What is gastritis, probably, it is necessary to explain – this iseven a child knows. But just in case, let us remind you: acute gastritis is a severe inflammation of the gastric mucosa. And, unfortunately, doctors have recently noted more and more cases of acute gastritis in children. Moreover, sometimes parents of even very young children - one or two years old - encounter it. It is very difficult to insure against gastritis, so it would be extremely reasonable for parents to get as much information as possible regarding gastritis. As they say, forewarned is forearmed. After all, for successful treatment of gastritis, it is necessary to diagnose the disease as early as possible and provide the child with the necessary assistance. Although, of course, gastritis treatment should be carried out under the strict supervision of medical personnel. After all, acute gastritis in children is not such a trifle as it may seem at first glance.
Causes of acute gastritis in children
For the development of acute gastritis in children it is necessarya powerful push. And such silence can be caused by a variety of factors, because the mucous membrane of the child's stomach is very sensitive and reacts very sharply to any irritants. Most often, acute gastritis is provoked by such reasons as:
- Food poisoning
If the child has eaten anypoor quality products containing toxins, so-called food poisoning occurs. And it is these toxins that enter the stomach that provoke the strongest inflammatory process of the gastric mucosa.
- Excess amount of food.
Most mothers and grandmothers have one of the mostmain goals in life - to feed their baby. It seems to them that the child is constantly undernourished. And, as a result, they constantly overfeed the baby. And this is fraught with not only the child's excess weight. The constant load on the stomach will sooner or later lead to the development of acute gastritis. Therefore, in no case force the child to eat if he does not want to. Believe me - he is not in danger of starvation.
- Eating food that is not suitable for his age category
In case your child is constantlyeats spicy, smoked or fatty foods if the child's meals are prepared in the same way as for adults. For example, frying - this method of cooking is completely unsuitable for children. All products for a child should be either boiled, baked or steamed.
- Poisoning by household chemicals
Unfortunately, even the most experienced, caring and"misfires" happen to attentive parents. Very often, inquisitive children enthusiastically put everything that comes to hand into their mouths. And sometimes far from harmless substances come to hand - for example, household chemicals. Naturally, the mucous membrane of the child's stomach is injured and becomes severely inflamed.
- Infectious diseases
In some cases, the cause of acutegastritis in a child can be caused by one or another infectious disease. In this case, the decay products and vital activity of bacteria have a very strong irritating effect on the gastric mucosa. And, as a result, it becomes inflamed quite quickly. There is a violation of the normal secretory function. Hello, acute gastritis!
- Effects of pharmacological drugs
In some cases, the cause of acutegastritis can be caused by the use of certain medications. Regularly affecting the gastric mucosa, medications can lead to its severe irritation. And sooner or later, an inflammatory process will develop. The same can happen with a single intake of a large dose of any medication.
Signs of acute gastritis in children, diagnosis
That's why acute gastritis is called acute,because it begins suddenly and is very pronounced. The first symptoms of the disease appear within 10-12 hours after exposure to a particular provoking factor. The general symptoms of the disease are similar, but still differ depending on what exactly caused the acute gastritis.
- Gastritis caused by acute or fatty foods, or an overabundance of it
One of the first symptoms of this type of gastritisis a feeling of general malaise - weakness, pain in the muscles. Almost immediately, the appetite completely disappears, there is a feeling of a full stomach. Although, of course, an older child can complain about this - the baby will simply behave very restlessly. In some cases, the child complains of a feeling of chills, and soon his temperature may rise. Although it rarely rises to significant numbers - usually stays just above 37 degrees. After a very short time, pain is added to the symptoms - sometimes very, very intense. About two to three hours later, sour belching appears. In especially severe cases, vomiting may occur, which always contains remnants of undigested food. In some cases, a single bout of diarrhea may appear - it is a clear indication that not only the stomach, but also the small intestine is involved in the inflammatory process. When examining such a baby, doctors observe the following phenomena. The skin is extremely pale, and sometimes even bluish. The child's tongue has a thick yellow-white coating with an unpleasant odor. The child's tummy is swollen - a consequence of rapidly developing flatulence. When palpating - feeling the tummy - the child complains of increased pain. In the case of a particularly strong inflammatory process, an increase in heart rate - tachycardia - is possible. As a rule, such a process lasts from three to five days.
- Gastritis, provoked by toxins
In the event that gastritis was caused by foodor any other poisoning, for it, in addition to all the above symptoms, a higher body temperature is typical - up to 39 degrees and above, severe dehydration of the body, severe exhausting vomiting and diarrhea, which are very, very difficult to stop. This condition poses a serious threat to the child, since dehydration is very dangerous for the child's body. By the way - treatment in this case should be aimed at eliminating dehydration.
- Secondary gastritis
Well, what if gastritis is concomitant?disease for other, more serious diseases, the symptoms will be standard - loss of appetite, pain in the stomach. In addition, the course of the underlying disease worsens. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate all gastric pathologies as quickly as possible. In order to accurately understand that the child has encountered gastritis, the baby should be examined by a doctor - a gastroenterologist. Or, at least, a pediatrician. After all, the symptoms of acute gastritis are very similar to many diseases that are very dangerous not only for the child's health, but also for his life. For example, it is necessary to exclude acute appendicitis as quickly as possible. Only by accurately diagnosing the disease can you choose the right treatment.
Treatment of acute gastritis in children
As a rule, treatment of acute gastritis in childrenis carried out in a hospital setting. If the doctor suggests hospitalization for your child, you should never refuse. The child's body is very vulnerable and often completely unpredictable - it is impossible to predict how it will react to the prescribed treatment. And in a hospital, the medical staff is always nearby and, if necessary, they will promptly respond to the slightest changes in the child's condition and adjust the treatment. Well, if for some reason you still decide to treat gastritis at home, you need to follow a number of specific rules:
- Doctor's visit
In any case, even if you have made a decisiontreat gastritis in a child at home, be sure to get a doctor's consultation - take the child to the clinic if his condition allows. And if gastritis is very severe, call a doctor to your home. By the way, in most cases, acute gastritis dictates its own conditions - visits to the clinic will not be the best entertainment for your sick child.
- Full rest
The first few days, until the symptoms of gastritisdisappear, the child must adhere to strict bed rest. And it is unlikely that a sick child will want to frolic - it is better to read him a book. In extreme cases, turn on a cartoon. Although do not overdo it - an excessive load in the form of a TV is not at all necessary for a sick child.
- Strict therapeutic diet
Be sure to consult your doctorabout the child's nutrition. As a rule, the child is shown complete hunger in the first few days. Only warm drinks are allowed. Many parents are scared when they hear that their baby will have to go without food for a couple of days. However, in vain - a sick child himself will not want to eat anything. In the same case, if the child actively asks for food, you can offer him chicken broth or liquid boiled porridge from oatmeal or buckwheat.
- Strict compliance with all prescriptions of the doctor
If you have already decided to treat your child at home,All responsibility falls entirely on your shoulders. Strictly monitor the intake of medications, and also follow all the doctor's recommendations and prescriptions without exception, even if some of them seem completely unnecessary to you.
Prevention of acute gastritis in children
Treating acute gastritis is not an easy task andrequiring a lot of effort. Therefore, it is much wiser to remember about the prevention of this disease. It is not that difficult - it is enough to follow certain rules that will help reduce the risk of developing gastritis to a minimum:
- Quality of food
Be sure to monitor the quality of those products,which your child eats. Moreover, strictly monitor not only the expiration dates of the products, but also the conditions of their storage. And not only at home, but also in the store. Buying yogurt? Put your hand in the refrigerator - is it cool enough there? Buying sausages? Pay attention to the temperature in the refrigerator - as a rule, the thermometer is always in a visible place. Try to completely refuse to buy food at spontaneous markets. There is a very high risk of buying low-quality products that will lead to food poisoning. It is for this same reason that you should refuse to feed your child food at fast food outlets.
- Age norm of food
Do not overfeed your child under any circumstances.Recent studies by pediatricians have shown that a child should eat exactly as much as he wants. Don't worry - well, he'll go hungry for a day or two. Then the body will take over and the child will start eating normally. And forced feeding can lead not only to the development of gastritis, but also to many other negative consequences. Including the development of a persistent aversion to food - this is an extremely serious disorder and requires long-term treatment. You don't want such a future for your child, do you?
- Proper cooking
It has already been said above that food for a childshould be prepared in a special way. It is best to boil, bake or steam the products - food prepared in this way is the most gentle for a delicate child's stomach. Moreover, you should not make even one-time exceptions - just one plate of fried potatoes or one skewer of such delicious kebabs can lead to the development of an attack of acute gastritis. By the way - parents should also reconsider their diet. It is very difficult to make a child eat such healthy oatmeal for dinner if you yourself are gobbling up smoked sausage. Therefore, try to give up your habits. Of course, at first it will be very difficult. But only a few weeks will pass and you will get used to the new way of life. Perhaps you will even like it. And women will certainly receive an additional and very pleasant bonus - they will get rid of a certain number of extra pounds. We recommend reading: