How to treat intestinal infection in children and adults?

Intestinal infections are a group of pathologies that affect the gastrointestinal tract. An adult, whose body is highly immune, quickly copes with such ailments. But the health of the crumbs they are capable of causing serious harm. If the child does not receive timely medical help, then a weak body can not cope with such a problem. In some cases, intestinal infection even leads to death. Therefore, it is very important not to let such diseases go by themselves. An adult is simply obliged to know what to treat an intestinal infection. In addition, it is important to understand that only an expert can provide qualified assistance.

Characteristics of pathologies

What is behind this name? How does the disease manifest and how to treat an intestinal infection?

Almost every person in his life is confronted with a disease, sometimes quite dangerous. After all, this group contains a lot of contagious pathologies, which have a disastrous effect on the work of the digestive tract. The causes of infection are bacteria, viruses, toxins. Diseases vary in the duration of the course and severity of the symptoms. For example, staphylococcal infection cures quickly enough, which can not be said about such a disease as cholera.

The most dangerous intestinal infections in the summer. The peak incidence is associated with the use of unboiled, dirty water, poorly washed vegetables, fruits, berries. In addition, in the heat, fish, meat, and dairy products significantly deteriorate. The carriers of the infection are also insects. That is why the question often arises: how to treat intestinal infection at sea? It is almost impossible to determine therapy without examination. Since antibiotics must be taken to combat certain ailments. Other diseases need a completely different approach.

Causes of ailment

People who are interested in how to treat intestinal infection in adults or children should understand that such pathologies are much easier to prevent than to look for ways to deal with them. In this case, avoiding ailments is not so difficult as it may seem. Protect yourself and your baby from the development of pathology allows you to understand the mechanism of infection.

The main reason leading to the appearance of intestinal pathologies is contact with an infected person. Such a person allocates to the environment pathogens of the disease with vomiting masses, feces, sometimes with urine.

Ways of infection:

1. Oral-fecal. Infection occurs through water or food. Many pathogens are highly resistant in environmental conditions.
2. Domestic. Sources of infection can be any household items. In addition, sometimes infection occurs after swimming in open contaminated water bodies. Particular mention should be made of non-compliance with hygiene. Such an elementary procedure, like washing hands, can reduce the risk of infection at times.
3. Air-dropping. Some viral pathologies can be transmitted by coughing, sneezing.

Most susceptible to pathology babies. That is why the question is put so sharply: how to treat intestinal infection in children? Especially often there is an ailment in premature babies, crumbs that are on artificial feeding, with immunodeficiency and diseases of the nervous system.

However, adult sufferers suffer from intestinal infections. The risk group includes the population aged, patients with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, people suffering from alcohol dependence.

The main causative agents of ailments

A lot of viruses and bacteria can provoke unpleasant symptoms. The doctor, before treating the gastrointestinal infection, will necessarily determine which pathogen caused the pathology. After all, therapy is based entirely on understanding the root cause of the disease.

So, several varieties of such infections are known:

1. Intestinal bacterial pathology. This type includes: salmonellosis, dysentery, yersiniosis, escherichiosis, campylobacteriosis, acute intestinal infection (OCI), triggered by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, clostridia, klebsiella, proteus, staphylococcal poisoning, typhoid fever, cholera, botulism.
2. OCI of viral nature. Such pathologies cause rotaviruses, enteroviruses, adenoviruses, reoviruses, coronaviruses.
3. Fungal intestinal ailments. They are often provoked by Candida.
4. Protozoal intestinal pathology. These are diseases of giardiasis, amoebiasis.

Characteristic symptomatology

It can manifest itself in 6 hours - 2 days after infection. Already on a symptomatology it is possible to suspect, with what pathology the patient has collided or faced. And this greatly facilitates understanding of what to treat intestinal infection.

Virtually any disease that enters this group causes 2 major syndromes:

• Infectious-toxic;
• intestinal.

Consider them.

Infectious-toxic syndrome can be manifested:

1. Increase in temperature. In some pathologies, the thermometer shows a figure of 37 ° C. Sometimes there is hyperthermia (above 38 ° C). But some ailments can occur even at normal temperature or a short-term rise. For example, the latter is characteristic of staphylococcal infection.
2. Symptomatics of intoxication. The patient may experience weakness, aches, nausea. Against the background of hyperthermia, vomiting often occurs.

Intestinal syndrome manifests itself in different ways. However, similarity of symptoms is also observed. Knowing what caused the ailment, you can easily determine what to treat the intestinal infection.

The following manifestations of the intestinal syndrome can be observed in a patient:

1. Gastritis. Pain occurs in the area of the stomach. A person has constant nausea. Vomiting can provoke any food and even drunk a sip of water. She brings a little relief. As a rule, vomiting is multiple. Sometimes diarrhea is connected. However, this phenomenon is observed infrequently.
2. Gastroenteritis. The painful syndrome covers the stomach region and the near-buccal region. The disease is characterized by vomiting, a loose stool (watery). The color of the stool may indicate a pathology. With salmonellosis, it is greenish, and in the case of escherichiosis - light brown. Often it contains undigested food, mucus.
3. Enteritis. There is only a violation of the stool. In this case, diarrhea is watery in nature.
4. Gastroenterocolitis. The patient is faced with multiple diarrhea (not providing relief), constant abdominal pain (diffuse nature) and severe discomfort during defecation. Sometimes in the stool there are admixtures of blood, mucus.
5. Enterocolitis. For him, there is a pain throughout the abdomen, a frequent stool.
6. Colitis. Discomfort occurs in the lower abdomen. Most often it is localized on the left. Defecation is painful, the stool contains impurities of mucus, blood. Relief emptying does not bring. Often there are false desires for defecation.

What does the symptomatology indicate? Often, it accurately characterizes the pathology:

1. With salmonellosis, there are gastroenteritis, gastroenterocolitis and enterocolitis.
2. Dysentery is characterized by enterocolitis and colitis.
3. Escherichiosis is accompanied by gastroenteritis.
4. And for cholera is characterized by enteritis.

Features of pathology in infants

Unfortunately, the infant can not explain what hurts him. Therefore, parents should carefully monitor any changes in the behavior of the crumbs. After all, some symptoms may indicate the development of OCI.

Attention should be paid to the following signs:

1. Refusal of food. This is a sufficiently alarming signal. Especially if after eating, not only does vomiting appear, but vomiting also occurs.
2. Anxiety. The baby does not calm down, does not sleep well. At the same time he drummed with his legs and pulled them to his tummy.
3. Bloating. Colic is a fairly common phenomenon for newborns. However, in intestinal pathologies, they are repeatedly amplified.
4. Vomiting. This symptomatology may even be absent. But if the baby is vomiting, then its multiplicity should alert.
5. Temperature. It can rise from 37 to 39 ° C. In no case should one decide independently how to treat intestinal infection in children. It is the prerogative of specialists only. Such crumbs should be under the control of doctors.
6. Diarrhea. The chair becomes much more frequent. It becomes watery. Often contains mucus, undigested food, blood veins.

Often parents ask themselves the question: how to treat intestinal infection in a baby? Doctors strongly recommend not taking any measures to combat pathology without an appointment. You should know that the consequences of ailment, such as dehydration, weight loss, develop rapidly in toddlers. Sometimes it's quite a few hours. Such conditions are extremely dangerous for the health of the child and for his life. Therefore, the only sure way is to immediately contact the doctors.

Symptoms requiring an urgent visit to doctors

Unfortunately, the occurrence of diarrhea is rarely regarded as the need to consult a doctor. Usually people, even if they do not always understand how to treat intestinal infection in adults, try to stop diarrhea on their own. Sometimes such a procedure can turn into serious problems.

A compulsory visit to a doctor requires a condition:

• The above symptomatology in preschool children;
• Pathology in people aged (over 65 years);
• Multiple diarrhea in an adult (more than 5 times);
• Presence of blood in the stool;
• Fever accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea;
• Cramping discomfort in abdomen;
• Strong thirst and pronounced weakness;
• Presence in the anamnesis of chronic ailments.

Therapy of Toddlers

How to treat viral intestinal infection in children? It is very important for the first symptoms to call a doctor. In addition, you should not choose the medication yourself. Even activated carbon can disrupt the picture of pathology. He stains a chair in black. And this is able to disguise the clinic of such a serious pathology as intestinal bleeding.

Parents need to know how to treat an intestinal infection at home before the doctor comes.

The following therapy is recommended:

1. Diet. Nursing infants are not shown hunger. And older children should refrain from eating. If the crumb has an appetite, then it needs to be fed in small portions. But necessarily dairy products, vegetables, fruits, juices are excluded.
2. Drinking regime. This is an obligatory and most important condition. During diarrhea, vomiting very quickly may lead to dehydration. Therefore the child simply needs a plentiful drink. In the case of severe vomiting, it is necessary to give liquid in small amounts, but often. To restore the water-salt balance, it is recommended to use electrolyte solutions: "Regidron", "Oralit", "Glucosolan".
3. Antipyretic. It can be given only with hyperthermia. It is better to use a suppository. But with severe diarrhea, you can give the baby antipyretic syrup.
4. Enterosorbents. They are used only in extreme cases. Lusha all use the drugs "Smecta", "Enterosgel".

Therapeutic diet

Young children must be admitted to hospital. Adults enter the hospital with moderate and severe forms of the disease. After examining the patient, the doctor will certainly explain what to treat the virus intestinal infection in adults.

All patients are assigned a dietary table number 4.

It implies the use in an acute period:

• Mucous soups;
• Mashed meat;
• Light broths;
• Boiled fish;
• Hard bread;
• Omelets, cereals;
• Unhealthy cookies.

Totally excluded:

• milk,
• Smoked products, canned food,
• Seasonings, spices,
• Green onions, garlic, radish,
• alcohol,
• Beans.

Return to normal diet is gradual, for 4 weeks.

Medication Therapy

Than to treat an acute intestinal infection? It is important to understand that in such a serious pathology, only a doctor should prescribe therapy. In addition, depending on the disease will be selected treatment scheme. So, if a viral intestinal infection is diagnosed, what can be done to treat it?

As a rule, drug therapy is based on the application of:

1. Rehydration preparations. They are prescribed in any intestinal pathology, which is accompanied by a loss of body fluid. The patient is recommended medicines "Regidron", "Citroglyukosolan", "Enterodesis". In addition, the patient should drink plenty of water. In severe conditions in hospital conditions, the patient is given intravenous injection of solutions.
2. Antidiarrhoeal medicines. To neutralize the harmful effect on the body of toxins, the patient is assigned enterosorbents. Most often, therapies include preparations Polyphepam, Filtrum, Lactofiltrum, White Coal, Enterosgel. "Smecta", "Hilak forte", "Bactisubtil" can be recommended for use.
3. Probiotics. They are appointed to normalize the gastrointestinal microflora. A wonderful therapeutic effect will be provided by medicines "Lineks", "Acipol", "Bion 3", "Atzilak", "Bifidumbacterin forte", "Bifistim", "Bifiform".
4. Enzymes. They can significantly reduce the burden on the digestive tract and facilitate digestion. It is advisable to use one of the following drugs: Pancreatin, Hermitage, Mezim, Creon, Mikrazim.

What to do with hyperthermia?

Than treat intestinal infection with high fever? In hyperthermia, the antipyretic agents in the above-described therapeutic course include antipyretics.

Medications can be prescribed:

• "Paracetamol" (suspension is allowed to take children from 1 month).
• "Panadol".
• "Cefekon D".
• The "Kalpol".
• Efferalgan.
• "Nurofen."

Additional medicines

In addition to the above medicines can be included in the treatment:

1. Intestinal antiseptics. They suppress the vital functions of staphylococcal forms, protea, yeast fungi. At the same time, microflora is practically not affected. Often appoint medicines Intetriks, Enterol, Intestopan, Enterofuril, Entero-Sediv.
2. Antibacterial preparations. Such drugs are prescribed only when diagnosing severe forms of the disease. Most often, cephalosporins are used. Since such agents have a wide range of effects and low toxicity. With intestinal infections prescribe drugs "Cefabol", "Claforan". Such medications are used in injections. If the patient is diagnosed with cholera, the following antibiotics may be included in the treatment: "Erythromycin", "Ciprolet", "Levomycetin", "Tetracycline", "Succinate", "Doxycycline".

Very often, these drugs are prescribed by doctors until the diagnosis is confirmed. Often the question arises: why include them in therapy? After all, neither antibacterial medicines nor intestinal antiseptics are able to fight with a viral infection. The use of these drugs allows you to avoid the attachment of a bacterial infection.

A very common pathology is rotovirus intestinal infection. Than to treat such illness? It should be noted that the methods of fighting do not differ much from the standard therapy described above. The treatment process is based on the normalization of gastric enzyme deficiency. Necessarily observed diet. In addition, antiviral medicines are included in the therapy.

Peculiarities of pathology in pregnant women

Women who are waiting for a child very carefully approach their food rations. They wonder what foods contain more vitamins. After all, the baby needs to provide adequate nutrition. This is a very correct approach. However, as a result of this scrupulous selection of useful food, many mistakes are often made.

As a result, intestinal infection in pregnant women may develop. Than to treat it? Initially, it should be noted that the future mothers are categorically contraindicated to take any therapy alone. After all, most drugs that are able to get rid of pathology, are not intended for use by pregnant women.

The presence of an intestinal infection may be indicated by the following symptoms:

• Unpleasant discomfort, pain in the area of the stomach;
• Loss of appetite;
• nausea, vomiting;
• Increased gassing;
• diarrhea.

Such signs can not be ignored categorically, believing that they will pass independently. After all, most often they indicate a diagnosis of "intestinal infection" in pregnant women. Than to treat such illness, the doctor can tell only. It is he who will select adequate therapy aimed at eliminating negative symptoms and at the same time safe for the future of the baby.

Methods of treatment of pregnant women

Any delay is very dangerous. After all, the risk of developing intoxication and dehydration is high. Such pathologies will draw blood thickening. As a result, thrombi can form. In addition, the concentration of oxytocin increases in the blood. Such a substance can provoke premature birth, and in early terms - miscarriage.

It is dangerous for the future baby to dehydrate the mother's body . After all, a woman loses along with the liquid useful minerals and vitamins. Namely, they ensure the full development of the fetus. Therefore, when observing unpleasant symptoms it is very important to consult a doctor in a timely manner with the question: how to treat intestinal infection in pregnancy? Only a doctor can choose a therapy, assessing the patient's condition and weighing all the risks. The only thing that remains unchanged in treatment is the use of drugs:

1. Enterosorbents. They allow you to quickly and efficiently cleanse the body of toxins. As a rule, they assign activated charcoal, Smektu.
2. Rehydration medication. It is extremely important to protect the body from dehydration. Therefore, along with the use of fluid, it is recommended to use the medicine "Regidron". Apply it until the sensation of thirst and dryness in the mouth disappears completely. Use the drug should be small sips.

Pregnant women are not allowed to fast. After the disappearance of nausea, it is recommended to drink tea with sugar. After a few hours you need to eat. However, the diet excludes fatty, sharp, fried foods. During this period porridges on the water are more useful. It is best to eat rice.

Once the discomfort in the stomach subsides, you can drink chicken broth (only lean) with a cracker. Do not eat raw vegetables and sweets. They only exacerbate pathology.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to protect the body from the development of intestinal infection. However, knowing how to deal with it, you can avoid serious consequences. In addition, timely treatment to the doctor provides adequate therapy.

Health to you!