Mantoux is checked 3 days after the sample is administered subcutaneously. The optimal period for taking readings is 72-76 hours from the date of injection. It is during these hours that the papule is not hidden by swelling and does not begin to decrease in size on its own.
On average, the size of the “button” should be 0-1 mm, but it is important not to take into account the redness area when measuring. To eliminate mistakes, it is better to bring the child to a pediatrician, who will take the measurements correctly, evaluate the results obtained, and give recommendations regarding the need for further examinations.
After how many days is Mantoux checked?
The results of the Mantoux test are checked after 3 days, that is, 72 hours must pass. The ideal period is considered to be between 72 and 76 hours from the date of vaccination. There is no point in examining the child before, because the “button” can greatly increase in just a few hours. After 76 hours, on the contrary, the daddy decreases in size.
If done on Monday, Friday
In preschools, vaccinations are given on Friday morning, because in this case the results are checked on Monday and there is no confusion. Moreover, vaccination is carried out simultaneously for all groups, but, of course, strictly according to indications and after examining the patients by a pediatrician.
We recommend reading about the dangers of the big Mantoux. From the article you will learn how to correctly assess the size of Mantoux, the reasons for enlarged Mantoux in a child, what to do with a large papule. And here is more information about the age at which Mantoux is made.
When and how can you test in a clinic?
Ten years ago, this anti-tuberculosis diagnostic method was carried out exclusively in educational institutions. Today, this can be done at any time suitable for parents and the child. All public medical institutions, as well as private clinics, provide this type of service.
In addition to them, there are special tuberculosis dispensaries. Here you can get advice from an experienced phthisiatrician to establish a diagnosis and obtain effective treatment tactics for the disease.
The Mantoux test is carried out on an individual basis, taking into account the schedule of a particular institution. In most cases, this can be done on any day of the week, but there are establishments that have specific dates set aside for this.
The local pediatrician can tell you on what days specialists perform the Mantoux test in the clinic. He will give you the schedule that the hospital follows and also suggest rules for preparing for the procedure.
Before the procedure, pediatricians recommend following several rules.
These include:
SENSATION! Follow the link:
What should be the normal size of Mantoux?
- Following a diet that excludes foods with increased sensitization of the body.
- Absence of infectious diseases, as well as chronic pathologies in the acute stage.
They will help make the diagnosis comfortable and safe for the child’s health. You can learn more about the preparation rules during a consultation with your pediatrician.
On what day is Mantoux tested on a child?
Mantoux is tested in a child on the 4th day after the test. To do this, the medical worker simply measures the size of the resulting “button” with a ruler. It is believed that the smaller this parameter, the better - the average value ranges from 0-1 mm.
Even if the test gives a positive result upon timely examination of the papule, the doctor will prescribe additional examinations. The fact is that getting an incorrect result can be affected by any, even slight, deterioration in the baby’s well-being.
Side effects that may appear after Mantoux
An adverse reaction to the Mantoux test occurs rarely, but the possibility of its occurrence should not be ruled out.
The main side effects that sometimes appear after the injection are:
- The increase in body temperature is usually slight. This usually happens on the first or second evening after the injection.
- Pronounced drowsiness and lethargy. The younger the child, the more pronounced this is. A one-year-old baby may sleep a couple of hours longer than usual in the first days after the injection.
- The loss of appetite is temporary and goes away in two to three days.
- An allergic reaction can manifest itself in the form of skin itching, urticaria, swelling of the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and face.
Allergy is one of the most common side effects of the drug. Children may experience itching in different parts of the body.
If the Mantoux test was performed on an adult, he may also experience side effects, which, as a rule, are not as pronounced as in children.
In order to prevent the occurrence of adverse reactions in their child to the Mantoux test, parents should remember some recommendations.
You should not do a tuberculin test during an exacerbation of any disease. Sore throat, flu, ARVI are contraindications to giving an injection.
After the test, it is recommended to change the child’s diet. The table should have healthy foods rich in vitamins and microelements. This will ensure the normal functioning of the immune system. It is better to avoid heavy foods. The body will spend a lot of energy digesting it, which can lead to a weakening of its defense mechanisms. Nutritionists do not advise giving babies tangerines, fatty meats, eggs, chocolate and strawberries.
If you follow these rules, then the risk of developing adverse reactions to the test is minimal.
When is Mantoux made and how long does it take to check for the little ones?
For the youngest children, Mantoux is given only after 12 months of age; it is checked after 3 days as a standard. The rule for timing the test “works” only if the newborn was vaccinated with BCG in the maternity hospital. In the absence of such, the first Mantoux is placed already at the age of one and then annually, preferably at the same time.
At the age of 2, Mantoux is done in the opposite hand, and the limb is changed in this way until the child reaches 14 years of age. If the baby is scheduled to undergo several vaccinations, then a tuberculin test is done first, and after a month all the remaining vaccinations are done. Those children who come into contact with tuberculosis patients are required to undergo a Mantoux test 3-4 times a year.
Mantoux reaction - how often to do the “button”
“The drug is intended for mass diagnosis of tuberculosis,” clarifies Alexander Ushakov. — It is used according to a set schedule. Use once a year in children over 12 months. Twice a year can be used only for clear indications in certain groups of children. These are children from social risk groups and those with chronic diseases, who, due to weakened immunity, most often develop tuberculosis. And also children who had contact with people with tuberculosis.”
The test can also be used:
- before the first BCG vaccination in babies older than two months, to exclude the possibility of infection with the tuberculosis bacillus;
- to diagnose the disease, including in the early stages, when there are no external manifestations of the disease, but the child already poses a danger to others;
- with a severe allergic reaction to Diaskintest, which does not allow the use of this diagnostic method in the patient. In this case, the Mantoux test in an adult or child becomes the only possible test for tuberculosis.
Unlike Diaskintest, which only indicates the fact of infection, Mantoux’s results are more informative. They help the doctor clarify whether the child still has immunity to tuberculosis, formed by the BCG vaccination. Over time, the level of antibodies in the body decreases, and when they become too low, a booster vaccination with BCG is carried out.
Every year, the results of the Mantoux test are measured and recorded in medical records. And every year the obtained values are compared with the previous ones. When the test does not show a result, a negative Mantoux reaction is recorded. This means that immune protection against tuberculosis is lost, and BCG vaccination must be carried out as soon as possible. And to do this, you should contact a pediatrician or phthisiatrician at a children's clinic.
pixabay.com/
Mantoux reaction: after how many days can you check it yourself and how
The Mantoux reaction can be assessed independently after 3 days, approximately 72-76 hours from the moment of subcutaneous administration of the drug. First, you will need to evaluate the appearance of the “button” - whether there is redness or thickening. In principle, such a reaction is normal; it is important to understand the size of the papules. A regular ruler measures only the “button”; the redness around it is not included in the size parameter.
Even if the result obtained by self-measurement is more than 1 mm, there is no need to panic - the doctor must personally evaluate the results, prescribe additional examinations for the baby, and only after receiving all the results make a verdict.
Why is Mantu checked after 72 hours?
If you check the reaction of the child’s body earlier, the papule has not fully formed. In the first hours, the injection site resembles a mosquito bite, and there is redness around it. It is on the 4th day that the swelling subsides, and the papule acquires reliable features.
And 5 days after the tuberculin injection, the papule decreases in size, which will also distort the results. Therefore, it is necessary and possible to check mantu on day 4 - 72 hours after administration of the drug. But on the 5th day, the reaction to the administration of the drug can no longer be checked.
Most often, kindergarteners and schoolchildren are given a tuberculin test on Friday so that the reaction can be checked on Monday. If mantu was made on Monday, when to check? Doctors schedule an examination for Thursday, around the same time. If the sample was taken on Tuesday, it is checked on Friday.
Why is it important to wait 72 hours?
In the first days after performing the Mantoux test, no noticeable changes will be noticeable on the arm - the injection resembles the area after a mosquito bite, around which there is slight redness. Only after 72 hours does the swelling become almost invisible, and it will be possible to accurately measure the size of the papules themselves.
At the same time, by the end of the 4th day from the moment of subcutaneous administration of the drug, the “button” begins to decrease in size - it will not be possible to obtain a reliable result on the 5th day or even by the end of 4 days.
We recommend reading about what an alternative to Mantoux may be for children. From the article you will learn about when you need an alternative to Mantoux, the advantages and disadvantages of Diaskintest, T-spot analysis, PCR, and quantiferon test. And here is more information about what you can and cannot eat during the Mantoux test.
It is better to entrust the measurement of the Mantoux test to doctors, who will evaluate the results of vaccination and give recommendations on further actions to parents. It is important to have time to measure the papule within the period from 72 to 76 hours from the moment the sample is administered to the child so that the results are reliable.
Rules for handling papule after Mantoux test
After the injection is given, an adult in the family should be sure to ensure that the child follows rules that will help avoid getting an incorrect medical test result.
Requirements for handling the sample site:
- Contact of the injection site with any liquids, including water, is not allowed. On the first day, water getting on the papule can lead to leaching of the drug components from the subcutaneous layer. This may result in obtaining an unreliable, false negative result. Also, bacteria contained in running water can enter the injection site and cause irritation, swelling and redness of the “button”.
- Do not cover the injection site with an adhesive bandage, as the hand may become sweaty and red under it.
- Do not scratch or irritate the skin around the injection site. The drug administered subcutaneously may cause discomfort. The child will try to scratch the papule, which is why the skin begins to turn purple and peel.
- Doctors recommend not eating sweets, carbonated drinks and other foods that can cause an allergic reaction for three days after the injection.
- It is forbidden to treat the papule with iodine, brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide and other drugs.
- Do not squeeze liquid out of the papule.
If, when examining a papule, the doctor has doubts about the reliability of the result, it is necessary to say that the rules for handling the injection site were violated.
If the child does get his hand wet, then there is no need to panic. You need to blot the wet area with a clean, dry towel and prevent it from getting wet again. It is possible that a reaction from contact of the injection site with water will not occur.
