General information
Blood poisoning or also called sepsis, describes the dreaded and dangerous clinical picture that can be triggered by infections. In small children, sepsis, caused by meningococcus, is an absolute emergency. If meningococcal meningitis is suspected, sepsis caused by this pathogen must always be feared.
Severe health deterioration with fever, headaches, bleeding and skin rashes could be the harbingers of this clinical picture, which is often fatal in small children. Smallest bleedings in the skin not exceeding 2 mm are an early symptom, larger bleedings of more than 2 mm are a late symptom. Meningitis is the leading cause in 2/3 of the children, the mortality rate here is 1-2%. In the others, meningococcal sepsis develops without accompanying meningitis.
How can one detect blood poisoning in children?
When one speaks of blood poisoning in children, it is a defensive reaction of the child’s body to an infection, mostly caused by bacteria that spreads to the whole body via the blood system. Particularly frequently affected are newborns or infants in whom the body’s own immune system is not yet fully developed to fight off the invading pathogens, or children whose immune system is weakened due to a congenital cause or another existing disease. There are a few signs that can indicate blood poisoning in children and parents should be aware of them when they occur.
Especially in newborns, the detection of an infection can be very difficult. Often the affected children stand out due to physical exhaustion, listlessness, a weakness in drinking or a change in consciousness. A distended stomach, vomiting or refusal to eat should also attract the attention of parents.
In addition, disturbances of the cardiovascular system can occur, such as aggravated and rapid breathing, palpitations or rhythm disturbances, as well as cold and bluish discolouration of the extremities. In addition, the skin of the sick child may appear very pale and marbled, or show rashes and bleeding. Particularly small children often stand out due to their flabby musculature, as well as their sensitivity to touch, instability of body temperature and a clearly apathetic nature.
Symptoms
The symptoms of blood poisoning in a child can vary depending on the age of the child and the progress or severity of the inflammation. The symptoms include physical exhaustion and weakness, a change in body temperature, weakness in drinking or difficult food intake, changes in muscle tone, a weakness of the cardiovascular system or changes in the skin, such as a newly occurring paleness or rash. A progressive blood poisoning can also lead to a strong change in consciousness with a clear clouding, up to unconsciousness.
By definition, blood poisoning in children is characterized by an increase in body temperature above 38°C or a drop below 36°C, an increased or decreased heart rate, significantly increased breathing, a significant increase or decrease in white blood cells, and positive evidence of bacteria in the blood. The formation of a red line on the arm or leg, which extends to the heart, is often seen as a sign of incipient blood poisoning in the child. However, this is a misconception.
A red line on the skin is not a sign of blood poisoning, but can be seen as a symptom of so-called lymphangitis. Lymphangitis is an inflammation of the lymphatic channels of the skin and the subcutaneous fatty tissue, which in most cases is caused by the entry of bacteria. In colloquial language, this is often wrongly called blood poisoning. If the infection of the lymph vessels spreads further into the bloodstream, it can in rare cases lead to real blood poisoning.
