Tuberculosis is a dangerous infectious disease that can cause many complications if not treated promptly. This article will help you better understand the causes, symptoms, and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in children.

Pulmonary tuberculosis causes many lesions in the lungs, affecting the health and development of children. The symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in children are quite diverse and easily confused with other respiratory diseases. Therefore, learning what you need to know about pulmonary tuberculosis is necessary for every parent to pay attention to.

What causes pulmonary tuberculosis in children?

Pulmonary tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They mainly attack the lungs and when infected with tuberculosis, the child’s lungs will be damaged. From here, children experience many uncomfortable symptoms and affect their overall health.

The main cause of pulmonary tuberculosis in children is infection from infected adults. When a sick person coughs, sneezes or talks, droplets containing bacteria float in the air. If a child inhales particles containing bacteria, the bacteria will enter the child’s body and begin to cause illness.

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis or tuberculosis bacilli causes pulmonary tuberculosis in children

In addition, some other factors also increase the risk of tuberculosis in children such as: Malnutrition, weak immune system, living in crowded environments, poor hygiene conditions, etc. Children have an incomplete immune system, so they are very susceptible to tuberculosis. If not detected and treated promptly, pulmonary tuberculosis can cause many dangerous complications, affecting the physical and intellectual development of children.

How does pulmonary tuberculosis manifest in children?

Pulmonary tuberculosis in children often has non-specific symptoms and is easily confused with other respiratory diseases.

Common symptoms in children with pulmonary tuberculosis

However, there are some typical signs that parents need to pay attention to such as:

• When infected with tuberculosis bacteria, children will have a prolonged cough (usually more than 2 – 3 weeks) and may be accompanied by phlegm.
• Children with pulmonary tuberculosis often have mild, prolonged fever, weight loss, loss of appetite and fatigue.
• Another typical symptom is night sweats.
• In some cases, children may have difficulty breathing.
• Pulmonary tuberculosis can also cause children to have chest pain, jaundice, swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpits.
• If tuberculosis bacteria penetrate the meninges, children may experience neurological symptoms such as headache, fatigue, vomiting, convulsions and even coma. This is a very dangerous complication and requires emergency treatment.

Common forms of tuberculosis in children

Tuberculosis in children is not a rare disease. Children with tuberculosis can have symptoms of all forms of tuberculosis similar to those in adults. However, the most common are primary tuberculosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, pleural tuberculosis, acute meningeal tuberculosis and some extrapulmonary tuberculosis such as bone tuberculosis, peritoneal tuberculosis, lymph node tuberculosis, intestinal tuberculosis… Each form of tuberculosis has different manifestations, occurs at different ages, the severity varies depending on the child’s constitution, response to treatment and the amount of bacteria causing the disease.

Symptoms of tuberculosis in children often last longer and smolder.

Effects of pulmonary tuberculosis in children

Pulmonary tuberculosis not only causes uncomfortable symptoms but also leaves serious consequences, affecting both the physical and mental health of children. If not treated promptly and properly, tuberculosis can cause many dangerous complications.

In children, tuberculosis accounts for 10 – 15% of new tuberculosis cases each year. At least half a million infants and children get tuberculosis each year and about 70,000 children die from this disease. Children under 3 years old and those with malnutrition or weakened immune systems are most susceptible to tuberculosis.

In terms of health, pulmonary tuberculosis causes severe malnutrition in children, leading to stunted growth and stunted growth. Tuberculosis bacteria destroy lung tissue, causing permanent lung damage, reducing respiratory function. This makes children susceptible to other respiratory infections and affects their ability to be physically active. In addition, tuberculosis also weakens the child’s immune system, increasing the risk of other diseases.

Tuberculosis also causes serious consequences for the child’s mental and intellectual health. Children with tuberculosis often feel tired, have a poor appetite, and have difficulty concentrating, leading to reduced learning ability.

Tuberculosis leaves long-term consequences and should be treated early.

How to treat and prevent pulmonary tuberculosis in children

To protect children from this dangerous disease, timely prevention and treatment are extremely important.

Treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in children

Pulmonary tuberculosis in children will be treated with medication. Anti-tuberculosis drugs will be prescribed according to the standard treatment regimen of the World Health Organization (WHO). Treatment usually lasts from 6 to 9 months or more, depending on the type of tuberculosis and the child’s health condition. In addition to taking medication, adequate nutrition and proper rest are also very important to help children recover quickly.

During treatment, parents need to give their children the correct dose of medication, on time and not miss any doses. When stopping medication on their own, the tuberculosis bacteria in the body have not been completely destroyed, the patient is at risk of relapse with drug-resistant tuberculosis if the regimen is not followed correctly, even super-drug-resistant tuberculosis increases the risk of death.

Regular check-ups help monitor the treatment process, detect side effects early and adjust the treatment regimen if necessary. After completing the treatment, children need to have regular health check-ups to detect possible complications early.

Preventing pulmonary tuberculosis in children

To date, tuberculosis vaccination is still the most effective measure to prevent pulmonary tuberculosis in children. When entering the child’s body, the tuberculosis vaccine will create basic immunity, helping to reduce the risk of disease.

BCG vaccine is a tuberculosis vaccine recommended for infants, young children and adults who have not been vaccinated against tuberculosis, especially those who are regularly exposed to tuberculosis risk factors.

To ensure that children are vaccinated with quality, genuine vaccines, parents should take their children to reputable centers licensed by the Ministry of Health. Currently, BCG tuberculosis vaccine is available at more than 120 Long Chau Vaccination Centers nationwide, meeting the tuberculosis vaccination needs of many families.

Newborns can be vaccinated against tuberculosis from the first months of life.

Parents should ensure that their children live in a clean, airy environment with enough sunlight and do not come into contact with people with pulmonary tuberculosis. A complete and balanced diet is also very important to increase resistance and reduce the risk of infection for children. Regular health check-ups for children will help detect the disease early, even when there are no symptoms. Timely detection and treatment of people with tuberculosis in the community will help prevent the spread of the disease.