Jakarta: Of the many diseases that haunt children, there are diseases that parents should be wary of. Bone infection. Most of the patients with this disease are infants, toddlers, or children under seven years of age.
Yes, this infection of the bone or acute osteomyelitis develops in a short time. Generally around two weeks. And in children, osteomyelitis is more common in the long bones of the arms and legs. But it can affect the bones in the body.
Osteomyelitis can occur in children of all ages. About half of the time, it occurs in children under the age of five. According to experts, boys get it almost twice as often as girls.
Some children have a higher risk of developing osteomyelitis, such as children with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease.
Causes of osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis occurs when a bacterial infection from another part of the body spreads to the bone. In children, infection in the blood is a common cause of osteomyelitis. This is because a child’s growing bones have an increased blood supply.
That makes it easier for bacteria to enter the bone. Infection from nearby soft tissue or from a wound can also cause osteomyelitis.
As quoted from Stanford Children, in children, the bacteria that most often causes osteomyelitis is Staphylococcus aureus or “Staph”.
For example, germs appear in children who have a cold cough. Because they are not handled properly, germs enter through the lungs and spread throughout the body through blood circulation. Because children have open blood vessels everywhere, a lot, it can get stuck in the bones or joints.
Signs and symptoms of osteomyelitis
(In children, infection in the blood is a common cause of osteomyelitis. Photo: Illustration/Doc. Freepik.com)
Children with osteomyelitis often feel pain in the infected bone. They may also experience:
– Fever and chills – Feeling tired or nauseous – Pain – Generally not feeling well – Having sore, red, and swollen skin over the infected bone
Very young children may stop using the infected limb and protecting it from touch. They may also be fussy, drink or eat less. If left unchecked, it can be life-threatening and septic shock, children can die from unresolved infections.
Watch out for relapse!
Treatment depends on the child’s symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is. Your little one may be looked after by one or more specialists. This is often followed by several weeks of oral antibiotics.
Other treatments will be given to reduce pain. Infection most often in children, patients with surgery. The reason is, in children open blood vessels parts of the organs. If there is a respiratory tract infection can be to the joints or bones.
However, what is feared is the occurrence of chronic infections, which is a problem, because it can make children disabled. Once a bone is infected, it is very difficult to heal completely. Because germs can nest in the pores of the bones, stay there and can flare up at any time.
Indeed, although chronic conditions can be cured, sufferers can relapse at an indeterminate time. The trigger for a recurrence of this bone infection is if the patient feels tired to the point of being seriously ill. Recurrence, can occur at the age of 25 years. So, once suffering from bone infection may forever remain there.
Osteomyelitis can be prevented
Launching from Kids Health, one way to prevent osteomyelitis is to keep the skin clean. All wounds — especially deep wounds — should be well cleaned. Wash the wound with soap and water, holding it under running water for at least five minutes to rinse it.
To keep the wound clean afterwards, cover it with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. You can apply an over-the-counter antibiotic cream, but the most important thing is to keep the area clean. The wound should begin to heal within 24 hours and be completely healed within a week.
Wounds that take longer to heal or cause extreme pain should be seen by a doctor. Parents and children should wash their hands well and frequently to stop the spread of germs. Vaccinations of children must also be kept up to date.
(TIN)
2023-08-03 16:05:00
#Recur #Beware #Bone #Infection #Children
