Osteomyelitis
If your kids are like most, they are probably quite active and not always as careful as they should be. Minor scrapes and
Bruises that will develop on their arms and legs usually heal on their own - but deeper wounds untreated
can become infected and lead to bone infection. In medical terms this is called osteomyelitis.
Osteomyelitis is usually caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, but other bacteria can cause it, too. Germs
Usually enter the tissues of the body through an open wound (often a broken bone that breaks the skin), but can also travel
a bone through the bloodstream from another infected area in the body (this is called hematogenous osteomyelitis).
The bone can also be infected if the blood supply to that area is disturbed, such as elderly people become
Arteriosclerosis (narrowing of blood vessels) or in patients with diabetes. Atherosclerosis or diabetes-related bone
Infections usually occur in the toes or other bones in the feet. Osteomyelitis other reasons usually affects the long
Bones of the arms and legs.
Signs and symptoms
Children with osteomyelitis often feel severe pain in the infected bone and maybe a fever and chills, feel tired or
ill, or have a general feeling of not being well. The skin over the infected bone may be sore, red and swollen.
It is often difficult to diagnose osteomyelitis in infants and young children because they do not always show pain or feeling
Specific symptoms in the area of infection. In addition, older people with atherosclerosis or diabetes sometimes
lose the ability to pain (also called neuropathy) feel, as well as their symptoms may not be obvious. In teens who tend to
Develop osteomyelitis after an accident or injury, the injury site begin to hurt again after initially seemingly
be better.
Diagnosis
If your child has a fever and bone pain, visit the doctor immediately. Waiting is not recommended, because osteomyelitis
may be worse to deal within hours or days, and very much more difficult.
The doctor will perform a physical examination and ask questions about recent injuries in the area that is painful. Blood tests
could be done to see if the white blood cell count is elevated (a sign of infection) and will look for signs of
possible inflammation or infection in the body. An X-ray may be ordered, but X-rays usually do not show signs of
Infection in someone who had osteomyelitis for a little while.
If osteomyelitis is suspected, the doctor might be a bone scan, which provides a closer look at the bone. The
Doctor may also recommend an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), which produces much more detailed images than X-rays.
MRI not only diagnose osteomyelitis, but may help determine how long the bone has been infected.
Treatment
Treatment of osteomyelitis depends on the severity of the infection and whether it is acute (recent) or chronic (was
Presentation for a long time). The doctor can puncture, taking a sample from the bone to help
Identification of the bacteria responsible for the infection, which will help to treat the right antibiotic that
particular infection.
A child who is diagnosed with severe osteomyelitis in May to the hospital for a short stay so that intravenous approved
(IV) antibiotics given to fight the infection. Must as soon as the condition improves, the children can go home but may
continue IV or oral antibiotics for several weeks.
In cases in which a cavity or a hole in the bone and pus developed (a large collection of bacteria and white blood cells)
filled this area, the doctor will perform debridement. This is a method to clean the wound and remove dead tissue
Pus draining from the bone so it can heal properly.
Prevention
The easiest way to prevent osteomyelitis is a good hygiene practice. All cuts and wounds - especially deep wounds -
should be thoroughly cleaned. Wash the wound with soap and water, hold it under running water for at least 5 minutes to
Rinse it out.
So that the wound clean afterwards, cover it with a sterile gauze or a clean cloth. You can apply an over-the-counter
antibiotic cream as well, but the important thing is to clean the area. Healing wounds should begin within 24
Hours and to heal completely within a week. A wound that is longer to heal or cause your child extreme pain
should be examined by a doctor.