Children's thymomegaly is an increase in the thymus gland in children. Such a condition is quite often diagnosed in children at an early age, and thymomegaly is especially common in children under one year of age. The thymus gland is in the anterior upper sternum. As a child, it consists of two sections - thoracic and cervical, and reaches the edge of the tongue. Another name for the thymus gland is the "iron of childhood". The reasons for its increase can be either endogenous or exogenous factors, and their combination. To date, physicians recognize both the influence of heredity (this is confirmed by the presence of certain genes), and the influence of pathologies of pregnancy, infectious diseases of the mother, late pregnancies, nephropathy.
Timomegaly in children: symptoms
The main symptoms of thymomegaly in children are:
- increase in the size of the lymph nodes;
- an increase in adenoids, tonsils, and tissues of the posterior surface of the oropharynx;
- an increase in the thymus is clearly visible on the X-ray;
- hypotension;
- arrhythmia;
- the appearance of a "marble" pattern on the skin;
- cold hands and feet, hyperhidrosis;
- overweight, obesity;
- in girls hypoplasia of the genital organs, in boys phimosis or cryptorchidism;
Symptoms of thymomegaly in children under one year:
- at birth the child has a lot of weight;
- sharp changes in weight (easy to gain and lose weight);
- on the chest can be seen a venous network;
- pallor;
- at a pressure (for example, crying) a cyanosis;
- cough (without colds), increasing in prone position;
- temperature increase to subfebrile, sweating (without catarrhal diseases);
- arrhythmia;
- frequent regurgitation.
Children with thymomegaly are more likely to have respiratory viral and infectious diseases, lowered immunity.
Timomegalya in children: treatment
Treatment is determined individually, depending on the severity of the disease and the general state of immunity and the health of the child.
First of all, you need to follow a hypoallergenic diet. Children with thymomegaly of the third degree are usually revoked for six months with vaccination (except for polio vaccinations).
Medicamentous treatment of thymomegaly in children is prescribed during attacks or in the case of serious health problems. In the peak period of the disease, a 5-day course of glucocorticoids is used.
When preparing for surgery, children under 3 years of age are prescribed prednisolone or hydrocortisone (according to an individual scheme). During the preparation for the operation and during rehabilitation after it, it is mandatory to control the blood pressure in the child.
In the diet of children with this disorder should be enough foods with a high content of vitamin C (decoctions of dogrose, Bulgarian pepper, sea buckthorn, lemon, currant, parsley, etc.).
To stimulate the adrenal cortex, children with thymomegaly are prescribed glycyram. Also often used immunomodulators and adaptogens, for example, eleutherococcus, lemongrass Chinese or ginseng (as a rule, the course is repeated every 3-4 months).
To treat thymomegaly in children, it is strictly forbidden to use aspirin - it can provoke the development of aspirin asthma
.Once every six months, a course of treatment with etazol, glyceram. Usually, clinical examination and treatment are conducted after the child reaches the age of six.
Parents should pay special attention to the prevention of respiratory viral and infectious diseases, since with thymomegaly the risk of their occurrence is significantly increased.
It is also useful to use physiotherapeutic procedures and natural stimulants (decoctions and infusions of medicinal plants, individually or in collections).
Usually symptoms of thymomegaly in children are observed up to 3-6 years. After that, they either disappear, or they degenerate into other diseases. It is for the prevention of the development of new diseases that it is so important to timely and correctly appoint treatment and carefully follow all the instructions of the pediatrician.