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SARS is a disease of the respiratory tract, the cause of which is the ingestion of a viral infection into the body. In the first months of life, the child’s body is protected from viruses and bacteria with the help of immunoglobulins obtained from mother’s milk. Gradually, their own immunity learns to actively respond to infectious antigens, producing antibodies. But in order to develop immunity, it is necessary to face viruses or bacteria. That is why a child gets ARVI up to 7-10 times a year, and an adult – no more than 2-3 times.
Causes of SARS in children
To date, more than 200 types of viruses are known that can provoke various types of respiratory infections in humans. Children, due to the immaturity of the immune system, as well as the mechanism of response by immune cells to the pathogen that has not yet been fully formed, may get sick more often.
Most often, ARVI is provoked by the following types of viruses:
| rhinoviruses | adenoviruses |
| RS-infection | parainfluenza |
| coronaviruses | orthomyxovirus |
| paramycoviruses | picornaviruses |
In their manifestations, they are similar, so they are not identified and treated according to the general rules, making the diagnosis of ARVI (1).
Infection occurs by airborne droplets with particles of infected mucus or saliva, lacrimal fluid. In addition, the contact path is also relevant for children – through common toys, objects, dishes.
The incubation period for the ARVI group ranges from 12-24 hours to 5-7 days. Then comes the prodromal period with general symptoms of malaise, weakness, loss of appetite. After this, the peak phase begins – the main symptoms of the disease appear.
Symptoms of SARS in children
Most often, children encounter a viral infection in kindergarten and school. In the first year of attending kindergarten, the child usually gets sick more than in all subsequent ones. This develops immunity to viruses, which helps to make protection against infections more effective as they grow older. For the prevention of certain diseases (for example, measles), it is necessary to be vaccinated, since one’s own immunity to them is not developed.
Some children get sick more often than others because their immunity is less developed (2). Therefore, their parents need to carefully monitor the prevention.
An acute respiratory viral infection is almost always accompanied by an increase in temperature to 37-39 ° C and above, signs of intoxication (headache, nausea, loss of appetite).
Almost constant companions of SARS in children are nasal congestion, sore throat, inflammation of the pharynx and larynx (pharyngitis, laryngitis). With a weakened immune system, a bacterial infection can join a viral infection. Against the background of SARS, the child has a plaque on the tonsils, pustules are sure signs of a sore throat. The causative agent of tonsillitis or tonsillitis is streptococcus. If not properly treated, a streptococcal infection can cause complications to the joints, heart, and kidneys.
ARVI in children develops gradually. The child is usually worried about a runny nose and cough, pain in the eyes (conjunctivitis), in some cases, gastrointestinal upset (diarrhea, vomiting). If the thermometer immediately rose to high numbers (38 ° C and above), the tonsils are enlarged and covered with plaque, then the child is more likely to have a bacterial infection. However, an accurate diagnosis can only be made by a pediatrician after a thorough examination.
ARVI treatment in children
It is necessary to start treatment of the child as soon as he has the first symptoms of the disease (fever, weakness, headache, sore throat). If you do not get help right away, serious complications can develop.
Diagnostics
Usually, the doctor makes a diagnosis on the basis of typical complaints made by parents or the child himself, examination data and indications of contact with children with ARVI. Additionally, the pediatrician may prescribe blood and urine tests to rule out complications. In addition, with a protracted course of infection or a sharp change in well-being, studies and consultations with an ENT doctor, pulmonologist may be recommended.
Modern treatments
ARVI is mostly treated at home, symptomatic agents are used. All of them should be recommended only by a pediatrician or family doctor.
With the help of medicines, it is better to bring down the temperature above 38 ° C, since it can cause convulsions that are life-threatening. However, you need to monitor the child’s condition: in some cases, antipyretic can be given even at 37,5 ° C. Children’s antipyretics are available in the form of syrup or in suppositories (in infants during the first months of life) (3).
In order to remove toxins from the body, to moisturize the mucous membranes, an abundant drink is shown – tea, milk, cocoa, compote, fruit drink.
With discharge or nasal congestion, the doctor may prescribe vasoconstrictor nasal drops.
If a child has a sore throat, you can rinse with a soda solution, use antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory sprays.
A few days after the onset of the disease, the child’s cough becomes productive, sputum appears, which is sometimes difficult to cough up. In these cases, the doctor may prescribe drugs that thin and expectorate sputum.
Antibiotics for ARVI are ineffective, since their effect extends only to bacterial infections, but not viruses. However, with the development of complications with the addition of bacterial infections, such as tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis media, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Self-administration of antibiotics is contraindicated.
If the temperature is kept
If the temperature in a child lasts more than 5 days, it is very likely that a bacterial infection has joined the viral infection. It is also necessary to pay attention if the temperature was subfebrile (37,1-38°C for a long time), and then jumped sharply to 38-39°C. Against the background of the development of fever, the child’s condition worsens. He is often naughty, refuses to eat. The child complains of severe weakness, headache. In such cases, you should immediately call a doctor at home.
How long can the temperature last
With a normal ARVI, the temperature in a child can last from 3 to 5 days. If complications develop, this period may increase.
Residual cough
Often, a protracted course or untimely start of treatment for ARVI can lead to the fact that the infection “descends” into the lower respiratory tract, the trachea, bronchi and lungs. In these cases, the child begins to be disturbed first by a dry and then a productive cough (that is, with sputum). Often, the cough continues to bother the child after his recovery. This is because sputum is still coming out. In order to facilitate its discharge, the child must continue to give expectorants and sputum thinners, as well as monitor the humidity in the room.
Is it possible to treat SARS at home
A child with SARS can be treated at home. Hospitalization is indicated only in case of severe complications, such as, for example, severe pneumonia and so on. However, self-medication is strictly contraindicated. With the development of the first symptoms of an acute respiratory viral infection, you should immediately consult a pediatrician.
Are there complications
Complications of SARS in the form of bacterial infection are quite common (4). The body of young children is still weak and during illness is even more susceptible to germs. The most common bacterial complications of SARS in children are otitis media, tonsillitis, pneumonia, and sinusitis.
Prevention of ARVI in children
Prevention of acute respiratory viral infections consists in good nutrition, hardening, walking in the fresh air, washing hands, and ventilating the room in which the child is located. During the epidemic, it is advisable to avoid visiting places with large crowds of people, take multivitamins.
Popular questions and answers
We asked pediatrician Olga Semenyuk questions about the duration of respiratory infections in children, the possibility of the course of the disease without fever, and the causes of frequent illnesses.
How long does SARS last in children?
Can SARS in children occur without fever?
Why does a child often get ARVI?
Often sick children are not a diagnosis. This usually means that the child is constantly exposed to sources of infection. They can be inside the body itself or in the external environment, for example, with a large number of contacts with people.
Factors contributing to the frequent illness of the child and the diagnosis of “Frequently ill child” or “Secondary immunodeficiency” can be divided into two groups: internal and external.
Internal factors include:
• immaturity of the immune system, respiratory organs, the body as a whole;
• heredity (predisposition to respiratory diseases);
• problems during pregnancy and childbirth and as a result – poor adaptation of the child to the effects of the external environment;
• manifestations of allergies;
• chronic diseases.
In addition, chronic diseases and foci of infections also do not have the most favorable effect on the state of the child’s immune system and require not only identification and sanitation, but also follow-up to prevent relapses. These factors include:
• foci of chronic infection in the nasopharynx – most often suffer from colds and flu in children with untreated rhinitis, pharyngitis, with constantly enlarged tonsils, with purulent “plugs”. Such slowly “smoldering” infections lead to poisoning of the body, its chronic intoxication, toxic substances weaken the child’s immune system and prevent it from effectively resisting the disease;
• adenoids – this leads not only to constant colds, but also to frequent otitis media, sinusitis, purulent nasopharyngitis, chronic tonsillitis, bronchitis, hearing loss;
• past birth trauma, neuropsychiatric disorders, encephalopathy. The most common cause of brain dysfunction is its hypoxia, that is, lack of oxygen. Against the background of hypoxia, circulatory disorders in the brain occur, which lead to secondary, that is, immunodeficiency acquired during life;
• violation of the endocrine system, in particular, an increase in the thymus gland – if the thymus gland does not work properly, the child’s immunity is reduced, and he is constantly sick with ARVI;
• violation of the production of corticosteroid hormones – often these children have chronic intestinal diseases: enterocolitis, dysbacteriosis, helminthic infections, giardiasis;
• an insufficient amount of immunoglobulin A is produced in the child’s body – another immunological disorder causes similar consequences for the child’s health – increased production of immunoglobulin E;
• constant stress, as well as some serious mental trauma: for example, family strife, sending to kindergarten, moving to grandmother;
• long-term use of certain medications, such as hormonal drugs, antibiotics or immunosuppressants;
• living in ecologically unfavorable conditions.
External factors of the child’s pain:
• neglect of parents to properly care for the child (regime, physical education, hardening);
• frequent contacts with patients (for example, in a kindergarten);
• improper catering;
• passive smoking in prenatal and subsequent periods;
• frequent, uncontrolled use of drugs – this is especially true for antibiotics.
The formation and operation of the immune system is primarily due to external influences. All that we invest in the concept of “lifestyle” and is well known to each of us: food, drink, air, clothing, physical activity, rest, treatment of diseases. Accordingly, first of all, “harmful factors” from the child’s environment should be excluded or minimized.
Sources of
- Acute respiratory viral infections in children / K.I. Grigoriev, 2018 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/ostrye-respiratornye-virusnye-infektsii-u-detey-1/viewer
- A frequently ill child in pediatric practice. P. Vavilova, 2018
- Opportunities to improve the effectiveness of therapy for acute respiratory viral infections of various etiologies in children / T. A. Ruzhentsova, A. A. Ploskireva, N. I. Aleshina and others//2019
- Acute respiratory infections in children: problems and possibilities of therapy / Bulgakova V.A.//2016