Dysbacteriosis in children, which is often implied by the intestinal dysbacteriosis, is an imbalance of the microflora inhabiting the lumen and the walls of the intestinal tract. This increases the number of "bad" bacteria and reduces the level of beneficial microorganisms.
Dysbacteriosis in children - causes
The intestine is inhabited by several hundred species of microorganisms, and this complex is a complex community, whose representatives coexist peacefully with each other. If there is a dysbacteriosis of the intestine, in children there is a decrease in immunity, a deficiency of important substances, etc. The state of the microflora depends on many factors: climatic, sanitary conditions, the quality of the diet, the presence of various diseases. When ascertaining what causes dysbiosis in children, their age is taken into account.
Dysbacteriosis in children under one year
In the mother's womb the baby stays in sterile conditions, but already in the process of childbirth the organism is actively populated with millions of bacteria. The kind of microorganisms with which the child first "gets acquainted" depends on the state of health and the complex of the natural microflora of the mother, and then on the way of feeding, the conditions of detention, etc.
Dysbacteriosis in a month-old baby and until the age of one-year is often associated with the following reasons:
- bacterial vaginosis in the mother;
- complicated delivery;
- infection with pathogenic microorganisms;
- later attachment to the breast or early weaning;
- taking antibacterial drugs by the mother during lactation;
- antibiotic treatment of infants;
- irrational nutrition of the nursing mother ;
- the presence in the food of products "not by age", etc.
Dysbacteriosis in a child after a year
In children over the age of the year, the failure of the balance of the intestinal microflora can "come" from infancy, but it also often develops under the influence of other causes. With the growth of the baby, the intestine ripens, and the older it is than the "more common" with the more microorganisms, the more closely its native microflora works, which counteracts the external pathogens. At the same time, dysbiosis after antibiotics, due to infection, malnutrition, is also common.
Other causes of dysbiosis in children older than a year may include:
- helminthic invasions ;
- stress;
- change of place of residence;
- hormonal changes;
- diseases of the digestive system;
- lactase insufficiency ;
- vegetovascular dystonia;
- exposure to radiation, etc.
How is dysbiosis manifested in children?
If dysbacteriosis develops, the child's symptoms do not always have a pronounced character. Especially difficult to identify dysbiosis in infants, because they are not yet able to make complaints. The following manifestations should be guarded:
- frequent regurgitation;
- poor weight gain;
- frequent crying for no apparent reason;
- flatulence;
- rumbling in the abdomen;
- constipation, followed by diarrhea;
- diarrhea, characterized by frothiness, acid fecal smell;
- restless sleep.
Detected intestinal dysbiosis symptoms in older children may have similar, while the child complains of:
- stomach ache;
- headache;
- fast fatigue;
- itching;
- metallic taste in the mouth.
Parents may notice other signs of dysbiosis in children, which indicate a related metabolic disorder:
- dryness and pallor of the skin;
- brittle nails;
- thinning of hair;
- bleeding gums.
Analysis of feces for dysbiosis - decoding in children
To confirm dysbiosis, identify provoking factors, bacteriological examination of feces is carried out. The analysis for dysbacteriosis in children is aimed at counting the number of microorganisms contained in feces, on the basis of which a picture of the intestinal microflora is made. The main indicators of the norm for this analysis are given in the table, where the number of microorganisms is indicated in KOE / g faeces.
Type of bacteria | Children under 1 year old | Children over 1 year old |
Bifidobacteria | 1010 - 1011 | 109-1010 |
Lactobacilli | 106 - 107 | 107 - 108 |
Escherichia | 106 - 107 | 107 - 108 |
Bacteroides | 107 - 108 | 107 - 108 |
Peptostreptococci | 103 - 105 | 105 - 106 |
Enterococcus | 105 - 107 | 105 - 108 |
Saprophytic Staphylococci | ≤104 | ≤104 |
Clostridia | ≤103 | ≤105 |
Pathogenic Staphylococci | - | - |
Candida | ≤103 | ≤104 |
Pathogenic enterobacteria | - | - |
In addition, digestive enzymes of the large intestine are examined, which reveals deviations in digestion processes. In addition, to identify the causes of imbalance appoint:
- Ultrasound of the digestive system;
- analysis for helminthic invasion;
- blood chemistry.
Than to treat a dysbacteriosis at the child?
It is necessary to understand that the disturbance of the intestinal microflora is not a specific disease, but a consequence of unfavorable factors or diseases. The balance of microflora is able to be regulated independently, which is typical of many processes in our body. In children, the bacterial ratio in the gastrointestinal tract can change several times a day, and the balance rate is individual for each.
When the results of the analysis reveal a dysbacteriosis in children, the symptoms and treatment are not always the same. If the child feels well, does not complain about anything, there is no need to treat. In this case, to help the baby's body to cope more quickly with the disorder, it should be protected from external adverse factors and corrected nutrition. Therapy is required in case of persistent imbalance and the presence of obvious pathological manifestations.
The medicine for dysbiosis for children
When a child is diagnosed with dysbacteriosis, drugs are prescribed in accordance with the revealed provoking pathology. Often, the suppression of pathogens requires the appointment of antibiotic and antifungal drugs, bacteriophages. Additionally, doctors can prescribe:
- probiotics (Bifiform Baby, Lactovit);
- prebiotics (Dufalac, Hilak-forte);
- enzymatic agents (Pancreatin, Mezim, Festal);
- antidiarrheal drugs (Acipol, Loperamide);
- sorbents (Enterosgel, Smekta, Sorbeks).
Folk remedies for dysbiosis
With the permission of the doctor, the treatment of dysbacteriosis in children is supplemented with folk methods. A good effect is provided by phytotherapy: herbs contribute to the inhibition of pathogens, improve the absorption of nutrients, and normalize metabolic processes. Here is one of the recipes of herbal tea for dysbacteriosis with the addition of honey, which enhances the therapeutic effect.
Prescription means
Ingredients:
- chamomile - ½ chayn. spoons;
- lemon balm - ½ tea. spoons;
- plantain - ½ tea. spoons;
- thyme - ½ tea. spoons;
- honey - 2 table. spoons;
- water - 700 ml.
Preparation and use:
- Make a collection and pour it with boiling water.
- Insist in the thermos for two hours.
- Strain, add honey.
- Drink during the day instead of tea.
Diet for children with dysbiosis
Often, the treatment of intestinal dysbiosis in children can be limited to the establishment of a diet. For children of the first year of life, the ideal diet is mother's milk, and provided that the mother eats healthy food. Artificial plants are recommended mixtures containing lacto- and bifidobacteria . Older children should receive the necessary meals for age in the framework of a balanced diet. An important condition - a strict mode of food intake, small portions and exclusion of foods that irritate the intestines and provoke fermentation:
- fatty, fried;
- marinades, smoking;
- acidic fruit juices;
- carbonated drinks;
- sweets;
- whole milk, etc.
Useful products are:
- mucous porridges;
- lactic acid non-sweet foods;
- boiled lean meat and fish;
- mashed potatoes;
- baked apples;
- boiled eggs.