What medicine should children take for lymphadenitis?

Most of the symptoms of lymphadenitis in children are caused by bacterial infection. However, if the child needs to be given medication, it is best to consult a doctor first and give the child medication under the doctor's guidance. Giving the child medication indiscriminately may not only delay the child's condition, but may also aggravate the condition and affect the child's physical health. Children with lymphadenitis should go to the hospital in time to find out the cause.

What are lymph nodes?

Lymph nodes are an important component of the reticuloendothelial system and are distributed throughout the body. Normal lymph nodes are soft, smooth, non-tender, movable, and approximately 0.1-0.2 cm in diameter. Except for 1-2 that can be occasionally touched under the jaw, under the armpit, in the groin, etc., they are generally not easy to touch. Due to certain pathological stimulation, excessive lymphocytes, plasma cells, monocytes and tissue phagocytes may be produced, which will cause local or systemic lymph nodes. Sometimes the lymph nodes behind the occipital, around the ears, and in the trochlea may also swell. When local inflammation occurs, lymph nodes often swell due to stimulation from bacteria and their toxins. In some systemic infections, lymph nodes swell as the body's response to the infection.

Enlarged cervical lymph nodes is the most common clinical disease in various departments and one of the most frequently examined and diagnosed lesions in the pathology department. The causes of swollen lymph nodes in the neck are very complex, and sometimes it is difficult to get a clear diagnosis even with a tissue biopsy.

Parents often feel movable "lumps" the size of mung beans or soybeans behind their children's ears, neck or jaw. How to identify whether it is normal or not?

Common causes of swollen lymph nodes in children include:

1. Acute lymphadenitis. When there is inflammation in the face, mouth and throat, bacteria can travel through the lymphatic vessels to the cervical lymph nodes, causing swollen lymph nodes. Therefore, the primary lesion can be found in all cases of lymph node enlargement caused by inflammation. For example, acute tonsillitis often causes enlargement of the anterior cervical lymph nodes; head infection, external ear and middle ear infection can cause enlargement of the anterior auricular lymph nodes, etc. It is characterized by red, soft, non-fused and non-adhesive swollen lymph nodes that are movable when touched and have obvious tenderness. The more severe the infection, the more severe the pain. In severe cases, the lymph nodes may become suppurated and feel fluctuating when touched. There may also be systemic symptoms such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc. Once the bacteria enter the blood, severe cases may cause sepsis. Suffering from acute lymphadenitis, the main treatment is antibiotics, such as injection of penicillin, gentamicin, oral erythromycin, etc.

2. Chronic lymphadenitis. When a child has tuberculosis or non-tuberculosis infection that lasts for a long time or recurs, local lymph nodes may proliferate and fibrosis may occur, causing lymph node enlargement. If the condition does not go away for a long time, it is called chronic lymphadenitis. Chronic lymphadenitis is characterized by persistent enlargement of local lymph nodes, which are generally the size of a broad bean or larger, hard in texture, not red, and with mild fever and pain. Several swollen lymph nodes often appear at the same time, with varying sizes and degrees, and the patient is in good general condition. When the primary lesion recurs, lymph node enlargement also increases. Its treatment is the same as that for acute lymphadenitis.

3. Tuberculous lymphadenitis (i.e. lymph node tuberculosis). Tuberculous lymphadenitis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, submandibular and axillary areas of young children, which is mostly caused by the spread of tuberculosis lesions on the tonsils or suprapharyngeal proliferative bodies. The onset is relatively slow. If it is simply cervical lymph node tuberculosis, it may manifest as unilateral or bilateral cervical lymph node enlargement. It may also be accompanied by other tuberculosis lesions in the body, such as pulmonary tuberculosis. Or although tuberculosis in other parts of the body is not found, the child has symptoms such as low fever, night sweats, loss of appetite, and a positive tuberculin test reaction.

The characteristics of tuberculous lymphadenopathy are that at the beginning, one or both sides of the neck lymph node are swollen individually, without obvious tenderness, and then gradually adhere together to form an irregular lump, and may also adhere to the skin. Some have a sense of fluctuation when touched by hand, indicating that they have become small tuberculous abscesses, which may rupture later, and thick bean curd-like necrotic substances may flow out, forming fistulas. If not treated in time, secretions may flow out for a long time. There are two types of medication for the treatment of lymph node tuberculosis: (1) systemic treatment, which can be done by taking oral anti-tuberculosis drugs; (2) local treatment, when an abscess is formed, the pus can be extracted first, and then 0.25 grams of streptomycin dissolved in 1-2 ml of saline can be injected into the lymph node once every other day. If the abscess has ruptured, the dressing can be replaced with 1-2% streptomycin gauze. Small lymph nodes can be removed surgically.

4. Local reactions after vaccination. Children may also develop swollen lymph nodes in the neck and armpits 3-4 weeks after being vaccinated with BCG at the lower end of the deltoid muscle of the upper arm or 3-4 days after being injected with diphtheria toxoid. Generally, papules will occur at the vaccination site, slowly forming small pustules, which will rupture into ulcers and take about 1-2 months to heal. There is also swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Severe cases of swollen lymph nodes may become purulent, rupture and form ulcers, which often take several months to heal. If this happens, just treat it symptomatically.

5. Diphtheria. Diphtheria is an acute infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It is relatively rare and the onset age is 2-5 years old. Children may have fever, sore throat, croupous cough, hoarseness, laryngeal stridor, and difficulty breathing. Corynebacterium diphtheriae produces exotoxin, which can cause systemic poisoning symptoms and visceral nervous system lesions when absorbed by the patient. The swelling of cervical lymph nodes caused by diphtheria is also due to the exotoxins produced by bacteria. You should consult a doctor

6. Others. Cat scratch disease also often causes swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Two weeks after being scratched, bitten or licked by a cat, the child develops fever and rash, and local lymph node enlargement occurs at the injured skin. The most common symptoms are swollen lymph nodes in the neck, submandibular area, and armpits. Tenderness and rash will subside within a few days, but lymphadenopathy may persist for 1-3 months or even longer, and in severe cases may even become suppurative. The disease is a type of psittacosis - lymphogranuloma virus that is transmitted to humans through cats. If you suffer from this disease, you should receive symptomatic treatment.