April 23, 2010

Symptoms And Treatment for Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Posted in Category : Child Health

Symptoms

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a condition in which the red blood cells disintegrate and lead to problems in the normal functioning of the kidneys and renal failure. This ailment mostly affects children below the age of 10 years. The red blood cells are broken down as a consequence of the fact that blood clots form in the capillaries and arterioles and obstruct the passage of blood cells. The linings of blood vessels are also breached. The reason behind this is the abnormal production and activity of platelets that are responsible for blood clotting, which is caused by factors like infection by the bacterium E.Coli due to food poisoning. In adults, this syndrome is triggered by the regular intake of birth control pills and medicines like quinine, cancer treatment through chemotherapy and exposure to medication for treating AIDS. The rupture of the red blood cells is termed hemolysis, whereas uremia refers to the failure of the kidneys to filter the blood of toxic wastes. The initial symptoms of this condition are unexplained fatigue, drowsiness, fever, paleness, irritability, appearance of bleeding ulcers in the inner lining of the mouth and a marked decrease in the amount of urine. This is followed by diarrhea, passage of blood with the feces, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, and gastroenteritis. The accumulation of toxins in the system may cause body fluids to get clogged in the tissues of body joints, a condition called edema, and to rise in the blood pressure too. These symptoms may take a while to disappear completely even after the ailment itself has been treated. If left untreated, this condition may result in the obstruction in the regular supply of blood to organs like pancreas and the brain, consequently posing the threat of organ failure.

Treatment

Since it is a potentially dangerous disorder, the treatment of hemolytic uremic syndrome requires professional medical supervision and cannot be conducted at home. By way of prevention, you can take extra care to ensure that the dairy products and meats that you include in your child’s diet are not contaminated and cooked or treated in hygienic conditions. This goes a long way in destroying the infection causing bacteria that are responsible for causing this trouble in a vast majority of cases in children. However, once the symptoms of this condition manifest themselves, the patient should be immediately hospitalized and the treatment prescribed by the doctor strictly followed. Usually, in order to restore the disrupted balance of salts and water in the bloodstream, the process of dialysis is recommended. This helps detoxify the body and ease the pressure away from the kidneys. Medication may also be required in order to bring the blood pressure down to a normal and safe level. Blood transfusions may also be necessary if the condition gets serious.