Abdominal pain syndrome in children. Clinic (Abdominal syndrome)

When abdominal pain occurs, many rush to take a No-shpa or Phthalazole tablet, believing that they have a problem with the digestive organs. However, the stomach can hurt due to a dozen reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with the stomach or intestines. This phenomenon even has medical term- abdominal syndrome. What it is? The name comes from the Latin “abdomen”, which translates as “belly”. That is, everything related to this area human body, is abdominal. For example, the stomach, intestines, bladder, spleen, kidneys are abdominal organs, and gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, colitis and other gastrointestinal problems are abdominal diseases. By analogy, abdominal syndrome is all the troubles in the abdominal area (heaviness, pain, tingling, spasms and other bad sensations). With such patient complaints, the doctor’s task is to correctly differentiate the symptoms so as not to make a mistake with the diagnosis. Let's figure out how this is done in practice and what the characteristics of pain are for each disease.

Human abdomen

To make it easier to understand the question: “Abdominal syndrome - what is it?” and to understand where it comes from, you need to clearly understand how our stomach works, what organs it contains, how they interact with each other. In anatomical pictures you can see a schematic tube of the esophagus, a baggy stomach, an intestine wriggling like a snake, the liver on the right under the ribs, the spleen on the left, and at the very bottom the bladder with ureters extending from the kidneys. That, it seems, is all. In reality, our abdominal cavity has more complex structure. Conventionally, it is divided into three segments. The border of the upper one is - on the one hand - a dome-shaped muscle called the diaphragm. Above it is located chest cavity with lungs. On the other hand, the upper segment is separated from the middle segment by the so-called mesentery colon. This is a two-layer fold, with the help of which all organs of the gastrointestinal tract are attached to the posterior plane of the abdomen. In the upper segment there are three sections - hepatic, pancreas and omental. The middle segment extends from the mesentery to the beginning of the pelvis. It is in this part of the abdomen that the umbilical zone is located. And finally, the lower segment is the pelvic area, in which the genitourinary and reproductive systems.

Any disturbances (inflammation, infection, mechanical and chemical influences, pathologies of formation and development) in the activity of each organ located in the above three segments cause abdominal syndrome. In addition, the peritoneum contains blood and lymphatic vessels, and among them the most famous are the aorta and solar plexus. The slightest problem with them also provokes abdominal pain.

To summarize: abdominal syndrome can be caused by any currently known gastrointestinal disease and genitourinary system, problems with blood vessels and nerve plexuses of the peritoneum, chemical exposure(poisoning, medications), mechanical compression (squeezing) neighboring organs everything that is located in the peritoneum.

The pain is acute

Differential diagnosis abdominal pain syndrome, as a rule, begins with determining the location and nature of the pain. The most life-threatening and difficult to tolerate by humans is, of course, sharp pain. It occurs suddenly, sharply, often without any visible reasons that provoked it, and manifests itself in attacks lasting from several minutes to an hour.

Acute pain may be accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, fever, chills, cold sweat, and loss of consciousness. Most often they have a precise localization (right, left, bottom, top), which helps to establish a preliminary diagnosis.

Diseases that cause this abdominal syndrome are:

1. Inflammatory processes in the peritoneum - acute and recurrent appendicitis, Meckel's diverticulitis, peritonitis, acute cholecystitis or pancreatitis.

2. or strangulated hernia.

3. Perforation (perforation, hole) of the peritoneal organs, which occurs with a stomach ulcer and/or duodenum and diverticulum. This also includes ruptures of the liver, aorta, spleen, ovary, and tumors.

In cases with perforation, as well as appendicitis and peritonitis, the patient’s life depends 100% on the correct diagnosis and urgent surgical intervention.

Additional research:

blood test (makes it possible to assess the activity inflammatory process, determine blood type);
X-ray (shows the presence or absence of perforation, obstruction, hernia);
if there is a suspicion of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, an esophagogastroduodenoscopy is performed.

Chronic pain

They grow gradually and last long months. The sensations seem to be dull, pulling, aching, often “spread” throughout the entire periphery of the peritoneum, without a specific localization. Chronic pain may subside and return again, for example, after eating something. In almost all cases, such abdominal syndrome indicates chronic conditions. These may be:

1) gastritis (pain in the upper segment, nausea, heaviness in the stomach, belching, heartburn, problems with bowel movements);

2) stomach and/or duodenal ulcer on early stages(pain in the pit of the stomach on an empty stomach, at night or shortly after eating, heartburn, sour belching, bloating, flatulence, nausea);

3) urolithiasis disease(pain in the side or lower abdomen, blood and/or sand in the urine, pain when urinating, nausea, vomiting);

4) chronic cholecystitis(pain in the upper segment on the right, general weakness, bitterness in the mouth, low temperature, persistent nausea, vomiting - sometimes with bile, belching);

5) chronic cholangitis (pain in the liver area, fatigue, yellowness of the skin, low temperature, with acute form pain can radiate to the heart and under the shoulder blade);

6) oncology of the gastrointestinal tract in the initial stage.

Recurrent pain in children

Recurrent pain is pain that recurs over a period of time. They can occur in children of any age and in adults.

In newborns common cause pain in the tummy becomes intestinal colic (can be identified by sharp, high-pitched crying, restless behavior, bloating, refusal to eat, arching of the back, chaotic rapid movements of the arms and legs, regurgitation). An important sign intestinal colic is that when they are eliminated, the baby becomes calm, smiles, and eats well. Heat, tummy massage, and dill water. As the baby grows up, all these troubles go away on their own.

A much more serious problem is abdominal syndrome in somatic pathology in children. "Soma" means "body" in Greek. That is, the concept of “somatic pathology” means any disease of the body organs and any congenital or acquired defect. In newborns the following are most often observed:

1) infectious diseases Gastrointestinal tract (temperature up to critical levels, refusal to eat, lethargy, diarrhea, regurgitation, vomiting, crying, in some cases, change in skin color);

2) pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (hernia, cyst and others).

Establishing a diagnosis in in this case complicated by the fact that the baby is not able to show where it hurts and explain his feelings. Differential diagnosis of abdominal pain syndrome in newborns is carried out using additional examinations, such as:

coprogram;
blood analysis;
esophagogastroduodenoscopy;
abdominal cavity;
daily pH-metry.

Recurrent pain in adults

In older children (mostly school age) and in adults there are so many causes of recurring abdominal pain that they have been divided into five categories:

What infectious and inflammatory pain is is more or less clear. What do functional mean? If they are indicated in the diagnosis, how then should we understand the term “abdominal syndrome in children”? What it is? The concept of functional pain can be explained as follows: patients are bothered by discomfort in the abdomen for no apparent reason and without diseases of the peritoneal organs. Some adults even believe that the child is lying about his pain, since no violations are found in him. However, such a phenomenon exists in medicine, and it is usually observed in children over 8 years of age. Functional pain can be caused by:

1) abdominal migraine (abdominal pain turns into headache, accompanied by vomiting, nausea, refusal to eat);

2) (completely healthy child pain appears in the upper abdominal segment and disappears after defecation);

3) intestinal irritation.

Another controversial diagnosis is “ARVI with abdominal syndrome” in children. Treatment in this case has some specificity, since children have symptoms of both colds and intestinal infection. Doctors often make this diagnosis for children who have the slightest signs of acute respiratory viral infections (for example, a runny nose), but confirmation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is not found. The frequency of such cases, as well as the epidemic nature of the disease, deserve more detailed coverage.

ARI with abdominal syndrome

This pathology is more often observed in preschool children and junior schoolchildren. It occurs extremely rarely in adults. In medicine, acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections are classified as a single type of illness, since respiratory diseases (respiratory diseases) are most often caused by viruses, and they automatically become classified as acute respiratory viral infections. It’s easiest to “catch them” in children’s groups - school, kindergarten, nursery. Besides the well-known respiratory flu, the so-called “ stomach flu", or rotavirus. It is also diagnosed as ARVI with abdominal syndrome. Symptoms in children of this disease appear 1-5 days after infection. The clinical picture is as follows:

complaints of abdominal pain;
vomit;
nausea;
temperature;
diarrhea;
runny nose;
cough;
red throat;
painful to swallow;
lethargy, weakness.

As can be seen from the list, there are symptoms of both a cold and an intestinal infection. In rare cases, a child may actually have a common cold plus a gastrointestinal disease, which doctors must clearly distinguish between. Diagnostics rotavirus infection extremely complex. It includes electron microscopy, diffuse precipitation, and a variety of reactions. Pediatricians often make a diagnosis without such complex tests, only by clinical manifestation diseases and based on anamnesis. With rotavirus infection, although cold symptoms are present, it is not the ENT organs that are infected, but the gastrointestinal tract, mainly the colon. The source of infection is a sick person. Rotaviruses enter the body of a new host with food, through dirty hands, and household items (for example, toys) used by the patient.

Treatment of ARVI with abdominal syndrome should be based on the diagnosis. So, if abdominal pain in a child is caused by pathological waste products of respiratory viruses, the underlying disease is treated, plus rehydration of the body by taking sorbents. If rotavirus infection is confirmed, there is no point in prescribing antibiotics to the child, since they have no effect on the pathogen. Treatment consists of taking activated carbon, sorbents, following a diet, and drinking plenty of fluids. If a child has diarrhea, probiotics are prescribed. Prevention of this disease is vaccination.

Paroxysmal pain without bowel disease

To make it easier to determine what causes abdominal syndrome, pain is divided into categories according to the location in the abdominal area where it is felt most strongly.

Paroxysmal pain without symptoms of dyspepsia occurs in the middle segment (mesogastrium) and lower segment (hypogastrium). Possible reasons:

infection with worms;
Payr's syndrome;
pyelonephritis;
hydronephrosis;
problems with the genitals;
intestinal obstruction (incomplete);
stenosis (compression) of the celiac trunk;

If the patient has just such an abdominal syndrome, treatment is prescribed based on additional examinations:

extended blood test;
sowing stool for worm eggs and intestinal infections;
Analysis of urine;
irrigography (irrigoscopy with barium beam method);
Dopplerography of abdominal vessels.

Abdominal pain with bowel dysfunction

All five categories of recurrent pain can be observed in the lower and middle segments of the peritoneum with intestinal problems. There are many reasons why this abdominal syndrome occurs. Here are just a few of them:

helminthiasis;
allergies to any products;
nonspecific ulcerative colitis (additionally, diarrhea is observed, and the stool may contain pus or blood, flatulence, loss of appetite, general weakness, dizziness, weight loss);
celiac disease (more often observed in young children when they begin to feed them with infant formula containing cereals);
infectious diseases (salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis);
pathologies in the colon, for example, dolichosigma ( sigmoid colon elongated), while prolonged constipation is added to the pain;
disaccharidase deficiency;
hemorrhagic vasculitis.

The latter disease appears when the blood vessels in the intestines, they thrombose. The reasons are disturbances in blood circulation processes and a shift in hemostasis. This condition is also known as hemorrhagic abdominal syndrome. It is differentiated in three degrees of activity:

I (mild) - symptoms are mild, determined by ESR in the blood.

II (moderate) - there is mild pain in the peritoneum, the temperature rises, weakness and headache.

III (severe) - high temperature, severe headaches and abdominal pain, weakness, nausea, vomiting with blood, urine and feces with blood, bleeding in the stomach and intestines, perforation may occur.

If pain occurs in the middle and lower parts of the peritoneum with suspicion of any problems with the intestines, diagnosis includes:

extended blood test (biochemical and general);
coprogram;
fibrocolonoscopy;
irrigography;
stool culture;
blood test for antibodies;
hydrogen test;
Endoscopy and tissue biopsy of the small intestine;
immunological tests;
sugar curve.

Pain in the upper segment of the peritoneum (epigastric)

Most often, abdominal syndrome in the upper segment of the peritoneum is a consequence of food intake and can manifest itself in two forms:

dyspepsia, that is, with disruption of the stomach (“hunger pains” that go away after eating);
dyskinetic (bursting pain, feeling of overeating, regardless of the amount of food taken, belching, vomiting, nausea).

The causes of such conditions can be gastroduodenitis, hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, infections, worms, diseases of the pancreas and/or biliary tract, and impaired gastroduodenal motility. In addition, pain in the epigastrium can be caused by Dunbar's syndrome (pathology of the celiac trunk of the aorta when it is compressed by the diaphragm). This disease can be congenital, hereditary (often) or acquired when a person develops neurofibrous tissue.

The celiac trunk (a large short branch of the aorta of the peritoneum) during compression turns out to be pressed against the aorta, strongly narrowed at its mouth. This causes abdominal ischemic syndrome, which is diagnosed using contrast X-rays (angiography). The celiac trunk, together with other blood vessels of the abdominal cavity, supplies blood to all organs of the gastrointestinal tract. When squeezed, blood delivery, and therefore the supply of organs necessary substances does not occur in full, which leads to their oxygen starvation(hypoxia) and ischemia. The symptoms of this disease are similar to those observed with gastritis, duodenitis, and stomach ulcers.

If the intestines experience a lack of blood supply, it develops ischemic colitis, enteritis. If insufficient blood flows to the liver, hepatitis develops, and the pancreas responds to disruptions in the blood supply with pancreatitis.

To avoid misdiagnosis, additional examinations of patients with suspected abdominal ischemic syndrome should be carried out. Endovascular diagnostics is an advanced method in which blood vessels are examined by inserting a catheter with X-ray properties into them. That is, the method will allow you to see problems in the vessels without surgical intervention. Endovascular diagnostics is used for any diseases of the abdominal vessels. If there are indications, endovascular operations are also performed. Abdominal ischemic syndrome can be suspected based on the following patient complaints:

constant abdominal pain, especially after eating, when doing any physical work or emotional stress;
sensations of fullness and heaviness in the upper segment of the peritoneum;
belching;
heartburn;
feeling of bitterness in the mouth;
diarrhea or, conversely, constipation;
frequent headaches;
dyspnea;
throbbing in the abdomen;
weight loss;
general fatigue and weakness.

Only external inspection the patient, as well as standard methods diagnostics (blood tests, urine tests, ultrasound) are not decisive in detecting this disease.

Vertebral abdominal syndrome

This type of pathology is one of the most difficult to detect. It lies in the fact that patients have obvious signs problems with the gastrointestinal tract (abdominal pain, vomiting, belching, heartburn, diarrhea or constipation), but they are caused by diseases of the spine or other parts of the musculoskeletal system. Often doctors do not immediately correctly determine the cause, so they carry out treatment that does not bring results. So, according to statistics, about 40% of patients with osteochondrosis thoracic, are being treated for intestinal and stomach diseases that do not exist. The picture with spinal diseases is even sadder. The pain in such cases is most often aching, dull, absolutely unrelated to eating, and if patients have constipation or diarrhea, they are not treated with classical methods. The following diseases can cause vertebral abdominal syndrome:

spondylosis;
scoliosis;
spinal tuberculosis;
syndromes associated with tumor changes in the spinal column;
visceral syndromes (Gutzeit).

The saddest thing is that patients who complain of abdominal pain and do not have gastrointestinal pathologies are often perceived as malingerers. To find out the cause of unexplained abdominal pain, you need to use additional methods diagnostics, such as spondylography, X-ray, MRI, X-ray tomography, echospondylography and others.

Young children are a common cause of concern for parents. Often they simply do not know how to behave and what to do, how ARVI differs from the flu. Let's consider the violation, name its features, signs and possible complications that are observed in children who have had viral infection, we list the means of treatment and prevention of the disease.

Incubation period of ARVI in children

Common causes of ARVI in children are parainfluenza viruses, sentential infection, adenovirus and rhinovirus. They are transmitted exclusively by airborne droplets. People often combine these diseases with one term – cold. According to statistical observations of ARVI, the symptoms and treatment of which in children are described below, up to 3 years of age are recorded 6-8 times a year. This is due to the instability of the immune system.

The incubation period of ARVI, for which there are no symptoms and therefore is not treated in children, lasts from 1 to 10 days. On average, its duration is 3-5 days. In this case, the period of contagiousness (the time when infection of others is possible) is 3-7 days. It is worth noting that with a respiratory-sentential pathogen, the release of the pathogen is recorded even after a few weeks, when the first clinical manifestations appear.

Symptoms of ARVI in children

This disease has an acute onset. At the same time, doctors note 2 syndromes in its manifestations: catarrhal and intoxication. The first is characterized by the appearance external signs, among which:

runny nose;
lacrimation;
cough;
sore throat;
pain when swallowing.

These signs of ARVI in children become an indication for the initiation of therapeutic intervention. In its absence, or incorrectly prescribed and further development of the process, signs of intoxication appear, as the pathogen begins to release its metabolic products into the blood. At this stage the following are recorded:

Violations by nervous system:

weakness apathy;
fatigue;
Pain in the eyes;
muscle pain.

From the gastrointestinal tract:

decreased appetite;
nausea;
vomit;
loose stool.

Damage to the immune system - enlargement of regional lymph nodes.

How to distinguish influenza from ARVI in a child?

Due to the fact that these 2 diseases have viral nature, they have similar external manifestations. Parents themselves often cannot correctly identify what the child is sick with. Among the main differences it is necessary to note:

Flu always has an acute onset. Almost within a few hours after the pathogen enters the body, deterioration is observed general well-being, aches and fatigue appear. ARVI has a gradual course with increasing symptoms - runny nose, sore throat, then cough.
The flu is characterized by headaches with a temperature rising to 39, chills, and increased sweating. A respiratory viral infection is characterized by nasal congestion and sneezing.
During a cold, intoxication is less severe. Characteristic severe course, With frequent complications. In the absence of timely treatment, progression to bronchitis and pneumonia is possible.
A long recovery period is typical for influenza. It takes about 1 month. Asthenic syndrome is noted, which is characterized by increased fatigue, mood swings, loss of appetite.

In some cases, parents notice that their child’s legs hurt due to ARVI. This phenomenon indicates high degree intoxication of the body, and is often observed when a bacterial factor is added. Often, an undetected cold in time without treatment develops into pneumonia. It is characterized by defeat respiratory system, severe cough, requires antibacterial therapy and hospitalization.

ARVI with abdominal syndrome in children

Many mothers, turning to a pediatrician, complain that their child has a stomach ache due to ARVI. This phenomenon is recorded 1-2 days after the start. In this case, vomiting is observed, frequent stool, but no peritoneal irritation is noted. In such cases, a preliminary diagnosis of “appendicitis” is erroneously made. To be properly diagnosed, you need to see a doctor.

It is worth noting that abdominal syndrome during ARVI, the symptoms and treatment of which in children differ from the treatment in adults, lasts for 2 days. The reason for this phenomenon may be damage to the autonomic nervous system by toxins released by pathogens. The patient has:

increased sweating;
deterioration in general health;
skin rash that fades quickly.

Diarrhea due to ARVI in a child

Diarrhea during ARVI is noted when the disorder is provoked. This pathogen affects the intestines and stomach. The virus is relatively resistant to current therapy. Nausea, vomiting, general loss of strength, and apathy are often observed. The child does not show interest in games and often lies down. Similar symptoms are observed for 1-3 days, after which a period of relief begins.

Enterovirus and adenovirus can also cause diarrhea. In this case, their transmission is carried out through contact and household means. Infection is accompanied by the appearance of the following symptoms:

cough;
soreness in the ear area (rare);
nasal congestion;
redness of the tongue and palatine arches (occasionally).

Vomiting due to ARVI in a child

Vomiting during ARVI may be the result of the body's reaction to a sharp rise in temperature. It is worth noting that in such a situation the phenomenon is one-time in nature. If the child feels sick throughout the whole day and at the end of the day the health does not improve, 2 or more acts of vomiting are recorded, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Such symptoms are characteristic of rotavirus infection, as described above.

Temperature during ARVI in children

Considering ARVI, the symptoms and treatment of which in children are described in the article, we note that an increase in temperature values is the first sign of a cold. This is how the body strives to kill the virus, reduce its activity, prevent reproduction, further development diseases. But with a simple cold, the value of this parameter does not exceed 38 degrees. With ARVI, a child may have a temperature of 39 if it is the flu. Associated symptoms appear: headache, aches, the child is restless and refuses to play.

It is worth noting that antipyretics are taken when the values have crossed 39 degrees. Until this time, doctors do not recommend using medicines. Such recommendations are due to the need to activate the immune system and form antibodies to the pathogen.

How long does the fever last for ARVI in children?

It is worth noting that antipyretics are taken when the values have crossed 39 degrees. Until this time, doctors do not recommend using medications. Such recommendations are due to the need to activate the immune system and form antibodies to the pathogen. When talking about how many days the temperature lasts for ARVI in children, doctors talk about an average value of 3-5 days.

At the same time, they note that how long the temperature lasts during ARVI in a child depends on:

baby's age
state of the immune system.
type of pathogen.

How to treat ARVI in children?

It is necessary to begin treatment for ARVI in children as soon as the first signs appear. The basis of therapy is symptomatic treatment - combating symptoms: nasal rinsing, gargling, inhalation. But in order to exclude the cause, it is necessary to determine the type of pathogen. Due to the fact that such a diagnosis takes time, doctors resort to prescribing antiviral drugs having wide range. The complex of therapy for ARVI includes:

antipyretic drugs;
use of antiviral agents;
symptomatic treatment: cough and runny nose remedies.

Treatment of ARVI in children - drugs

To begin with, it must be said that antibiotics are not used for acute respiratory viral infections in children, as well as in adult patients. They are not effective for this type of disorder - they affect microorganisms, and respiratory infections are viral in nature. The justification for using this group of drugs may be due to the addition of diseases of bacterial origin.

Antiviral drugs for ARVI, the symptoms and treatment of which in children are sometimes determined by the child’s condition, should be prescribed in the first 1-1.5 days. Among the drugs used for ARVI, it is necessary to mention:

Antiviral:

Remantadine is effective against all strains of influenza virus type A; also able to suppress the development of parainfluenza viruses; the drug is used for a course of 5 days; The estimated dosage of the drug is 1.5 mg/kg per day, this amount is taken 2 times (for children 3-7 years old), children 7-10 years old - 50 mg 2 times a day, over 10 - 3 times in the same dosage .
Arbidol is an active interferon reducer that quickly activates immune system; reception can be started from 2 years; Children 2-6 years old are prescribed 50 mg at a time, 6-12 years old - 100 mg.

For local symptomatic treatment:

Oxolinic ointment;
Florenal 0.5%;
Bonafton.

Antipyretics:

Paracetamol is used at the rate of 15 mg/kg, per day it is permissible to take 60 mg/kg;
Ibuprofen is prescribed at 5-10 mg/kg of the child’s body weight; it reduces the severity of pain (arthralgia, muscle pain).

How long does ARVI last in a child?

The duration of ARVI is an exclusively individual parameter. Pediatricians cannot give a definite answer to this question. According to statistical observations, the average duration of a cold from the first appearance of its symptoms until the disappearance of clinical manifestations is 1-1.5 weeks. But this does not mean that the mother should prepare herself for such a long-term treatment. Factors determining this parameter are:

state of immunity;
intensity of treatment;
form of the disease.

It is worth considering that any virus is capable of mutation. This fact determines the individual treatment algorithm for ARVI, the symptoms and treatment of which in children are described above. This phenomenon completely changes the structure of the virus - new symptoms appear, which can mislead doctors and complicate the diagnostic process. As a result, there is a need long-term treatment, use of new methods, drugs.

Complications after ARVI in children

The most common type of complication of ARVI in children is damage to the sinuses - ethmoiditis, sinusitis. The main symptom of such disorders is constant nasal congestion. The child himself complains about:

Constant headaches. Visually, parents can identify swelling in the area lower jaw. It is worth noting that the greatest likelihood of developing such a disorder is observed in children with a curved nasal septum, carious teeth.
Inflammation of the upper respiratory tract is also considered as a consequence of acute respiratory viral infection, the symptoms and treatment of which in children are similar to what is carried out in adults. With laryngitis, children complain of soreness, a feeling of a lump in the throat, and tickling.
Acute tonsillitis is regarded by doctors as a consequence of a cold. It becomes painful for the child to swallow, and a sore throat appears. Such a violation is dangerous because it can cause complications on the kidneys and cardiovascular system.
Defeat hearing aid– not uncommon after ARVI. Doctors often register moderate, eustachitis. Guys complain of shooting pains in the ear, which leads to hearing loss.

Cough after ARVI in a child

Residual cough in a child after ARVI is observed for 1-2 days. At the same time, it is of low intensity, does not bother, and mild coughing is periodically noted. If the cough persists for 3-5 days and its intensity does not decrease, you should consult a pediatrician. A visit to the doctor will allow you to accurately determine the disorder, methods and algorithm for its treatment. Similar symptoms are typical for diseases of the upper respiratory tract:

bronchitis;
pharyngitis.

A child's legs hurt after ARVI

Often mothers note that their child’s calves hurt after an acute respiratory viral infection. The main reason Such painful phenomena are recognized as intoxication of the body. This explains the phenomenon in which a child, after an acute respiratory viral infection, has a temperature of 37. In such cases, in order to reduce suffering, a warming ointment is used (the temperature normalizes itself). This remedy helps to expand local blood vessels and increase blood flow to them. To exclude this consequence of ARVI, the symptoms and treatment of which in adolescents and children are mentioned above, therapy is prescribed from the first manifestations.

Prevention of ARVI in children

Each person's body is unique. Some people fall out of their usual rut even with a slight runny nose, others manage to endure a severe flu on their feet. Of course, the most difficult time during illness is for children, whose immunity is not yet strong enough to resist infection. Even ordinary acute respiratory infections in preschoolers and primary schoolchildren often occur with serious complications. For example, respiratory diseases are often accompanied by abdominal syndrome. Let's figure out what kind of disease this is and how to deal with it.

When a child experiences abdominal pain, most parents simply give him a painkiller pill, believing that the cause of the discomfort is a problem with the digestive organs. However, this is not always the case: the stomach can hurt due to many reasons that have nothing to do with the intestines or stomach. This phenomenon even has a medical name - abdominal syndrome. The term comes from the Latin “abdomen”, which means “belly”. That is, everything connected with this part of the body is abdominal. For example, the intestines, stomach, spleen, bladder, kidneys are abdominal organs. And gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis and other gastrointestinal pathologies are abdominal diseases.

If we draw an analogy, it becomes clear that abdominal syndrome is everything discomfort in the abdominal area. When a patient complains of heaviness, pain, tingling, or spasms, the doctor must correctly differentiate the symptoms so as not to make a mistake with the diagnosis. Often these phenomena occur in children against the background of acute respiratory infections.

How does abdominal syndrome manifest in acute respiratory infections in children?

Acute respiratory infections with abdominal syndrome most often occur in children of preschool and primary school age. In children's groups, the infection spreads at lightning speed. Symptoms of the disease usually appear 2-5 days after infection. Children suffer from:

stomach ache,
vomiting and nausea,
temperature rise,
diarrhea,
runny nose and cough,
sore throat,
lethargy and weakness.

Thus, there is also an intestinal infection. When these signs appear, it is extremely important to make a correct diagnosis. The child may have both respiratory disease plus gastrointestinal pathology and rotavirus infection. The latter is also diagnosed as ARVI with abdominal syndrome. But the methods of treating these ailments differ.

What diagnostic methods do doctors use?

If acute respiratory infections with abdominal syndrome occur in children, you should immediately consult a doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable, and delay can cause dangerous complications. To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor conducts linked immunosorbent assay, electron microscopy, diffuse precipitation. It is often possible to do without such complex studies; the cause of the disease is determined only by clinical manifestations and on the basis of anamnesis. With rotavirus infection, although cold symptoms are present, it is not the ENT organs that are infected, but the gastrointestinal tract, mainly the colon.

What treatment helps?

Treatment of acute respiratory infections with abdominal syndrome in children is developed taking into account clinical picture. If abdominal pain is caused by waste products of respiratory viruses, the underlying disease is treated and the body is rehydrated with sorbents. For rotavirus infection it is prescribed Activated carbon, sorbents, special diet And drinking plenty of fluids. If a child has diarrhea, probiotics are prescribed.

Often in complex treatment Doctors prescribe acute respiratory infections to children modern drug Derinat. Possessing an antiviral effect, the product actively fights pathogens. The reparative property of the drug provides fast healing affected mucosa and reduces the risk of secondary infection. Derinat also effectively regulates immune processes: it stimulates poorly functioning links, but does not affect those that are already functioning well. It prevents the penetration of infection and enhances the body’s response if the pathogen does get inside.

Any pain is an alarming signal that indicates the appearance of some problems in the body’s functioning. Accordingly, this kind of unpleasant sensation should not be ignored. This is especially true for symptoms that develop in children, since they can indicate serious disturbances in the functioning of the body, including those that require emergency care. Enough common symptom This kind of pain is considered to be abdominal pain syndrome, in other words, pain in the abdomen. Let's talk about the variety and specificity of complaints of this kind in a little more detail.

Abdominal pain syndrome in children, it often becomes the reason for parents to contact doctors, and may become an indication for hospitalization in an inpatient department. The appearance of such an unpleasant phenomenon can be explained by the most various factors– from ARVI and up to surgical pathologies.

Diagnostics

In the last ten years, the main assistance in clarifying and even establishing the correct diagnosis for abdominal pain syndrome in pediatric practice has been provided by ultrasound examination organs of the peritoneum, as well as the retroperitoneal space.

No special preparatory measures are required to perform an ultrasound. Children usually skip one feeding. In children younger age You should pause for three to four hours; schoolchildren under ten years old will have to fast from four to six hours, and older ones - about eight hours. In the event that it is not possible to perform ultrasound in morning time on an empty stomach, it can be done later. However, at the same time, it is worth excluding certain foods from the child’s diet - creamy and vegetable oil, eggs, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, seeds and various frankly unhealthy foods. In the morning you can give the patient some lean boiled meat or fish, buckwheat porridge and some unsweetened tea.

Causes

Abdominal syndrome in children early age may be triggered by excessive gas formation - flatulence, which causes intestinal colic. In rare cases, such a nuisance can lead to the development of intussusception, requiring immediate hospitalization. In addition, at an early age, ultrasound helps to detect abnormalities in the structure of organs.

In school-age children, complaints of abdominal pain are often a sign of a chronic type of gastroduodenitis. In addition, they may indicate dyskinesia and reactive changes in the pancreas. In this case, the doctor will select the appropriate treatment for the child, which will eliminate the symptoms and lead to recovery.

Among other things, quite often abdominal pain syndrome in children develops due to acute or chronic ailments of the kidneys or bladder. Accordingly, an examination of the urinary system also plays an important role. Ultrasound of these organs is performed twice - with a well-filled bladder and soon after it is emptied.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that abdominal pain may be a consequence of the development menstrual cycle. In this case, their appearance is often explained by the occurrence functional cysts ovaries, which require systematic ultrasound monitoring, and usually disappear on their own.

Acute painful sensations in the abdomen that develop at night often cause the child to be hospitalized in the surgery department, where he undergoes a mandatory ultrasound. So similar symptom often explained by the appearance of acute surgical pathology, for example, acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction(mechanical or dynamic type), intussusception, etc. Such conditions require immediate surgical intervention.

Sometimes nighttime abdominal pain indicates the appearance of changes internal organs that can be corrected conservative methods and do not require hospitalization.

In rare cases, the occurrence of pain may also indicate the development of neoplasms. Such diseases require prompt diagnosis and immediate treatment. Ultrasound and a number of other studies will again help to identify them.

Treatment

Treatment of abdominal pain syndrome in children depends directly on the causes of its development. Parents are strongly discouraged from making their own decisions and giving their children any painkillers, antispasmodics, etc., since such a practice is fraught with serious consequences. It’s better to play it safe and once again seek doctor’s help.

Additional Information

With the development of abdominal pain syndrome in pediatric practice, the main difficulty for correct diagnosis is the difficulty of the baby describing his sensations, localization of pain, their intensity and irradiation. According to doctors, young children very often describe any discomfort occurring in the body as abdominal pain. A similar situation is observed when trying to describe a feeling of dizziness, nausea, incomprehensible to a child. painful sensations in the ears or head. It is extremely important to take into account that pain in the abdominal area can also manifest itself in many pathological conditions, such as diseases of the lungs or pleura, heart and kidneys, as well as lesions of the pelvic organs.