Diathesis in infants

Almost every second mother at least once encounters such a phenomenon as diathesis in infants - this is a phenomenon that has not yet become a disease, but already requires an immediate reaction from the parents and the pediatrician. Diathesis can pass without a trace, and can lead to the development of unpleasant complications and health problems in the future. Therefore, it is very important to know as much information as possible about this threshold state.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10]

Products that cause diathesis in infants

There are a number of potentially allergenic foods that can provoke a child's inadequate body reaction. Such products should be introduced into the nursing mother's menu gradually, carefully monitoring the reaction of the baby. Some mothers refuse such products at all, until the end of breastfeeding.

Perhaps the most common allergenic products are citrus fruits. Often it is enough to eat just one slice of orange or lemon, in order for the baby to have skin rashes.

In the same row with citrus fruits, you can arrange berries: strawberries, blackberries, strawberries. Other vegetable products of red and orange color also have a similar effect - they can be apricots, peaches, cherries, watermelons and even tomatoes.

In addition to vegetables and fruits, the redness of the cheeks can also cause whole milk, including in the composition of milk formulas. In this case, diathesis is provoked by the action of milk sugars and milk protein. To avoid difficulties, it is necessary to abandon the use of milk (fermented milk products are sometimes allowed) and carefully study the composition of children's cereals and mixtures on a dairy basis.

Another strong allergen is nuts, especially peanuts. Therefore, peanuts, peanut butter or pasta are considered undesirable during lactation. As for other types of nuts, they should be introduced gradually into the diet, observing the state of the child's health.

Sausage products, fish, caviar, bee products, carbonated and reconstituted drinks, eggs, animal fats - all these products are considered potentially allergenic. Any of them must be introduced into the diet of the nursing mother carefully and individually, and even more so if you are going to use them as complementary foods to your child.

Pathogenesis and causes of diathesis

The development of diathesis is largely due to the peculiarities and imperfections of the enzyme and immune systems of the child's body. In addition, the mucous membranes of the digestive tract in children have increased permeability.

An important moment in the mechanism of appearance of pathology is hereditary predisposition. For example, the presence of an allergic reaction in one of the parents may be a factor in the development of a tendency to allergies and in the child.

Skin and mucous cover of the infant after birth is still extremely untenable, neuroendocrine and metabolic processes are imperfect - the child is not yet ready to absorb the food unknown to him.

In addition to these factors, the state of the children's nervous system is also important, since diathesis can be a kind of reaction of the central and vegetative parts of it. Often the development of pathology is provoked by under-oxidized metabolic products, deficiency or excess of adrenal hormones and other glands.

In general, the causes of diathesis in infants can be listed in the following list:

• excessive use by the future mother of allergen products during pregnancy;
• propensity to allergies in one of the parents;
• weakness of digestion in a child;
• intestinal dysbiosis;
• unfavorable ecological situation;
• overfeeding of the kid;
• too early introduced lure;
• incorrectly selected ingredients of complementary foods.

Symptoms of diathesis in infants

The first signs of manifestations of pathology are frequent and persistent intertrigo, red spots on the skin, moist yellow crusts on the surface of the head.

Oblasts are considered a characteristic sign of diathesis. They arise in the groin, armpits, behind the ears. They are difficult to get rid of.

Also, redness and irritation are observed on the face, head, back (especially in the lower part), on the limbs. In the area of hair growth on the head, you can find yellow or brownish crusts.

The child himself can be pale, even pasty. In children prone to diathesis, body weight increases unevenly, easily lost during colds and intestinal disorders. By the way, a liquid and frequent stool (greenish color) and abdominal pain can also be symptoms of an allergic mood of the body.

Rashes can cause itching, which is accompanied by scratching and, sometimes, secondary infection.

With the tendency of the mucous membranes to allergies, stomatitis (inflammatory process in the oral cavity), conjunctivitis or blepharitis, allergic rhinitis, bronchitis (often asthmatic) can develop. The listed diseases have a severe course, with changes in the analysis of urine and a violation of bowel function.

Now consider some typical symptoms of diathesis in more detail.

• Diathesis in the baby on the face is the most frequent manifestation of pathology. Redness and peeling can be found on the cheeks, temples, chin, nose - first in the form of small pimples, and after a while - in the form of a yellowish crust, often causing the child to itch and discomfort.
• Diathesis on the cheeks of the baby itself almost never passes. It exists until the product that caused the allergy has been excluded from the diet, or until special medications have been prescribed that eliminate the allergic mood of the organism. Cheeks for a long time remain reddened, later covered with rough scales, which eventually can appear on other parts of the child's body.
• Dry diathesis in infants is a concept that characterizes the rash on the body of a child. It means the presence of dry hardly detachable crusts and scales on the surface of the skin, without excessive moisture at their base.

By the way, dry diathesis in infants happens much less often than moknushchy, but requires no less attention from parents and doctors. Such skin should be additionally moistened with special creams and decoctions.

• Diathesis on the pope in the baby more reminds everyone of the known diaper rash, to which infection can easily join. Infectious infection is manifested by abscesses and ulcers. •
• Diathesis in infants on the legs is less common than on the head or buttocks. It can flow in both wet and dry form. Moreover, the course of pathology can change its type both in one and the other direction.
• Exudative diathesis in the baby is also called childhood urticaria, or a dying diathesis. The condition is accompanied by persistent persistent diaper rash, regardless of whether the child's hygiene rules are observed. On the hair growth zone there is a so-called milk scab - this is seborrhea. Sebaceous glands of the child work in a strengthened mode, especially in the large fontanel and on the forehead of the baby. Later seborrhea passes to the cheeks, which begin to blush and peel off. Over time, eczema develops in the place of peeling (both wetting form and dry), the child does not leave a strong itch. Prolonged leaking wet diathesis in the baby leads not only to redness, but also to thickening of the skin on the site of the lesion. They are completely covered with bubbles with liquid contents, which are subsequently opened and outgrown into small wounds covered with crusts.
• Allergic diathesis in the baby can manifest as a dry, and in the form of wet eczema. In all cases, the rashes do not respond well to standard treatment and are prone to repeated exacerbations. Frax most often can be found in the groin, behind the child's ears, under the armpits, on the neck. Such diaper rash is very stable and often does not respond to ongoing treatment.
• Diathesis on the forehead of the baby takes place with a marked decrease in immunity, a tendency to infection of the affected skin and mucous membranes, an increase in the sensitivity of the skin, and prolonged inflammatory processes. Such a condition is a frequent sign, which is prone to the appearance almost immediately after the birth of the child.
• Diathesis behind the ears of the baby can be seen not immediately, since the signs are localized in the folds behind the ears, which at first glance are not conspicuous. It is noteworthy that the baby often cries and scratches the ears. Upon closer examination, a yellowish crust is found, which in no case can be torn off, but should be gently combed after bathing, pre-treated with baby cream or softening hypoallergenic oil.
• Diathesis in the hands of the baby can appear in the skin folds, under the arms, on the palms. Sometimes the only manifestation of this hypersensitivity option is excessive dryness of the palms of the hands of the baby. This sign can be accompanied by dry feet, followed by the development of peeling. In addition to searching for the allergen that provoked this condition, such areas should be moistened with special procedures and moisturizing agents for children's use.

Consequences and complications of diathesis

In early childhood, as well as in older children, a secondary infection of the affected skin often develops, which is provoked by bacteria or viruses. In infected surfaces, the most common pathogens are staphylococci and β-hemolytic streptococci.

Great discomfort for children with diathesis can deliver simple herpes, eczema.

A child with this diagnosis may have an inadequate response to vaccination against smallpox, which must be taken into account in the routine vaccination.

Some babies with a catarrhal form of diathesis may experience keratoconus, provoked by prolonged irritation of the eyelids.

How much does diathesis go in babies? Undoubtedly, the best scenario is the detection of a true allergen, its elimination and the child's speedy recovery.

In all other cases, diathesis is characterized by a weakening of symptoms in the period from 3 to 5 years. In some children, small manifestations of eczematous eruptions can still be present for some time on the bends of the elbows, under the knees, on the palms, behind the ears, and also in the face and neck area. However, with age, there is a tendency to dry and thicken the affected skin.

[11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17]

What is dangerous diathesis in babies?

Diathesis in infancy can occur in different ways: signs can reveal themselves skin problems, changes in lymph nodes or glands, nervous disorders. Depending on the manifestations, diathesis is divided into the following types:

• The lympho-hypoplastic type is characterized by a pronounced increase in lymph nodes and thymus gland, as well as a decrease in the function of the adrenal glands. The child often suffers from cold and infectious diseases, allergic reactions. This type of diathesis occurs more often in children whose mothers have had complicated infectious diseases during the period of gestation.
• Nervous-arthritic type is accompanied by the development of arthritis, gout, metabolic disorders. This condition is considered a hereditary variant of diathesis.
• Catarrh-exudative type occurs against a background of lowering of immune defense, propensity to infectious diseases, hypersensitivity of the skin, prolonged inflammatory processes. It occurs more often than other types.

Complicated varieties of diathesis, which we listed, require immediate treatment. If such a condition is triggered, very undesirable effects can develop in the form of dermatitis, neurodermatitis, or psoriatic eruptions.

Diagnosis of diathesis in infants

If there are characteristic signs of diathesis, the diagnosis of the disease, as a rule, does not cause difficulties.

Careful evaluation of the anamnesis - hereditary cases of bronchial asthma, allergic dermatitis, hay fever, malnutrition of a pregnant lactating woman - immediately suggest a possible development of diathesis.

In addition, the doctor can prescribe tests:

• elevated IgE level in plasma;
• reactive antibodies to certain food products, or to chemicals;
• OAK - eosinophilia;
• the analysis of a feces on a dysbacteriosis and eggs a worm.

Instrumental diagnosis of hypersensitivity of the child's body is used extremely rarely.

Differential diagnosis is performed with seborrheic dermatitis, scabies, a primary form of dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, eczema, ichthyosis, phenylketonuria, acrodermatitis.

[18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23]

Treatment of diathesis in infants

After the baby has discovered diathesis, immediately begin treatment, and it is necessary to begin with a careful evaluation of the nutrition of the child and the nursing mother, with the hygiene rules, both for the child and for all members of the family, as well as for general cleaning of the premises.

The child is given proper nutrition. If necessary, connect the alternative medicine and medicines (as directed by the doctor).

Do not self-medicate: every kid should receive an individual consultation and treatment regimen. Therefore, do not neglect the help of a medical specialist - a professional view of the child's condition in this case is mandatory.

Afflicted baby should be protected from possible stresses, stresses, excessive contact with strangers. It is necessary to strictly observe the regime of the day and feeding, to provide the child with constant access to fresh air. The mother needs to start a food diary, where everything that gets into the children's body, including mother's milk, will be recorded.

The diet for diathesis in infants should be reviewed in accordance with the age of the baby. If the child is already introduced a complement, then you should pay attention to its ingredients. For children who have too fast and excessive weight gain, you can limit sweet supplements, both in simple sugar and in the form of sweet fruits. Exclude semolina porridge and flour dishes. Vegetables and other vegetable food is left, as it is extremely necessary for the general alkalization of the body (diathesis is characterized by acidosis - acidification - blood). Significantly reduce the daily intake of salt and water. Often doctors prescribe potassium-containing products, as well as the addition of a small amount of vegetable oil.

Children under 1 year of age should be fed mainly breast milk. Lure should be administered cautiously, under the supervision of the pediatrician, according to the conventional technique and scheme of adding complementary foods. If the child is fed mixed, you will have to limit the use of fresh milk: the porridge should be cooked on water or boiled vegetables.

We welcome the addition of sour-milk products to the diet of the child (kefir, acidophilus, yoghurt). Potential allergens should be completely eliminated, including dry (as well as canned) mixtures.

The diet of the mother with diathesis in the baby provides for the exclusion of the commonly recognized trophallergenes: oranges, lemons, mandarins, chocolate, strawberries, and canned, smoked products, animal fats, spices, whole milk. If the child has complications in the form of eczema or neurodermatitis, then the mother's diet becomes much stricter.

Medications are prescribed only by a pediatrician and only in extreme cases.

• Ensuring the hyposensitization of the child's body is one of the top priorities in the treatment of the allergic mood of the immune system. The course of treatment is conducted for at least one month. Antihistamines are prescribed in combination with calcium-containing drugs, vitamin P and C. If the child's condition is acute, the course can be repeated - monthly for 10 days with a further twenty-day interval.
• An acute period of diathesis can be mitigated by the use of Ketotifen - an antihistamine and a membrane stabilizing drug. Its dosage is calculated as 0.025 mg per kg / day, twice a day for half an hour before meals. A similar (similar) preparation Zaditen oppresses the production of mediators of an allergic reaction.
• Diathesis can be an indication for the appointment of anticoagulant (blood thinning) drugs, for example, Curantil or Trental.
• The purpose of vitamins and their complexes is used to stabilize the metabolism, reduce the acidity of the body and activate the immune system. As we mentioned above, vitamins C and P are prescribed for a fairly long period (not less than a month). In dry form of diathesis, the effect is observed after a 20-day retinol therapy (in A), which is recommended to be combined with Pangamic acid (B15) and sulfur preparations. Complexes of vitamins gr. B are taken orally in the form of independent courses for 15-30 days.

It should not be forgotten that the vitamin can also develop an allergy to vitamin preparations, so it is necessary to control the intake of such drugs.

• Sedative treatment in the acute period may include the use of valerian infusions (a glass of boiling water for 2 g of raw materials, 1 tsp), Trioxazine (¼ tab up to 4 times a day), small amounts of barbiturates (Phenobarbital, Elenium ). Taking such medications reduces the itching sensation and improves sleep. All drugs are prescribed only by a doctor.
• Preparations for the normalization of bowel function - this is one of the important components of treatment. Often, sorbents are prescribed for this purpose, which eliminate or reduce the effect of toxins and allergens on the body, reducing their absorption and removing them from the digestive tract. Enterosgel with diathesis in the baby is prescribed in the intervals between the feedings. The daily dosage is divided into three doses - usually one teaspoon of paste (for children up to 1 year). Thus, the child is given 1/3 tsp. Three times a day. For convenience of reception to a medicine it is possible to add a little vodichki, approximately up to 1 ch. L. If you take the medicine from the spoon the baby is not yet able, then the divorced medicine is syringed (without a needle) and offered to the child. Therapeutic reception enterosgelya usually continue from 1 to 2 weeks.

Ointment for diathesis in infants is usually prescribed by a pediatrician or a pediatric allergist. At the acute stage, accompanied by dry peeling, baths with tannin, oak bark infusion, potassium permanganate (a weak solution - about 0.3 g per 10 liters), decoction of chamomile, turns, and also with starch are used. When cupping the acute phase, you can use talc, white clay, dimedrol-zinc ointment, intanol with lanolin, etc.

• Gel Fenistil with diathesis in the baby can be used from a month old, and in preterm infants - a little later, at the discretion of the doctor. The drug is applied to limited areas of the skin, at least 2 and not more than 4 times a day. After applying the gel, the child is not recommended to be in the sun.
• Ointment Bepanten at a diathesis at grudnichka can be used still in a maternity home. The drug is absolutely safe, both for the baby and for the nursing mother - it is made on the basis of dexpanthenol (provitamin B5). He perfectly restores tissues, relieves inflammation, moisturizes. Often, the ointment is prescribed both for treatment and for prophylaxis. Please note that for babies it is better to use the ointment: Bepantin cream is suitable for older children. The drug is used daily at least 2 times a day.
• Therapeutic drug Sudokrem for diathesis in infants has anti-inflammatory, astringent, adsorptive and antifungal action. Can be used for preventive and curative purposes. This cream is hypoallergenic, it soothes the skin, relieves itching and inflammation. Sudokrem is evenly distributed over the affected skin surface, 4 to 6 times a day. The remedy is allowed to use from the moment the baby is born. The active ingredients are lanolin, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate and cinnamate.

There is another method of treating diathesis, which still causes arguments among experts about its appropriateness and effectiveness - it's homeopathy. Homeopathic drugs in our time already no one is surprised - they are universally used to treat adults and children, including babies. All this is due to the fact that such products are considered to be practically harmless: natural ingredients, safe dosage, no side effects. Nevertheless, despite the harmlessness, it is highly discouraged to engage in self-medication. Consultation of a specialist should be mandatory.

Means for children are produced in various dosage forms - it can be creams, tinctures, granules, etc. Special homeopathic preparations are also produced that eliminate skin diseases in the child, including diathesis, eczema, urticaria. Most often for the elimination of itching and inflammatory phenomena on the skin, the homeopathic preparation "Rus toxicodendron" is used. The dosage of this remedy is strictly individual and must be signed by the doctor for the entire course of treatment. Before use, read the instructions for the preparation carefully.

Other therapeutic methods, including surgical treatment, are not used for diathesis.

Alternative treatment of diathesis

The main recommendations regarding the treatment of the allergic addiction of the child's organism with the help of alternative methods:

• Very popular with diathesis is the use of eggshell eggshell. Before use, the boiled egg must be washed thoroughly, the shell must be cleaned and dried for three days in a warm, well-ventilated room. After drying, the shell needs to be ground to a powdery state and give the baby 2 r. Per day for 1 tsp. The powder can be mixed with lure or liquid. Duration of treatment - up to 3 months. This recipe removes signs of diathesis, thanks to calcium in the shell.
• The sequence during diathesis in babies usually goes well with chamomile. These herbs are used for baths - strained infusion of herbs are added to bathing water, which perfectly eliminates itching and inflammation in the skin. For the preparation of the infusion, use 1 tablespoon of dry raw meal and chamomile in 1 liter of water.
• Ointment based on fir oil is another effective tool for treating children. Usually, mix the butter with any baby cream in a 1: 3 ratio. The skin should be lubricated twice a day - in the morning and at night.
• Dandelion rhizomes are also quite successfully used. At 1 tbsp. L. Rhizomes take 200 ml of boiling water. The medicine should be insisted in the warmth under the lid for about 2 hours, after which it is filtered and added to the child for food or drinks for 1 tsp. Three times a day. The same way you can use the root of burdock.
• Often used and bay leaf from diathesis in infants - this is an excellent tool for skin cleansing, restoration of local immunity and suppression of an allergic reaction. For treatment, boil 100 grams of leaf in 1000 ml of water on low heat. Next, you should insist the broth for 30 minutes and add it to the bath with water. To bathe a child (preferably at night). Rinse the body after bathing is not necessary: just pat dry skin with a soft towel. The course of treatment - until the child is fully recovered.
• Purity in diathesis in infants should be used carefully, carefully monitoring that the infusion does not hit the child in the digestive system. When applied externally, the plant has a pronounced bactericidal and soothing effect, eliminates inflammation, pain and itching. The bath is prepared at the rate of 0.25-0.5 grams of dry raw materials per 100 ml of boiling water. This proportion can be used for baths, compresses or lotions. In 2-3 days the itching decreases, and the child calms down.

Treatment with herbs should always be carried out with the approval of a pediatrician. Do not experiment on the child and apply little-known and unverified recipes. In case of any doubts, it is better to consult a specialist.

[24], [25]

Prevention of diathesis

All the food that the expectant mother uses, plays a huge role in the development of diathesis in the child in the future. Diet of a pregnant woman should consist of low-allergenic foods (for example, with the exclusion of oranges and mandarins). Of course, it is not necessary to completely exclude citrus from the diet - you can add a lump of lemon to tea, or eat half of an orange. However, it is not necessary to overeat and lean on such products. The fact is that some allergens have the ability to accumulate in the body of a woman, that after the birth of a child it may well manifest diathesis.

It is desirable that the diet of the future mother contains a minimum amount of simple carbohydrates (sugar, muffins, sweets and cakes), and the maximum amount of useful products (vegetables, cereals, kefir, cottage cheese, fish).

With breastfeeding, a woman's diet is also very important. The food should consist of well-treated non-allergenic products that do not contain preservatives, dyes, stabilizers and other chemical additives. Eating should be moderate, with enough liquid.

In general, there is no specific diet for preventing the allergic addiction of the child's body. Parents should independently supervise, what dishes cause in the kid of a rash, and to exclude them from a ration.

The prognosis, provided that all medical recommendations and rational nutrition are observed, are quite favorable. Nevertheless, one should take into account that if you ignore the above rules, the diathesis can be transformed into a heavier and more complex form - it can be food allergy, bronchial asthma, eczema, etc.

Recall that diathesis in infants is not a disease, but a kind of borderline condition, predisposition to the development of pathologies. This condition can be stopped in time and prevent the emergence of many diseases associated with age imperfections and adaptation of the baby to external conditions. Diathesis is well amenable to prevention and much more difficult to treat, so the health of a child depends almost entirely on what kind of food and lifestyle his parents lead, and also on the conditions in which the baby is.

ICD Code 10

Allergic, or atopic, diathesis:

• L 20 - atopic dermatitis;
• L 20 - L 30 - dermatitis and eczema.