Common Digestive Problems in Children
Digestive problems in children are triggered by wrong foods, wrong eating habits, infection, exposure to toxins and so on. The most common among them are given below:
Constipation: In this condition, children have infrequent bowel movements. Its symptoms are hard stools which are difficult to pass. Stool withholding, lack of fiber in diet, side effects of medicines are the most common causes of constipation. Constipation in children can be relieved and regular bowel movements is restored by including lots of fiber-rich foods in their diet.
Diarrhea: Diarrhea in children is mostly triggered by bacterial or viral infection. It can be a symptom of an undetected disease of the digestive system. It is identified with watery stools 3 or more number of times in a day, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, dehydration, etc. Diarrhea can be acute or chronic. In acute cases, these symptoms last for one or two days. On the other hand, chronic diarrhea is more serious and persist for several days. Here the treatment involves replenishment of lost fluids with the help of rehydrating solution and avoiding all such foods that causes stomach irritation.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): This can be described as abnormal functioning of the bowel. Due to this abnormality, the intestines fail to contract properly to promote bowel movements. As a result, one gets diarrhea and constipation alternately. Irritable bowel syndrome makes the intestine highly sensitive towards gas and causes abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, etc. Irritable bowel syndrome in children cannot be cured completely, but its symptoms can be checked with the help of suitable medicines and dietary changes.
Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome: This can be described as a sudden bout of excessive vomiting that last for a few hours or days. It tends to recur after a short period of time. The characteristic and duration of each episode of vomiting syndrome remains same. The exact cause of this digestive problem is still not clearly known. Its treatment includes medicines for controlling vomiting and nausea, and adequate rest and sleep.
Gastrooesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): This is a condition where the stomach acids back flow into the esophagus and causes a lot of irritation there. A small amount of acid released into the esophagus is a common occurrence in both adults and children, and does not cause any harm. However, when too much of acid get into the esophagus then its lining get damaged and causes a lot of discomfort. Heartburn, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, swallowing difficulty, wheezing are some of the commonly observed symptoms of acid reflux disease. Treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms. Sometimes, following a GERD diet can bring about improvement in condition and in other cases medicines are needed to control acid production in stomach.
Common Digestive Problems in Infants
Colic, food allergies, lactose intolerance and acid reflux are the common digestive problems found in infants. Colic is found in small babies who are less than 3 months old. This happens mainly in those babies who are more sensitive towards intestinal gas. In this condition, the baby cries continuously for several hours in a day, particularly in the evening time. The symptoms that you notice while the baby cries are swollen abdomen, tensed legs that are drawn towards the body, hands clenched and her face turns red. Infant acid reflux mainly occurs when the baby drinks too much of milk or drink fast. Sometime, excessive crying or coughing can also cause back flow of acid from the stomach. It can be identified with frequent spitting out, vomiting, lack of appetite, irritability, etc. These problems can be tackled by bringing about changes in feeding techniques and habits of the baby.
In some infants, do not have the digestive enzyme lactase that breaks down the lactose present in milk and dairy products. As a result, they get nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain every time they consume dairy products. Some infants are allergic towards certain foods. It can be milk, soy products, peanuts and so on. If they are exposed to such foods then their body respond to it abnormally and causes diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and so on. Food allergies and food intolerance are two such digestive problems which continue throughout the life and one has to avoid the food that causes allergy or intolerance.
As you can see most of the digestive problems in children can be controlled with the help of suitable diet and medicines. However, do not try any home treatment for these problems without consulting your pediatrician.
Prevention of Plagiocephaly
The most common form of plagiocephaly is positional plagiocephaly. When a baby is placed on the mattress with its face up for a long time, it develops positional plagiocephaly due to continuous pressure on a particular area of the head. As babies are incapable of moving their heads in different directions, pressure on a single area leads to the development of a flat spot. Now the question is – How to prevent plagiocephaly in babies? Here is the answer.
Include a fair amount of “tummy time” when your baby is awake. Mothers should make their babies practice to be on their tummy because many babies do not like it. Starting their tummy time right away will help them develop a habit of spending time on their tummy.
Make your baby spend time in other positions like being upright or lying on its side. This will let your baby experience other positions and help discovering the world around it in a different way.
Changing your baby’s position throughout the day will also help in preventing plagiocephaly.
Do not place your baby on a car seat or baby swing for long, as this adds to the time of pressure exerted on the baby’s head.
You can spend more time carrying your baby on a sling throughout the day. Babywearing is a nice way of reducing the amount of time the baby spends on its back. This not only increases the total time you spend with your baby, it will also be a treat for your little one to enjoy your company!
Keep changing the direction of your baby’s head while sleeping. This will prevent the baby from keeping its head tilted in one direction for long.
Place a baby pillow underneath you baby’s head during sleeping. Such pillows distribute the pressure evenly and prevent babies from developing flat heads.
Feed your baby by placing it on both the sides alternatively. This will decrease the time spent in one position and reduce the chances a flat head.
Another form of plagiocephaly is craniosynostosis in which, the joints of the skull close early resulting in improper growth of brain. Surgical treatment is required to treat this birth defect. A baby with a flat spot on the head needs medical attention. Parents must immediately contact a pediatrician if they observe a flat spot developing on their baby’s head. Depending on severity of the condition, doctor will advise a treatment. Severe cases call for cranial orthotic therapy in which the baby is made to wear a plagiocephaly helmet for 23 hours a day for a period of 2-6 months to correct the shape of baby’s head. It is advisable, that parents start practicing the preventive measures for plagiocephaly so that the need for treatment does not arise at all.
List of Digestive Problems in Infants
Darrhea
It is very sad and very surprising, but approximately 450 babies in the United States die due to diarrhea each year. Diarrhea is thus, one of the major digestive problems in infants today. This can be caused due to a number of reasons. The most likely causes are change in diet, antibiotic uses and by certain infections. If the baby is still breast fed, a change in the mothers diet can also lead to diarrhea. Rehydration is said to be the best treatment for diarrhea in babies and can be done at home.
Constipation
Another common digestive problem in infants is Constipation. This digestive problem may develop again, due to change in diet, medication or even behavior. However, constipation can be diagnosed and treated at home easily. Constipation is a situation when the infant has hard bowel movements. High fiber foods and fruits work as good treatment for constipation. However, if your infant is hardly a fe years old or is also suffering from rectal bleeding, consult a doctor immediately.
Vomiting
Vomiting is yet another digestive problem in infants that is highly misunderstood. Most mothers mistake spitting up for vomiting, which is normal in most infants after a meal and in company of a burp. Vomiting in infants is a result of blockage of the stomach or intestinal blockage. In slightly older infants, the cause for vomiting is usually or mostly always an infection that is caused mostly by a virus. However, vomiting is not a serious issue if it happens once due to overeating or reasons alike. But if the intensity is high and happens frequently, it should be shown to a doctor.
Baby Colic
Baby Colic (intense crying of the infant for a said number of hours everyday) is still considered as one of the earliest known digestive problems in infants and said to be a result of abdominal pain. Though most doctors disagree to the fact and their reasons are quite believable too, this is still considered a digestive problem by many. Infants also are said to experience relief after massaging of the abdomen. This topic is still under debate and the doctor’s consultation is a must. The word ‘colic’ too, is derived from the Greek word for intestine.
Pain
Pain, I agree is a very general term. But there are many reasons that may cause these pains. The digestive system (including the intestines) of infants in some cases is underdeveloped. This causes many other problems apart from irregular bowel movements. Digesting certain ingredients becomes a problem like that of lactose intolerance. This may result in pain. Bladder infection and appendicitis are two other reasons that might lead to this pain but these are uncommon.
Now that you know all the digestive problems in infants, you can take proper care of your infant’s digestive health. Please note that this information is not a replacement of a visit to the doctor or his/her consultation. Infants are difficult to check for symptoms and hence, a majority of other digestive problems in children can be checked only by the doctor. Proper advice and suggestions can be given only after proper diagnosis. Infant digestive problems are common but can lead to serious issues if neglected. For this very reason, it is expected that you at least have a slight idea about them.