanel, dry lips, convulsions;
• a formidable symptom, indicating the extreme severity of the disease, is the absence of urine in a child for more than 6 hours.
  The severity of the disease is also determined by the frequency of stools, vomiting and the amount of fluid lost.
  For the duration of intestinal infections can be:
• acute (loose stools last no more than 2 weeks);
• protracted (loose stools - from 2 weeks to 2 months);
• chronic (the concept of chronic infection is more related to dysentery;
• but since chronic dysentery is not recorded now, tk. Since modern antibacterial drugs have appeared that can adequately fight this infection, at present chronic intestinal infections practically do not occur).

Diagnostics

For diagnosis, in addition to monitoring the dynamics (development) of clinical symptoms, the following are used:
Coprological analysis of feces, in which it is possible to detect a pathogen (for example, protozoa), or to identify inflammatory changes in the gastrointestinal tract, digestive disorders.
Bacteriological culture. The method is based on the fact that a particular pathogen grows on a special nutrient medium. It takes a long time (5-7 days) to obtain the result of such a study.
To assess the general condition of the child, general blood and urine tests, a biochemical blood test, and the acid-base state of the blood are also prescribed.
For the recognition of viral diseases, there are also newer diagnostic methods that more accurately recognize the causative agent of the infection, but they are quite expensive and are performed only in large research institutes.
Since the manifestations of various intestinal infections are similar, they are successfully treated without recognizing the pathogen.

Treatment

First of all, you should consult a doctor. The local pediatrician or the doctor on duty at the clinic, hospital or children's medical center will help the child. Some parents try to cope with the disease on their own, because they are afraid that the child will end up in an infectious disease hospital. Firstly, hospitalization is currently recommended for severe diseases (stools up to 10-15 times a day, indomitable vomiting, severe dehydration), and discharge can be made when the child's condition improves, that is, it is not necessary to wait for a negative analysis of bacteriological culture, which is performed within 7 days. Secondly, only a doctor can correctly diagnose and prescribe the right treatment. In the case of home treatment, the child should be visited daily by a doctor or nurse from the clinic.

Since fluid and salts are lost with loose stools and vomiting, in order to restore the required amount of fluid in the body, oral rehydration is performed - fractional drinking of a sick child with special solutions. For this, glucose-salt solutions are used (Regidron, Citroglucosolan). If it is not possible to give these solutions to the child (for example, you and the baby are in the country and medical assistance will be provided only upon returning to the city), then you can prepare a solution of the following composition at home: 4 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 liter of boiled water. It should be noted that in solutions prepared in a factory way, baking soda is replaced by citrate salts, which are better absorbed by children. You need to start drinking with 1 teaspoon; young children need to drip the solution on their lips even during sleep. Bottled solutions should not be given, as the baby will grab the nipple due to thirst, drinking too much solution, which may cause vomiting. In the future, the required volume is calculated by the doctor, taking into account the initial weight of the child, loss of fluid with feces and vomiting. In cases of severe dehydration, fluid replacement is carried out using intravenous drip.

In cases of severe gastritis (frequent vomiting), if a little time has passed since the onset of the disease, the ambulance team or hospital doctors can do a gastric lavage to the child.

From the first hours of the onset of intestinal dysfunction, along with oral rehydration, it is advisable to use enterosorbents. Preferably - "Smecta" - a drug of natural origin that binds microbes, toxins and protects the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. A small infant is enough for one package of powder per day; the powder is given in three doses.

Antibacterial drugs are used in children only under strict indications. The fact is that any antibacterial drugs change the intestinal microflora, tk. they have a detrimental effect not only on pathogenic microbes, but also on normal, very important inhabitants of the intestine, and in cases of acute intestinal infections, the normal microflora (lacto- and bifidobacteria) is more than ever designed to protect the intestinal surface from the penetration of pathogenic microbes. Parents should especially be warned against trying to treat children on their own with such “old” antibacterial drugs as levomycetin and tetracycline drugs, because these antibiotics are not only harmful to normal microflora, but also toxic.

Antibiotics are never used for watery diarrhoea, with the exception of cholera.

Currently, only intestinal infections that occur with inflammatory changes in the intestines are treated with antibacterial drugs, in which mucus, greens, and blood can be seen in the feces. But even with these diseases, mild forms in children older than 2 years do not require the appointment of antibacterial drugs. However, there are infections in which antibiotics are always given. These are dysentery, amoebiasis (amebic dysentery), typhoid fever, cholera. In these diseases, antibacterial drugs are given regardless of their severity. Needless to say, only a doctor can distinguish one intestinal infection from another, as their manifestations are often very similar. In no case should an analogy be drawn with sick adult family members taking this or that drug, even as prescribed by a doctor. A baby who has diarrhea and vomiting after an adult should definitely consult a specialist, since many antibacterial drugs that have proven themselves for treating intestinal infections in adults are not used in pediatric practice. For example, fluoroquinolones can affect growing cartilage and are therefore approved for use in children over 12 years of age.

Diet - since with any intestinal infection the intestine is not affected throughout, the unaffected areas are able to absorb nutrients. The main principle of feeding during the period of illness is feeding according to appetite. When breastfeeding, one should adhere to the principles of feeding on demand, and with artificial feeding, offer the child at each feeding the amount of food that corresponds to his age, but if the child does not eat all the proposed mixture, then you should not try to force feed him. In this case, it is desirable to give food more often, in small portions. In the acute period of the disease, preference is given to sour-milk mixtures ("Agusha", "Nan-sour milk"), since many microbes do not like an acidic environment. During the illness, new components should not be introduced into the diet. It is better to give cereals dairy-free, given that during the acute period of infection, secondary lactase deficiency occurs - a lack of an enzyme that digests milk, and it is less digestible. During the period of diarrhea, the child is not given fresh fruits, juices, yolks, pastries and meat broths.

Usually, by the 5th day of treatment, they return to the original amount of food and diet. Dietary restrictions (do not introduce new foods, dairy-free cereals into the diet) last up to 2 weeks.

Symptomatic therapy is also used, including antipyretics when the temperature rises above 38 ° C. You can use physical methods of cooling (the baby should not be wrapped up, you can wipe it with a half-alcohol solution, but do not rub it). Of the drugs, preference is given to drugs containing paracetamol and ibuprofen.

More attention should also be paid to care. You need to wash your baby regularly. Since the stool is quickened, to prevent diaper rash, the skin around the anus should be treated with De-panthenol, Drapolen ointment. During the acute period of the disease, it is desirable to use not disposable, but cloth diapers, since it is very important to monitor urination, and this is not possible when using disposable diapers.

Prevention

To prevent intestinal infections, specific methods such as vaccinations have not been developed. Prevention of these diseases consists in the obligatory observance of elementary hygiene rules, control over the foods that the child eats. The more carefully parents will monitor what can get into the baby's mouth, from food to toys, the less likely the child will get an acute intestinal infection.

Intestinal infections are very common among children. And this is not surprising, because babies love to taste the world, and as soon as they acquire the ability to grab various objects with their hands, they first of all begin to drag these objects into their mouths. Evgeny Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician, tells how to prevent unpleasant consequences, how to treat a child with an intestinal infection and what you should know about it in general.

What it is

Intestinal infections are not a separate disease, but a whole large group of diseases that are united same symptoms - diarrhea, vomiting, fever. Bacteria and viruses can cause disease. The disease does not develop immediately, but only 10-45 hours after the pathogen enters the body.. The most dangerous are salmonellosis, dysentery, staphylococcus, cholera. Among viral infections, the leaders in the frequency of occurrence are enterovirus and rotavirus infections.

Doctor Komarovsky about the problem

There is nothing to be ashamed of, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. Even the cleanest mother, even if she chooses only the best products for her child, the baby may well get sick with an intestinal infection. According to the statistics of the World Health Organization, every day a huge number of children fall ill with these ailments on the planet. More than 2 million babies under the age of 5 die every year from these infections. But there is also a comforting figure among official statistics - 90% of all cases of intestinal infections among babies can be quickly and effectively cured without the use of any medications on their own at home.

Most parents are well aware of the symptoms: diarrhea (loose stools), nausea, vomiting, complaints of pain in the abdomen. It is precisely on the localization of pain that Evgeny Olegovich recommends paying attention first of all.

If bacteria or viruses have affected the stomach, then the child has gastritis. If inflammation develops in the small intestine, this is enteritis, and if the large intestine is affected, then we can talk about colitis. But here, too, not everything is simple, and often children have mixed diagnoses - enterocolitis, gastroenteritis.

Despite the fact that intestinal infections are popularly considered the “disease of dirty hands”, Yevgeny Komarovsky argues that this would be too simple. After all, children can play in the same sandbox, eat the same apples bought in the same store, but one child will get sick, and nothing like this will happen to another. The main risk is not even dirty hands, the doctor says, but a combination of three important factors in the development of an intestinal infection: the environment of the child, the food he eats, and the liquid he drinks.

If there is a person in his environment who is a source of infection, it is enough to share toys, household items, the slightest physical contact for infection to occur. With regard to food, it is easiest for families with many children - food is not stored there for a long time, which means that the risks of bacterial growth directly in food are reduced tenfold. Quality water is a common problem in many regions of Russia. Therefore, parents should carefully monitor what the baby drinks, and if the tap water is not very good, it is better to boil it even before brushing your teeth.

The younger the child, the more likely he is to get an intestinal infection. Komarovsky recalls that gastric juice performs an important function - it destroys most bacteria and viruses that enter the body through the mouth. However, in young children, the juice has less acidity than in adults, and therefore bacteria and harmful agents of viral origin have a much higher chance of surviving in the children's stomach.

Antibodies that a child's body produces in response to the penetration of a pathogen do not remain for life, as happens with chickenpox. Bacterial infections (staphylococcal or salmonellosis) cannot be defeated by antibodies to the corresponding pathogens alone; drug treatment is required. But viral intestinal infections (the most common of which is rotavirus) can stimulate the appearance of specific antibodies that will protect the child from similar pathogens for quite a long time. For a long time, but not always.

Treatment

In the treatment of acute intestinal infection, according to Komarovsky, the main thing is not even medicines that parents want to deal with pathogens as soon as possible. Much more important is to create favorable conditions for the baby's immunity to work. There are very few infections that require serious antibiotic treatment. In most cases, no special treatment is required, the doctor emphasizes. The child just needs to be helped to “hold on” for 3-5 days until his immune defenses cope with the pathogen.

How to treat intestinal infections will tell Dr. Komarovsky in the next video.

The main danger these days is the risk of dehydration. In severe cases, they die not from infection, but from dehydration, emphasizes Komarovsky. Therefore, drinking plenty of water should be the main means of treatment.

And in order not to replenish the sad figures of the statistics mentioned above, parents should remember the alarming symptoms like twice two and know the possible situations when self-medication should be completely excluded. You should go to the doctor, to the hospital of the infectious diseases hospital, and as soon as possible, if:

• The baby is too small or has very intense vomiting, as a result of which the child cannot drink water.
• In feces or vomit, you notice blood impurities, even the smallest.
• If diarrhea and vomiting attacks are accompanied by a very high temperature. Severe intoxication, the appearance of excessive pallor, a rash on the skin.
• If there are signs of dehydration. These include dryness of the skin and mucous membranes, the absence or small amount of urine that the baby secretes, dryness of the tongue. If a child does not pee for more than six hours in a row - this is a very disturbing symptom, if he cries without tears - this is also a sign of dehydration. Outwardly, sunken eyes are noticeable, and in babies up to a year old, the fontanel on the head also sinks.

High body temperature during intestinal infection performs an important task - it stimulates the production of interferon, which is involved in immune defense. And if, for these reasons, it is usually not recommended to reduce it without extreme need, then with an intestinal infection, the attitude towards heat should be somewhat different.

Yevgeny Komarovsky emphasizes that at high temperatures the child sweats more, breathes through his mouth, and this leads to drying of the mucous membranes, he breathes more often, the heart beats faster in the heat. All this contributes to additional fluid loss. The heat becomes an extra burden on the already exhausted body of the child. Usually, Evgeny Olegovich advises to lower the temperature after 38.5, but in the case of intestinal infections, the reason for taking an antipyretic (such as Paracetamol) should be the thermometer reading at 37.5.

In matters of the use of sorbents for intestinal ailments, doctors can not come to a consensus. The World Health Organization does not recommend doing this, but so far no one has been able to prove that sorbents harm the child's body. Dr. Komarovsky recommends that parents decide this issue on their own or consult with their doctor, who knows the child better, but emphasizes that moderate use of sorbents is more likely to only benefit. Sorbents are "Bactistatin", "Polysorb", "Enterosgel" and the well-known activated carbon.

To solder a child with vomiting and diarrhea should be special preparations for oral rehydration. If during the flu it is enough to give the baby sweet tea or fruit juice to drink, then in the case of an intestinal infection, the child during loose stools and vomiting loses a large amount of not only important liquid for him, but also mineral salts, without which he will also not be able to live.

That is why compotes are best left for later. And give the child in large quantities solutions of "Rehydron", "Gidrovita", suitable for replenishing the water-salt balance of both "Human Electrolyte" and "Maratonik". All these preparations are sachets with glucose and mineral salts, which can be simply dissolved in water and given to the child to drink. Not too pleasant to taste (salty!), but very useful and important.

Feeding a child during the treatment of intestinal infections, according to Komarovsky, is far from useful. Dairy, meat food only worsens the condition of the baby, slows down recovery. However, if we are talking about thin children, with a deficiency of body weight, then such a child definitely should not starve, it can be deadly. It is necessary to feed such a child in the same way as before the intestinal infection, with the foods he is used to, do not limit him in food. If the little one is not a goner, then it is better to temporarily limit food, preferring liquids (broth, jelly). For children older than a year, it is best to give meals that will not contain meat and fatty components. Under the ban are milk, eggs, meat products. Kashi is best boiled in water.

• If a child has an acute intestinal infection, it is important to ensure that dehydration does not occur. If with older children you can control the amount drunk and allocated, then with babies everything is different. To determine how much the baby peed, Komarovsky advises mothers to use electronic scales. They need to weigh the used diaper. This will give more or less accurate data on the amount of fluid released.
• Do not panic if the child suddenly has more loose stools. If there are no accompanying symptoms, then we are most likely not talking about an intestinal infection as such. It has several symptoms combined. Komarovsky recommends not to sound the alarm and not to start self-treatment of “what I don’t know what” with folk remedies or medicines.
• Actively drink a baby with an intestinal infection with a high fever is also needed because the most common complication of an intestinal disorder is, oddly enough, pneumonia, says Komarovsky. If there is enough moisture, the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx, bronchi, trachea and lungs will not dry out, and the risk of pneumonia will be minimized.
• If financial resources do not allow you to buy a sufficient number of sachets of oral-rehydration mixture, Komarovsky advises you to prepare the solution at home yourself. The recipe is not the work of some homegrown traditional healers, it is officially approved by the World Health Organization. For cooking, you need a liter of water, two tablespoons of sugar, and one teaspoon of soda and table salt.
• Drinking for a child should not be cold or hot. Ideally, it should fully correspond to body temperature, only then the absorption rate of such a solution will be maximum, which is very important in the treatment of intestinal infections.
• During an illness with an intestinal disorder, against the background of a decrease in appetite, children often develop enzyme deficiency. Therefore, as soon as the baby feels better and he asks for food, you should not give him too much food or fatty foods, since there are still not enough enzymes in the body.
• The best prevention is the observance of hygiene requirements. The child should wash their hands more often, and the mother should properly store food and give the child clean or boiled water to drink.

• Doctor Komarovsky

Acute intestinal infection is a disease caused by microorganisms that have entered the human intestine. The causative agents of the disease are bacteria, viruses, protozoa or fungi. The source of infection is a sick person, an animal, everyday items and the environment, food, water.

Acute intestinal infections (AII) are characterized by indigestion, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and intoxication of the body. The disease is severe in children: the body is quickly dehydrated and has a weak immune system.

Intestinal infections are dangerous during pregnancy: dehydration and intoxication of a woman's body lead to miscarriage or provoke oxygen starvation of the fetus.

According to ICD 10, intestinal infections are in first place in the list, their codes are A00-A09. The most dangerous disease is cholera (ICD code 10 A00). This is where the list of intestinal infections begins.

Intestinal infections are characterized by rapid spread. Transmission - oral-fecal, alimentary and airborne. The infection is transmitted from person to person through unwashed hands, household items, poorly washed fruits and vegetables, and by water.

Pathogenic microorganisms are carried by insects (flies, cockroaches), sick farm animals, birds or rodents.

Pathogenic microorganisms choose the human intestines as their habitat.

Intestinal infectious diseases are similar in clinical manifestations; etiology and epidemiology are different.

Intestinal infections, a list of which can be found in the medical literature, vary depending on the type of pathogens and the effect on the body. Medical reference books, books, journals and online publications provide a list of AII with a description of the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, methods of diagnosis and treatment.

Etiology of acute intestinal infections

Types of OKI:

Regardless of what types of microorganisms caused the disease, its symptoms are unpleasant, the treatment period is long, and the outcome is not always favorable.

Epidemiology of AII

The reasons for the emergence and spread of acute intestinal infections are that pathogenic microorganisms are quickly transmitted from a sick person or carrier of the infection.

Pathogenic microorganisms are resistant to environmental conditions, retain their harmful qualities in the cold for a long time, and remain on objects that an infected person has come into contact with.

Pathogens leave the body infected with an intestinal infection, along with feces and vomit, and are transferred to surrounding household items, water, food with the help of hands, insects, and enter water bodies with sewage. The transmission of the pathogen is “along the chain”, which leads to the emergence of an epidemic.

Classification of epidemics depending on the source of infection:

1. water epidemics. Characterized by mass infection of people using a water source. With the termination of the use of water from the source or its disinfection, the epidemic subsides.
2. food epidemics. As a result of eating foods that have not undergone heat treatment, or the ingress of pathogenic microorganisms.
3. Household. A large number of sick children. Infections are transmitted through toys and household items.

Epidemics vary in intensity and seasonality.

Children who are unable to follow the rules of hygiene are prone to intestinal diseases.

If one child gets sick, the whole group of children is at risk.

Clinical picture of OKI

Intestinal infections are common diseases.

The clinic of all acute intestinal diseases is characterized by common manifestations:

The first symptoms of the disease appear 6-48 hours after infection.

The intestinal flu is the most common intestinal infection.

Intestinal flu affects children from six months to two years. The nature of the disease is viral, the causative agent - rotavirus - a pathogenic microorganism that has a three-layer dense shell and the shape of a "wheel".

Ways and mechanism of infection with rotavirus

Rotavirus intestinal infection is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Trillions of bacteria leave with the feces of an infected person, while a hundred units are enough to infect others. Rotaviruses are tenacious, resistant to low temperatures and remain on those household items with which the patient or carrier of the virus has come into contact.

From these objects, they are transferred through poorly washed hands into the oral cavity of a healthy person and settle on the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines. Through close contact, rotavirus is transmitted through the saliva of an infected person.

Rotavirus enters through unboiled water and food, poorly washed or not sufficiently heat treated.

In case of mass infection, an epidemic of rotavirus occurs. The outbreak of the disease occurs in late autumn and in winter. The centers of infection are in crowded places - kindergartens, schools, nursing homes, hostels.

In order to prevent the mass spread of intestinal infections in schools, preschool institutions, collectives, and enterprises, an “Operational Action Plan for the Prevention of AII” is drawn up.

Sources of infection

Sources of infection - sick adults and children who have already shown symptoms of the disease, or virus carriers - people who have the virus in their bodies, but there are no signs of the disease.

Rotavirus with sewage enters the water supply network, reservoirs, where bathing leads to infection.

Incubation period and disease duration

The incubation period lasts up to six days.

The duration of illness with intestinal rotavirus infection is 2 weeks. The disease goes through two phases: an acute phase and a convalescent phase. The first phase lasts 7 days: the body fights the infection, the symptoms are severe. During the second phase, the body develops immunity, and a gradual recovery begins.

Symptoms

Clinical manifestations of intestinal flu are similar to SARS in the first days of the disease:

• temperature rise to 39 degrees;
• headache;
• sore throat and its redness,
• runny nose, cough, headache;
• pain in the abdomen;
• diarrhea;
• bouts of vomiting;
• lack of appetite;
• lethargy and weakness.

The absence of a high temperature distinguishes food poisoning from intestinal infections caused by pathogenic bacteria or viruses.

A dangerous manifestation in the acute phase of the disease is dehydration. The patient must be fed.

Features of the course of the disease in adults and children

Rotaviruses are invulnerable to the environment of the gastrointestinal tract and intestinal enzymes by a three-layer shell. During the course of the disease, the virus infects enterocytes - cells of the intestinal epithelium - and leads to their death, modifying the epithelium. Severe diarrhea and severe dehydration of the body occur; such is the pathogenesis of the disease.

Rotavirus in children

What is connected with the characteristics of the child's body and immunity. AII is a common disease among babies from six months to two years.

Enterovirus and rotavirus infections often occur in childhood and are similar to each other. At first, parents confuse them with acute respiratory infections, as there is a jump in temperature, cough, watery eyes, runny nose. Then vomiting and diarrhea follow.

Both with enterovirus and rotavirus infections, the symptoms are high fever, diarrhea and vomiting, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, and weakness.

Unlike rotavirus, enterovirus affects, in addition to the gastrointestinal tract, the liver, heart and nervous system of the child and affects vision.

Dehydration and intoxication are manifestations of the disease. Dehydration of the body occurs so quickly that the child does not produce urine and tears. Pain disturbs the baby's sleep pattern.

Treatment consists of drinking salted water or intravenous fluids.

Breastfed babies are less prone to gastrointestinal infections due to the qualities of mother's milk.

In view of the high infant mortality due to intestinal infections, pediatrics pays special attention to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of acute intestinal infections in children.

To date, there are manuals and scientific articles devoted to the problems of nutrition of children, ways to feed them safely, methods of treatment and development of the immune system.

Rotavirus in adults

Features of the manifestation of intestinal influenza in adults - that the course of the disease occurs with less pronounced symptoms. This is due to the protection of the adult organism - the acidic environment of the stomach and the content of immunoglobulin A in the secret produced by intestinal enterocytes.

The manifestation of the disease in an adult is an intestinal disorder. A person is a carrier of an infection, not suspecting that an intestinal disease is hiding behind mild symptoms.

Rotavirus in pregnant women

Does not pose a risk to the fetus. Dehydration of a woman's body provokes oxygen starvation of the fetus. Therefore, it is important at the first signs of intestinal flu to prevent dehydration and to observe bed rest. Preventive measures and hygiene will help reduce the risk of intestinal infection.

Diagnosis of rotavirus infection

Identification of signs of the disease - by examining the patient and talking. Data on body temperature are recorded, blood pressure is measured, and the abdomen is palpated. Carry out studies of urine, feces and blood of the patient, examination of the mucous membranes of the rectum.

Differential diagnosis - for salmonellosis, cholera, dysentery, food poisoning.

Determination of the virus based on the analysis of RSK or RTGA in the first days is impossible: antibodies are produced in an adult after a few days, in a newborn - after a few months. The diagnosis is confirmed on the basis of the epidemiological situation and seasonality.

Peculiarities of care for patients with acute intestinal infections in a hospital setting

In severe cases of illness or in the absence of the possibility of isolating the patient at home, a patient with intestinal infections is placed in a hospital.

In the process of treatment, it is important to care for patients with acute intestinal infectious diseases.

Prevention of complications of intestinal infections is an integral part of nursing care on the patient's path to recovery.

Nursing interventions provide:

• isolation of the admitted patient from convalescents;
• control over regular wet cleaning with bleach in the patient's ward and ventilation of the room;
• disinfection of faeces;
• support for rehydration;
• control of diet and hygiene;
• control of body temperature, pressure, condition of mucous membranes and skin.

Care must be taken in the care of patients with severe symptoms (fever, delirium, clouding of consciousness) and children.

Among all diseases in pediatric practice, acute intestinal infection in children ranks second after the common cold. The disease is seasonal, peaking in summer and autumn. This is facilitated by the long stay of children on the street, the use of unwashed vegetables and fruits, improper storage of cooked food.

Acute intestinal infections in children are a whole group of diseases of an infectious nature with an enteral (oral) mechanism for the transmission of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microorganisms. The most common routes of transmission:

• alimentary or food - bacteria are transmitted with consumed products;
• water - drinking contaminated water;
• contact-household - microorganisms enter the gastrointestinal tract through dirty dishes, unwashed hands, household items.

Classification of acute intestinal infections (AII) in pediatrics

All infectious diseases that affect the intestines are usually classified according to the type of pathogen, the presence of which is confirmed by laboratory tests. If pathogenic microorganisms are not detected, but there are all signs of an acute illness, then the condition is diagnosed as "intestinal infection of unknown etiology". Be sure to indicate which part of the digestive tract is damaged (thin or large intestine).

In case of emergency hospitalization of a child, when it is not possible to wait for the results of the diagnosis, but it is necessary to urgently carry out therapeutic measures, they resort to classification according to the type of diarrhea, where all intestinal infections are divided into three main groups.

Invasive

The first group is invasive. This type of infection is caused by bacteria that can multiply not only on the intestinal mucosa (epithelium), but also inside the cells into which they penetrate. The causative agents are salmonella, clostridia, shigella. In severe cases, these microorganisms enter the bloodstream and cause sepsis. Invasive infection indicates that inflammation develops in the small or large intestine (or covers the entire area of ​​​​the organ).

The severity of the invasive type varies from mild inflammation (catarrhal enterocolitis) to the formation of ulcers and necrotization of the intestinal walls. Distinguishing symptoms:

• vomit;
• accelerated peristalsis and release of intestinal contents;
• violation of the function of absorption of trace elements and water, dehydration of the body;
• increased formation of gases due to fermentative dyspepsia:
• in the feces, numerous impurities - mucus, blood, greens.

This group of OKI causes severe intoxication in a child. The severity of the course and the outcome of the disease depend on it.

non-invasive

Only the small intestine is involved in the pathological process, while its mucosa does not become inflamed. The main symptom is profuse diarrhea. The chair is liquid, watery, but without any impurities. Associated signs:

• body temperature rises slightly, maximum 37.8 °;
• vomiting joins;
• rapid dehydration of the child's body.

Osmotic

The second group is osmotic. Causative agents - viruses or cryptosporidium (rotavirus or adenovirus infection). Actively multiplying in the cells of the mucosa, viruses prevent the breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates and water. With the participation of intestinal microflora, sugar begins to ferment, and a lot of gases accumulate in the intestines (flatulence).

The disease is fixed in young children. It is more common in the cold season (autumn-winter). The main symptom is sharp and intense pain in the abdomen. Accelerated peristalsis provokes profuse and liquid diarrhea. Stool yellow or green, with foam, various impurities. Frequency of bowel movements up to 15 times a day. In babies, the symptoms of osmotic AII occur suddenly, the body temperature rises to 39 °. There is repeated vomiting.

Causes of infection in children

Susceptibility to infection is different and depends on several factors - age, immunity, social status and quality of life. An acute intestinal infection in a child develops when bacteria enter through the mouth. For infection to occur, a certain amount of pathogenic microbes must enter the body. When a foreign body is introduced, the child's immune system turns on a protective function, the bacteria die under the action of saliva, gastric juice, and immunoglobulins in the intestine. Babies under 5 years of age are more susceptible to infection, as the defenses of their body have not yet been formed.

Factors contributing to the development of an infectious disease:

• drinking water that is not sufficiently filtered or boiled (dysentery);
• improper storage of food (violation of the temperature regime), non-compliance with the technology of cooking culinary dishes, the use of one cutting board for foods that are consumed raw, and meat, fish;
• unwashed fruits, berries, vegetables (Salmonel Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Escherichiosis);
• non-compliance with personal hygiene - unwashed hands after walking on the street, going to the toilet, before each meal (shigellosis, rotavirus infection, hepatitis A);
• contact in preschool institutions - shared toys, towels, insufficient processing of dishes, carrier staff;
• swimming in prohibited places, polluted reservoirs.

Symptoms of an acute intestinal infection

In children, the incubation period of the disease is short, from 30 minutes to several hours.. In adolescence, the first manifestations of infection may occur a day after infection (depending on the pathogen, the degree of damage, the body's immunity).

Signs of acute intestinal infection in children are the same, regardless of the type of pathogenic microflora. The disease begins acutely. The first symptoms are from the digestive system, then dehydration of the whole organism increases in children. The clinic develops against the background of severe intoxication.

Gastrointestinal lesion

The pathological process develops in the intestinal mucosa and leads to functional disorders and morphological changes.

Functional changes:

• failures in the production of enzymes entail insufficient breakdown of food;
• due to the inflamed mucous membrane, the absorption of nutrients, water, electrolytes is disrupted;
• violation of motility and peristalsis of all parts of the intestine.

Morphological or structural changes - hyperemia of the mucosa, thinning of the epithelium, the formation of ulcers on the walls, death (necrosis) of small areas of the inner membrane.

Intestinal syndrome in children is manifested by the reaction of the digestive organs to an infectious agent:

• on the part of the stomach (gastritis) - nausea, single or repeated vomiting that does not bring relief, heaviness in the epigastric region, the appearance of a gag reflex on attempts to take water or food, in infants, instant regurgitation after taking breast milk or infant formula;
• on the part of the small intestine (enteritis) - bloating, pain of varying intensity in the navel area when pressing on the abdominal wall, rumbling in the intestines;
• on the part of the large intestine - profuse diarrhea, loose stools, contains impurities, pain during bowel movements, pain around the perimeter of the abdomen, radiates to the rectum, spasms, false urges to defecate.

Dehydration

Rapid dehydration is a dangerous symptom for a child's body.. Lack of water leads to inhibition of the kidneys, liver, brain. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the blood changes rapidly, which leads to disruption of intracellular metabolism. Lack of fluid contributes to an increase in the concentration of toxic substances in the body, and intoxication poisoning can cause a fatal outcome of the disease.

How to recognize signs of dehydration in young children:

• dry mucous membrane of the mouth and nose, parched lips, due to insufficient production of saliva, swallowing movements are pronounced, the tongue protrudes;
• viscous saliva;
• lack of tear fluid - the child cries without tears;
• due to disruption of the kidneys, urination less than 1 time in 2 hours;
• vomiting, diarrhea, sweating are signs of dehydration;
• dry skin, folds on its own.

Intoxication

Toxins produced by bacteria quickly enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the child's body. The presence of toxic substances in the blood leads to an increase in body temperature, causes pain and aches in the muscles and bones. Babies may develop convulsive contractions in the limbs. Due to the increased muscle tone, the head is thrown back, the eyelids do not close well. An important symptom of intoxication is a change in skin color. The integument becomes pale, with a blue tint, cold to the touch. Spots may appear on the skin.

Failure of the kidneys provokes an increase in acetone in the blood. This affects the vomiting center in the brain and causes vomiting that is not associated with damage to the gastrointestinal tract. In severe cases, large nerves and trunks are affected - neurotoxicosis. This condition is characterized by a violation of consciousness, up to its loss, severe headaches, impaired motor activity, acute sensitivity to sounds and light.

Rash

If the intestinal infection lasts a long time, rashes appear on the skin of children:

• pustular - pustular formations of a rounded shape, a white or yellowish formation (pus) is located on the surface, localized mainly on the face, neck, back, manifested with staphylococcal infection;
• maculopapular - a rash that rises slightly above the skin, red, pink, sometimes with a brown tint, the elements can merge and form large spots, is localized not only on the skin, but also on the mucous membranes, manifests itself with rotavirus infection;
• scarlatiniform - a small, dotted rash all over the body, bright red, most concentrated on the face and neck, manifests itself with an infection caused by gram-negative bacteria (shigella).

Against the background of the main symptoms, the child has an enlarged liver and spleen. Anemia, hypovitaminosis develops.

Complications of the infectious process

Depending on the course of the disease, complications of intestinal infections can be reversible or pose a real threat to the life of the child.

The most common consequences of the disease:

1. Dysbacteriosis is a deficiency of conditionally pathogenic microflora that lives in the intestine and is involved in the digestive process. Such an imbalance in the quantitative composition of the flora occurs as a result of a long-term inflammatory process due to antibacterial drug therapy.
2. Perforation of the intestinal wall (rupture) - the infection thins and destroys the wall. Perforation is characterized by acute pain that cannot be tolerated, blood loss, and the development of peritonitis. Elimination only by surgery.
3. Intestinal bleeding is a common complication of intestinal infections. Their intensity varies. More often, with AII, blood loss is insignificant and does not pose a threat to the life of small patients, provided that they are stopped in a timely manner. By staining feces in the blood determine the localization of the problem. If scarlet blood is on the surface of the feces, then the lower sections of the large intestine are damaged. When bleeding from the small intestine, the feces are all saturated with blood. If the feces are burgundy or dark brown during bowel movements, this indicates bleeding in the duodenum or stomach.
4. Attachment of a bacterial infection of the middle ear and upper respiratory tract - a complication occurs in infants. Escherichia coli, staphylococci often cause the development of otitis media. They infect the follicles of the ear canal. This is facilitated by a decrease in immunity during the underlying disease.
5. Intussusception of the intestine is a type of obstruction when one part is introduced into another. Occurs in 90% of cases in infants during the first year of life. The reasons are a violation of peristalsis and the presence of an inflammatory process. Acute attacks alternate with a sudden disappearance of symptoms. Elimination of complications both surgically and medically.

The most formidable complication for a child is infectious-toxic shock. More often develops with salmonellosis. The reason for the development is the mass death and decay of pathogenic bacteria, which is accompanied by the release of a huge amount of toxins.

The child is in shock. There is a strong fever, blood pressure drops, the heartbeat slows down. The child has shortness of breath. The condition worsens every minute.

Then psychomotor agitation is replaced by stupor. There is confusion. The body temperature begins to decrease, the skin acquires a blue tint. The amount of urine excreted sharply decreases (kidney stop). Hemorrhages are clearly visible under the skin.

Signs of shock progression:

• hypothermia;
• total cyanosis;
• lack of pulse;
• pressure below 70 mm Hg. Art., or not defined.

In the absence of resuscitation, shock turns into a coma.

Differential diagnosis of AII

In order to correctly identify an infectious agent, it is important to collect an anamnesis and determine the history of the development of the disease: when the first symptoms appeared, the disease developed slowly or acutely, whether treatment was carried out at home and how this affected the child's well-being.

Then they proceed to the collection of an epidemiological history: they find out the potential source of infection, what was the mechanism of transmission, and establish the route of infection.

Objective examination of the child - visual examination, identification of symptoms and syndromes. Based on these data, a preliminary diagnosis is made. In order to confirm it, laboratory tests of feces, urine, blood, and vomit are carried out.

Laboratory diagnostic methods:

1. Microscopic or bacterioscopic method - biological material taken from the patient is examined under a microscope. The imprint smear is stained with a special dye, which makes it possible to identify the pathogen. The advantage is speed, the result is ready in a few hours.
2. Immunofluorescent method - the use of specific sera, which contain antibodies to the alleged pathogen. Refers to early diagnosis.
3. The bacteriological method is the isolation (growing) of a pure culture, followed by the study of the characteristics and properties of pathogenic microflora. On average, the duration of the study takes 4 days. In order for the culture result to be reliable, the material taken must be delivered to the laboratory immediately (within 2 hours).
4. Serological method - detection of antibodies to the pathogen in the child's blood serum. The study is reliable and accurate.

According to indications, instrumental diagnostics are carried out - ultrasound of the abdominal organs, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, laparoscopy.

Methods of treatment of intestinal infection in children

Modern diagnostics and treatment of acute intestinal infections includes complex measures. Clinical guidelines that regulate the activities of a doctor include three areas in the treatment of acute intestinal infections.

In the first place is etiotropic therapy - the use of specific drugs aimed at destroying the pathogen. The basis is antibiotics of natural origin and chemotherapeutic drugs - substances isolated by chemical synthesis.

Applied groups of drugs:

• Penicillins;
• Cephalosporins;
• macrolides;
• Tetracycline;
• Chloramphenicol;
• Aminoglycosides;
• Sulfonamides.

In second place is pathogenetic therapy. It is aimed at eliminating violations and malfunctions of the internal organs. Also, this treatment enhances the protective mechanisms of the child's body - detoxification, rehydration, anti-inflammatory therapy.

In the last place is symptomatic treatment. But it does not affect the elimination of the infectious process. Its main task is to facilitate the well-being of the child.

The tactics of therapy for acute intestinal infections include not only the use of medications, but also organizational and regime measures, child care during the rehabilitation period.

An intestinal infection in a child is treated without difficulty. This is due to the susceptibility of the child's body and the instability of bacteria to antibiotics. With proper and timely treatment, the outcome of the disease is favorable. In a quarter of cases, functional disorders of the pancreas, bile ducts, and dyspepsia can form. These conditions are easily corrected with drugs (enzymes), and with the growth and maturation of the child they disappear.

Prevention of acute intestinal infections

Prevention of acute intestinal infections includes the following activities:

• observance of sanitary and hygienic standards by both the child and parents;
• implementation of technological rules for food processing and cooking;
• proper sale and storage of food.

Guidelines for preventing the spread of the focus of infection - identifying the disease in the early stages, isolating a child with an intestinal infection, hospitalization. If epidemiologically necessary, the patient should be provided with a separate box (special ward).

In order to prevent and prevent relapse after discharge, the first month the child should be actively observed in the clinic (medical examination).

Treatment of acute intestinal infection in children, even if the child feels satisfactory, should not be carried out at home. The lack of professional control by doctors over the state of health can lead to negative consequences.