Food poisoning in children refers to an acute state of infectious-toxic origin arising from the use of stale, poor-quality food products in which pathogenic microorganisms and toxic products of their vital activity have been introduced, as well as a variety of plant or chemical poisons, etc.
Classification
In generalIn childhood patients, these categories of food intoxication are diagnosed:
- Infectious origin poisoning of that occurconsequently defeat microorganisms, ie different food poisoning or toxicosis like botulism or bakteriotoksikoza..;
- Foodborne intoxications of non-infectious origin , which occur as a result of damage to poisons and toxins of plant or chemical origin.
Causes of
There are many reasons for provoking the development of food poisoning.
- Proteus or clostridia, staphylococcus or strains of Escherichia coli, etc., can become the causes of infectious poisonings in children. Pathogens penetrate the body only through the oral cavity together with the infected products in which they multiply and throw out toxic products of vital activity. If during the storage or preparation of products the sanitary requirements were not observed, it only contributes to the contamination of food and the accumulation of toxic substances. It is necessary to pay attention to products that in such a situation often have obvious signs of poor quality, such as rejecting odor, even stink, unpleasant appearance and abnormal consistency.
- Also the cause of infection can be a person suffering from infections of intestinal localization or purulent pathologies such as furunculosis or mastitis, tonsillitis or streptodermia, etc.
- The source of intoxication can be animals that pollute water and plants, soil and other surrounding objects with their excrement.
- In children, food intoxication can develop due to the use of unboiled water, contaminated dairy products, eggs, meat and fish, confectionery creams and house canned food.
- As for non-infectious intoxications among children, they are usually caused by the occasional use of poisonous plants such as bleached or dope, poisonous berries such as black elderberry or wolfberry, mushrooms like fly agaric or pale toadstool.
- Also, children can be poisoned by products that were grown by cultivators, nitrates and other chemicals.
Foodborne intoxications in children often occur in sporadic forms or mass infectious outbreaks. Especially often children suffer from food poisoning in the summer-autumn seasons, when the temperature conditions favor the activity and reproduction of pathogens.
Symptoms of food poisoning in a child
The clinical manifestations of childhood food poisoning are characterized by suddenness. It happens that a kind of well-feeling child suddenly turned pale and began to be capricious. Just in children in the intestinal tract, the toxicoinfection spreads with noticeable rapidity.
Colic, rubbing, soreness, mucosal diarrhea often with bloody impurities, as well as hyperthermia - all these manifestations indicate acute inflammatory intoxication damage.
If the propagation of the pathogen is not reversed in time and toxins are not eliminated, then a severe form of food poisoning will quickly develop.
Especially it is necessary to be alerted and to call an ambulance in situations when the baby has such signs:
- Uncontrollable fish with a frequency of more than 1 r / h;
- Cyanosis of the lips, facial skin, blanching;
- General deterioration of state of health;
- Diarrhea lasting more than 2 hours, especially when bloody streaks appear in the stool;
- Increased heart rate;
- If, during drinking, all the liquid comes out again.
If the child has a stomach ache and yellow eyeballs, the temperature rises and disturbs vomiting after eating, the urine has darkened and the appetite has disappeared, occasionally diarrhea worries, then in such a clinical picture it is necessary to call a doctor at home.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of food poisoning is performed by a pediatric infectiologist or pediatrician. For an accurate diagnosis, only anamnesis and external manifestations are not enough, although they are quite typical. Usually specialists in diagnostics rely on a set of laboratory and clinical results.
Specific laboratory studies that suggest the detection of an agent of intoxication are the most accurate informative.
Children undergo blood and urine tests, bacterioses of stool and blood, vomit and water after rinsing the stomach cavity, as well as ultrasound diagnostics, etc.
First-aid first aid
If the baby has signs of food poisoning, it is necessary to take urgent measures, calling a doctor. While the doctor is getting the child needs to provide the necessary first aid.
- First of all, it is necessary to enema with a solution of water and sorbent, for example, Smekty.
- You also need to give the child coal, if the patient is still small, then the tablet is crushed.
- Children older than 6 years of age are shown carrying out washing of the stomach cavity with a mild, slightly pinkish manganese solution. It should be drunk, and then cause vomiting.
- You can not eat a baby yet, it's better to wait 5-6 hours, then you can feed if the child wants, but only with the observance of a therapeutic diet.
- Often let the patient drink. This is suitable for Regidron, Oralit or boiled water.
Certainly, in the case of very young children, independent washing and other procedures can not be carried out, one should wait for the doctor's arrival and give the child more drink.
Than to treat?
The basis of therapy of food intoxication in children of children are drugs from a group of sorbents like Smekty, Enterosgelya, Polyphepan, etc. Also, probiotic drugs such as Bifiform Baby or Lactobacterin are prescribed.
Strictly under the decision of the expert it is supposed reception of antibiotic preparations - Нифуроксазид or Цефикс.
What can and can not be eaten?
The first two days of the baby should be held on a hungry treatment regimen. For infants recommended feeding after 4 hours after the symptoms of intoxication subsided, it is permissible to use breast milk or lactose-free milk formulas.
If the child is older, then after 4 hours you can give rice decoction or liquid mashed potatoes, sweet tea and vegetable soup, liquid dairy-free rice or oatmeal.
Children over 5 years of age can drink green tea or rose hips, decoction of chamomile. Approximately from 5-6 days gradually begin to expand the diet of the child.
Prognosis and prevention of
Foodborne intoxication in children who are light or medium-sized, usually result in a complete and problem-free recovery of the baby. Sometimes after a toxicoinfection, unpleasant consequences like dysbiosis remain.
If the source of poisoning were fungi, it is likely the development of liver or kidney failure. In particularly severe clinical cases, there is a real risk of multiple organ dysfunction, which requires urgent intensive therapy and even resuscitation.э
For the prevention of food intoxication among children, it is necessary to comply with the requirements for storage, preparation and processing of food, drink only bottled or boiled water, wash hands thoroughly. On food production and in the public catering should be periodic professional examinations.
On the part of parents, it will be superfluous to tell children about the existence of deadly berries, mushrooms and plants, and also to prohibit the use of unfamiliar products, seed berries, etc.
All activities should be performed only for medical purposes, therefore, the prescribed dosages and duration of treatment should be strictly observed. If the child is in serious condition, then specialized medical care should be provided exclusively in a hospital hospital.
Well, you can never forget about the most important rules of prevention. Often wash hands, observe hygiene rules and use only products that are safe for the child. A serious approach to prevention will help to avoid serious complications and irreversible toxic effects.
Video of Doctor Komarovsky about food poisoning in children: