Salmonellosis in children is diagnosed often. The peak incidence falls on the summer-autumn period, especially if the seasons are hot. This ailment is very serious, therefore it is desirable to take it for treatment immediately after the appearance of the first symptoms.
Causes of salmonellosis in children
This is one of the most unpleasant and insidious diseases that can affect babies. Its causative agent - the bacterium Salmonella - belongs to a huge family of harmful microorganisms, which includes about 2.5 thousand different species. And the number is increasing every year. Salmonella can multiply in food and remain undetected. That is, even if the food is teeming with bacteria, it will not be possible to notice this with the naked eye.
The largest amount of salmonella in eggs is contained, but in fact almost all animals are carriers of this pathogenic microorganism. The latter are very adaptable to different conditions of life. Bacteria tolerate freezing, drying, high temperatures. They can live in a dust for a long time. Salmonella particles linger on clothes and clothes. In large quantities, the bacteria are in dried feces.
Salmonellosis of the transmission pathway
There are several main ways. In most cases, infection with salmonella occurs as follows:
- Through food. As a rule, bacteria are found in dishes prepared from meat, eggs, milk, which were not properly processed before serving. Sometimes infection occurs after drinking unboiled infected water. It also happens that salmonella in the infant formula comes across, but such cases are rare.
- When inhaled dust with pathogens. Salmonella can be present in poorly cleaned rooms.
- Contact and household way. So in most cases, infants are infected. Danger for them can represent anything: swaddling tables, nipples, diapers, parents 'and nurses' hands, toys.
- As a result of contact with pets. Salmonella in children often begins for this reason. Animals can be healthy, but this does not mean that their hair is completely clean and there is not a single harmful microorganism on it.
- Transplacental. It also happens that salmonella are passed on to children "by inheritance".
Salmonellosis - incubation period
Regardless of how the salmonella is transmitted, the disease begins to progress for 6-72 hours. That is, the incubation period of the disease is from several hours to 3 days. Its duration depends on the health and strength of the child's immune system. Even if the symptoms do not appear - which is rare - the patient becomes a carrier and needs qualified care.
Salmonella - symptoms
There are two variants of the course of the disease. Salmonellosis in children can be gastrointestinal or generalized. The latter is still divided into typhoid and septic. Gastrointestinal type of ailment is considered more easy. The generalized one proceeds more severely, and if ignored or treated improperly, it can even lead to death.
With a gastrointestinal form, a patient with salmonellosis feels pain in the upper abdomen and around the navel. In addition, there are symptoms such as:
- nausea ;
- temperature;
- liquid stool with specific bloody impurities;
- vomiting;
- pressure drop.
Typhoid salmonellosis in children is similar, but a few days after infection, signs of the disease begin to resemble typhus. The skin of small patients is covered with a rash, the spleen and liver are enlarged in size. The course of this type of disease is more severe and prolonged - in some cases the symptoms may not disappear within a month.
Very dangerous septic form. In children and the elderly, whose immunities are weakened, it is usually found. Symptoms of such salmonellosis are not limited to symptoms of intoxication. For the disease is characterized by the development of infectious processes in various organs: lungs, kidneys, bladder. In the most difficult cases, there is damage to the meninges.
Temperature at salmonellosis
With a mild form of the disease, the temperature, as a rule, keeps at around 37-37.5 degrees and returns to normal after 1-3 days. The medium-heavy form is characterized by a fever of 38-39 degrees. How much does the temperature with salmonellosis of this species? In most cases, no longer than 4 days. In severe conditions, the thermometer column does not fall below 39 degrees. In this state, the patient is about 5 days.
The nature of the stool with salmonellosis
Watery diarrhea is a characteristic symptom of the disease. Liquid feces with salmonellosis appear among the first symptoms. As the disease develops, streaks of mucus and bloody veins begin to be seen in it. When salmonella develops in children in a more severe stage, the feces become dark green. The volume of feces almost always remains large.
Analysis for salmonellosis
The direction for it can be obtained from such specialists:
- infectionist;
- gastroenterologist;
- family doctor;
- pediatrician.
Analysis for salmonella is carried out in specialized clinics and laboratories. As a rule, in order to identify a bacterium, it is necessary to examine different environments of internal organs. In children, the source of salmonellosis can be detected in the feces, vomit, and even in a solution that was used to wash the stomach. Before the examination, you should not give a small patient any medication so as not to lubricate the overall picture of the condition.
An important component of the diagnosis of salmonella in a child's body is a blood test. The material for the study is obtained from the vein. In the blood, specialists can find specific antibodies produced by the immune system after detection of bacteria. This analysis is mandatory, even if the bacteriological study did not confirm salmonellosis.
How to treat salmonellosis?
The most effective is complex therapy. Before treating salmonellosis in a child, it is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Every patient needs a diet. In addition, patients are shown pathogenetic, symptomatic and etiotropic therapy. Fight with salmonella can be at home. Hospitalization is required only in severe forms of the disease. In the hospital, it is recommended that children be treated for up to a year.
Preparations for salmonellosis
Bacteria are treated with different medications. Antibiotics for salmonellosis are prescribed at the discretion of the pediatrician. As a rule, strong drugs are prescribed in the presence of complications or severe concomitant diseases. Among the most popular and effective it is possible to allocate such medicines:
- Diclofenac ;
- Acesol;
- Lactasol;
- Pancreatin ;
- Chlosol;
- Ringer's solution .
Nutrition for salmonellosis in children
Healthy and proper nutrition is an important part of therapy. The goals of the diet are the normalization of the digestive process, the alleviation of the mucosa, the elimination of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. What can you eat with salmonellosis? Immediately after infection it is recommended to carry out water-tea unloading. That is, it is desirable for a child to give only a warm, slightly sweetened tea of medium strength. Children under one year in this period are allowed only water.
When the condition of a small patient improves slightly, its diet can be varied with white croutons and foods containing a minimum amount of fats and carbohydrates. Cook all the dishes you need for a couple. If necessary, the food is grinded and ground to a puree state. Feed your child 5-6 times a day in small portions. It is best to recover such products:
- cottage cheese;
- beef;
- veal;
- steamed meatballs, meatballs or meatballs from turkey;
- low-fat fish;
- apples;
- potatoes;
- carrot;
- boiled vegetables;
- baked fruit.
Salmonellosis - consequences and complications
Even after the main symptoms of the ailment have disappeared, you can not stop treatment until the entire course has been passed. Salmonella in a child can give complications. In the first place there are disorders in the digestive system. Infants may suffer from swelling and colic. If the baby was treated with antibiotics, on the background of their administration, dysbacteriosis may develop, which sometimes manifests as constipation, alternating diarrhea .
Some children "for memory" after salmonellosis there is a food allergy - cutaneous or respiratory. There is a complication of dry skin, its redness, severe itching. Symptoms of allergies are usually manifested after using an irritating immune system product. The most "popular" allergens:
- citrus;
- chocolate;
- a fish;
- eggs;
- a hen.
Prophylaxis of salmonellosis
Precautions can help prevent infection.
That the child has not caught, it is necessary to adhere to such rules:
- Pets should be examined regularly by a veterinarian.
- Since salmonella in baby food can be contained, buying food only needs high quality in proven points.
- From the childhood of the kid it is necessary to accustom to wash hands before meal and after visiting of street.
- In the house, wet cleaning should be carried out constantly using special disinfectants.