The child has colitis, symptoms and treatment of colitis in children

Colitis in children - is a disease of the large intestine, characterized by inflammatory-dystrophicIn its tissues. Against the background of anatomical features, colitis in children up to a year at the same time leads to inflammation of both the small and large intestine - enterocolitis. In older children, colitis is localized in isolation, affecting only the walls of the large intestine. What is this condition and what to do if the child has colitis?

Pathology occurs with severe pain syndrome, dyspeptic disorders, persistent stool changes and general malaise. Treatment of colitis in children depends on the pathogenesis of the disease and includes a whole therapeutic complex: symptomatic and antibacterial treatment, diet therapy, phytotherapy and normalization of intestinal microflora.

Classification

Inflammatory-dystrophic changes in the large intestine may be limited, that is, they are localized within one or more segments, and are common.

In this regard, the following are distinguished:

• tiflitis - isolated inflammation of the caecum;
• tiflokolit - inflammation of the ascending and cecum;
• transversitis - inflammation of the transverse colon;
• angulitis - inflammation of the transverse and descending colon;
• sigmoiditis - inflammation of the sigmoid colon;
• proctosigmoiditis - inflammation of the sigmoid and rectum;
• proctitis - inflammation of the rectum.

Depending on the cause of the disease, colitis is :

• infectious;
• is allergic;
• toxic;
• parasitic;
• medicamentous;
• is neurotic;
• secondary;
• of unknown etiology.

By the nature of the disease, colitis can be progressive, recurrent and latent. By severity of the disease, you can identify a mild, moderate and severe course of colitis. According to the clinical condition, the disease is acute and chronic.

The cause of colitis in children

Colitis in children occurs for the following reasons:

• bacterial and viral infections: Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Clostridia, etc.;
• congenital diseases of the digestive system;
• helminthic invasions;
• heredity;
• autoimmune diseases;
• susceptibility to allergic reactions;
• food poisoning;
• gross nutritional disorders: early introduction of complementary foods, replacement of breast milk and milk formula with whole milk, etc.;
• frequently repeated antibiotic therapy;
• poor environmental condition;
• stress factors.

Symptoms of

Symptoms of colitis in children in acute form are manifested as nausea, weakness and fever. The child complains of pain in the abdomen. Emptying of the intestine occurs up to 15 times a day. Cal is watery, greenish, with an admixture of blood. Symptoms of colitis in a baby can be complicated by prolapse of the rectum and dehydration of the body.

Symptoms of colitis in children in chronic form may worsen and subside, depending on the phase of the disease and recovery. The dominant symptoms of colitis in a child are abdominal pain, stool disorders such as diarrhea and constipation. In some cases, worsening of the overall well-being of the baby, depletion of the nervous system, headaches and chronic fatigue are noted. Also, colitis can cause lack of body weight, anemia and vitamin deficiency.

Diagnostics

To find out how to treat colitis in a child, the following laboratory-instrumental studies should be performed:

1. Biochemical blood test. The presence of colitis may suggest a decrease in hemoglobin and erythrocytes in the blood, an increase in ESR.
2. Analysis of feces for the presence of leukocytes and pathogenic flora( staphylococcus, candida, etc.).
3. Intestinal endoscopy. It allows to reveal the form of the disease.
4. Radiography of the intestine. It is carried out to clarify the clinical picture of the disease and the severity of the inflammatory process.

Features of the course of the disease in childhood

The clinical picture and the causes of this disease in children differ significantly from adults, so the symptoms and treatment of colitis in children will be different.

Acute colitis of the intestine in a child, the symptoms of which last more than two weeks, in case of ineffective treatment passes into the stage of chronic colitis. This condition is dangerous complications, for example, peritonitis, the development of adhesive process, chronic diarrhea and much more. Therefore, the treatment of symptoms of colitis in children should start from the first days of the disease.

Acute colitis is most dangerous for children up to a year. More common is allergic colitis in the baby, which develops in response to a certain kind of allergen - lactose, medicament, a separate strain of bacteria, etc. It is important to determine the allergen and eliminate it in its entirety. Otherwise, colitis in infants often leads to dehydration of the body against repeated vomiting and diarrhea followed by the development of seizures and even the death of a child.

Treatment

Treatment of symptoms of colitis in children is aimed at destroying the pathogenic flora of the intestine and restoring its work.

Drug treatment for symptoms of colitis in a child is performed with the following preparations :

• antibiotics - Enteroseptol, Erythromycin, Mexex: treatment course 7-10 days;
• Enzyme means - Mezim, Pancreatin, Penzinorm: treatment course from 2 to 4 weeks;
• analgesics and anticholinergics - Atropine, Novocain, Platifillin;
• probiotics - Bifidumbacterin, Colibacterin;
• astringent and enveloping preparations, adsorbents - bismuth, starch, chamomile;
• antiallergic drugs - Suprastin, Fenistil;Vitamins A, B, PP.
• .

Physiotherapeutic treatment of symptoms of colitis in children is prescribed during remission. It can be a treatment with paraffin, ozocerite and diathermy. In case of exacerbation of bowel colitis symptoms in a child, the doctor can advise dry heat on the epigastric zone.

Surgical treatment is performed in extreme cases. The essence of the operation: subtotal removal of the affected part of the colon with the subsequent formation of the ileal and rectal junction.

Rehabilitation after treatment

For the period of remission, the following treatment and prophylactic measures are shown:

1. Respiratory gymnastics, physiotherapy exercises, abdominal massage.
2. Sanatorium treatment.
3. Purpose of preventive courses of probiotics and enzymes.
4. Exemption from physical education and examinations.

Forecast

With the timely and successful treatment of symptoms of colitis in children, and after a full rehabilitation, the acute form of the disease ends in recovery.

In chronic form of colitis, strict adherence to the recommended regimen guarantees prolonged remission. If after the treatment of colitis the child has a persistent remission, after 2 years he is removed from the dispensary record of a gastroenterologist.

Complications

Uncleared colitis can cause internal bleeding that threatens the child's life. It can also lead to perforation of the intestinal wall with the subsequent development of peritonitis, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction against the adhesive process in inflamed tissues, etc. That is why the symptoms of colitis in a child can not be ignored, at the first signs of the disease you need to see a doctor.

Prevention

Prevention of colitis in a child is primarily aimed at normalizing the diet from the first days of life. It is the errors in nutrition that most often cause this disease.

Secondly, it is necessary to prevent any methods of infection with intestinal infections. It is important to pay attention to the observance of personal hygiene rules, as well as the selection and processing of food.

Thirdly, preventive vaccination is no less important in the prevention of colitis in infants and older children.

If, despite the efforts made, it was not possible to avoid the disease, then after the treatment of colitis in children it is necessary to carry out secondary prevention, the purpose of which is to prevent the recurrence of pathology.

Diet

Symptoms of intestinal colitis in a child require not only drug treatment, but also the appointment of diet therapy. The therapeutic diet for this disease excludes all kinds of food that is capable of chemically or mechanically injuring and irritating the inflamed mucosa of the intestine. All food is eaten in ragged form, at least 5 times a day.

Diet in the treatment of symptoms of intestinal colitis in children does not recommend the use of milk and dairy products, legumes and cabbage. Meat, fish for a couple and "yesterday's" wheat bread are allowed. During the remission period, the diet expands, but in the future it is necessary to exclude chilled dishes, sour-milk products, acidic foods, and limit salt intake.

It is important to remember that any form of colitis is dangerous by the development of a chronic process with subsequent inflammation of the abdominal cavity and perforation of the intestinal wall. All this is fraught with even greater complications, such as depletion of the body, anemia, disruptions in the endocrine system. Timely diagnosis and treatment of colitis is very important for the child, since not cured in childhood, the disease can cause his suffering and digestive problems for the rest of his life.

Author: Olga Rogozhkina, doctor,
specially for Moizhivot.ru

Useful video about colitis of intestine