Infections

Every child gets sick from time to time. When your child isn't feeling well, you'll want to know how to recognize the symptoms, how to help, and when to call the doctor. Find out what you need to know about all the common and not-so-common infections.

Helicobacter pylori


The bacteria H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) usually don't cause problems in childhood. However, if left untreated the bacteria can lead to peptic ulcer disease (characterized by sores that form in the stomach or the upper part of the small intestine, called the duodenum), and even stomach cancer later in life.

But even though the bacteria can cause these illnesses, experts believe that most H. pylori infections are "silent" and produce no symptoms.

The bacteria are found everywhere in the world, but especially in developing countries, where up to 10% of children and 80% of adults can have laboratory evidence of an H. pylori infection - usually without having any symptoms.

In industrialized countries, the infection is rare in children, and only about 40% of adults are infected. The risk of infection is higher for those who live in overcrowded or unsanitary conditions.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?

Anyone, including a child, can have an H. pylori infection without knowing it. When the bacteria do cause symptoms, they're usually either symptoms of gastritis or peptic ulcer disease.

In children, symptoms of gastritis may include nausea,

  • look at the stomach lining directly with an instrument called an endoscope. This procedure is performed under sedation and involves inserting an endoscope - a small, flexible tube with a tiny camera on the end - down your child's throat and into the stomach and duodenum. The doctor may then take samples of the lining to be checked in the laboratory for microscopic signs of infection and for H. pylori bacteria.
  • do blood tests, which can detect the presence of H. pylori antibodies. Blood tests are common, although they typically aren't as accurate for children as they are for adults.
  • do breath tests, which can detect carbon broken down by H. pylori after the patient drinks a solution. But breath tests are also used mostly in adults.

    • How Is It Treated?

    Doctors treat H. pylori infections using antibiotics. Because a single antibiotic may not kill the bacteria, your child may be given a combination of antibiotics.

    If your child has symptoms of bleeding from the stomach or small intestine, these symptoms will be treated in a hospital.

    Because H. pylori infection can be cured with antibiotics, the most important home treatment is to give your child any prescribed antibiotic medicine on schedule for as long as your child's doctor has directed. Your child's doctor may also give antacids or acid-suppressing drugs to neutralize or block production of stomach acids.

    One way to help soothe the abdominal pain of H. pylori infections is by following a regular meal schedule. This means planning meals so that your child's stomach doesn't remain empty for long periods. Eating five or six smaller meals each day may be best, and your child should take some time to rest after each meal.

    It's also important to avoid giving your child aspirin, aspirin-containing medicines, ibuprofen, or anti-inflammatory drugs because these may irritate the stomach or cause stomach bleeding.

    How Long Does It Last?

    With prolonged antibiotic therapy, H. pylori gastritis and peptic ulcer disease (especially ulcers in the duodenum, a portion of the small intestine) can often be cured.

    Can It Be Prevented?

    Right now, there's no vaccine against H. pylori. And because transmission isn't clearly understood, prevention guidelines aren't yet available. However, it's always important to make sure you and your family:

    • food that's been properly prepared.
    • Drink water from a safe source.

    When Should You Call Your Child's Doctor?

    Be sure to call your child's doctor immediately if your child has any of the following symptoms:

    • severe abdominal pain
    • vomit that's bloody or looks like coffee grounds
    • stool that's bloody, black, or looks like tar
    • persistent gnawing or burning pain in the area below the ribs that improves after eating, drinking milk, or taking antacids

    However, it's important to remember that there are lots of reasons children can get stomachaches - just a few of them are indigestion, viruses, tension and worry, and Barbara P. Homeier, MD
    Date reviewed: May 2005
    Originally reviewed by: Cecilia DiPentima, MD