Does the child need to be examined for Helicobacter pylori?

Recently, a parent came to ask Dr. Clove:

Last month, Eva’s father checked gastritis. The doctor said it had a lot to do with the infection of Helicobacter pylori. He also said that the child was quite easy to be infected. Do you want to take your child to check Helicobacter pylori?

Regarding whether the child should have this test, see what the following doctor said.

Children infected with Helicobacter pylori may be parents’ pots.

Research shows that most people are infected with Helicobacter pylori in their infancy. The main route of transmission is word of mouth.

However, most of the time the infected people do not feel uncomfortable. If parents who are infected with Helicobacter pylori but have no symptoms chew food to feed their children, or share tableware with their children and kiss their children, these actions may spread Helicobacter pylori to their children.

Therefore, parents should pay more attention and try not to have these unhygienic habits.

Children generally do not need to be examined.

When it comes to Helicobacter pylori, people usually associate it with many stomach diseases. Helicobacter pylori is closely related to many stomach diseases, such as gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer.

However, if you are not infected with Helicobacter pylori, you will definitely get sick.

In fact, many people will not show obvious symptoms after being infected with Helicobacter pylori. Especially children, in many cases, they will not feel uncomfortable after being infected.

Therefore, parents don’t need to worry about their children infected with Helicobacter pylori, but take their children to the hospital for examination. As long as the child is not uncomfortable, even if found to be infected, generally does not need treatment.

What’s condition needs to be checked?

Parents need to consider taking their children to the hospital for Helicobacter pylori testing only if the following conditions occur:

1. Children often suffer from stomachache, burp, vomiting and acid regurgitation.

2. The child already has gastric or duodenal ulcer, chronic gastritis and other diseases;

3. Children suffer from unexplained iron deficiency anemia, or their families suffer from gastric cancer;

4. Or children need to take drugs that damage their stomachs for a long time due to certain diseases (such as aspirin for Kawasaki disease, ibuprofen for arthritis, etc.).

Doctor Clove reminded that if the child is not uncomfortable, parents need not worry too much. If there is an uncomfortable situation, you need to go to the hospital for examination.