The most important thing for every mom is her baby’s health. If the baby does not hurt anything, he becomes cheerful and cheerful, develops well, eats with appetite. Unfortunately, sometimes even a newborn child who is not even a month old begins to behave uneasily and show signs of malaise. Turning to the doctor, parents find out that the reason for their baby's well-being is the lack of bifidobacteria in his digestive tract.
The intestinal microflora of a newborn baby
According to research by experts, a baby is born with a completely sterile intestine. From the very first hours of the baby's life, various microflora begin to appear in it. If the child’s health is in perfect order, he is breast-fed and protected from infection by various intestinal infections, then certain types of bifidobacteria populate the baby’s gastrointestinal tract.
Bifidobacteria
Bifidobacteria are gram-positive bacilli having a curved shape. They are present in different amounts in the digestive tract of infants, older children, adults. At the same time, not only the number of microorganisms is different, but also their species composition. Bifidobacteria for newborns are needed much more than for an adult, in the digestive tract of which lactobacilli predominate. At the same time, the types of microorganisms in babies feeding on breast milk and children who are breast-fed are different. Even the best milk mixtures cause the growth of microflora in the baby’s intestines, similar to the bifidobacteria that populate the body of an adult.
The effect of bifidobacteria on the child's body
Bifidobacteria for children are very important. They improve the absorption of nutrients that enter the baby's digestive tract along with food. These beneficial microorganisms transform the structure of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, providing digestion of food. Bifidobacteria have a positive effect on intestinal motility. The optimal contraction of its muscles leads to the timely release of undigested food debris.
Bifidobacteria also play the role of a fighter against pathogenic microorganisms that cause various intestinal diseases . For newborns, this is very important, because their immune system is still quite weak and often can not cope even with a small amount of harmful microbes.
Bifidobacteria are important to ensure a normal metabolic process. They produce lactic acid, which is necessary for the body to fully absorb iron, calcium, and vitamin D. These substances are essential for the full physical and mental development of the baby, strengthening his immunity. Bifidobacteria are also involved in the exchange of bilirubin. For children, this is very useful, because their pancreas, due to age characteristics, does not work as stable as in an adult.
Bifidobacteria have antimutagenic properties, which are the basis for the prevention of cancer. These beneficial microorganisms can also neutralize the effects of carcinogens.
Causes of Dysbiosis
In children, dysbiosis develops quite often. The risk group includes primarily babies who are breast-fed and receive other bifidobacteria in appearance. For newborns, it is very important, at least for the first time, to eat mother’s milk, which contains all the necessary substances that ensure the growth of normal microflora.
Dysbacteriosis can develop due to severe intestinal infections. Useful bifidobacteria can cope with a certain number of pathogenic microorganisms on their own, but if there are too many of them or they are causative agents of dangerous diseases, then additional treatment is required.
Some drugs, mainly antibiotics, also suppress beneficial microflora, killing not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also beneficial bifidobacteria.
A negative effect on the condition of the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract of children has a too early start of complementary foods without first discussing this with the pediatrician.
The consequences of dysbiosis
Depending on the degree of dysbiosis and the age of the child, its manifestations may be different. These include:
1. Problems with a chair. In children, constipation, diarrhea can occur, in the feces you can see undigested white lumps of food and mucus.
2. Abdominal pain, increased gas formation. Optimal intestinal motility is largely ensured by bifidobacteria. For newborns, this is very important, because the delay in feces leads to painful sensations, colic and bloating.
3. With prolonged dysbiosis, a decrease in appetite in a child is noted, he gains little weight.
4. Decreased immunity is a frequent companion of dysbiosis. Moreover, the child is at risk of contracting not only intestinal infections, but also acute respiratory infections.
Treatment of dysbiosis
If the child has signs characteristic of dysbiosis, you need to see a doctor. It is not necessary without his recommendations to give the baby bifidobacteria for newborns, reviews of which turned out to be the best. The pediatrician will conduct the necessary examinations to accurately diagnose. Often, under the mask of dysbiosis, much more formidable diseases occur, such as severe intestinal infections, allergies, and deviations in the structure of the digestive tract.
If the dysbiosis is really confirmed, the doctor will prescribe special preparations that normalize the intestinal microflora. He will also give the baby's parents recommendations on proper nutrition that the child should adhere to.
If you follow all the doctor's prescriptions and choose the drug that is most suitable for the baby, then the effectiveness of the treatment will be high.
Medications
All drugs that normalize microflora can be divided into probiotics and prebiotics. Prebiotics are carbohydrates that are not digested by the body, but serve as an environment for the growth of beneficial bacteria. Probiotics are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are presented in the drug on their own or are included in some other product.
Of all the preparations containing the most suitable bifidobacteria for newborns, the price of which is affordable for almost all parents, the most commonly prescribed drugs are Bifidumbacterin, Linex. Their cost is from 200 to 500 rubles, depending on the dosage of the drug, the presence of additional components, such as activated carbon, the number of capsules in the package. These drugs are effective and convenient to use. Drugs are usually mixed with milk formula, complementary foods, and water. In order for the tool to remain effective, it is important to follow the instructions for its storage specified in the instructions for the medicine. Bifidobacteria are usually stored in the refrigerator.
Preparations with a more effective effect, which are prescribed as concomitant with essential medicines in the fight against intestinal infections - bacteriophages. These drugs are produced in liquid form and have large concentrations of various bifidobacteria designed to neutralize certain types of pathogenic microorganisms. Their cost is higher than that of simpler drugs, it is in the range of 500-1000 rubles.
Bifidobacteria Foods
In addition to special medicines, which are based on beneficial microorganisms, there are also ordinary foods with their addition. A baby mixture with bifidobacteria will help restore the normal microflora to a baby who needs to switch to artificial feeding.
Bifidobacteria are also enriched with baby cereals and yoghurts. In order to maximize the presence of these microorganisms in the product, you need to focus on its shelf life. By the time it is finished, the least amount of bifidobacteria will remain in the food.