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Tuberculosis Information for Kids

Tuberculosis is a disease that is caused by the bacteria mycobacterium tuberculosis. Scientists discovered the first drugs to treat tuberculosis in the 1940s and up until that time, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in the United States. Tuberculosis is highly contagious and can attack any part of your body, but typically attacks the lungs. Kids exposed to the disease may develop symptoms within two to 10 weeks and may only have a tuberculosis infection, showing no symptoms, or the full-blown tuberculosis disease. Both require immediate medical attention.

  1. Symptoms

    • Kids who have primary pulmonary tuberculosis, the initial infection of tuberculosis, may have a positive skin test but will not show symptoms or feel sick and cannot spread the disease to others. X-rays performed on the chest usually do not show infection. In rare cases they may have a slight cough and possible swollen lymph nodes. They do risk developing the full-blown disease later if they do not receive preventative therapy and treatment. Kids who develop the tuberculosis disease may have varying symptoms depending on where the bacteria are growing. The lungs are the most common growth sight, and tuberculosis in the lungs will cause pain in the chest, a severe cough that lasts over two weeks, and coughing that produces blood and phlegm. Additional symptoms of tuberculosis in kids may include fever, chills, night sweats, weakness, fatigue and sense of lethargy, weight loss and loss of appetite.

    Treatment

    • Your pediatrician may require your child to be hospitalized for evaluation after a positive tuberculosis diagnosis. Older children may be treated as outpatients, taking oral medications and being cared for at home. Treatment for tuberculosis may include the long-term use of three or more types of medications and generally takes six to 12 months to complete depending on the resistance of the disease to your child's immune system.

    Prevention/Solution

    • The best way to prevent kids from getting tuberculosis is to keep them away from anyone infected with the disease. Populations more likely to spread the disease include prison populations, the homeless and those infected with HIV.

    Misconceptions

    • Kids with tuberculosis infections are not as contagious as adults who are infected. Kids do not cough as much and tend to have smaller lung lesions in comparison to adults. If your child has been diagnosed with tuberculosis, it is still a good idea to take all preventative measures to avoid spreading the disease, despite the likelihood that they are not as contagious as adults.

    Considerations

    • Tuberculosis infections in the lungs will cause cavitary lesions which are visible by chest X-rays. The disease can also cause infections in children's bones, joints and ears and even meningitis infections. Because tuberculosis attacks those with weak immune systems, kids who test positive for tuberculosis should also be tested for HIV.

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