Symptoms of hepatitis during childhood
Hepatitis is a silent disease . Our son may have fallen ill and we may not realize it until after a long time. The symptoms are often confused with those of many other diseases. And yet, hepatitis can be one of the most damaging to one of the most important organs in the body: the liver. Learn to de
Hepatitis is a silent disease. Our son may have fallen ill and we may not realize it until after a long time. The symptoms are often confused with those of many other diseases. And yet, hepatitis can be one of the most damaging to one of the most important organs in the body: the liver. Learn to detect the symptoms of this disease in time.
What is childhood hepatitis
Hepatitis is a disease that affects the liver. It can damage you partially or totally. It depends, to a large extent, on the type of hepatitis that is and the early detection of the disease. The liver is in the upper right part of the abdomen. Its function is to purify: clean the blood of toxic substances. It also works as a kind of warehouse, keeping vitamins and minerals. And to a large extent, it is responsible for that the muscles are strong and healthy, because it also generates amino acids. The liver controls that the body receives the appropriate glucose doses and generates an essential liquid for the stomach called bile. As you see, it is a 'multipurpose' organ, indispensable for the body.
The problem comes when an infection attacks the liver and interferes with its functions. Inflammation of the liver in children usually occurs for a viral reason. Depending on the type of virus that caused the inflammation, we talk about hepatitis A, B or C (there are also type D, E and G viruses).
Types of childhood hepatitis
- The most common hepatitis in children is hepatitis A. It is due to a virus (HAV) that nests in the stool. The contagion is fecal-oral. Hence the importance of making children aware that they should wash their hands very well after going to the toilet. It can also be contracted through contaminated vegetables, water or vegetables, which do not keep the necessary hygiene measures. The positive part of this disease is that it "heals itself" and does not have to reappear. - The most aggressive form of hepatitis is B and C
, although these are much less common in children. They are produced by a contagion through infected blood or body fluids. Pregnant women with this disease can transmit it to the baby during delivery. Symptoms of hepatitis in childrenThe
symptoms of childhood hepatitis
often go unnoticed, as in younger children, they are hardly appreciated. The disease is diagnosed by a blood test. Children with hepatitis are more tired. Sometimes they may have the feeling of 'being incubating a flu', even having some fever. They often complain of gut pain. They may suffer from diarrhea and episodes of vomiting. Your skin is something more yellowish than normal. His urine is dark brown and the stools light. A loss of appetite and sudden weight may also occur.
