Health Ledger - Treatment of tuberculosis in children

TB in children is not a contagious disease because the bacteria only multiply in the lungs gland so it does not open. It was certainly very different from TB in adults that can be transmitted through the air and body contact with patients.

Children with poor nutrition or have weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable to contracting TB germs. For early prevention efforts so that children are not infected with TB germs, it is suggested to parents to give BCG vaccine in children, especially after the birth.
TB in children can be dangerous if not controlled properly, because the bacteria that enter the respiratory tract can spread throughout the body such as the lining of the brain, liver, kidney, bone. However, during the child's immune system is in good condition, the TB germs will remain silent and only react when children decreased durability.

Current treatment of tuberculosis in children starts from the diagnosis of tuberculosis in children. But in fact very difficult to be able to diagnose tuberculosis that affects children who are smaller. Though the exact diagnosis of tuberculosis is essential to find the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is alive and active in the body of children suspected tuberculosis. The easiest trick is to do a sputum test. But it can not be done with the test sputum, since children with tuberculosis usually do not have a cough with phlegm. For it done another way to diagnose TB germs in children, namely through the clinical picture, chest X-ray and a tuberculin test or Mantoux test. If you rely on the photos rongent chest, then there will be found a proper diagnosis is therefore necessary to tuberculin test. Well, if a positive tuberculin skin test results, it does indicate the presence of infection.

For that, the doctor will usually apply the current treatment of TB in children, which requires that children infected with tuberculosis to undergo treatment of TB using three kinds of drugs, ie INH, Rifampicin and Pirazinamide. INH and Rifampicin drug administration for two months, and Pirazinamide for four months, so that a minimum of drug administration as adults, ie six months.

Besides knowing about the current treatment of TB in children, communities must also understand that the TB disease is an infectious disease that is to say, there must be a source of vector. So, if we find a child with active TB, then effective measures must be taken to prevent the spread of TB to other family members is to check all family members and other adults who have close contact with the child with active TB. It is useful to look for a source of transmission of tuberculosis, and if you have found the patient should be treated promptly, so that the chain of transmission can be stopped as early as possible