Tuberculosis in children.

TB is a difficult diagnosis to make in children. The signs and symptoms can be nonspecific and it is often not possible to prove that a child has the disease. For this reason the diagnosis can often be overlooked Ensuring care of sputum positive patients has been accepted as the most important means of controlling TB. Sputum positive adults are responsible for almost all transmission of TB. Ensuring that such patients are cured will prevent children from being infected in the first place. Other preventative strategies include BCG vaccination and improving nutrition in children as well-nourished children are less susceptible to TB. (excerpt)