To determine what exactly is sick child – ARVI, including flu, or sore throat, should the doctor. The task of the mother is to understand that the baby is unwell and to consult a doctor so that he diagnosed and prescribed the appropriate treatment.
The first symptoms of trouble may be a rise in temperature, difficulty in nasal breathing, coughing. If a child is able to speak, he will complain that it hurts him to swallow.
Because of this, he may refuse to eat, become moody, whiny. It also happens that the disease is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, and if the temperature is very high – then a headache. The child begins to sleep worse, often wakes up at night.
Not yet ill, but already close to this crumb can not hold urine in a dream. If this is uncharacteristic for a child, it is worthwhile to be on the alert and seek advice from the doctor.
All these symptoms are characteristic of both flu and any other acute respiratory viral infection and tonsillitis. But at the same time, each of these ailments has its own distinctive features.
Parents will not hurt to learn more about them.
The provocateurs of any acute respiratory viral infections are viruses. The form of the disease depends on the specific type of pathogen and the state of the child’s immune system.
If the defenses work well, then the virus will be quickly expelled from the body, and the infection will not go beyond a certain area, for example, the case can be limited only to a cold. But since in children the immune system is only being formed, usually it’s not just a cold. A sore throat, and then a cough may join.
The temperature may also rise, but sometimes there is no such symptom.
Only a doctor can determine the type of virus and distinguish SARS from the flu. This is important because different viruses cause different complications.
Having determined the type of pathogen, one can imagine the course of the disease, understand what else to expect from a harmful microorganism, and try to prevent complications.
When SARS is prescribed symptomatic treatment. Relieve nasal breathing by irrigating the nose with saline solutions.
To vasoconstrictor drops are treated last. They can be maximally applied for 5 days, and it is better only if the stuffy nose prevents the child from sleeping normally at night. The fact is that such drugs can injure the nasal mucosa, in response to vasoconstriction provoke their compensatory edema or cause addiction.
Health damage can also be caused by overdose. Pain relievers and inflammation sprays help reduce pain and sore throat.
Recovery in most cases occurs in 2–3 weeks.
Flu symptoms manifest and develop much faster. Literally in 12 hours, the temperature can rise to 39 ºС or even to 40 ºС.
The child has a severe headache, the baby may complain that his eyes, hands and feet hurt. The crumbs of appetite will disappear, because of strong weakness, he will always try to lie down. Coughing, runny nose, sore throat may not be, but nosebleeds may begin.
All these phenomena allow the doctor to suspect the flu – a disease from the category of acute viral infections, due to the terrible complications standing apart from their “brothers”.
Confirm the diagnosis with the help of special test strips, working on the same principle as home pregnancy tests. With the help of a spongy tip applicator, the doctor takes a nose swab from the baby and lowers it into a special fluid.
The answer is ready in a maximum of 5 minutes. One strip says that there is no flu, if there are two strips – the doctor’s fears are confirmed.
Depending on where the second line is located, the doctor will immediately determine the type of influenza virus – A, B or pandemic virus H1N1 (swine).
To relieve the condition of the child help antipyretic drugs, which not only reduce the temperature, but also have an analgesic effect, for example, paracetamol. Doctors also recommend using folk remedies: warm milk, honey, herbal teas (thyme, ginger).
Do not get involved in vasoconstrictor drugs, which, if you do not follow the instructions and recommendations of the doctor can become dangerous.
After 5–7 days, the baby recovers and becomes non-infectious. If the week has passed, but there is no improvement, most likely, the bacterial infection that has joined is to blame.
In this case, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. During the illness, in order not to miss possible complications, the crumb must be under constant medical supervision.
So in the international classification of diseases called angina. This disease is caused by both viruses and bacteria.
The symptoms of infections (sore throat, redness, increase in palatine tonsils, plaque) are similar, therefore a layman cannot distinguish a bacterial sore throat from a virus. Trust the doctor, only he is able to determine the type of infection and see if an antibiotic is needed.
The diagnosis needs to be confirmed by two blood tests: general clinical and C-reactive protein analysis. Both analyzes can be taken from a finger at the same time.
In viral infection, the level of C-reactive protein in comparison remains normal or increases slightly, in case of bacterial infection, it increases several dozen times. In the general clinical analysis of blood, the doctor will pay attention to the level of leukocytes, which also increases dramatically with a bacterial infection.
Bacterial infection requires special monitoring and treatment. Most often, the bacterial sore throat causes Streptococcus Group A. It is well treated with antibiotics, but at the same time this bacterium can cause serious complications.
The diagnosis can be confirmed by examining a smear from the back of the throat and tonsils. To do this, there is a rapid test (streptatest), which allows you to make a diagnosis in 5-10 minutes, without leaving the bed of the patient.
A more accurate result will be given by seeding a smear from a throat on flora and sensitivity to antibiotics.
In case of a viral infection, symptomatic treatment is prescribed: gargling or irrigation with painkillers and sprays, inflammations, and antipyretic drugs. With streptococcal or other bacterial sore throat can not do without antibiotics.
The course of their admission, depending on the pathogen that caused the disease, lasts from 5 to 10 days.