Whooping cough - a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes severe, spasmodic, uncontrollable coughing. Because whooping cough in a patient can be difficult breathing.

Causes

Whooping cough refers to upper respiratory infections; It is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis species or Bordetella parapertussis. This is a dangerous disease that infants can cause severe chronic health problems, and even death. Pertussis is transmitted through airborne droplets when the infected person sneezes or coughs into the air fall tiny droplets that contain the bacteria. The disease is easily transmitted from person to person.

Typically, the disease continues, a total of six weeks.

Whooping cough can get people of all ages. Before it became a widely used vaccine against whooping cough, the disease most commonly affects infants and young children. Currently, the majority of children are vaccinated against whooping cough before they go to school, and the disease is more common in adolescents and adults.

Symptoms

The first symptoms of pertussis, similar to common cold symptoms appear about a week after the human body were causative bacteria infection. Attacks of severe coughing begins ten or twelve days later. In young children with whooping cough, coughing often ends with a characteristic hissing sound or uhayuschim - it occurs when a child tries to breathe. This symptom is rare in patients under the age of six months, as well as in adults.

Attacks pertussis cough sometimes cause vomiting or a short loss of consciousness. If the cough is accompanied by vomiting, it is one of the main reasons for the suspicion of whooping cough. Infants are also possible attacks of breathlessness.

Other symptoms of pertussis:

• Runny nose;
• Increased body temperature (up to 38.8S);
• Diarrhea.

Diagnostics

In some cases, pertussis can be diagnosed on the basis of existing symptoms. However, if the symptoms are not obvious, the diagnosis can be difficult. Furthermore, in infants symptoms associated with whooping cough, can be caused by inflammation of the lung Pneumonia - Symptoms and Causes .

To verify the diagnosis, the doctor may perform a fence sample of mucus from the nasal cavity, and send it to a lab for tests. Although the analysis allows accurate diagnosis, they take some time, and treatment is initiated before the results become available.

Treatment

If you start treatment on time, with the help of antibiotics Antibiotics - whether they will help you in the foreseeable future? For example, erythromycin Erythromycin - if you are allergic to penicillin Can quickly eliminate the symptoms of pertussis. Unfortunately, most patients are diagnosed too late pertussis, when antibiotics are not effective already. However, the medication may reduce the likelihood that the patient will infect others pertussis.

Sick children under the age of eighteen months need constant supervision because of coughing breath they may temporarily stop. In severe cases, children may require hospitalization.

If the cough is so severe and frequent that the child is unable to drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration can be used by intravenous infusion.

Young children sometimes prescribed sedatives. Expectorant and antitussive drugs in whooping cough is usually not effective and are not recommended. It is also practically useless various home remedies for cough, which are effectively used for the treatment of colds. Do not use it without first consulting your doctor.

Possible complications of whooping cough

In older children prognosis is generally favorable. In infants a high probability of serious complications and death, so they need constant supervision.

Whooping cough can cause the following complications:

• Pneumonia;
• Convulsions;
• Epilepsy (chronic);
• Nosebleeds;
• Ear infections;
• Brain damage due to lack of oxygen;
• Bleeding in the brain;
• Intellectual disabilities;
• Death.

When you need to see a doctor

Consult your doctor if your child develops symptoms of pertussis. If the following symptoms need to seek emergency medical care:

• Bluish skin color, which does not indicate a lack of oxygen;
• Episodes of respiratory arrest Stop breathing (apnea) during sleep - upper airway obstruction ;
• Seizures and convulsions;
• High body temperature;
• Vomiting, do not stop for a long time;
• Dehydration.

Prevention

The most reliable means for the prevention of whooping cough is now considered a vaccination against this infection. It is safe for babies and young children. The vaccine is recommended to be administered five times: when the baby is 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months and 4-6 years. There is also a vaccine that is administered for the first time at the age of 11-12 years, and then again - every ten years. Officials from many health organizations recommend be vaccinated against whooping cough to all adults under the age of 65 years.

During epidemics of pertussis in unvaccinated children aged up to seven years should not attend kindergartens, schools and crowded places. They should also be isolated from infected people and those who have developed symptoms of whooping cough, even if the diagnosis is not yet confirmed.

Conjunctivitis in children - are not uncommon, especially in children's groups. At the same time, the younger the children are, the more likely event of an outbreak of conjunctivitis. Prevention of this disease is the strict observance of hygiene and isolation of affected children.

Causes of conjunctivitis in children

In children, the most frequent infectious conjunctivitis. The cause of the disease in most cases, is opportunistic and pathogenic bacterial microflora - Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus various kinds, E. coli, Proteus, and others. Bacterial conjunctivitis often occur as outbreaks in preschool groups, especially in nurseries. The infection is spread by contact through dirty hands contaminated with discharge from the eyes of subjects.

Bacterial conjunctivitis in infants may be due to poor care for the child. It is theoretically possible development of gonococcal conjunctivitis (ophthalmia) in infants when infected during birth from the mother. But for many years neonatal ophthalmia almost does not occur, as in the hospital all newborns immediately after birth is carried out to prevent this disease.

From viral conjunctivitis in children often occurs adenoviral conjunctivitis Adenoviral conjunctivitis - a frequent visitor in the offseason , Infection which occurs mainly by airborne droplets. But it is not excluded pin and nutritional (through food) ways of infection.

Allergic and autoimmune (allergic to eye tissue) conjunctivitis in children also occur. Allergic conjunctivitis is often accompanied by allergic rhinitis, autoimmune conjunctivitis can be a part of an autoimmune process.

Symptoms of conjunctivitis in children

Bacterial conjunctivitis in children usually begins acutely. The younger the child, the greater the suffering of its general condition. In young children, the disease can begin with a small rise in temperature, chills, general malaise. The child does not eat with difficulty falling asleep and often wakes up at night. Because of constant discomfort in the eyes, he becomes moody, tearful.

Bacterial conjunctivitis often have a film character: the grayish film covers the front surface of the eye, which is why decreased visual acuity, all things the child sees the fuzzy, blurry. The film is usually easily removed with a cotton swab How to use sanitary pad - basic precautions But after a while reappears. When pus baby eyelashes stick together, pus may drain through the cheeks swollen eyelids. It is important to remove the pus from the face and wash your child's hands often, as in contact with pus in the mouth it can cause intestinal infections. Children bacterial conjunctivitis seldom gives complications of the cornea and has virtually no effect on vision. Disease duration of 1-2 weeks.

Adenoviral conjunctivitis can be an independent disease, but may develop on the background of the defeat of the upper respiratory tract - acute respiratory infection (ARI). At the same time concerned about the child's feeling of a foreign body in the eye, tearing, photophobia. Drainage from the eye is usually minor and has seromucous character. Conjunctiva reddened, slightly swollen, there is a small swelling Prevention and treatment of edema - it is important to understand the root cause   and the eyelids. On the conjunctiva in the lower folds can be seen small follicles (vesicles). Conjunctivitis in children under one year and may be caused by other respiratory viruses such as influenza virus.

How to treat conjunctivitis in children

In order to properly treat conjunctivitis in a child, it is necessary to establish its origin. To do this, conducted a study of discharge from the eye under a microscope, crop it to the culture medium for the identification of the infectious agent and its sensitivity to antibiotics. Of great importance is also a common blood test.

Bacterial conjunctivitis require antibiotic therapy, viral - antiviral and allergic - desensitizing (anti-allergic). If diagnosed bacterial conjunctivitis in children, treatment begins with eyewash antiseptic solutions. Well suited for this purpose, slightly pink (1: 5000) solution of potassium permanganate. You can also wash the child's eyes freshly brewed tea or chamomile extract. Then the eyes of the child buried antibacterial drops, such as chloramphenicol. If a lot of pus, can be instilled one drop into both eyes every hour. At night, in the eyes of a child can lay ophthalmic antibiotic ointment Antibiotics - whether they will help you in the foreseeable future? . The most suitable ointment for conjunctivitis for children - eritromitsinovaya.

About how to treat conjunctivitis in a child, it is best to tell the doctor. On the basis of examination of the child, he may suggest a viral origin of conjunctivitis. In this case, the antiviral agent administered conjunctivitis for children, such as in the eye instilled solution can Poludan 1-2 drops 6-8 times daily. As the inflammation subsided number instillation cut to 3-4 times a day.

Prevention of conjunctivitis in children - hygienic requirements and timely isolation of sick children.

Galina Romanenko