Typhoid in Children

Introduction:

Typhoid is an acute illness that is associated with fever caused by the microorganism
Salmonellae Typhi bacteria. The bacteria are deposited either in water or in food by a
human carrier. This bacterium is then spread to other children in the area and show
symptoms after incubation period.

The cases of typhoid fever are remarkably decreased in some countries like US but it is
still fatal in some regions like India, Pakistan and other south Asian countries. Children
living in hot countries are more susceptible to suffer from this disease.

Causes and spreading of the disease

The disease is produced by gram-negative bacteria called as Salmonellae Typhi. The

bacterium is present in contaminated food and water. Children with acute illness can
contaminate the surrounding water supply through the stool that contains bacteria and
in s same way, contamination of water supply can, in turn, spoil the food supply.

Outside and unhygienic food may contain bacteria. Stale food, cold food and decayed
food are main transporters for the disease to spread. In some cases, the children
remain the carriers even after getting full treatment. The bacteria multiply in the
gallbladder, bile ducts, or liver and then get into the intestines or bowels. The bacteria
causing typhoid can survive for weeks in any water or the sewage that is dried. These
chronic carriers can have no symptoms and yet can be the sources of new outbreak of
typhoid fever for quite a long time.

Signs and symptoms of typhoid fever in children

The incubation period for the typhoid fever is nearly one to two weeks and the duration
of the illness vary from four to six weeks. The child may experience the symptoms
given below:-

 Poor appetite. Child loses its appetite and eats less than the routine.
 In some children, they may complain of headache.
 Generalized aches throughout the body.
 Fever with falling and rising pattern
 Lethargy and weakness
 In some cases, there will be rose spots on abdomen
  Chest congestion (in some cases)
 Discomfort in abdomen
 Diarrhea and vomiting (sometimes)
 Watery eyes or dried eyes (in case of dehydration)

Prevention of typhoid in children

The best thing to avoid typhoid is get your child vaccine for typhoid. The vaccination
saves a child from typhoid and its dangerous complications. However, the success ratio
does not show 100% protection from the disease, but it is far better to get vaccinated
rather than being more exposed to the infection.

For prevention, the strict rule is to stay in hygienic condition. Stop eating outside food
as it can be contaminated. Uncovered and stale food is the prime carrier for the
microorganism causing typhoid.

The water, which is not pure, should be avoided by all means. Your child should be
given boiled and then cooled water and nothing other than that. Supply the bodily fluid
that is lost in diarrhea and vomiting and for that, you should give plenty of liquid to
meet the bodily requirement. If the child is suffering from sever vomiting, intravenous
fluid should be given.

The food and water should be fresh and a child should remain in fresh air too. Dense
area is dangerous in typhoid condition. Keep your home neat and clean. Kitchen, floor,
walls, toilets should be extra clean and are to be washed with powerful disinfectants.

Treatment for typhoid in children

Treatment includes higher antibiotics that be either given orally or intravenously. Fever
can be tackled by giving anti-pyretic and weakness can be treated with intravenous
fluids with multi-Vitamins injections.

Ayurveda labels this disease as ‘aantraik jwara’, where ‘aantrik’ means intestines and
‘jwara’ means fever, making it fever for/of intestines as a whole term. This is caused by
vitiation of any of the three bodily humors. The digestive power goes down and body
cannot absorb the nutrients properly from the food that is ingested. The treatment
includes according to the symptoms and severity of the disease.
The diet is to be extremely light and not heavy to digest. Even after recovery from the
disease, a child is kept on a particular regimen, as there are chances for recurrence of
the disease