Unfortunately, the human body is susceptiblea huge number of various diseases, both completely trivial, such as a common cold, and quite serious, posing a real threat not only to human health, but also to his life, for example, tuberculosis. It is tuberculosis that will be discussed in this article, as well as the treatment of tuberculosis with folk remedies. Not only adults but also children suffer from tuberculosis. Most often, this disease occurs in older children, but the possibility of infection in babies also cannot be completely ruled out. Phthisiatricians, who, in fact, are engaged in the treatment of tuberculosis, have seen very small babies who have not yet reached the age of one year, but are already infected. The causative agent of the disease is Koch's bacillus, named after the scientist who discovered it. The disease usually progresses in waves - sometimes subsiding, sometimes aggravating again, over a fairly long period of time - from several months, provided that the disease was diagnosed in time and the sick child began to receive the necessary treatment, to several years if the disease is not treated properly. The disease provokes such complications as chronic blepharitis, conjunctivitis and many, many others. When diagnosing, the doctor must not confuse tuberculosis with diseases that have similar symptoms, for example, tonsillitis, sinusitis, pyelonephritis. There are special diagnostic methods for this, which will be discussed in more detail a little later.
Symptoms of tuberculosis
An experienced doctor can suspect the presence ofchild tuberculosis even before a special examination, only on the basis of external signs and an assessment of the general health condition. Tuberculosis in children has the following symptoms:
- Increased fatigue
As a rule, healthy children resemblea kind of perpetual motion machine – their energy is overflowing, children are ready to run, jump and be vigorous for hours. However, with increased fatigue, the child behaves completely differently – he avoids active games, tries to sit down or lie down at any convenient opportunity, explaining this desire with just one word: “tired”. Parents are often not only surprised by this, but also frightened.
- Increased irritability
With increased irritability, the childis practically unable to control his emotions, among which anger and irritation prevail. The child can become indignant and freak out over such trivial reasons that he simply did not even notice before. - A broken cup, an advertising video, a broken pencil - any trifle can cause a whole wave of indignation.
- Impairment of appetite
Strictly speaking, those with a particularly good appetite mayOnly a few children can boast of this. But, nevertheless, a poor appetite caused by some disease – in our case, tuberculosis – differs significantly from the usual, typical reluctance to eat for children. The child refuses literally everything, even those foods that he has always simply adored.
- Increased sweating
Physiological features of sweat glandsthe child are such that the child practically does not sweat before reaching puberty. However, if the child is infected with tuberculosis, his sweat glands produce sweat in large quantities, as a result of which the child constantly sweats - the mother notices that his clothes are constantly wet, especially in the back area, the baby's palms are also wet.
- Chronic lymphadenopathy
Another sign of a person's presencetuberculosis are constantly enlarged lymph nodes. Unlike lymphadenitis, the lymph nodes are soft, painless and have a loose consistency. They can be palpated at almost any time.
- Subfebrile fever
A child may have thisa pathological phenomenon, such as subfebrile (not exceeding 37.5 degrees) temperature. The temperature usually rises in the evening, over a long period of time. By the way, there is no need to bring down such a temperature - it only indicates that the body continues to fight the infection.
- Increase in some internal organs
For very young children under the age of ten, tuberculosis is characterized by an enlargement of some internal organs, in particular the liver and spleen.
- Change in blood composition
When conducting a laboratory blood testsome change in its normal indicators is detected - ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) increases, which is direct evidence of the presence of some inflammatory process in the human body, the number of leukocytes (white blood cells, indicating emergency work of the immune system) increases.
Diagnosis of the disease
In the event that a child is found to have allor at least several of the above symptoms, the doctor decides to conduct an additional specialized examination, which will reliably determine the presence or absence of tuberculosis in the child. Diagnosis of tuberculosis in children is reliable nowadays. After a preliminary examination of the child and determination of his body condition, weight, body type and other aspects, the child is given a special Mantoux test. A special drug obtained from tuberculosis mycobacteria using a special technology is injected into the child's inner forearm. After the neutralized tuberculosis pathogen - tuberculin, enters the body, if the child is infected with tuberculosis, it directly reacts with antibodies. A specific inflammatory reaction begins to form at the injection site. Two to three days after the introduction of tuberculin, a seal is formed that has a bright pink color, quite dense to the touch, but when pressed, it immediately loses its bright color. The results of the Mantoux test are assessed on the third day by measuring the compacted tubercle (papule) with a transparent ruler, under sufficiently bright lighting, necessary to accurately determine the edges of the papule. Please note that the dimensions of the compaction, not the redness itself, are measured. The results of the Mantoux test are as follows:
- Negative reaction - no reaction at the site of injection is observed, or the size of the compaction does not exceed 1 millimeter.
- Doubtful reaction - for this type of reaction to the Mantoux test, only the redness of the skin is visualized at the injection site, or the papule size fluctuates within 2-4 millimeters.
- A positive reaction is considered to be a papule that exceeds 5 millimeters in size.
- Hyperergic reaction is a reaction in which the size of the papule exceeds 17 millimeters.
In addition to the Mantoux test if there is a suspicion ofIf a child is infected with tuberculosis, the doctor will definitely prescribe an X-ray examination of the child's lungs. If the child is infected, the pattern of the lung structure changes significantly - it is greatly enhanced and becomes more pronounced, which the doctor - radiologist will definitely notice.
Who is to blame and what to do?
In the event that the examinations carried outshowed that the child is really infected with tuberculosis, treatment must be started immediately, as soon as possible. Parents should not waste precious time panicking and "debriefing", determining who is to blame for this disease. In fact, no one is to blame. Despite the fact that it is the 21st century, and the level of medicine is at an amazingly high level, every year a huge number of people fall ill with tuberculosis. In society, it is generally accepted that tuberculosis is a kind of social disease that only alcoholics, drug addicts and people who have been in prison suffer from. However, this stereotype is absolutely erroneous and has no basis confirmed by statistics or at least personal observations of doctors - phthisiatricians. Koch's bacillus does not look at any social strata and level of material wealth, it affects equally often both prisoners and persons without a permanent place of residence, and famous businessmen, scientists, politicians. Childhood tuberculosis is your misfortune, but in no way your fault, and certainly not a shameful stain. No doctor will think anything bad about you. The doctors' job is to treat your child, not to gossip about you. And there is no need to worry that someone else, besides you and the doctor, will find out about your child's illness - after all, there is such a thing as medical confidentiality.
Onset of disease
Sometimes the disease is diagnosed at the veryinitial stage, and sometimes - in a rather neglected state. Of course, this aspect depends on many factors, including the attentiveness of the parents and the competence of the attending physician - pediatrician. But to a greater extent it depends on the form in which tuberculosis began. Doctors distinguish two main forms of the onset of the disease:
- Acute current
In the acute onset of the disease it beginssuddenly, with a rise in temperature to fairly high numbers, pronounced weakness and sweating, cough. In its symptoms, such an onset of tuberculosis can very much resemble acute pneumonia or pleurisy. Parents can mistake such a condition for bronchitis or flu and try to treat it themselves, which will only worsen the condition of the sick child, who will not receive timely medical care. But in fairness, it should be noted that a doctor can also diagnose an acute onset of the disease as pneumonia.
- Subacute current
This form of the onset of the disease representsthe greatest danger, since tuberculosis practically does not manifest itself in any way. The child's health does not change in any way, and even coughing and shortness of breath are not present in all cases. As a rule, the disease is detected either by chance, during a routine Mantoux test, at its initial stages, or already when it has taken a fairly advanced form and health problems associated with chronic tuberculosis intoxication begin.
Chronic tuberculous intoxication
In the event that Koch's bacillus is inthe child's body for a long time, chronic tuberculosis intoxication develops, which has an extremely negative effect on the baby's health. The child develops such disorders as:
- Lethargy. The child practically does not react to any events surrounding him. He loses interest in his earlier favorite pursuits: walks with friends, circles, sections, studies.
- Fatigability and irritability, which have already been discussed above.
- Impairment of appetite - a child can almost completely refuse to take any food.
- Very enlarged lymph nodes. Moreover, these lymph nodes are often welded together and form a group. The number of such groups of inflamed lymph nodes can be very large.
- The Mantoux test is positive for a long time, but not as pronounced as in the acute form of tuberculosis.
By the way, it is precisely weight loss and increased weakness that are the first signs of tuberculosis in children.
Treatment of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a very serious disease.disease, and therefore the treatment of tuberculosis in children should be no less serious. The treatment of this disease should be carried out by a doctor - a phthisiatrician. Treatment is selected individually, taking into account the results of the examination and the health of each specific child. However, there is still a certain treatment regimen used in certain variations in all cases. The most important method of treatment is chemotherapy, which uses special drugs that have a detrimental effect on the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. There is no point in using conventional drugs - antibiotics, since Koch's bacillus is not sensitive to their effects. Nowadays, phthisiatricians use a certain range of drugs, which includes Streptomycin (S), Ethambutol (E), Pyrazinamide (Z), Rifampicin (R). These drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis are recognized as the most effective and are used to treat tuberculosis not only in Russia, but also throughout the rest of the world. For the treatment of children, modern medicine recommends using such a chemical drug as Isoniazid (H). It is the most gentle on the child's body and causes the smallest number of side effects and complications that inevitably arise during treatment with chemotherapeutic pharmacological drugs. Phthisiatricians very carefully approach the issue of the optimal treatment regimen. After all, incorrectly selected and prescribed treatment will not bring any benefit to a sick child, but the harm can be very, very significant. Not only is there a risk of developing damage to vital internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, spleen and others with incorrect treatment, but one should not forget about the risk of developing a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis. And this very drug-resistant form of tuberculosis has a much more dire prognosis. This is due to the fact that tuberculosis pathogens, due to incorrectly selected drugs, change and stop responding to any effects of drugs. Accordingly, treatment becomes extremely difficult and, most importantly, ineffective.
Phases of treatment of tuberculosis
As already mentioned, the course of treatment for tuberculosisvery, very long and complicated. Tuberculosis is not a cold, and unfortunately it cannot be cured with simple medications in just a few days. The entire course of treatment is divided into two main stages:
- Intensive Care Phase
The goal of the first – intensive – phase of therapyis the active suppression of the process of reproduction of Koch's bacilli and the destruction of their colonies. For this purpose, doctors use a combination of four anti-tuberculosis drugs: ethambutol, rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide. This course of drug treatment lasts for 4 months. After 4 months, the drug regimen changes, and the sick child receives only two chemical drugs - rifampicin and isoniazid. At this time, the death of residual tuberculosis pathogens and regeneration of damaged tissues occur. As a rule, such an active treatment regimen brings very good results, especially if the disease was diagnosed in a timely manner.
- Supportive therapy phase
The goal of maintenance therapy isprevention of secondary infection of the child's body with those tuberculosis pathogens that may have remained after the first stage of treatment. In addition, it is during the last stage of treatment that complete regeneration of damaged lung tissue occurs. The duration of maintenance therapy is much longer than the first - it can last a year, two, or even three.
Traditional methods of treatment of tuberculosis
If we are talking about a small child, thenthe only option for treating tuberculosis for him is the treatment offered by official medicine. Tuberculosis in young children should not be treated with herbs, since babies often have increased sensitivity to plants and may experience allergic reactions. But if a child over ten years old gets sick with tuberculosis, parents can try using traditional medicine recipes, the effectiveness of which is recognized even by doctors - phthisiatricians. Traditional methods of treating tuberculosis will not cause any harm to the child, provided, of course, that they do not replace traditional medicine.
- Adonis spring decoction
You can easily get dry Adonis vernalis grassYou can buy it at any pharmacy. To prepare the decoction, you need to boil one glass of water, pour half a teaspoon of raw material into it and boil for about 3 minutes, then cool and strain using gauze. The decoction must be stored only in the refrigerator, and for no more than five days. The child should take the decoction before breakfast, at the rate of one drop for each kilogram of the child's weight. The course of treatment should last at least three months.
- Aloe vera
Aloe arborescens has remarkableregenerative properties, so its effect on the child's lung tissue damaged by Koch's bacillus cannot be overestimated. There are two types of recipes with aloe juice. The first is as follows: give the child pure aloe juice, without any impurities, five times a day, at equal intervals, one tablespoon, regardless of meals. Aloe juice has a rather bitter taste, so prepare something in advance so that the child can wash it down. The second recipe is only suitable for teenagers, as it contains, albeit in small quantities, but still alcohol. Grind four stems of tree aloe, pour 100 grams of wine over it, place on low heat, cover and simmer for half an hour. After this, give the child one tablespoon of the resulting mixture, once a day, preferably before bedtime. Both the first and second courses of treatment should last 3-4 months.
- Swamp Lake Bael
To prepare the infusion of wild rosemary, grind itthree tablespoons of dry grass, place it in a thermos and pour one liter of boiling water over it. Cover the thermos tightly with a lid and let it brew for 24 hours. The infusion of wild rosemary grass must be filtered using gauze and stored in the refrigerator. To treat a child, add wild rosemary to tea. A child should drink at least five spoons of the infusion per day. The course of treatment should last about one month, after which a week-long break is required.
- Birch tar
If you manage to find birch oil in the pharmacytar, you can try the following, very effective remedy for tuberculosis. Dissolve 5 drops of birch tar in milk in the morning and 10 drops in the evening before bed, offer the child to drink milk. Such treatment returns the child's appetite, helps to restore the body weight lost due to the disease. The course of treatment can last as long as necessary.
- Heather ordinary - infusion
To prepare heather infusion you needbuy the herb at the pharmacy, boil one liter of water and pour three tablespoons of the herb into it. Cover the container with a lid and wrap it in a thick cloth. Infuse the herb for two hours, then strain it with gauze. The child should drink the decoction immediately before meals, about half a glass, for three months.
- Grassy grass
A decoction of knotweed herb is wonderful forintense cough, removing it in just a few hours. To prepare the decoction, place three tablespoons of the herb in an enamel bowl, pour a liter of water over it and bring to a boil. After the decoction boils, reduce the heat and add three tablespoons of honey to the decoction. Boil, stirring constantly, until the honey is completely dissolved. Then remove the decoction from the heat, carefully, so as not to burn yourself, strain it through gauze. The child should take the decoction half a glass, three times a day, regardless of food intake. The course of treatment should last exactly as long as the child suffers from a debilitating cough. However, please note that this recipe can only be used by those children who have never had an allergy to honey or other bee products before.
- Decoction of root elecampane
In the event that the patient has tuberculosisthe child has a very dry cough and, as a result, it is difficult to remove phlegm, a decoction of elecampane root will come to the aid of parents. Elecampane itself is sold in pharmacies - please note that you need the root. Grind it, place it in a small saucepan, pour one liter of milk and bring to a boil. After the milk boils, reduce the heat and cook the elecampane root in milk for about 20 minutes. This decoction should be given to the child in the morning, on an empty stomach, half a glass per day. The course of treatment should continue until the phlegm is separated without any difficulty.
- Tea from oregano
Almost all children, without exception, drink tea.For children who suffer from pulmonary tuberculosis, the following recipe is very useful - buy dry oregano at the pharmacy and brew it like regular tea. Actually, this is the whole recipe, just replace the traditional brew with oregano. By the way, oregano is great for boosting immunity weakened by tuberculosis. Treatment can last as long as you like - oregano will bring nothing but benefit to healthy family members.
- St. John's Wort - broth
If the child is currently in his first period,active phase of tuberculosis treatment with pharmacological drugs, he will benefit from treatment with a decoction of perforated St. John's wort. To prepare it, you will need a small bag of gauze, which you can easily sew yourself. Place five tablespoons of perforated St. John's wort in it, tie it up and place it in a liter of clean boiling water. Reduce the heat and continue to boil for 30 minutes. Cool the decoction, remove the gauze bag from it and pour it into any glass container. Store the decoction in the refrigerator, warming it to room temperature before giving it to the child. The child should take the decoction five teaspoons every two hours throughout the course of treatment with pharmacological drugs. But the tincture of perforated St. John's wort is very effective in the second, supporting stage of treatment. To prepare the tincture, repeat the entire procedure described above with the only difference that the volume of water must be taken twice as little - that is, half a liter. As a result, you will get a more concentrated decoction. After that, put two branches of tree aloe, previously passed through a meat grinder, into the decoction, close the lid and place in a dark and cool place, preferably in the refrigerator, for about five to seven days. The child should take the resulting tincture once a day, one teaspoon. The duration of treatment should be one year.
- Lemon-yolk mixture
Doctors have long noticed the destructive effect,which citric acid has on tuberculosis pathogens. And in folk medicine this property of lemon has not gone unnoticed either. To treat tuberculosis, prepare the following mixture for your child: mince three lemons with zest and mix them thoroughly with the raw yolks of five eggs. Add five tablespoons of sugar and mix again, then transfer to a glass container and place in the refrigerator. The child should take a tablespoon of the resulting mixture every day before breakfast. The course of treatment should last 6 months, without interruption for a single day.
- Mother-and-stepmother's decoction
Coltsfoot herb also has a strongsoftening and expectorant action, allowing to ease coughing fits in a child suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs. To prepare a decoction, place two tablespoons of dry coltsfoot in a small saucepan, pour half a liter of water over it and put on the fire. It is necessary to boil the decoction for at least five minutes, then cool and strain through gauze. During the day, the child should drink about 200 grams of decoction. Please note that the decoction of coltsfoot very quickly loses its beneficial properties, it cannot be stored for more than two days. I would like to remind parents once again - treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis with folk remedies can be used only as an additional measure, but it should in no case be a reason for refusing drug treatment. Tuberculosis is not calluses and corns, it is a serious disease that can, in the absence of proper treatment, lead to the death of a child. And self-treatment of tuberculosis at home, without medical assistance, is simply impossible. That is why parents should be aware of the responsibility they have – responsibility for the life of their child. We recommend reading: