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Mayan civilization- one of the most mysterious civilizations on our planet. It existed in Central America on the territory of the modern southern states of Mexico, as well as such states as Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Mayan calendar
five eras

The first mentions of this Indian people go back to the 1st millennium BC. e. During this period, the Mayan tribes began to inhabit the Petén plateau, where a hot and humid climate prevailed. Then they began to spread west along the Pasion and Usumacinta rivers. In the east they reached the shores of the Caribbean Sea. In the north, they chose the Yucatecan plains, covered with tropical rainforests. In the absence of rivers, they settled along the banks of karst lakes.

The Mayans quickly settled in the new lands: they began to build stone cities and engaged in agriculture. They grew maize, pumpkin, cotton, cocoa, fruits, and beans. Salt was mined in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula.

They had perfect writing in the form of hieroglyphs. Particularly noteworthy is his deep knowledge of astronomy. Based on them, they created calendars that still amaze with the accuracy of their calculations.

The Mayan tribes were never united into a single administrative entity. They lived in city-states. By 750 there were many of them: Tikal, Copan, Palenque, Camakmul, Uxmal, Vamaktuna and many others. Each had a population of more than 10,000 people, which was quite a lot at that time. All these, at first glance, isolated islands of life in the complex are designated as the Mayan civilization.

The culture, management system, and customs were similar in these mini-states and were practically no different from each other. Each city was headed by its own royal dynasty. At the next rung of the social ladder were the priesthood and the nobility. Next came the merchants and warriors. At the very bottom were peasants, artisans and other ordinary people.

In the center of each city there was a pyramid 15 to 20 meters high. It served as a tomb for noble people. There were houses around that could not be called spacious: they had narrow corridors and cramped rooms. The main material for construction was limestone.

Religion played important role in the life of this people. The worship of the gods was a cult, its basis was sacrifices of both animals and humans. The Mayans considered the gods to be mortal; according to their concepts, human blood extended the life of the celestials. By flooding the sacrificial altars with the scarlet and warm blood of the unfortunate, they believed that in this way they preserved youth and strength for those who gave them rich harvests, victories over enemies and other benefits of this vain world.

In the period from 800 to 900, some of the Mayan cities were abandoned by the population. Until now, the true reason for the hasty departure of people from their homes is unclear. Various hypotheses have been put forward trying to explain this behavior of residents, but whether they correspond to the truth is almost impossible to determine these days.

Many researchers see the main and main reason in the slash-and-burn method of farming. The Mayans burned areas of forests and bushes and planted these lands with agricultural crops. After three or four years, when the soil was depleted, they burned the forests again, moving further and further away from the cities.

As a result of such wasteful use of cropland, the cost of producing basic food products steadily increased. In the end, they became unaffordable not only for ordinary citizens, but also for rich people. This forced the residents to leave the city and go to new, fertile lands that had not yet been touched by fire.

There are other theories that try to explain the strange Mayan migration. Among them are: epidemics, conquests, climate changes. All this sounds plausible, but there is no serious evidence for such claims.

There is also a version that the reason for everything was the greed and cruelty of the nobility and priests. Driven to despair, the common people rebelled, destroyed everything and everyone, and having desecrated the temples in which representatives of the ruling class tried to escape from retribution, abandoned their homes and utensils and left for new lands.

The Mayan civilization gradually moved north and eventually concentrated in the Yucatan. This is the period from 900 to the beginning of the 16th century. There are also many cities here. Among them, Chichen Itza stands out, claiming to be the cultural center of the entire peninsula. But in the middle of the 12th century, the inhabitants left it. Mayapan takes the lead. His fate is also unenviable. It was destroyed in 1441 as a result of a revolt.

In the spring of 1517, Spanish conquistadors appeared in Yucatan. They are headed by Hernandez de Cordoba. At first they behave quite friendly, but already in 1528 the systematic conquest of the peninsula began.

The freedom-loving Indian people fiercely resist the invaders. It took the Spaniards 170 long years to completely subjugate these lands. It was not until 1697 that the last independent Mayan city of Tayasal recognized the authority of the King of Spain.

The Mayans were conquered, but not assimilated. They have preserved their identity, culture and language. Currently, six million representatives of this people live in the lands of Central America. In Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, and Belize, they are united in communities, whose members strictly observe the traditions of their distant ancestors.

The conquistadors not only destroyed the Mayan civilization, but also caused irreparable harm to the entire unique historical heritage of this people. The Spanish monk Diego de Landa, either falling into ecstasy from religious fervor, or due to dense ignorance, organized an act of vandalism. On his initiative, ancient Mayan books written in hieroglyphs were burned. By chance, only three copies have survived.

Subsequently, with great difficulty, the Mayan priests restored part of the text. Already in the Latin alphabet they rewrote such works as “Popolvukh” and “Books of Chilam-Balash”. These are, of course, far from complete copies of those priceless ancient sources that were lost forever in the fire.

The basis of the entire multifaceted heritage of the mysterious people is astronomical knowledge, which have survived to this day in the form Mayan calendars. These unique masterpieces of the past reflect both mythology and the most advanced scientific research. It was thanks to them that such a concept as Mayan predictions. Do they have a real basis? Without a doubt. It is not difficult to verify this by familiarizing yourself with the information that the ancient people possessed.

So Mayan solar calendar had a year of 365.2421 days. This corresponds more closely to the Earth's revolution around the Sun than the Gregorian calendar, which is 365.2425 days long.

Observatory
Karakol

The Mayans observed the celestial bodies from stone observatories. They were tall round towers with square windows. A spiral staircase led to the upper platform, where ancient astronomers studied the painting every day starry sky and painstakingly recorded any changes in the vastness of the Universe. The largest observatory was called Karakol and was located near the city of Chichen Itza.

Mayans claimed - The cosmos exists within great cycles. The first cycle (the first Sun) lasted 4008 years and was destroyed by an earthquake. The Second Sun lasted 4010 years and turned into dust from winds and cyclones. The period of existence of the third Sun was 4081 years, it burned out in fire from volcanic craters. The fourth Sun gave life to everything on earth for 5026 years. Terrible floods flooded it.

There is now a fifth sun(Sun of movement). It lived for a very long time - 5126 years and went out due to the displacement of the soil on Earth. The end of the fifth cycle falls on December 23, 2012. On this day, Tonati Maya, the sun god of the current era, will die. Already on December 26, 2012, a new, sixth cycle will begin - the cycle of renewal and revival of all living things.

In total, the Mayan civilization had three solar calendars. Each of them performed its own strictly defined functions.

Mayan Tzolk'in solar calendar(a year lasted 260 days) contained a purely ritual purpose. Mayan Tun solar calendar reflected the chronology. Here the year lasted 360 days. Mayan Haab Solar Calendar, whose length was 365 days, was intended for everyday life of people.

The Mayan month was called Vinal, its duration was 20 days. There were thirteen vinals in the Tzolkin, and 18 vinals in the Tuna and Haab, respectively.

The year Haab actually had the nineteenth month of Vayeb. It consisted of only five days and was a continuous holiday of one of the gods - the patron saint of the next year.

The week lasted thirteen days. Each day of the week had its own patron god - one of the 13 heavenly gods.

It was still a nine-day week. Here the countdown went on at night. The patrons were the nine gods of the underworld.

Day and night weeks reflected the model of the Universe. According to the Maya, it had a layered hierarchy of worlds. Thirteen heavens shone above the earth, and nine floors of the underworld went down below the earth's surface.

Based on the Tzolkin year, the Mayan civilization built an entire system of predictions. Here the name of the day and the same day of the week were repeated at intervals of 260 days, that is, after thirteen twenty-day months.

The important stages were four-year and fifty-two-year periods of time. The Mayans argued that the complete renewal of any material organism occurs exactly after 52 years, after thirteen four-year cycles.

Legends say - The Mayan civilization had a technique for predicting the future. The basis for this was astronomical knowledge. Only by glancing at the position of the heavenly bodies did the initiates tell the person what his future path in life would be, what the fate of an entire nation would be like, what awaited humanity in a few centuries. How did they manage to do this?

By painstakingly observing the stars, daily recording all events over thousands of years, the Mayan priests accumulated great amount invaluable information. If only they knew the theory of probability and knew the basics of math. analysis and had computer equipment, then, based on the collected data, they could easily calculate an algorithm for the cyclicity of any process occurring both on Earth and in Space.

But even without these modern achievements of science, the great ancient people, with their own methods unknown to us, determined the sequence of seemingly chaotic natural and social phenomena, identified patterns and saw the future.

As for ominous Mayan predictions about the end of the world in 2012, the start of this was laid by the discovery of 1960. A fragment of a Mayan stone calendar associated with Bolon Yokte Ku, the god of war and rebirth, was found in southern Mexico. The date 2012 stamped on it marks the beginning of a new cycle.

Such predictions cannot be taken literally. In this case, we are talking about those transformations that will take place in the transcendental world, if you like, in another dimension. In that subtle and unknown matter that gradually controls our consciousness.

In physical reality, everything will remain as before. Only after hundreds of years will humanity notice that it has changed - hopefully in positive side. After all, you always want to believe in the best.

The article was written by ridar-shakin

Mayan civilization shrouded in many secrets and mysteries. Today, the descendants of the Indians do not particularly stand out among other races and peoples. But ancient history Maya haunts many researchers. Where did ordinary farmers, who were the Mayan tribes, get their amazing knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, writing and physics? How were they able to make incredibly complex objects or erect huge megaliths? Mysteries have always captivated the minds of people. Let's take an exciting journey into the mysterious Mayan history.

Stone head - symbol of the Almecs

Archaeologists are finding artifacts indicating that the territory of Mexico was inhabited several thousand years BC. Historians have differing opinions regarding the exact dating of these finds. In any case, it is obvious that ancient peoples moved to the North American continent in ancient times.

Officially recognized history considers the first Indian civilization to be the Olmecs, who lived on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico from the 2nd millennium BC. to 5th century AD They are credited with the invention of complex writing, the solar calendar, twenty-year countdown, sports and religious ball games, etc. It is also believed that the Olmecs were able to build pyramids and carve the famous five-meter heads of warriors out of stone.

The Zapotec Indian civilization is little studied. Historians suggest that it originated in the 5th century BC. The capital was located in Monte Alban, famous for its amazing Temple of the Dancing with inscriptions that have not yet been deciphered. The mysterious Izapa culture, traces of which were found in the state of Chiapas, has left historians with many artifacts for research. These include unusual steles with images of deities and people, monuments, and altars.

Aztec culture is more late period history of Mexico until its conquest by the Spaniards. The capital of the Aztec state was Tenochtitlan, which later became the city of Mexico City. The Aztecs worshiped various deities, the main of which was considered the god of war, Huitzilopochtli. This tribe was very warlike: sacrifices of thousands of people were in the order of things. They were constantly at odds with the tribes around them and raided foreign territories. The last Aztec ruler, Cuauhtemoc, was overthrown by the conquistadors in 1521.

Among the many other Indian tribes that inhabited Mexico, one can distinguish the Tarascans, Mixtecs, Toltecs, Totonacs, and Chichimecs. The tribes of the Mayan civilization have earned a special position among their fellows thanks to the incredibly complex historical monuments and highly developed culture that official history ascribes to them.

Mayan history

Considering the history of the Mayan peoples, it should be noted that there are several theories of the development of this civilization. According to the official one - the one that is taught in universities and published in textbooks - the Mayan culture appeared about 3 thousand years ago. It had such a high level of technology, scientific knowledge and development that it was several times superior to the current civilization.

There is another theory, alternative, but gaining more and more larger number supporters. According to this theory, in ancient times there was a certain highly developed civilization that disappeared several thousand years BC. She left behind amazing historical monuments, writings and artifacts, testifying to an incredible level of development. This, by the way, is consistent with the biblical chronology of the times before the Flood. It appears that this civilization was destroyed in the Flood.

Mayan Indians appeared in the territories ancient civilization much later. They began to master, as best they could, the found buildings and use calendars, statues and other objects of prehistoric culture in their everyday life. The Mayans themselves admit that they received their knowledge from the “gods”, and did not acquire it on their own. And what could one expect from a civilization whose main occupation was growing corn? Why did the Indians need deep knowledge of astronomy if they did not make space flights? How were the Mayans able to build huge pyramids if they didn't even have a wheel?

Which theory to follow is up to you. Let's look at some official dates from Mayan history.

1000-400 BC – the emergence of minor Mayan settlements in the northern part of Belize.

400-250 BC – rapid urban growth across large areas of the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, Belize and El Salvador. Archaeologists find big number works of jade, obsidian and precious metals.

250 BC – 600 AD - The Mayan peoples formed into city-states, constantly fighting with each other for territory.

600-950 AD – the rise and subsequent decline of many Mayan cities. The reasons for such desolation are still unclear to historians. Some cite some kind of natural disaster, such as severe drought, as an explanation. Others argue that these could be wars of conquest or epidemics.

950-1500 AD – new cities appear in the north of Yucatan, special meaning attached to maritime trade with the Aztecs.

1517 - the first documented contact of the Mayans with Europeans on the Yucatan Peninsula. Then the Indians were defeated in a battle with the well-armed Spaniards. But for several decades they desperately fought for independence from the invaders.

During the Spanish Conquest, colonialists mercilessly destroyed the cultural characteristics of the Mayans, trying to convert them to the Catholic faith. It is known that catholic priest Diego de Landa burned a collection of Mayan books to fight shamanism.

Mysteries of the Mayans

In the territories where the Mayan people lived, a huge number of objects were found that amaze modern researchers. Some can be viewed in museums in Mexico, such as the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, while others are scattered in museums around the world. And how many have not yet received general publicity!

According to archaeologists, multi-colored quartz skulls were not uncommon among Mayan treasures. It is not yet possible to establish their exact dating. It is even more difficult to determine how they were performed and, most importantly, why. One such skull is the legendary Mitchells-Hedges skull. It was found according to reports from the researcher himself, after whom it received its name, during excavations in the jungle of the Yucatan Peninsula. The skull amazes with the perfection of its lines. It has an amazing property: when light rays hit it at a certain angle, the eye sockets of the skull begin to glow. Was this skull used in the worship of deities during some religious rituals, or did it simply serve as interior decoration? There are no exact answers yet, but there are many assumptions.

Modern researchers are like the African aborigines who found a glass bottle in the desert and are trying to determine its purpose by shining the sun's rays on it. Most likely, the ancients used crystal skulls in ways we cannot even imagine.

In the modern world there are no technologies that could replicate such a masterpiece. But there is not a single trace of tools on the ancient crystal skull. So for now, this amazing object remains one of the biggest mysteries of the past.

The famous archaeological site of Palenque is located in the Mexican state of Chiapas. A mysterious sarcophagus was found in the Temple of the Inscriptions located there. Scientists attribute its existence to the Mayan ruler Pakal, who was buried in it. The amazing images on the lid of the sarcophagus still cause controversy in scientific circles. Some see in the drawing Pakal himself, resurrected from the kingdom of the dead. Others suggest that this is not Pacal at all, but some kind of prehistoric astronaut in the cockpit of a spaceship. It is impossible to say anything for sure. Therefore, the sarcophagus is shrouded in mystery.

Not only the stone lid is interesting, but also the sarcophagus itself. It's just huge. Its dimensions are 3.8 m by 2.2 m. The sarcophagus is carved from solid stone weighing 15 tons and has an exact rectangular shape. The lid weighs 5 and a half tons. How could it be accomplished? It is difficult to imagine ancient Indians breaking a block of stone with primitive tools. It is even more difficult to guess how and who installed this giant in the pyramid.

The calendar attributed to the Mayan culture amazes scientists with its complexity and accuracy. According to researchers, it consists of two calendars: solar and sacred (galactic). The first included 365 days, the second - 260. The sacred calendar (Tzolkin) is a number system of 13 numbers and 20 symbols. Many claim to have deciphered the Mayan calendar. As soon as they do not explain the meaning of its symbols and numbers. Some people associate the calendar with predictions of future events. Some see in his calculations the movement of the sun around the center of the galaxy. The exact origin and purpose of the Mayan calendar remains a mystery. One thing is obvious: its creation required very deep knowledge of mathematics and astronomy.
The most important Mayan monuments

The Mayan culture left behind numerous archaeological monuments: pyramids, temples, frescoes, steles, sculptures, etc. Studying them is a very exciting activity. It's worth making a trip through them yourself when the opportunity arises. The beauty and mystery of these buildings is simply breathtaking.

It is essentially a pyramid with a small building on top. The pyramid got its name thanks to three slabs with hieroglyphs on the walls of the temple. Several groups of scientists were engaged in deciphering the inscriptions, but they were never completely read. A tunnel was discovered in the pyramid leading to a secret room. There, archaeologists found a sarcophagus with the Mayan ruler Pakal buried in it, discussed above.

This is a unique pyramid 30 meters high. At its top there is a temple in which the ancient Mayan priests made sacrifices to their supreme deity Kukulkan. The pyramid is famous for its unusual construction: twice a year on the days of the equinox, the shadow from the ledges of the pyramid falls on the steps, creating the impression of a crawling snake. Surely, for the Indians this picture looked terrifying. Inside the temple is a “jaguar throne” decorated with shells and jade. It is believed that rulers sat on it. The dimensions of this “throne” are small and its exact purpose is unknown.

The height of the pyramid is 36 meters. This pyramid is famous for the fact that its base is not square, but oval. According to an ancient Mayan legend, it was built in one night by a sorcerer who knew how to rearrange stones with spells. The pyramid has several platforms, at the top there is a temple dedicated to the rain god Chaak. The Wizard's pyramid itself is decorated with images of this deity, as well as snakes and people.

- the only Mayan port city that has survived to this day. Its name translates as “wall”. Indeed, part of the city's defensive wall testifies to its former greatness. There are also several impressive palaces and temples to be seen here.

is an ancient Mayan city, the territory of which cannot be explored in one day. The city has an area of ​​70 square meters. km. To walk along it, you can rent a bicycle or ride a bicycle taxi. Koba is famous for its huge pyramids, a 100-kilometer road and many other mysterious buildings.

On the territory of the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza there is a mysterious sacred cenote or natural karst well. A three-hundred-meter road leads to it from the Kukulkan pyramid. The Mayan Indians used the cenote during religious rituals. To achieve the favor of their fictitious deities, they sacrificed not only gems, gold items and weapons, but also people. They were simply thrown to the bottom of the well in the hope that the deity would send the long-awaited rain in return.

The history of discoveries and mysteries of Mexico

Very scant information has reached us from the Spanish colonialists about the ancient Mayan cities they found. Moreover, they are more similar to fairy tales about cities of gold.
For many years, Mayan treasures were lost in the impenetrable jungle. Beginning of targeted research of monuments ancient culture The Maya were founded by the American John Stephens in 1839. He was able to discover cities such as Palenque, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Copan, etc. He described his observations in a book that created a real sensation in the scientific world of America and Europe. Following Stephenson, many researchers from different countries went deep into the jungle, eager for new discoveries and solutions to mysteries. Several people took the leading role in archaeological excavations. research institutes USA.

At first, the main attention was paid to the study of buildings, inscriptions, bas-reliefs, steles and frescoes, i.e. external attributes. Over time, scientists delved deeper into the study of small objects and parts, as well as what was hidden underground.

For example, at the end of the 19th century, the American E. Thompson arrived on the Yucatan Peninsula. Previously, he had received evidence from Diego de Landa that countless riches were stored at the bottom of the sacred well in Chichen Itza. The American decided to test this statement and, armed with the necessary tools, pulled out real treasures from the bottom of the well. These were jewelry made of jade, gold, copper, and the remains of more than 40 people were also discovered.

Another sensational discovery occurred in 1949 at the archaeological complex of Palenque. Archaeologist A. Rus noticed that one of the slabs on the floor in the Temple of the Inscriptions has holes closed with plugs. He decided to lift this slab and discovered the entrance to the tunnel. The tunnel needed to be cleared of stones and earth, which took several years. In June 1952, an archaeologist was able to enter the underground room under the pyramid. There he discovered the famous sarcophagus with the Mayan ruler Pakal buried in it. In addition to the sarcophagus, human remains, jewelry and jewelry were found. Scientists are still trying to explain the meaning of the image on the five-ton sarcophagus lid.

To date, only a small part has been discovered and studied. cultural heritage ancient civilization. In addition, much is simply inaccessible to ordinary lovers of antiquities. Who knows how many more ancient treasures are waiting to be discovered...

A little earlier in time, in the neighborhood of the Aztecs (in the territory of what is now Yucatan-Guatemala-Salvador-Gondras), there was a more extensive civilization of the Mayan Indians.

Mayan civilization

Maya - a group of Indian peoples related by language. Where did these peoples come from? How did they appear in the jungles of Central America? There is no exact answer to these and other questions. Today, one of the main points of view on this issue is that America was settled from Asia through the Bering Strait during the Upper Paleolithic period, i.e. approximately 30 thousand years ago.

The Mayans are one of the brightest civilizations of pre-Columbian America. This is a “mystery culture”, a “phenomenon culture” full of contradictions and paradoxes. It has raised a huge number of questions, but not all have answers. The Mayans, living practically in the Stone Age (they did not know metals until the 10th century AD, wheeled carts, ploughs, pack and draft animals), created an accurate solar calendar, complex hieroglyphic writing, used the concept of zero before the Arabs and Hindus, predicted solar and lunar eclipses, calculated the movements of Venus with an error of only 14 seconds per year, and achieved amazing perfection in architecture, sculpture, painting and ceramics. They worshiped their gods and at the same time obeyed kings and priests, built temples and palaces under their leadership, performed ritual ceremonies, sacrificed themselves, and fought with their neighbors.

The Mayans created cities that were extraordinary in themselves, built only on muscle power. And for some reason, almost all cities of the classical period bear traces of violent destruction. Currently, more than 200 ruins of ancient cities are known. Full list famous Mayan cities.

In ancient times, the Mayans represented various groups that shared a common historical tradition. Due to this, the characteristics of their cultures were similar, their physical features were the same, and they spoke languages ​​belonging to the same linguistic branch. When studying the Mayan civilization, several periods are distinguished. Their names and chronology are as follows:
- Early Preclassic (about 2000 – 900 BC)
- Middle Preclassic (900 – 400 BC)
- Late Preclassic (400 BC – 250 AD)
- early classical (250 – 600 AD)
- late classical (600 – 900 AD)
- postclassical (900 – 1521 AD)

This rigorous scientific information in no way explains why the Mayan cities began to decline, their populations to decline, and civil strife to intensify. But the processes that finally destroyed great civilization, which took place during the colonial period, which lasted from 1521 to 1821, are completely obvious. Great humanists and Christians - not only did they introduce influenza, smallpox and measles - but formed their colonies on the American continent with fire and sword. What previously did not benefit the Mayans - fragmentation and the absence of a single control center of the state - did not benefit the conquerors either. Each city was a separate warlike state, and more and more efforts had to be made to seize the territory.

And the Mayan cities were built with great skill and scope. Worth mentioning are Lamanai, Cahal Pech, El Mirador, Calakmul, Tikal, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Copan. Some of these cities existed for more than a millennium. The ruins of each of them are a gift to archaeologists, historians and tourists.

Of great interest are the ideas of an extinct civilization about time and space. The cyclical time of the Maya, associated with natural and astronomical phenomena, was displayed in various calendars. According to one of the predictions, the next (last) cycle will end on December 22, 2012. The end of the cycle will be marked by a flood, after which this world will perish, a new universe will be born and a new cycle will begin... Well, we have every chance to verify the reliability of the Mayan predictions.

During the 1st - early 2nd millennium AD, the Maya people, speaking various languages ​​of the Maya-Kiche family, settled over a vast territory, including the southern states of Mexico (Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo), the current countries of Belize and Guatemala and western regions of El Salvador and Honduras. These areas, located in the tropical zone, are distinguished by a variety of landscapes. In the mountainous south there is a chain of volcanoes, some of which are active. Once upon a time, powerful coniferous forests grew here on generous volcanic soils. In the north, the volcanoes give way to the limestone Alta Verapaz mountains, which further north form the limestone Petén plateau, characterized by hot and humid climate. Here the center of development of the Mayan civilization of the classical era was formed. The western part of the Petén plateau is drained by the Pasion and Usumacinta rivers, which flow into the Gulf of Mexico, and the eastern part by rivers carrying water to the Caribbean Sea. North of the Petén plateau, humidity decreases with the height of forest cover. In the northern Yucatecan Plains, tropical rainforests give way to shrubby vegetation, and in the Puuc Hills the climate is so arid that in ancient times people settled here along the shores of karst lakes (cenotes) or stored water in underground reservoirs (chultun). On the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, the ancient Mayans mined salt and traded it with the inhabitants of the interior regions.

It was initially believed that the Maya lived in large areas of tropical lowlands in small groups, practicing slash-and-burn agriculture. With the rapid depletion of soils, this forced them to frequently change their settlement sites. The Mayans were peaceful and had a special interest in astronomy, and their cities with tall pyramids and stone buildings also served as priestly ceremonial centers where people gathered to observe unusual celestial phenomena. According to modern estimates, the ancient Mayan people numbered more than 3 million people. In the distant past, their country was the most densely populated tropical zone. The Mayans knew how to maintain soil fertility for several centuries and transform lands unsuitable for agriculture into plantations where they grew maize, beans, pumpkins, cotton, cocoa and various tropical fruits. Mayan writing was based on a strict phonetic and syntactic system. The decipherment of ancient hieroglyphic inscriptions has refuted previous ideas about the peaceful nature of the Mayans: many of these inscriptions report wars between city-states and captives sacrificed to the gods. The only thing that has not been revised from previous ideas is the exceptional interest of the ancient Mayans in the movement celestial bodies. Their astronomers very accurately calculated the cycles of movement of the Sun, Moon, Venus and some constellations (in particular, the Milky Way). The Mayan civilization, in its characteristics, reveals commonality with the nearest ancient civilizations of the Mexican Highlands, as well as with the distant Mesopotamian, ancient Greek and ancient Chinese civilizations.

In the archaic (2000-1500 BC) and early formative periods (1500-1000 BC) of the preclassic era, in the lowlands of Guatemala, small semi-wandering tribes of hunters and gatherers lived, eating wild edible roots and fruits, as well as game and fish. They left behind only rare stone tools and a few settlements that definitely date back to this time. The Middle Formative Period (1000-400 BC) is the first relatively well-documented era of Mayan history. At this time, small agricultural settlements appeared, scattered in the jungle and along the banks of the rivers of the Peten plateau and in the north of Belize (Cuelho, Colha, Kashob). Archaeological evidence suggests that in this era the Mayans did not have pompous architecture, class divisions or centralized power. However, in the subsequent late formative period of the Preclassic era (400 BC - 250 AD), Mayan life experienced major changes. At this time, monumental structures were built - stylobotes, pyramids, ball courts, and rapid growth of cities was observed. Impressive architectural complexes are being built in cities such as Calakmul and Zibilchaltun in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), El Mirador, Yashactun, Tikal, Nakbe and Tintal in the jungle of Peten (Guatemala), Cerros, Cuello, Lamanay and Nomul (Belize), Chalchuapa ( Salvador).

There was a rapid growth of settlements that arose during this period, such as Kashob in northern Belize. At the end of the late formative period, barter trade developed between settlements remote from each other. The most prized items are items made from jade and obsidian, sea shells and quetzal bird feathers. At this time, sharp flint tools and the so-called appeared for the first time. eccentrics are stone products of the most bizarre shape, sometimes in the form of a trident or the profile of a human face. At the same time, the practice of consecrating buildings and arranging hiding places where jade products and other valuables were placed was developed. During the subsequent Early Classic period (250-600 AD) of the Classical era, Mayan society developed into a system of rival city-states, each with its own royal dynasty. These political entities revealed commonality both in the system of government and in culture (language, writing, astronomical knowledge, calendar). The beginning of the early classical period approximately coincides with one of the oldest dates recorded on the stela of the city of Tikal - 292 AD, which, in accordance with the so-called. The "long count of the Maya" is expressed in numbers 8.12.14.8.5. The possessions of individual city-states of the classical era extended on average 2000 square meters. km, and some cities, such as Tikal or Calakmul, controlled significantly larger territories.

The political and cultural centers of each state were cities with magnificent buildings, the architecture of which represented local or zonal variations of the general style of Mayan architecture. The buildings were located around a vast rectangular central square. Their facades were usually decorated with masks of the main gods and mythological characters, carved from stone or made using relief techniques. The walls of long narrow rooms inside buildings were often painted with frescoes depicting rituals, holidays, and military scenes. Window lintels, lintels, palace staircases, as well as free-standing steles were covered with hieroglyphic texts, sometimes interspersed with portraits, telling about the deeds of the rulers. On lintel 26, in Yaxchilan, the ruler's wife is depicted helping her husband put on military regalia. In the center of Mayan cities of the classical era, pyramids rose up to 15 m high. These structures often served as tombs for revered people, so kings and priests practiced rituals here with the goal of establishing a magical connection with the spirits of their ancestors.

The ritual ball game was important in the Mayan religion. Almost every major Mayan settlement had one or more similar sites. It is, as a rule, a small rectangular field, on the sides of which there are pyramidal platforms from which the priests watched the ritual. Meanwhile, there was a cult of the game. In the Popol Vuh, an invaluable collection of Mayan myths, the ball game is mentioned as a game of the gods: the death deities Bolon Tiku (or as they are called in the text, the Lords of Xibalba, i.e. the underworld) and two brothers of the demigod Hun competed in it. Ahpu and Xbalanque. Thus, the players initiated on stage one of the episodes of the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, male and feminine, snake and jaguar. The Mayan ball game, like similar games of other peoples of Mesoamerica, contained elements of violence and cruelty - it ended with human sacrifice, for which it was started, and the playing fields were framed with stakes with human skulls.

Most northern cities built in the Postclassic era (950-1500) lasted less than 300 years, with the exception of Chichen Itza, which survived until the 13th century. This city shows architectural similarities to Tula, founded by the Toltecs around 900, suggesting that Chichen Itza served as an outpost or was an ally of the warlike Toltecs. The name of the city is derived from the Mayan words "chi" ("mouth") and "itsa" ("wall"), but its architecture is in the so-called. Puuc style, violates the classical Mayan canons. For example, stone roofs of buildings are supported on flat beams rather than on stepped vaults. Some stone carvings depict Mayan and Toltec warriors together in battle scenes. Perhaps the Toltecs captured this city and over time turned it into a prosperous state. During the Postclassic period (1200-1450), Chichen Itza was for a time part of a political alliance with nearby Uxmal and Mayapan, known as the League of Mayapan. However, even before the arrival of the Spaniards, the League had collapsed, and Chichen Itza, like the cities of the classical era, was swallowed up by the jungle. In the Postclassic era, maritime trade developed, thanks to which ports emerged on the coast of Yucatan and nearby islands, for example, Tulum or a settlement on the island of Cozumel. During the Late Postclassic period, the Mayans traded slaves, cotton, and bird feathers with the Aztecs.

According to Mayan mythology, the world was created and destroyed twice before the third, modern era began, which began in European terms on August 13, 3114 BC. From this date, time was counted in two chronology systems - the so-called. long count and calendar circle. The long account was based on a 360-day annual cycle called tun, divided into 18 months of 20 days each. The Mayans used a base-20 rather than a decimal counting system, and the unit of chronology was 20 years (katun). Twenty katuns (i.e. four centuries) made up a baktun. The Mayans simultaneously used two calendar time systems - a 260-day and a 365-day annual cycle. These systems coincided every 18,980 days, or every 52 (365-day) years, marking an important milestone at the end of one and the beginning of a new time cycle. The ancient Mayans calculated time forward to 4772, when, in their opinion, the end of the current era would come and the Universe would once again be destroyed.

The families of the rulers were entrusted with the obligation to perform the ritual of bloodletting at every important event in the life of city-states, be it the consecration of new buildings, the onset of the sowing season, the beginning or end of a military campaign. According to Mayan mythology, human blood nourished and strengthened the gods, who, in turn, gave strength to people. It was believed that the blood of the tongue has the greatest magical power. earlobes and genitals. During the bloodletting ceremony, thousands of people gathered in the central square of the city, including dancers, musicians, warriors and nobles. At the climax of the ceremonial action, the ruler appeared, often with his wife, and with a plant thorn or an obsidian knife he bled himself, making a cut on the penis. At the same time, the ruler's wife pierced her tongue. After this, they passed a rough agave rope through the wounds to increase the bleeding. Blood dripped onto strips of paper, which were then burned in the fire. Due to blood loss, as well as under the influence of drugs, fasting and other factors, ritual participants saw images of gods and ancestors in puffs of smoke.

Mayan society was built on the model of patriarchy: power and leadership in the family passed from father to son or brother. Classic Maya society was highly stratified. A clear division into social strata was observed in Tikal in the 8th century. At the very top of the social ladder were the ruler and his immediate relatives. Next came the highest and middle hereditary nobility, who had varying degrees of power, followed by retinues, artisans, architects of various ranks and status, below were rich but humble landowners, then simple communal farmers, and on the last steps were orphans and slaves . Although these groups were in contact with each other, they lived in separate city neighborhoods, had special duties and privileges, and cultivated their own customs.

The ancient Mayans did not know the technology of metal smelting. They made tools mainly from stone, but also from wood and shells. With these tools, farmers cut down forests, plowed, sowed, and harvested crops. The Mayans did not even know the potter's wheel. During production ceramic products they rolled clay into thin flagella and placed them one on top of the other or made clay plates. Ceramics were fired not in kilns, but on open fires. Both commoners and aristocrats were engaged in pottery. The latter painted vessels with scenes from mythology or palace life.
Until now, the disappearance of the Mayan civilization is a subject of debate among researchers. At the same time, there are two main points of view regarding the disappearance of the Mayan civilization - ecological and non-ecological hypotheses.

Ecological hypothesis based on the balance of the relationship between man and nature. Over time, the balance has been upset: an ever-growing population faces the problem of a lack of quality soil suitable for agriculture, as well as a shortage of drinking water. The ecological extinction hypothesis of the Maya was formulated in 1921 by O. F. Cook.

Non-ecological hypothesis covers theories of various kinds, from conquest and pestilence to climate change and other catastrophes. The version of the Mayan conquest is supported by archaeological finds of objects that belonged to another people of medieval Central America - the Toltecs. However, most researchers doubt the correctness of this version. The assumption that the cause of the crisis of the Mayan civilization was climate change, and especially drought, is expressed by geologist Gerald Haug, who studies climate change. Also, some scientists associate the collapse of the Mayan civilization with the end of Teotihuacan in Central Mexico. Some scholars believe that after Teotihuacan was abandoned, creating a power vacuum that also affected Yucatan, the Mayans were unable to fill this vacuum, which ultimately led to the decline of civilization.

In 1517, the Spaniards appeared in Yucatan under the leadership of Hernandez de Cordoba. The Spanish introduced diseases from the Old World that were previously unknown to the Mayans, including smallpox, influenza, and measles. In 1528, colonists under the leadership of Francisco de Montejo begin the conquest of northern Yucatan. However, due to geographical and political disunity, it would take the Spaniards about 170 years to completely subjugate the region. In 1697, the last independent Mayan city of Tayasal was submitted to Spain. Thus ended one of the most interesting civilizations of ancient Mesoamerica.

Mayan cities:

Guatemala: Aguateca - Balberta - Gumarkah - Dos Pilas - Ichimche - Ishkun - Yaxha - Kaminaljuyu - Cancuen - Quirigua - La Corona - Machaquila - Misco Viejo - Naachtun - Nakbe - Naranjo - Piedras Negras - Saculeu - San Bartolo - Ceibal - Cival - Tayasal - Takalik Abah - Tikal - Toposhte - Huaxactun - El Baul - El Mirador - El Peru

Mexico: Akanmul - Akanseh - Balamku - Becan - Bonampak - Ichpich - Yaxchilan - Kabah - Calakmul - Coba - Comalcalco - Kohunlich - Labna - Mayapan - Mani - Nokuchich - Oshkintok - Palenque - Rio Bec - Sayil - Sakpeten - Santa Rosa Stampak - Tancah - Tonina - Tulum - Uxmal - Haina - Tsibilchaltun - Chacmultun - Chacchoben - Chikanna - Chinkultik - Chichen Itza - Chunchukmil - Shkipche - Xpujil - Ek Balam - Edzna

Belize: Altun Ha - Karakol - Kahal Pech - Kueyo - Lamanai - Lubaantun - Nim Li Punit - Xunantunich

Honduras: Copan – El Puente

Salvador: San Andres - Tazumal - Hoya de Seren

The collective name for a tumor of hematopoietic cells is leukemia. Symptoms in children with pathology that can develop with fulminant metastasis to life important organs, at the initial stages are atypical, general in nature. Signs of leukemia in children, against the background of the body’s low ability to resist the ongoing process, at first do not give cause for particular concern and are regarded as a general malaise. Symptoms of leukemia in children begin to appear quite quickly as soon as immunity decreases and cancer cells enter all organs.

There are acute and chronic forms of the disease, but acute leukemia in children is predominant, while an adult organism with a more developed immune system and ability to resist is more often susceptible to a chronic process. Of all leukemias, acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children is characterized by a sharp onset, lightning-fast development and expected death. This type of pathology affects every 4 children out of 100 thousand. The susceptibility of this terrible disease to the age group of children 2–5 years old makes it especially urgent to identify the first uncharacteristic symptoms of leukemia in children at a stage when there is still a possibility of a favorable prognosis.

The course of the disease is approximately the same in children and adults, but the development of a fulminant scenario is more typical for children. A chronic process that can be observed in adulthood is rare in children. The age at which the first signs of leukemia most often develop is characterized by the absence of immunity transferred to intrauterine development, and insufficient development of one’s own ability to resist. For parents who are not aware of what blood cell cancer is, external symptoms before the onset of the active stage look like signs of general ailments. The baby’s complaints are attributed to cold symptoms, fatigue, overwork, and food intoxication.

The first signs of leukemia are indeed not very diagnosable unless laboratory and instrumental tests have been done. Meanwhile, the child’s body begins to develop fatal disease, which in modern medicine is classified based on structural changes in leukocytes, and whether it can be influenced is not always known. The destructive effect exerted by blasts on blood cells determines:

• lymphoblastic, or leukocytic, leukemia;
• myeloid, with damage to granulocytes in the leukocyte fraction;
• erythroblastic.

All - acute lymphoblastic leukemia - is the most common form of the disease in the age group from 2 to 5, but in acute form it is observed up to 15 years of age. Lymphoblasts that contribute to the emergence and development of the pathological process are groups of heterogeneous malignant tumors, which manifest themselves due to the presence of certain immunophenotypic and genetic characteristics and gradually replace healthy blood cells, preventing them from maturing due to the attacks produced. The disease itself manifests itself only at the stage when the number of blasts prevails over the presence of healthy leukocytes. Treatment of acute leukemia is still possible with early stage, but the detection of acute leukemia, unfortunately, often occurs in cases where the pathological process has become irreversible.

Symptoms at an early stage of the disease

Although acute leukemia in children they occur approximately 3 times less frequently than in adults; the initial symptoms, stages of development of the disease, and especially its early manifestations, may look approximately the same. Leukemia in children initial stage The pathological process looks like a manifestation of a harmless ailment, the etiology of which often remains unclear until the development of a threatening scenario. How to find out what leukemia is, which manifests itself as follows:

• sleep disturbances and increased sweating at night;
• seemingly causeless jumps in low-grade fever;
• lack of appetite, accompanied by nausea or vomiting for no reason;
• frequent headaches;
• pain and swelling of the joints;
• increased fatigue.

The initial signs of leukemia in children with such a typical picture can only be seen by a specialized specialist, and even then, based on the uneven enlargement of the lymph nodes, which is not observed in every specific case. The time at which leukemia manifests itself, symptoms in children with vague signs, pathological proliferation and the prevalence of lymphoblasts reaches the bone marrow tissue.

Childhood leukemia at an early stage is very difficult to diagnose due to the vagueness of external signs.

Late symptoms and stages of disease development

The answer to the questions of how possible treatment is and whether leukemia in children is curable is possible in a positive sense if therapy began at the earliest stages, when lymphoblasts have not yet become predominant. When intoxication and hemorrhagic syndromes are joined threatening symptoms impending catastrophe, treatment of leukemia in children involves only minor measures to improve the quality of life. During this period, the symptoms of the disease are visible with alarming clarity:

• tumor intoxication leads to frequent nausea and vomiting, trembling eyeballs, severe headache;
• developing anemia is possible, murmurs appear in the heart when listening;
• sudden weight loss occurs, accompanied by apathy and lethargy;
• hyperplastic syndrome can occur in enlarged lymph nodes and internal organs;
• hemorrhagic syndrome may be accompanied by stomach and nosebleeds;
• the child’s exposure to infectious diseases reaches its maximum against the background of a depleted immune system;
• With combined pathologies, more atypical symptoms also appear.

With total defeat, childhood leukemia, the symptoms of which were subtle and barely noticeable, is simply a terrible picture. In modern oncology, several options are distinguished: the scenario develops at lightning speed; the disease goes through three stages (remission and relapse after treatment) and in some cases the disease is cured. Parents always have hope for a successful outcome, but it is not always possible to achieve it.

Causes of the disease

The etiology of its occurrence, like any tumor pathology, has not yet been clarified. It is assumed that leukemia in newborns is a consequence past diseases or negative influences in the prenatal period. However, the possibility that the newborn was affected by factors at the genetic level cannot be ruled out either. What triggered the development mechanism oncological pathology up to a year: whether the same perinatal factors, pathology at the gene level, or the pathological influence of external conditions of appearance already acquired in the period after childbirth - can only be said with a certain degree of probability. The most common versions include:

• radiation exposure;
• congenital genetic abnormalities;
• exposure to certain chemicals;
• the impact of frequent infections that affect children with weak immune systems;
• intrauterine developmental anomalies.

The remaining, untraceable causes of occurrence remain idiopathic for modern medicine, and it is not yet possible to reliably establish the causes of leukemia in children. It was possible to establish as accurately as possible that the process can develop during the treatment of other oncopathologies, and that leukemia is not transmitted as an infectious disease.

Treatment of leukemia in children

The main method of treating leukemia in children is polychemotherapy. Prescribed according to protocol, it can be variable, but often the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children it is carried out to induce remission with parallel destruction of blast cells. There are several possible options therapy to eliminate symptoms in children by carefully eliminating concurrent triggers while determining a dose of drugs that will not cause harm to health. Leukemia in children, which is treated with parallel chemotherapy, usually leads to remission. At the same time, the immune system is stimulated, because one of the reasons why children suffer from leukemia is a weakened immune system, which is normally capable of suppressing aggressive cells.

Symptomatic therapy is determined by direct observation of the patient. The associated infection requires antibacterial and antiviral drugs, blood transfusions are performed, and hemorrhagic syndrome is treated with hemostatic agents. Leukemia in a child requires mandatory detoxification, balanced nutrition, vitamins, sterile and warm food, and exclusion of any probiotics from the diet. Blood leukemia in the remission stage leads to consolidation, during which they try to eliminate the slightest manifestations of the disease, eliminate possible causes of relapse and, upon achieving a favorable result, begin maintenance therapy. This stage of treatment can last several years. Childhood leukemia that has been cured requires constant monitoring of the condition to exclude possible relapses. Sometimes the remains of tumors linger in the blood of children or in the bone marrow, and they are not visible during instrumental analysis. To date, they possible elimination predicted only with the help of molecular genetics, which is not yet available to the attending physician.

Forecasts and overall results

The overall results of the fight against the disease are disappointing. Sometimes the treatment process is completed successfully, but in percentage the resulting disorder wins more often than medicine and the child’s body. Until the possible, but real reasons leukemia in children and it is not the symptoms that arise after the lesion that will be eliminated, but the mechanism that gives rise to their occurrence, significant success in the fight against leukemia in children, the causes of which are unknown, is unlikely to be achieved.

Every day new drugs are tested, innovative effects of long-known components are discovered, hundreds of people are cured with their help, but it is unknown what provokes the emergence of the mechanism and when a breakthrough will be made that will help cure leukemia. Constant research, drugs, modern chemistry, therapy, pediatrics, oncology still do not know what the distinctive symptoms of the pathology are at an early stage and carry out treatment when the disease becomes irreversible. But their tireless work gives us hope that soon it will be possible to be cured, just as cholera and plague were cured in their time.

Oncological diseases, rightfully considered the plague of the 21st century, do not spare even children. According to statistics, the leading position among pediatric oncology is occupied by leukemia - a pathology of blood cells. It accounts for 35% of cases and is more often diagnosed in boys. It is important to recognize leukemia in time; symptoms in children detected at an early stage will not lead to serious complications. Let's take a closer look at what it is terrible pathology in order to take timely measures and save the child’s life.

Leukemia - what is it

Leukemia, or leukemia, leukemia, is a malignant tumor pathology that affects hematopoietic and lymphatic tissue. Leukemia in children is characterized by a change in bone marrow blood flow, accompanied by the replacement of healthy blood cells immature blasts of the leukocyte series.

The number of children suffering from leukemia is growing steadily. Child mortality from blood cancer is high.

Leukemia in a child is characterized by an uncontrollable accumulation of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow.

There are two forms of leukemia:

1. Acute, characterized by the absence of red blood cell production and the production of a large number of white immature cells.
2. The chronic form is accompanied by long-term replacement healthy cells pathological white blasts. Characterized by a more gentle course. According to statistics, patients diagnosed with chronic blood leukemia live for 1 year or more.

Leukemia is not characterized by the flow of forms.

There are lymphoblastic and non-lymphoblastic types of acute leukemia.

Lymphoblastic leukemia is formed from lymphoblasts located in the red bone marrow, which subsequently spread to the lymph nodes and spleen.

Diagnosed in children over 1 year of age.

Nonlymphoblastic leukemia, or myeloid, is characterized by the formation of a myeloid blood cell tumor, accompanied by a very rapid proliferation of white blood cells. This type of pathology is diagnosed less frequently. Boys and girls aged two to three years are at risk.

Why does malignant pathology appear?

Scientists are still unclear about some of the causes of leukemia in children. However, there are some theoretical and practical justifications for answering the question of why children suffer from leukemia. Highlight following reasons leukemia in children:

1. Genetic predisposition. Pathological genes are formed as a result of intrauterine chromosomal changes, which produce substances that prevent the maturation of healthy cells.
2. Viral infection of the body. As a result suffered by the child diseases of viral etiology, for example, chicken pox, mononucleosis, ARVI, etc., viruses are integrated into the cellular genome.
3. Immunodeficiency. The immune system cannot cope with the destruction of foreign organisms and ceases to destroy its own pathological cells, including malignant ones.
4. Radiation causes mutations in blood cells. Risk factors include maternal exposure to radiation (X-rays, tomography) during gestation, as well as living in a radioactive zone.
5. Adverse habits of parents, especially mothers. Smoking, drinking alcohol and drug addiction.
6. Secondary leukemia after radiation or chemotherapy for another cancer.

Leukemia also develops in children due to the formation of ozone holes as a result of active solar radiation. The causes of leukemia in children also lie in genetic pathologies, such as Down syndrome, Bloom syndrome, etc., as well as polycythemia.

How to recognize pathology

Typically, the first signs of leukemia manifest themselves gradually and are accompanied by symptoms characteristic of other pathologies:

• increased fatigue;
• lack of appetite;
• sleep disorder;
• causeless increase in temperature;
• bone and joint pain.

As you can see, these signs of leukemia in children are similar to the symptoms of a common cold. They are often accompanied by the appearance of red spots throughout the body, as well as an enlargement of the liver and spleen.

This requires immediate medical attention.

There are cases childhood leukemia, the symptoms of which are characterized by a sudden manifestation of severe poisoning of the body (nausea, vomiting, weakness) or bleeding, most often nasal.

Symptoms of leukemia in children depend on the characteristics of the development of the malignant disease. Pathological cells, affecting the body, continue to actively reproduce, leading to an acute form of leukemia.

It is characterized by following symptoms leukemia in children:

1. A sharp drop in hemoglobin. Anemia develops, accompanied by lethargy, muscle pain, and rapid fatigue.
2. A decrease in platelet levels provokes the development hemorrhagic syndrome, manifested by various hemorrhages, bleeding from the nose, gums, stomach, intestines, and lungs. Even a scratch becomes a source of active bleeding in children.
3. Immunodeficiency syndrome manifests itself as a result of an increased concentration of leukocytes in the blood, which makes the child’s body vulnerable to infectious and inflammatory processes. Gingivitis, stomatitis, tonsillitis and other infections often occur. Very often, children with leukemia die due to the development of severe forms of pneumonia or sepsis.
4. Intoxication of the body is manifested in childhood leukemia by a feverish state, anorexia, vomiting, and leads to the development of malnutrition. Dangerous complication of leukemic infiltration of the brain.
5. Cardiovascular disorders with signs of tachycardia, arrhythmia, changes in the heart muscle.
6. Pronounced pallor or yellowness of the mucous membranes and epidermis.
7. Painful enlargement of lymph nodes.
8. When the brain is damaged due to leukemia, children experience dizziness, migraine-like pain, and paresis of the limbs.

Leukemia in newborns is recognized by obvious developmental delays.

There are three stages of leukemia; according to the symptoms in children, they manifest themselves as follows:

1. The initial stage is expressed by a slight deterioration in health (early signs are described above).
2. The advanced stage occurs against the background of pronounced symptoms listed earlier. Everyone talks about the need for a complete examination of the body to exclude serious diseases.
3. There is no cure for the terminal stage. Accompanied by complete hair loss, severe pain syndrome, the formation of metastases, leading to the active spread of pathological cells and leukemic damage to the entire body.

Seeing a doctor, early diagnosis of blood cancer, and strict adherence to all medical prescriptions will help prevent irreversible consequences.

Diagnosis of leukemia

The main responsibility in recognizing the primary manifestations of leukemia lies with the pediatrician, and then the child is treated by an oncohematologist.

Childhood leukemia is recognized using the following laboratory tests:

• clinical blood test;
• Strenal puncture and myelogram are mandatory methods in the diagnosis of leukemia;
• trephine biopsy;
• cytochemical, cytogenetic and immunological studies;
• Ultrasound of internal organs, as well as lymph nodes, salivary glands, scrotum;
• radiography;
• CT scan.

In addition, mandatory consultation with a neurologist and ophthalmologist is required.

Treatment of a serious illness

Unfortunately, the most common question, whether leukemia in children can be treated, cannot be answered unambiguously. Statistics operate on the following facts: 10-20% of children cannot be cured. However, doctors claim that leukemia in children is not a death sentence, and 80-90% of children are cured thanks to early diagnosis and the possibilities of modern medicine.

The main goal in the treatment of blood cancer is the destruction of all immature blast cells of the leukocyte series through the use of complex therapy.

Treatment of leukemia in children is carried out strictly in a hospital under the constant supervision of medical personnel. Since the child’s body is susceptible to rapid infection, he is given a separate room, external contact is excluded, and he is required to wear a bandage that protects the respiratory organs.

With leukemia in children, the treatment of which requires a lot of time and effort, it is important for parents to be patient and support the child in everything to achieve a stable remission of the disease.

Main therapeutic method for leukemia is polychemotherapy, carried out with strict adherence to the rules, timing and dose of drugs. The main task of the doctor is to select the exact dosage of medications in order to destroy pathological cells and not harm health little patient. Often the treatment process is accompanied by very serious condition sick.

In addition to chemotherapy treatment of leukemia, the attending physician prescribes immunotherapy, including the administration of BCG, smallpox, and leukemia cell vaccines.

In some cases, bone marrow and stem cell transplants are used.

Based on the symptoms children exhibit, treatment for leukemia may vary.

In general, therapy that eliminates the symptoms of the disease includes the following procedures:

• blood transfusion;
• prescribing hemostatic drugs for hemorrhagic syndrome;
• antibiotics to treat infections that often accompany leukemia;
• detoxification by plasmapheresis, hemosorption.

Therapy for childhood leukemia is supported by proper balanced nutrition:

• refusal of fatty, spicy, pickled products;
• limiting the consumption of semi-finished products;
• eating fresh, just cooked food in warm liquid form;
• complete exclusion of probiotics.

Is it possible to prevent re-development leukemia? Doctors respond positively if you strictly follow medical recommendations and lead a healthy lifestyle.

What are the prognosis of the disease?

Lack of treatment for blood cancer in children leads to fatal outcome. If detected early, leukemia is curable in 80% of cases. More often favorable outcome observed in the absence of relapses after chemotherapy for 5 years.

If the disease has not manifested itself for about 7 years, complete relief from the terrible illness is possible.

A less favorable outcome is in the chronic form of myeloid leukemia, as well as in the development of leukemia in a newborn (up to 1 year old) child.

However, these data are conditional; a complete relapse can also occur with acute leukemia. It is difficult to say exactly what affects the prognosis and course of the disease. It depends on each specific case.

The main thing to remember is that at the first symptoms of leukemia in children, you should immediately contact medical institution. The life of a little patient depends on your actions and competent treatment prescribed by the doctor.

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