Contents
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that can live and multiply not only in the stomach of an adult, but also in a child. This microorganism is quite insidious, because after penetrating into the digestive tract, it does not give itself away. The asymptomatic existence of the bacterium can continue until a person develops a disease of the digestive system, the mildest of which is gastritis. In the inactive stage, bacteria can exist for a long period of time.
Diseases that can cause Helicobacter pylori:
Dyspeptic disorders.
Gastritis.
Gastroduodenitis.
Children are most often diagnosed with Helicobacter pylori by the age of five. There can be several ways of infection. Part of the source of infection is the mother or another adult from the immediate environment of the child. Infection can occur when a mother eats with a child from the same dish or licks his spoon, and then feeds her baby.
First signs
When Helicobacter pylori is activated in the body of a child, he has the first symptoms of the disease, which include:
Frequent belching during which an unpleasant odor is clearly felt.
Heartburn that occurs from time to time.
Nausea and vomiting.
Darkening of feces.
The appearance of a white coating on the tongue.
Painful sensations in the abdomen.
Unstable stools, in which diarrhea may be replaced by constipation.
If an adult ignores these symptoms in a child, the disease will progress, leading to the development of severe complications. Also, the first sign of infection with Helicobacter pylori in children may be an allergic reaction in the form of urticaria. If you donate blood, it is possible to detect iron deficiency anemia.
Main symptoms
When Helicobacter pylori in a child exists in the body for a long time, this will lead to the following symptoms:
Child’s mental retardation.
Constant fatigue and malaise.
Rapid pulse.
Increased capriciousness.
Dryness in the mouth.
Hair loss.
Delayed physical development.
Rapid weight loss can also be a sign of infection with Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium is very dangerous for the health of the child, so treatment should be started immediately after its detection. The longer Helicobacter pylori exists in the body, the more difficult it will be to get rid of it. It launches adaptive mechanisms that allow it to remain viable even under the influence of drugs.
Very often, a person does not even suspect that he is a carrier of an infection, since there are no specific symptoms that would be characteristic of Helicobacter pylori.
Ways of infection
Helicobacter pylori enters the child’s body by the fecal-oral route. Hygiene skills in children are not fully formed, so it is not difficult for them to get infected.
Possible ways of infection of a child with Helicobacter pylori:
through polluted water.
Through contaminated food, for example, by eating unwashed fruits or berries.
If hygiene measures are not followed (for example, using someone else’s toothbrush or poorly washed cutlery).
During endoscopy or other poorly sterilized medical instruments that have had direct contact with the patient’s gastric mucosa.
The weaker the child’s gastrointestinal tract, the more likely it is to develop an infection. In a negative way, the state of the digestive system is affected by eating fast food, the absence of liquid dishes in the menu.
It is extremely rare that infection occurs iatrogenically, when non-sterile instruments are used in the clinic during diagnosis.
The risk of infection of the child from other family members is high. If at least one person is a carrier of Helicobacter pylori, then the risk of transmitting the bacterium to people living with him in the same apartment is equal to 95%.
A child can be infected not only at home, but also at school or in kindergarten. It is enough not to wash your hands once after a walk so that a harmful bacterium enters the body. Moreover, at a younger age, children put everything in their mouths, from toys to their fingers. Be sure to teach your child to wash their hands after visiting the restroom.
Diagnostics
When the first symptoms of infection of a child with Helicobacter pylori appear, it is necessary to seek the advice of a specialist. First you need to visit a pediatrician. If the suspicions are confirmed, then it is necessary to undergo treatment under the supervision of a pediatric gastroenterologist.
A preliminary diagnosis can be made even on the basis of complaints from the mother and on the basis of an examination of the child. Antibodies to Helicobacter pylori can be found in the blood and feces. Therefore, it will be necessary to submit these materials for research.
With the help of an endoscope, the doctor examines the gastric mucosa, assesses the degree of damage to it. During the study, it is possible to take a biopsy of the coolant, which is subjected to laboratory tests and Helicobacter pylori is detected in it.
Non-invasive methods include a breath test, when a conclusion about the presence of bacteria in the child’s body is made on the basis of a study of exhaled air. Children are recommended to carry out a breathing “Helik-test” in which the child will need to drink a solution of urea. This substance does not pose any threat to the health of the baby, so the study is absolutely safe.
Modern medicine also has molecular methods for detecting Helicobacter pylori. To conduct it, the test take dental plaque.
To make a diagnosis, a comprehensive examination is required.
How is Helicobacter pylori treated in children?
Self-treatment of Helicobacter pylori in children is unacceptable, the doctor should deal with the therapy. Antibacterial drugs are used to remove bacteria from the body. Moreover, a combination of at least two antibiotics is required. At the same time, they should be non-toxic to the body of the child. Be sure to prescribe drugs that are aimed at reducing the acidity of gastric juice.
Most experts do not recommend that children take proton pump inhibitor drugs, as they negatively affect the overall development of the child. Preference is given to H2-histamine blockers. Antibiotics should be selected in such a way that they are detrimental to this bacterium. Otherwise, the microorganism will develop resistance to them and will not respond to ongoing therapy.
Taking antibiotics is always associated with the risk of developing dysbacteriosis. The fact is that antibacterial drugs are detrimental not only to harmful, but also to beneficial bacteria that live in the digestive tract of a child. Therefore, it is impossible to independently extend the duration of treatment.
Drug therapy has several goals, including:
Reducing the risk of developing stomach cancer.
Reducing the risk of developing internal gastric bleeding.
Preventing the formation of stomach ulcers.
Prevention of iron deficiency anemia.
You should be prepared for the fact that the ongoing therapy will respond with a number of side effects. After all, drugs for getting rid of Helicobacter pylori cannot be considered absolutely safe.
As undesirable symptoms against the background of the treatment, are:
Violations of the stool.
The taste of metal in the mouth.
Abdominal pain.
Constipation.
If the child complains of one or more symptoms, then it must be shown to the doctor. Your doctor may recommend other medications. Although not always negative manifestations of the digestive system are associated with taking medications. It cannot be ruled out that they are manifestations of the disease itself.
Dietary food
During the treatment of Helicobacter pylori, the child must be transferred to a diet. The diet is selected on an individual basis, when compiling the menu, the patient’s age, the state of his immunity and health in general are taken into account.
In any case, the diet should cover all the energy needs of a growing organism. It is unacceptable to cut the daily caloric intake, or vitamins and minerals. Therefore, you need to make a diet together with the doctor.
Most often, dietary dishes seem to children not tasty. Therefore, parents must be smart to feed the baby. Perhaps you should diversify the serving of dishes, for which you can use unusual dishes.
The menu of the child should contain products such as:
Eggs.
Milk.
Fruit.
Fish and meat with low fat content.
Helicobacter pylori is a dangerous bacterium that can harm the health of the child. Most often, adults are infected, but infection in childhood should not be ruled out either. Statistics indicate that the bacterium is found in children in 10% of cases, while the average number of infected adults is 50% of the general population. In any case, if parents notice disorders in the functioning of the digestive system in their child, they should take him to see a doctor.