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These diseases are associated with infection in the respiratory tract in the form of viruses, bacteria and even fungi, which causes the characteristic symptoms of a cold. Children most often suffer from acute respiratory infections, especially in the first 3 years of their lives.
After birth, the baby is faced with a huge number of microbes in his environment, but he has not yet learned how to defend himself against them. The body of the fetus receives the necessary antibodies through the mother’s placenta, and in the prenatal period, it does not meet with bacteria. After birth, all the necessary nutrients, including immunoglobulins that protect against infection, the child receives through breast milk. However, this is not enough in the first years of life, when the child is actively exploring the environment, which means that it is faced with a large number of microbes. Therefore, in the first 3 years of life, ARI is the most common disease in a child.
The next surge of the disease falls on 4-5 years, when the immunoglobulins received from the mother’s body begin to disintegrate. The first immunoglobulins that the child’s body begins to produce on its own are not strong enough to protect it from various types of infections.
Symptoms of ARI in children
Symptoms of acute respiratory infections, as in all infectious diseases, are divided into local and general. Inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract (nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, etc.) are associated with local symptoms. These include pain in the throat, discharge from the nose, cough. Common symptoms are associated with the body’s reaction to the penetration of viruses and bacteria. Toxins released by microbes and viruses enter the bloodstream and this causes headache, general weakness, fever, loss of appetite.
The degree of manifestation of certain symptoms is influenced by the location of the inflammatory process. In case of damage:
- Nose, characterized by sneezing, mucous discharge, congestion;
- Throats – dryness in the throat and pain;
- Tonsils – swelling, redness, palate, pain, plaque;
- Larynx – hoarseness, dry cough;
- Trachea – dry cough, congestion behind the sternum;
- Bronchial – dry cough at the beginning of the disease, which becomes productive in the later stages, i.e. with sputum.
In children, due to the peculiarity of the structure of the respiratory tract (they are narrower) and the high tendency of the mucous membranes to edema, symptoms of congestion with impaired airway patency are often observed. At a younger age, false croup, an obstruction or blockage of the airways for the passage of air, may more often develop.
You can suspect false croup in a child if you have the following symptoms:
- Dry, barking cough;
- hoarse voice;
- Shortness of breath (difficulty inhaling air);
- Paleness of the covers.
If you suspect false croup in your child, you should immediately call an ambulance.
An increase in body temperature in acute respiratory infections in children indicates an infectious process and is the body’s response to inflammation. The temperature has a protective function. High temperatures increase immune responses, thus the body fights infection.
What is the difference between ARI and SARS
The rash does not appear immediately, but develops gradually and reaches its maximum severity on the 3rd-5th day of the disease. Its appearance means that streptococci have already begun to actively secrete the toxin and it is carried by the blood throughout the body, affecting the walls of blood vessels. Rashes can appear in various places of the body: on the face, torso, in the armpits, in the region of the inguinal folds, on the neck, etc. On the 6-7th day of the disease, the rash turns pale, the skin in the affected areas begins to peel off and exfoliate, which is considered a favorable symptom and indicates that the child is recovering.
Treatment of acute respiratory infections in children
Treatment of acute respiratory infections is aimed at relieving general symptoms (symptoms of intoxication) and local symptoms directly related to the inflammatory response.
To relieve symptoms of intoxication, it is shown:
- Plentiful drink (tea, fruit drink, compote);
- Food rich in vitamins;
- Antipyretics (paracetamol, nurofen).
Antibiotics for acute respiratory infections can be prescribed only in cases where the disease is associated with a bacterial infection. The selection and prescription of antibiotics is made only by a doctor. Self-administration of antibiotics is contraindicated.
To relieve local symptoms are prescribed:
- Vasoconstrictor drops in the nose (with congestion);
- Local antiseptic preparations, throat sprays and gargles (Miramistin);
- antihistamines;
- Expectorants in the separation of sputum (Lazolvan, DoctorMom);
- Vitamins.
Is it possible to treat at home
If your child develops an acute respiratory illness, you should contact your pediatrician. Only he can determine the origin of the disease (viral or bacterial) and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Treatment can be done at home. The child is shown bed rest. With the development of complications of acute respiratory infections in children, such as pneumonia, for example, the doctor may consider the advisability of hospitalization.
Prevention of acute respiratory infections in children
Prevention of acute respiratory infections consists in vaccination, minimizing contact with infected patients, avoiding hypothermia, hardening. It is important to spend more time in the fresh air and eat right.