Encephalopathy in children. Encephalopathy in children

Encephalopathy in children is one of the most dangerous and terrible painful conditions that can be accompanied by congenital or acquired factors.

The disease is represented by a group of pathological processes in the nervous system; it is not inflammatory in nature.

In essence, encephalopathy in children is a disorder in the brain related to diffuse type. As a result of the disease, there is a reduction in the number nerve cells, as well as their subsequent destruction process. These disorders can be accompanied by a huge number of symptoms, so it is worth taking into account the basic groups.

Causal factors of the disease

Factor characteristics that give rise to education of this disease, may be congenital or acquired. Representatives of the first category usually dominate.

This encephalopathy occurs quite rarely in newborns, and it can be triggered by various causative factors.

There are several causal phenomena within which this disease:

the birth of a baby at too young or, conversely, an adult age;
long therapeutic process for infertility, abortions and miscarriages, their abuse;
diseases of a maternal nature during pregnancy, most often cerebral encephalopathy in children is caused by such ailments as heart defect, hypertension, diabetes, influenza, kidney pathologies;
if there is a threat of miscarriage, there is a huge risk of encephalopathy;
provoke the development of a diagnosis of encephalopathy in children and abuse bad habits and food, as well as medicines;
causes may be toxicosis, excessive exposure to radiation and work in hazardous working conditions.

The congenital nature of the disease can occur when encephalopathy manifests itself during complications during the birth process. This can be caused by birth trauma, placental abruption, slow birth process, underdeveloped female pelvis, large head, irrational position of the baby in the womb.

Neonatal encephalopathy can manifest itself in the first days of a baby’s life.

Purulent infectious processes, hemolytic diseases, oxygen starvation - all this can give rise to the manifestation of the disease.

Residual form of the disease

Let's see what it is - this type illness, and are there any current methods therapeutic process. If a doctor has made this type of diagnosis, most likely a neurological deficit has previously occurred.

Often it represents a residual pathological process from diseases that were previously suffered.

Most often this applies to pathologies of the central nervous system and brain. In a child, this disease has several manifestations and types of classification.

Symptomatic picture of the disease

The signs of this phenomenon depend on the type of brain part affected and on the nature of the damaging moment. There is no such situation when all phenomena are present at once, but they can be combined and have a clear overall expression. The division of such a phenomenon as organic brain damage in children occurs within four main stages.

Let's look at them in more detail.

Acute period. During this process, there is the possibility of coma formation, which may have different depths. The defeat is also accompanied motor disorders, depression of the central nervous system, excessive lethargy and convulsions, increased excitability of the neuro-reflex type.
Recovery period. At this time, the following signs of brain damage in newborns are traditionally encountered: convulsive state, nervous system disorders, movement disorders, developmental delays, heart rhythm problems and frequent regurgitation.
Period perinatal conditions. In this case, there is a possibility that the child will not have a sucking reflex. In this case, states of arrhythmia are often observed, as well as inflammatory processes. All this is accompanied by constant excitability, which is combined with weakness.

If we are talking about a residual form of the disease, we can often talk about the following symptoms:

problems with motor functions;
gag reflex and feeling of nausea;
frequent changes in emotional state;
poor memory function for a baby.

Thus, this syndrome is easy to resolve if proper compliance with all therapeutic rules is ensured.

Consequences of the disease in adult life

The disease is quite dangerous and has certain consequences in adult life.

IN childhood During the course of the disease, disturbances in the functioning of the brain occur, which can lead to serious complications:

complex epileptic seizures;
state of paralysis and paresis;
decreased memory and intelligence function;
problems with the emotional area;
mood changes observed frequently;
depressive and stress disorders;
migraine and dizziness.

There are many signs of this type of lesion, and all of them should be taken into account.

Diagnostic measures for childhood encephalopathy

It is not difficult to determine the syndrome in children under one year of age; several diagnostic methods are used for this. Most often, instrumental examinations of the baby’s affected area are used.

Usually the doctor prescribes magnetic resonance imaging, computer analysis of information, and electroencephalography.

Additionally, the specialist must interview the patient for signs of illness, as well as study his medical history in full. This will make diagnostic measures more accurate and identify this disease.

Features of the therapeutic complex

Therapy of encephalopathy is a process that requires an integrated approach and mandatory consideration of certain difficulties. In this case we're talking about about the focus on eliminating causal factors And operative recovery damaged and affected elements.

In general, the treatment of encephalopathy in children includes several traditional areas that should be taken into account:

the use of drugs responsible for the restoration and prevention of damage, these are PIRACETAM, TIOCETAM;
also relevant is the use vitamin compositions related to group B, they help improve metabolic reactions;
drug groups vascular action used in practical sphere in order to improve blood circulation options, a representative of this group is CAVINGTON;
funds sedative effect, as well as tranquilizers, they are used to reduce damage.

For the treatment of a newborn baby plays an important role rational use these drug groups.

Also on the list of recommendations are measures such as balanced intake nutrients along with food, various physiotherapeutic activities, therapeutic exercises. Thus, it is possible to cope with an illness in an infant quite simply if it is treated rationally and competently.

Prognosis for treatment of encephalopathy in childhood

Most often, the disease, no matter how old the child is, ends with a full return to normal, but sometimes unpredictable consequences. There is a possibility that the disease in newborns may become more complicated, and the child in adulthood will encounter pathologies such as delays in mental development, problems with motor functions, brain functions, and hydrocephalus.

If therapy for the underlying disease was not carried out in a timely manner, and was also discovered quite late, there is a possibility of several problems:

epilepsy;
hydrocephalus;
mental retardation.

At an older age and with adequate intake healing process the risk of complications is equal to zero.

Smirnova Olga Leonidovna

Neuropathologist, education: First Moscow State University medical university named after I.M. Sechenov. Work experience 20 years.

Articles written

Encephalopathy is a group of diseases that affect a child's brain. They are non-inflammatory in nature and are associated with damage to brain cells and disruption of their normal functioning.

The effectiveness of treatment of the disease depends on many reasons: on the severity and degree of neglect of the lesion, on the presence of other diseases, especially systemic and severe, chronic ones, the age of the patient and his susceptibility to medications.

Consequences

In most cases, with proper and timely treatment, the prognosis for the child’s condition is positive. It is almost always possible to cope with the disease, but children with such lesions must remain under medical supervision to prevent complications or relapses.

In the absence of treatment, incorrect or untimely prescribed intervention, the following consequences may appear in adulthood:

Complications in the form epileptic seizures. Epilepsy is the most common consequence congenital encephalopathy.
Paresis or paralysis, mostly flaccid.
Emotional problems, mainly manifested by mood swings from normal condition to affected and then to depression.
The development of migraines, sometimes very severe and prolonged.
Memory impairment.
Decrease in intellectual level.

Predictions are based on an assessment of the severity of the condition and how well the child's body responds to the steps taken in treatment.

What is perinatal encephalopathy: a lifelong sentence or a common treatable disease?

Encephalopathy is an organic lesion or damage to human brain tissue by various factors.

The perinatal period is the period from the 28th week of pregnancy to the seventh day after birth. The perinatal period consists of three parts: antenatal (from the 28th week of pregnancy to childbirth), intranatal period (the period of childbirth itself) and postnatal (from childbirth to the seventh day of life).

Perinatal encephalopathy in children is a serious and very dangerous disease with a huge number of consequences, received by a child during the perinatal period and representing a lesion of the most important organ that forms a person’s personality - the brain.

Danger level perinatal encephalopathy in newborns depends on the degree and severity of damage to brain tissue, as well as on the specific type of affected area. First of all, a serious lesion can disrupt the physical-motor and rational functions of the body. Consequences of perinatal encephalopathy: impaired vision, hearing, speech (if the speech center is affected), convulsive activity, memory and consciousness disorders, paralysis - complete or partial, general weakness, frequent dizziness and loss of consciousness, delayed psychomotor development, and much more, since the concept of encephalopathy is a very general term huge amount disorders, some of which may not even appear.

Many modern mothers, having heard such a diagnosis, unfortunately, try to interrupt long-awaited pregnancy or they abandon children in the maternity hospital, fearing that they will end up with a severely disabled or mentally handicapped child. But with such a diagnosis often made, most children are able to lead an active, full-fledged lifestyle, if the diagnosis is made on time and treatment is started.

You shouldn’t write your baby off and take the diagnosis as a death sentence. All human organs have increased regeneration in early age, which is especially pronounced in infants, and the consequences of perinatal encephalopathy in adulthood may not even appear, it is only necessary special treatment, leave correct image life.

Consequences in adulthood

In adult life, the disease suffered at an early age can have residual severe consequences:

Epilepsy.
Mental retardation.
Violation of any body functions.
psychoneurological diseases.
Autonomic-visceral dysfunctions - disturbances in the functioning of any internal organs due to incorrect signals sent by the brain.
Disorders of memory and consciousness.

But with proper care you can minimize possible risks:

Hyperactivity syndrome and attention disorders.
Headaches and tinnitus, dizziness.
Physical weakness, fatigue and increased morbidity.
Lack of activity and lack of initiative.
Narrowed circle of interests.
Absent-mindedness.
Tendency to depression.

With minimal lesions or lesions of not too vital parts of the brain and a timely diagnosis, complete recovery from perinatal encephalopathy in newborns is also possible. Almost all sick children in adulthood are fully functional citizens who can take care of themselves.

Probable causes

Encephalopathy in newborns can be caused by a huge number of factors, which explains its wide prevalence. The intrauterine development of a child and his nervous system is such a fragile process that it is extremely easy to disrupt it by any negative impact. The placental barrier is, of course, great protective power nature, but, unfortunately, he cannot protect from everything and, especially from the stupidity of the mother herself. Here is an incomplete list of causes of perinatal encephalopathy in children:

The most common reason for diagnosis is pregnancy pathologies, all kinds of birth injuries received during labor disruption or medical error, shock to the abdominal area, thermal overload during pregnancy, etc.
In second place is toxic encephalopathy in newborns, caused by the penetration of harmful toxins through the placental barrier, most often of alcohol, drugs, nicotine or medication origin.
In third place is encephalopathy in infants, caused by fetal hypoxia for various reasons.
An autoimmune conflict caused by a difference in the Rh factors of the blood of the mother and child carries the risk of this disease.
Unsuccessful independent attempts to terminate an unwanted pregnancy cause not only perinatal encephalopathy in newborns, but also many other serious abnormalities.
Chronic diseases and infectious diseases suffered by the mother during pregnancy can be transmitted to the child and destroy the fragile process of fetal formation. Thus, infection with rubella during pregnancy is a factor in its mandatory medical termination at any stage.
The borderline age of a woman or a man may be the cause of the production of defective germ cells, which as a consequence leads to developmental disorders, including prenatal encephalopathy.
Early age of parents when reproductive system parents are underformed.
Stress during pregnancy does not seem to be a serious risk factor for young mothers, however, excess hormones easily penetrate the placental barrier and are transmitted to the child’s nervous system. Excessive content adrenaline and cortisol burns neurons in adults, and an unformed children’s brain can be seriously damaged, because during the period of intensive development, every cell counts, from which this or that organ or part of the brain is ultimately formed, etc.

Prematurity of the fetus causes in newborns, expressed in the underdevelopment of its parts. This syndrome may well go away easily during age-related development, or it may, on the contrary, remain if the development of the brain was stopped or disrupted by some factors.
Malnutrition of the mother is another cause of various developmental abnormalities, which is rarely taken seriously. The fact is that all the organs and cells of the child are formed from substances received by the mother’s body. If the mother is sharply lacking some substance, vitamin or mineral, then the body’s self-defense mechanism turns on, which does not allow the baby to take the last remnants. The absence of the necessary building material is a disruption of the entire process of constructing a new organism, resulting in deviations physical development, low quality immunity and muscular system, weakness and underdevelopment of internal organs, as well as deviations in the development of the nervous system, including encephalopathy of the newborn. Periodic desires expectant mother ice cream at three in the morning or jam from potatoes is not a whim caused by hormonal mood swings, but a child’s real need for building materials.
Disturbed ecological situation around a pregnant mother can be affected by a whole complex of reasons that cause disturbances in its natural course. There is stress, toxin poisoning, hypoxia due to carbon dioxide, and many other factors.

The huge number of traumatic factors surrounding a pregnant mother in the modern world has led to the spread of the diagnosis of perinatal encephalopathy in the newborn. In most cases, these are minor disorders that go away by adulthood or do not cause significant symptoms. Many newborns, without undergoing a special examination, suffered this syndrome unnoticed by their parents and doctors. But there are also the opposite cases, when a small deviation does not return to normal over time, but, on the contrary, grows and worsens with development, causing irreparable harm to the child. For timely detection It is necessary to have an idea of the symptoms of encephalopathy in newborns and promptly consult a doctor at their first manifestations.

Symptoms of perinatal encephalopathy

Identify the symptoms of encephalopathy in infants early stages development is very difficult. The point is that small deviations in the erratic movements and incoherent cooing of a newborn are invisible to an untrained eye and become noticeable only by the age of six months, and mental disorders even later - already in the conscious period.

Perinatal encephalopathy, symptoms in newborns:

Absence or weakness of the sucking and or swallowing reflex.
Deviations in muscle tone newborn
Too violent a reaction or lack thereof to various stimuli.
Sleep disorders. Restless sleep. Sleepless nights with constant crying.
Sharp, rapid raising of arms and legs.
Frequent regurgitation.
Convulsions and epileptic seizures.
High or low blood pressure.

Perinatal encephalopathy in older children can manifest itself as:

Syndrome of increased excitability.
Convulsive syndrome.
Lethargy, inactivity, apathy, lack of any reflexes, vital depression important functions. Collectively, these symptoms are called “comatose syndrome.”
Promotions intracranial pressure, caused by a consequence of perinatal encephalopathy - excess fluid in the brain (Hypertension-hydrocephalus).
Hyperactivity.
Violation motor functions, increased awkwardness and carelessness.
Vegetovascular dysfunction, causing both constant belching, indigestion and stool disorders, as well as various skin symptoms.
Retardation in physical and or mental development.
Depression.
Sleep disorders.
Speech disorders.
Lack of clarity in expressing your thoughts.
Migraines and acute headaches.

Varieties

Perinatal encephalopathy is primarily divided into simply encephalopathy with established cause occurrence and perinatal encephalopathy unspecified.

Perinatal encephalopathy unspecified - perinatal encephalopathy in newborns caused by unspecified factors (the cause of its occurrence is not clear).

Encephalopathy unspecified is a more difficult type of encephalopathy to treat, since treatment is based only on minimizing the consequences without eliminating the causes of its occurrence, which can result in residual encephalopathy at an older age.

Residual encephalopathy is the residual manifestations of the disease or its consequences some time after the disease or brain injury.

Unspecified encephalopathy in children is dangerous due to lack of follow-up treatment and confusion of symptoms with other disorders of the child’s nervous system.

Unconfirmed encephalopathy in newborns is a type of disease in which symptoms of encephalopathy appear that are not caused by brain damage.

There are also subtypes of perinatal encephalopathy:

Posthypoxic perinatal encephalopathy caused by lack of oxygen.

Transient or discirculatory - caused by impaired blood circulation in the brain.
Hypoxic-ischemic – arising against the background of hypoxia, complicated by circulatory disorders.
- caused by the action of toxins.
Radiation encephalopathy – developed under the influence of radiation.
Ischemic encephalopathy - caused by destructive processes (destruction processes) in certain areas of brain tissue.
Encephalopathy of mixed origin, most often related to unconfirmed encephalopathy in newborns.

This is not the entire list of encephalopathic subspecies, subdivided according to the causes of occurrence and area of localization of the disease.

Diagnosis of encephalopathy

The presence of symptoms characteristic of the disease is not yet a reason to diagnose final diagnosis. If encephalopathy is suspected, which is quite easily confused with other diseases of the nervous system, thorough examination:

General tests that reveal inflammatory processes, including in the brain, and disruption of the body systems.
Magnetic resonance imaging.
Electroneuromyography – modern method, testing the sensitivity of peripheral nerve fibers.
An electroencephalogram, which detects epileptic signs by recording the electrical potentials of the brain.
Neurosonography is an ultrasound scan of a child’s brain, which is performed on almost all children as a preventive measure.

Prognosis for children who have had the disease

In most cases, even in the absence obvious symptoms encephalopathy, automatic preventive examination all risk categories, which currently include the majority of the world’s population.

At early diagnosis and not too advanced brain lesions, the child most often recovers and has no deviations in the future. Such cases are the most common, since the plasticity of the growing child's body very high. Even children who have developmental disabilities can become independent, practically healthy people.

Epilepsy.
Decreased activity.
, small mental disorders etc., which do not overly poison the patient’s life and do not interfere with the people around him.

Severe cases consequently entail more dire consequences:

Paralysis.
Mental disability.
Disability.
Early mortality.
Life restrictions (ban on certain products, mandatory procedures, etc.)

Severe consequences occur quite rarely and mainly in the absence of proper treatment and care, which is most often the fault of parents leading an immoral lifestyle (alcoholics, drug addicts) or in low-income or large families where there is not enough money or time to properly care for the baby, or a cruel decision was made to direct them to normal children, and not to bother with a defective child. With the right efforts, severe injuries can have very moderate consequences.

Treatment of a child

Self-medication of perinatal encephalopathy in children is out of the question.

Treatment takes a lot of effort and is carried out exclusively with medication and physiotherapeutic methods. It is very long constant monitoring from the attending physician.

With mild to moderate symptoms, sick children remain on home treatment, which consists of taking medications, physiotherapeutic procedures and periodic observation.

Severe disorders are treated exclusively in a hospital and may even require surgical intervention, for example in case of hydroencephalic syndrome or damage caused by various tumors, hematomas or death of too large areas.

Treatment is prescribed in a variety of ways, depending on the type and causes of damage, and consists of several interconnected blocks:

Eliminating the cause of the disease.
Treatment of damaged tissue.
Normalization of the nervous system and stabilization of its signals.
Restoring body functions.
General rehabilitation therapy.
Prevention of resistance.

As a restorative therapy and additional assistance in treatment, they often resort to procedures from traditional medicine, which can only be prescribed by a doctor. By independently interfering with the course of treatment, parents can cause irreparable harm to their child.

Prevention of disease in newborns

The diagnosis of perinatal encephalopathy, of course, in most cases is not a death sentence, however, it is much easier to prevent its development in a baby than to deal with the consequences all his life.

There are times when the mother is powerless to do anything: an accidental blow or a broken labor activity, but often the cause of the disease is simply an incorrect lifestyle or genetic predisposition.

Modern medicine has already discovered many ways to deceive nature at the genetic level and give birth absolutely healthy baby at almost any age and with any genetic pathologies. It is enough to plan your pregnancy correctly and conduct a thorough examination, based on which you can choose correct method actions.

It is also easy to insure against accidents by preparing for pregnancy in advance and preparing for childbirth for all 9 months. In order to avoid all kinds of birth injuries, there is no need to abandon cesarean section, which has become very common and quite easy procedure, if there is even the slightest indication for it, and also choose in advance good hospital where the birth will take place.

Pregnancy lasts only 9 months and many women experience it only once or twice in their lives. This is not such a long period of time in which you can be patient and take care of your child, while at the same time protecting yourself from big trouble in the future.

Encephalopathy is damage to the brain or some part of it caused by a variety of reasons.

Residual - not fully treated, secondary or returning.

Residual encephalopathy, what is it: untreated encephalopathy or cured, the consequences of which gave secondary complications to the brain after a long period of time after the disease.

Types of encephalopathies are divided according to the causes of the disease and are divided into two large blocks: congenital encephalopathy in children and acquired encephalopathy.

Congenital in children - acquired during the period from the 28th week of pregnancy to the seventh day after birth in the so-called perinatal period.
Acquired - the one that a person received during independent life.

In the perinatal period, this deviation in the child occurs partly due to the fault of parents or doctors and is caused by birth injuries, in the wrong way mother's life, her use of alcohol, drugs, toxic substances, difference in Rh factors of mother and fetus, disturbed ecology environment, fetal hypoxia, a large number stress during pregnancy, various infections, pathologies of pregnancy (hydramnios, toxicosis, multiple pregnancy, etc.), lack of nutrition and vitamins, due to blows to the abdominal area during pregnancy, genetic failures, as well as too old or too young age of the child’s parents and other factors that can affect the development of the baby’s nervous system and brain.

Acquired cerebral encephalopathy may have even more probable causes occurrence and, like perinatal, is divided into several types:

Toxic – destruction or damage to brain tissue under the influence of poisons or harmful substances.
Post-traumatic – resulting from injury or illness, such as a brain tumor or concussion.
Dyscirculatory – caused by a disorder cerebral circulation or circulation of brain fluids.
Radiation – destruction of brain cells under the influence of radiation.
Metabolic – caused by metabolic changes against the background of disturbances of natural processes within the body and diseases of internal organs.
Vascular - caused by a temporary or permanent cessation of blood flow to the brain or part of it.
Unspecified – encephalopathy with unknown reason occurrence.
Unconfirmed – symptoms of encephalopathy caused by another disease of the nervous system.

Diagnosis and treatment

In children, both types of disease occur, which are similar in their effect on the body and symptoms. The only difference between them is age period occurrence. General symptoms of cerebral encephalopathy in children:

Violation reflex activity, in the perinatal period may manifest itself in the absence of sucking or swallowing reflexes.
Impaired speech and development of the child, both mental and physical.
Increased convulsive activity or, conversely, decreased muscle tone.
Hyperactivity and hyperexcitability, frequent crying in young children, short and restless sleep.
Apathy, lethargy, lethargy, depression, absent-mindedness.
Disruption of internal organs caused by abnormal brain signals.
Motor dysfunction, which can manifest itself both overtly and covertly - in increased clumsiness and clubbed hands.
Memory impairment, inattention.
Disruption of metabolic processes, including digestive disorders.
Mental disorders.

Diagnosis is carried out prophylactically, using mandatory Ultrasound of the brain, and therapeutically - if there is suspicion:

The simplest general analysis blood and urine to detect metabolic disorders in the body of a child or adult.
Magnetic resonance imaging.
EEG is an electroencephalogram that identifies areas of convulsive activity in the brain and areas of increased excitability, as well as symptoms of epilepsy.
Electroneuromyography, which tests the sensitivity of nerve fibers.
Nuclear magnetic resonance.

Making a diagnosis in a timely manner and starting appropriate treatment is sometimes difficult if the baby does not belong to risk groups: correct and easy course of pregnancy and childbirth, normal image life of the mother in labor and the father of the child, the absence visible symptoms. Often, residual childhood encephalopathy is diagnosed and treatment is prescribed for more than later, when she had quite a strong negative impact.

Treatment of encephalopathy in both children and adults is carried out depending on the severity of the disease, both at home, in most cases, and inpatiently in case of large quantities damage or damage to vital parts of the brain. The course of treatment can be as varied as the causes of the disease themselves; the only generalization is a long period of recovery and rehabilitation for the patient.

Consequences of primary encephalopathy

Encephalopathy of the brain in children causes less severe consequences than in adults, which is due to the flexibility and increased regeneration of the growing body. Symptoms of the disease may generally disappear with full recovery. In adults, this diagnosis almost always entails metabolic disorders, physical or mental activity, epilepsy. The adult brain, which is already formed, is much more difficult to restore neural connections and is practically no longer able to grow new brain cells, unlike a child. Also in old age in adults who have had brain injuries, a residual syndrome manifests itself - residual encephalopathy, which can be expressed in Parkinson's disease or have other symptoms.

Residual encephalopathy in children is a disorder of the brain and the entire nervous system in a child due to previous injuries to brain tissue. Most often, the diagnosis of residual encephalopathy in children is manifested in unidentified perinatal encephalopathy, when tissue destruction was stopped and even cured, but the cause that caused it remained, or when the disease had minor symptoms and was not noticed in time, going into a dormant form and making itself felt after some time. -that's the time.

Symptoms of the residual form of the disease in children: epilepsy, developmental or mental disorders, abnormalities in metabolic processes, weakness, depression, high or low blood pressure, migraines, sleep disorders. Residual encephalopathy with impaired speech formation very often develops. The symptoms of residual and ordinary in both children and adults are basically the same. The main difference is the disease acquired in mature age, does not cause disturbances in growth and development, since the body is already developed.

Sometimes from big picture Symptoms There are also exceptions, when the signs of the residual form are not associated with a damaging factor, for example, if there was residual encephalopathy with a violation of speech formation, then it can manifest itself a second time without speech deviations, but with a violation of motor skills, say, of the hands.

Summarizing all of the above, we can also say that residual encephalopathy of the brain is a disorder caused by previous disorders. Absolutely everyone has the threat of a recurrence of the disease, and in order to prevent it, it is necessary not only to treat it in a timely and efficient manner, but also to undergo regular periodic examinations, especially if the slightest symptom appears.

Treatment

Treatment of residual encephalopathy in both children and adults most often focuses on anti-inflammatory therapy and methods of improving and normalizing cerebral circulation, as well as stabilizing reflex reactions and metabolic processes. Surgery is required quite rarely for secondary manifestations of the disease, but physical therapy is given increased attention.

Parents can help their child by carefully following all doctor's instructions and prescribed medication procedures. Treatment will go much faster if the child engages in restorative procedures approved by the doctor: therapeutic exercises, swimming, reflex and motor skills training, speech classes, attend therapeutic massage and acupuncture, etc. All these procedures help to minimize the consequences of the disease and teach the patient to live full life even having any violations. However, in no case should the patient be overtired during classes, which is extremely important in children’s cases, and a decision to begin procedures should be made only after consultation with a neurologist, so as not to cause further harm.

Drug treatment and physiotherapeutic procedures can be supplemented traditional methods fight against headaches.

In the years of experience accumulated by our ancestors, there are thousands of recipes that allow us to influence the disease natural means, without side effects And toxic influence medicines. This can help: vitamin mixtures, anti-inflammatory teas, herbs, procedures and infusions that improve cerebral circulation, compounds that increase tissue regeneration and replenish the lack of important nutrients.

However, under no circumstances should you start using this or that method without consulting a doctor! And even more so replace drug treatment folk methods!!! Modern drugs- Very powerful tools with a verified algorithm of actions that can be supplemented traditional medicine, but it is impossible to replace. In addition, folk remedies can enhance the effect of a particular medicine or, on the contrary, neutralize it, disrupting a very fragile and meticulously controlled process. At best, self-medication of such severe diagnosis can lead to disability, and in many situations even to death, while with proper treatment the disease could be eliminated.

Consequences

The consequences of residual encephalopathy are, first of all, deterioration of the condition of the most important human organ – the brain. The symptoms of the disease practically do not change, the only difference is more severe manifestations of symptoms and even more difficult treatment. After the residual form of the disease, it is almost impossible to return to original health and the disease acquires, or rather, has already acquired, chronic form, and very slowly gradually destroys the human brain. In children, it may not cause Parkinson's disease or any other disease. severe consequences, lying low until an older age, until brain cells stop actively regenerating.

Prevention

Factors that can provoke residual encephalopathy in children and adults can be very different - from repeated trauma to an unfavorable environment, stress and disorders hormonal levels person.

To reduce the risk of relapse of rhizidual encephalopathy in children and adults, regular preventive examination and observation by a neurologist is necessary.
Carefully avoid the slightest bruises to the head and especially injuries.
Remember that inflammatory processes and various infections have an extremely negative effect on damaged brain tissue.
Thermal overload, both heat and cold, has a very serious effect on cerebral circulation, which can cause sudden and severe attack diseases.
Lead a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition.

Avoid risk factors: drink alcohol, smoke, be exposed to toxic substances and gases.
Do not under any circumstances be exposed to stress.
Sleep at least eight hours a day, and for children more - with a period of compulsory daytime sleep.

In addition to medicinal, general developmental and restorative procedures, the child will urgently need increased attention and care from parents. He should not feel somehow different, acquiring psychological illnesses in addition to an already very serious illness that can complicate his life. In addition, high-quality emotional tactile sensations and positive emotions They will not only encourage the baby, but also stimulate the nervous system in the right direction, which will greatly speed up healing. No matter how busy parents are with earning money for treatment, nothing can replace their love and support. It must be remembered that no matter what physical abnormalities the illness causes in him, he remains still an ordinary baby with all the joys, sorrows and childish thoughts, except that such children grow up a little faster.

Encephalopathy in children is a pathology of the brain that arises due to its organic damage. This term is applied to diseases of the central nervous system that are non-inflammatory in nature.

During the perinatal (birth) period, the cause childhood illness may become:

fetal hypoxia;
hyperbilirubinemia;
availability birth defects heart muscle, dysfunction respiratory system, hereditary diseases and sepsis;
birth trauma.

Older children suffer from the following types of exposure:

infectious;
toxic ( general poisoning organism);
traumatic (TBI).

In each case, the associated symptoms and treatment methods used will be different.

Types of pathology

Depending on the time of appearance and type of lesion, several types of disease are distinguished:

Perinatal encephalopathy (PEP).
It is caused by developmental disorders of the central nervous system and negative external influences on the fetus, starting from the 28th week of gestation and ending with the 1st week of postpartum life. Has several varieties:
residual(symptoms of pathology are not detected at the time of the onset of the lesion, but some time later);
transient(manifests itself in the form of periodic interruptions in cerebral blood supply);
bilirubin(occurs due to disturbances in the outflow of bile and subsequent poisoning of the central nervous system with free bilirubin, which when further development disease leads to the appearance of kernicterus);
hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy– HIE (caused by hypoxia leading to blockage blood vessels and impaired blood circulation in certain parts of the brain).
The hypoxic variant of the pathology can develop up to the seventh day of a child’s life. A diagnosis confirming the presence of a posthypoxic disorder is made only until the child is 1 month old. If the cause of perinatal encephalopathy in children cannot be determined, then it is classified as unspecified (mixed origin).
Postnatal (acquired) encephalopathy.
It is the result of pathologies that arose after the child was born, and is divided into several subtypes:
vascular(detected in chronic pathologies of cerebral circulation);
post-traumatic(appears under the influence of TBI);
metabolic(occurs in diseases of internal organs);
toxic(provoked by the effects of bacterial and neurotropic toxins on the central nervous system);
discirculatory(represents constantly evolving changes in brain tissue).

There is also a classification according to severity:

I degree– pathology can only be detected when instrumental diagnostics, there are no noticeable symptoms;
II degree– with moderate severity, the signs of the disease are hidden or appear in an erased or weakened form;
III degree – neurological disorders expressed to a significant extent (due to which the child becomes disabled).

Based on these two characteristics, one can get a rough idea of any variant of the course of childhood encephalopathy.

Symptomatic manifestations of childhood encephalopathy

The characteristic signs of encephalopathy will differ depending on the type and severity of the disease, but some may be found among them: similar symptoms in children of different ages.

Age category	Symptoms
Newborns	weak cry at birth; sucking reflex is absent; heart rhythm is disturbed.
Breastfed babies	there is increased anxiety and reflexive flinching; having problems sleeping; light and sound stimuli are perceived inadequately; muscles are in a state of hypertonicity or lethargy; the eyes bulge and the head falls back; regurgitation during feeding; incessant crying that lasts most of the day.
Older children	problems with memory and thinking; problems with appetite; apathy, inactivity; depression, tearfulness; increased fatigue, absent-mindedness; attacks of irritability; sleep disturbance, insomnia; regular headaches (bouts of dizziness may also occur); hearing problems; failure of gastrointestinal tract functions; violation of the pronunciation aspect of speech (dysarthria); muscle hypertonicity, pathological reflexes; increased level of intracranial pressure; eczema and streptoderma (appear as a result of damage to the vascular system).

It is possible that these symptoms will be noticeable only occasionally. In half of the cases, signs of pathology are not detected at all, and in the remaining patients, residual type encephalopathy may develop.

With this diagnosis, the symptoms will recur with a certain periodicity (exacerbating at the stage of subcompensation) or will appear only several years later from the moment when the central nervous system was injured. Exacerbation of encephalopathy may be associated with TBI and infectious diseases.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of “encephalopathy” is made by a neurologist based on data obtained after a series of studies:

laboratory:
◦ general and chemical-toxicological blood analysis;
◦ analysis cerebrospinal fluid;
◦ determination of the proportion of oxygen contained in the blood.
instrumental:
◦ CT and MRI;
◦ EEG;
◦ Ultrasound and Dopplerography of the brain;
◦ neurosonography.

It will also be useful to additionally consult with an osteopath, speech therapist, psychologist and ophthalmologist.

Treatment

If the symptoms are mild, the child can be treated at home. Otherwise, the therapy carried out by the doctor will require a hospital stay.

A child with encephalopathy may be prescribed the following procedures:

artificial ventilation of the lungs;
oxygen therapy;
eating through a tube;
hemodialysis (connection of an “artificial kidney”).

In addition, drug treatment is carried out using drugs various types, including:

infusion solutions containing magnesium, calcium, glucose or ascorbic acid;
nootropics, stimulating mental activity, improving memory and cognitive abilities;
muscle relaxants, relieving muscle hypertonicity;
hypotensive, antispasmodic and vasodilators , promoting the restoration of motor function;
anticonvulsants, used to relieve convulsive syndrome.

The use of these medications is truly necessary, although many parents leave reviews on the Internet full of concerns about how such medications can affect the child’s health. However, if they are taken under the supervision of a specialist, then there is nothing to worry about.

These drugs not only provide different impact on the body, but are also administered in different ways:

orally;
intravenously;
intramuscularly;
through electrophoresis.

Surgery may be performed to restore cerebral circulation. Most often, its endovascular version is used, which allows it not to violate the integrity of the tissues.

To improve your baby's health during recovery period he is prescribed massage sessions, physical therapy and physiotherapy. All this is recommended to be carried out after the course of therapy is completed.

Folk recipes

Fearing side effects provided by medications, parents resort to using special folk remedy for encephalopathy in children, which is prepared as follows:

Pour 2 tablespoons of rose hips into two glasses of boiling water.
Place the future infusion in a thermos and leave for three hours.
Dilute the resulting medicine with water if it turns out to be too concentrated.
Use the product 4 times daily, a third of an hour before meals.

Possible complications and consequences

Among the main consequences of cerebral encephalopathy in children are:

hydrocephalus;
epilepsy;
neurological pathologies of an irreversible nature.

Organic lesions of the central nervous system also cause numerous complications:

dementia;
increased physical activity;
hypertension;
neurocircular dystonia;
migraine;
inability to socially adapt;
problems with fine motor skills;
osteochondrosis;
impaired visual function (squint appears, visual acuity decreases);
developmental delay.

All of these pathologies are difficult to treat or are completely incurable. However, when correct selection therapeutic agents can reduce the manifestation of cerebral symptoms and reduce the likelihood of child disability.

If encephalopathy is defined as mild or moderately severe, then the prognosis will be favorable. With more severe disorders, focal neurological pathologies may appear. Naturally, someone with such a diagnosis will not be accepted into the army, and there will also be restrictions on some other types of activities.

Prevention

To ensure the prevention of encephalopathy in children, it is necessary:

prevent oxygen starvation of the child during intrauterine development;
try to avoid situations that could lead to traumatic brain injury;
provide timely treatment diseases infectious nature and protection from toxic effects.

If the child has already encountered encephalopathy, it is recommended:

monitor the status of his intracranial pressure(if this indicator increases, you must immediately contact a specialist);
try protect the baby from infectious diseases, injuries or nervous shocks;
provide baby sufficient quantity vitamins group B and other microelements.

These actions will help minimize the risk of possible relapses.

Conclusion

Childhood encephalopathy, if left untreated, can lead to serious consequences in adult life. However, timely contact with a specialist and implementation of the necessary therapeutic actions will minimize everything negative manifestations illness and even completely normalize the child’s health. Moreover, according to statistics, 1/3 of children fully recover.