Features of the course of dysentery in children

Dysentery is an acute intestinal infectious disease, which is accompanied by intoxication of the whole organism and diarrhea. Although this disease occurs at different ages, children are more likely to suffer in 2-7 years. In this case, the features of the course of dysentery in children of different ages differ.

Dysentery in older children

The incubation period of the infection is from 3-4 hours to one week, but it usually lasts 2 to 3 days. Dysentery begins acutely. The patient feels malaise, weakness, weakness, decreased appetite. During the first 2 to 3 days the body temperature is increased, attacks of a single or repeated vomiting are possible, headaches occur. Dysentery is accompanied by pain in the abdomen. Initially, these pains are of a permanent nature, then they pass into a cramping form, are greatly intensified before emptying. The chair becomes frequent and liquid, it contains admixtures of greens, mucus, veins of blood. On the 2nd-3rd day the amount of feces significantly decreases, but the proportion of bloody discharge increases. Often defecation does not occur in stool masses, but in mucus-bloody clots. The child feels a rumbling in the colon, his stomach is drawn, the skin becomes pale. Intoxication is always accompanied by lethargy, weakness and drowsiness. The duration of the acute period is from 5 to 14 days.

The gradual recovery of the patient is manifested in the improvement of the condition, the appearance of appetite, the decrease in body temperature, the normalization of the stool. With the passage of time, the disturbed functions of the organs are completely restored, the body is freed from infection.

By severity, dysentery is distinguished by mild, moderate and severe forms.

The short-term temperature increase up to 38,5 ° C( 1-2 days), single vomiting, loss of appetite, slight lethargy, cramping abdominal pain, liquid stool( 5-8 times a day) with a small admixtureGreens and mucus. The prognosis for recovery is 5-7 days.

The medium-heavy form is accompanied by a high body temperature( 38,6-39,5 ° C), significant symptoms of intoxication. The fever lasts 2 - 3 days. In the first days the child suffers from repeated vomiting, cramping pains in the lower abdomen. The chair becomes frequent - 10-15 times during the day. First the chair is liquid, feces, then - in small portions with a large share of greens, mucus, veins of blood. There is lining of the tongue, dryness and pallor of the skin. The prognosis for recovery is two weeks.

Dysentery in severe form is observed in infants over one year, mainly when infected with food. The disease manifests sharply, the rise in body temperature is very sharp and ranges from 39.5 ° C and above. The child feels chills, he is overcome by multiple, sometimes indomitable vomiting. The general condition of the child worsens, the functions of all organs are violated, the central nervous system is affected mainly, cramping pains in the abdomen are observed. With severe form of dysentery, the chair is very frequent, abundant, feces, then becomes mucus-bloody.

Dysentery in young children

In infants of the first year of life and newborns, this infection is rare. The most vulnerable to dysentery are small children;Toddlers of artificial feeding;Children suffering from anemia, rickets, diathesis. The onset of dysentery is acute, the symptoms develop gradually, slowly( 3 to 4 days).The stool remains crusty, but with a lot of turbid greens and mucus. The admixture of blood is rare. If it does, it is not for every bowel movement and not in the first days of infection, but only after 3 to 4 days. Most of the children are characterized by bloating. During emptying the child cries, worries. It is difficult for this infection to be borne by premature babies, especially if they suffer from SARS too. In these cases there is a strong fever, obvious water-electrolyte disturbances. The course of dysentery can be protracted, sometimes even with exacerbations. Often there are nonspecific complications in the form of another intestinal infection.