With the birth of the baby, the mother's closest attention was drawn to how he ate, as well as to the contents of the diaper, and later the pot. This is fully justified, since the digestive system is a reflection of the health of the child. In addition, the growth and development of the baby depends on the absorption of nutrients from food. And of course, parents are worried if they find mucus in the feces of a child. Let's look at the causes of this phenomenon.
Forewarned is forearmed
To treat a child yourself is to make the most serious mistake. If something bothers you, you need to pay attention to the local pediatrician. Nevertheless, parents must distinguish the norm from the pathology in order to respond in time. Mucus in the feces of a child is just one of such cases. Depending on the baby’s age, this may be a variant of the norm or a symptom of a serious illness.
What to think about
While there is no reason to panic, you just need to pay closer attention to the health status of the baby. Mucus in the feces of a child may indicate a metabolic disorder or the introduction of a new product into the diet that the baby is not yet familiar with. That is, it is very important to analyze the nutrition of the child in the last few days.
Reason for the phenomenon
It is worth making a reservation, they need to be analyzed depending on age. Mucus in the feces of a baby is an option for the norm. If it appears from time to time and in small quantities and does not cause a change in the state of the baby, then you can not worry much. The digestive system is just learning how to work offline. There are not enough digestive enzymes and special bacteria for milk processing.
But feces with mucus in a child older than a year is already more serious. If such an admixture appears several times in a short period of time, this is an occasion to immediately visit a doctor.
First aid
How should a parent react? It is necessary to record the time of appearance of the mucus and the approximate amount. You can even take a photo of the contents of the diaper using your phone. This will then help the doctor in collecting an anamnesis. Then we just wait and observe the condition of the child.
If the condition of the child is good, he plays and laughs, then there is no reason to panic. But if the baby defecates often, but there is no feces as such (one mucus), then this indicates the need to consult a doctor. Pancreatin or Smecta, Enterol, or Enterofuril is usually given. This phenomenon is quite common, so doctors first suggest a standard scheme.
When to call an ambulance
Below we will consider the main causes of mucus in the feces in children. In the meantime, we will analyze the symptoms that indicate that the condition is too serious to just wait for the arrival of the local pediatrician. So, you need to call an ambulance in the following conditions:
- repeated liquid diarrhea with mucus is observed, especially if it is accompanied by profuse vomiting;
- body temperature rises rapidly;
- there is a splash of blood;
- bowel movements are very frequent, ten or more times a day;
- the baby adds less than 125 g per month;
- bad breath is felt;
- if an unpleasant odor appears in the urine.
If you notice the following symptoms in a child, it is recommended that you call an ambulance immediately, without delay. It is better if doctors say that there is nothing to worry about than to allow the development of complications.
Newborn baby
We begin to consider from the moment when the child is one month old. Mucus in the feces of a child at this age is normal, especially if it is not enough. The body is still adapting to autonomous functioning. The digestive system undergoes a particularly complex formation. Acting in test mode, the body empirically produces the required amount of acids and enzymes.
If there is relatively little mucus in relation to feces, the color is yellow or transparent, and the baby is cheerful and active, eats and sleeps well with appetite, then there is no reason for excitement.
Undesirable changes
Mucus in the feces of a one-month-old baby can cause concern if, in addition to it, gas bubbles and numerous curdled lumps are added. It is like a crumb's reaction to a new food. Analyze your diet. This is especially easy if you keep a food diary in which you note the introduction of each new product. To normalize the condition, you can give the crumbs “Smect” or “Polysorb”.
But the liquid foamy stool of green is an occasion to immediately beware. Pay special attention if it has a pungent, unpleasant odor. All the more reason for excitement is the restless behavior of the child, the baby bothers with legs, is naughty and cries, often spits up. If vomiting appears on this background, immediately seek help.
Dysbacteriosis
The causes of mucus in the feces in a child should be determined by doctors, based on laboratory tests. Often, experts note a violation of the normal digestion of food. If undigested particles and mucus are present in the feces, which is caused by the presence of pathogens, then a diagnosis of “dysbiosis” is made. This phenomenon is often observed in children under 3 years of age.
What is the main problem here? The death of beneficial microflora and the colonization of the intestines by pathogenic bacteria and fungi, which is caused by prolonged use of antibiotics or an infectious disease. In this case, children often eat poorly, suffer from colds, are lagging behind in development. Probiotics, i.e. sources of live bifidobacteria, are usually prescribed for treatment.
Infectious diseases
This is one of the most formidable causes of mucus in the feces. It is necessary to establish the source of infection as soon as possible in order to conduct effective therapy in a timely manner. Pathogens cause inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. That is why mucus appears in the feces, and sometimes blood and pus. It could be:
- viral enteritis;
- salmonellosis;
- staphylococcal infection;
- dysentery.
Immediately, we note that these diseases practically do not occur in infants. But the mucus in the feces of a child at 2 years old may well indicate infection. This is especially true in the spring and summer, with an abundance of vegetables and fruits. The accompanying symptoms will be fever, nausea and vomiting, worsening general condition. The stool is frequent, loose, greenish or yellow with mucus, blood and an unpleasant odor.
Depending on what exactly caused this disease, certain drugs must be prescribed. These are antibiotics or antiviral formulations, as well as means for maintenance therapy: sorbents, Regidron, vitamins.
Foodborne Toxic Infections
Poorly prepared or poor-quality food is also a common cause of such pathologies. The child has abdominal pain, and stools become more frequent. In the feces there is a large amount of mucus. In case of poisoning, severe vomiting opens, the children become pale, cold sweat appears on the forehead. Symptoms like this require you to go to the hospital.
First aid is gastric lavage. An ambulance crew arriving at home will do so immediately. Further, the child can be hospitalized or left under the supervision of parents. If the condition worsens, you can repeat the call. In this case, hospitalization occurs, and then the doctor selects the treatment.
Treatment
In each case, the appointment will be individual, depending on the condition of the child, symptoms and age. But there are general recommendations that everyone needs to follow. And first of all it is a diet. In some cases, you will have to completely refuse food for several days. When the condition becomes stable, you need to gradually return to your usual diet, excluding spicy, salty and smoked. The second recommendation is to drink plenty of water. And it is absolutely necessary to take drugs that restore the normal intestinal microflora. These are Linex, Hilak forte, Beefiform and many others.