What are the symptoms of tuberculosis in children

Getting sick is something we don’t want to happen, but it is also something that cannot be completely avoided. Now that medical care has improved, most common illnesses can be controlled to a great extent. However, people are still quite worried about infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis. Tuberculosis does not only occur in adults, but also in children. What are the symptoms of tuberculosis in children?

Pediatric tuberculosis refers to a chronic infectious disease that occurs when children are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This disease can spread to various organs of the human body, among which pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common. The promotion of BCG and the popularization of anti-tuberculosis drugs have greatly reduced the incidence of tuberculosis. However, due to my country's vast territory and population, and uneven economic and technological development, tuberculosis is still very common in some areas, and young children, as a vulnerable group, are the first to be affected.

The symptoms vary depending on the site of infection.

1. Tuberculosis

Persistent low-grade fever, fatigue and weakness. The most common symptoms are coughing, excessive sputum, blood in the sputum or blood clots, and in severe cases, difficulty breathing.

2. Gastric tuberculosis

Generally there are no symptoms or the symptoms are extremely mild, with upper abdominal discomfort or bloating and pain, and frequent acid reflux. In addition to gastric symptoms, systemic symptoms may also be present. If you experience persistent low-grade fever, fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, etc., a physical examination may reveal a mass in the upper abdomen.

3. Liver tuberculosis

Recurrent fever (mostly in the afternoon), accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and poor appetite.

4. Intestinal tuberculosis

Early symptoms are generally not obvious, but in the later stages there are obvious gastrointestinal symptoms.

Complications of childhood concomitant disease

We should not only understand the symptoms of tuberculosis, but also be familiar with its complications. Only in this way can we treat and prevent tuberculosis in a targeted manner.

Causes of tuberculosis in children

Scientists isolated the pathogenic microorganism of the disease, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, from the sputum of tuberculosis patients. After entering the human body, this bacterium will cause a series of changes in human tissues:

1. Exudative lesions : The fluid mainly contains a large number of inflammatory cells and fibrin.

2. Proliferative changes : mainly refer to the appearance of tuberculous nodules and tuberculous granulomas, especially the appearance of epithelial cell nodules.

3. Deterioration : The most significant change is the appearance of caseous necrosis, which is often accompanied by exudative lesions.

Tuberculosis can be divided into three types according to the cause:

1. Primary tuberculosis: Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects the lungs through the respiratory tract, forming a primary lesion. 2. Hematogenously disseminated tuberculosis: Mycobacterium tuberculosis enters the blood system once or repeatedly and infects other organs as the blood flows. 3. Secondary tuberculosis: The lesions caused by tuberculosis may recur under certain circumstances and become secondary tuberculosis.