What causes dysbiosis in infants? Dysbacteriosis during breastfeeding in infants. Causes of childhood dysbiosis

Dysbacteriosis is a violation of the healthy composition of the intestinal bacterial flora, which is expressed in loose stools. Dysbacteriosis in a newborn baby causes incomplete absorption of milk (infant formula) and insufficient weight gain in the newborn.

If left untreated, it becomes a serious problem for an infant. How to treat dysbiosis in infants, and what remedies can be used independently, without consulting a doctor?

How to determine dysbiosis

In order to treat effectively, it is necessary to correctly determine the cause of the disease, to be sure that loose stool in a child is only dysbacteriosis, and not a disease of the digestive system, poisoning, or an infectious process.
Dysbacteriosis is diagnosed by the presence of loose stools in a child.

In addition, the stool becomes heterogeneous and contains clots, mucus, grains, and liquid. The stool may appear green, have an unpleasant odor, or foam.

A pungent odor may also come from the child's mouth. Possible severe regurgitation, skin rash, plaque on the tongue and teeth. The listed symptoms are extreme. They appear when the microflora is severely disrupted as a result of poisoning, infections, or taking antibiotics.

Dysbacteriosis can be a consequence of a serious illness, infection, or poisoning. In case of aggravating factors, medical consultation and comprehensive treatment are necessary.

Dysbacteriosis and intestinal flora

At birth, the child does not have any intestinal bacterial flora. The baby is born sterile and becomes familiar with various microorganisms after birth. With the first feedings, his intestines will become colonized with bacteria. They come from colostrum and mother's milk along with enzymes.

The formation of the intestinal flora of a newborn baby occurs during the first 10 days after birth. If there is an insufficient number of bacteria in the milk, colonization of the intestines occurs slowly and incompletely, and the child develops dysbacteriosis.

The emerging intestinal flora consists of 90% bifidobacteria. The remaining 10% are lactobacilli, Escherichia coli (colibacteria), and Bacillus subtilis. They not only digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

They also synthesize enzymes, vitamins, and protect against pathogenic microbes and viruses. The aggressive effect on the intestinal flora of certain medications also causes disturbances in intestinal function. Thus, dysbiosis after antibiotics in infants is a consequence of the death of friendly flora from the aggressive action of the antibacterial component.

After final formation, the intestinal flora consists of a huge number of microorganisms. 1 mg of intestinal contents contains from 500 thousand to 1 million lacto-, bifido- and colinebacteria.

How to treat dysbiosis in infants: breast milk

The reason is a violation of the child’s intestinal flora, its incomplete formation or the death of some bacteria as a result of aggressive influence (external or internal toxins, infection).

In order to cure dysbiosis, it is necessary to replenish the composition of friendly beneficial flora. At the same time, the normal amount of necessary bacteria will take control of pathogenic microorganisms, prevent their further reproduction, and over time, reduce the number of pathogens to the required norm.

In order to normalize the bacterial composition of the infant's intestinal flora, he is given pharmaceutical preparations - so-called probiotics. Or they eat foods that contain lacto- and bifidobacteria, or substances necessary for their life (fiber).

For an infant feeding on mother's milk, the main food is the source of the necessary living flora. Breast milk contains lactic acid bacteria as well as enzymes to digest and absorb food. For example, amylase, protease, lipase, which help break down milk fats and convert them into lactic acids for absorption.

Enzymes and enzymes are not present in dry milk formulas; they are present only in the milk of a nursing woman. When expressing and storing milk, these substances are lost.

Against the background of breastfeeding “on demand,” dysbiosis in a newborn can go away without additional treatment. If intestinal bowel movements do not normalize and stools do not improve, the baby is given medications with the necessary bacteria.

They populate the intestines and digestive tract, establishing the process of milk digestion. What is used for newborn babies?

What do pharmaceutical preparations contain?

There are three groups of pharmaceutical drugs for the treatment of dysbiosis in children of different ages.

1. Probiotics are a group of pharmaceutical preparations that contain lacto- and bifidobacteria. Their packaging or instructions indicate the names of microorganisms and their concentration in each dose of the drug.
2. Prebiotics are drugs that stimulate the activity of probiotics (bacteria).
3. Symbiotics are complex preparations that contain pro- and prebiotics.

Probiotics can supply the body with live cultures of bacteria or their lyopholized form (dried, frozen, inactivated). They are included in various complex preparations.

When it enters the body’s liquid medium, the lyopholysate becomes active within 4-5 hours, populates the intestinal cavity and begins to displace pathogens. Probiotics can contain various microorganisms. More often than others, they contain lacto- and bifidobacteria.

1. Lactobacilli - are included in the complex pharmaceutical preparations Linex, Acepol, Acelact. When treating dysbiosis, lactobacilli are given first because they remove and replace pathogenic flora. In case of complex treatment, together with taking other lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacterin is given to the baby in the morning.
2. Bifidumbacteria - included in the complex preparations Bifidumbacterin, Linex. Promote the growth of intestinal flora. Since bifidum bacteria favor the growth of any intestinal flora, drugs containing them are given to the child not at the beginning of treatment, but only after the number of pathogens in the intestines has been reduced to normal (after several days of taking drugs with lactobacilli).

Some pharmaceutical preparations that are used to treat dysbiosis in newborn babies do not contain bacteria, but their metabolic products.

Namely, vitamins and acids that are produced in the intestines for food digestion and immune protection. An example of such a drug is Hilak Forte, which is also prescribed to newborns for dysbiosis.

How to treat dysbiosis in children: list of remedies

We list the most commonly prescribed anti-dysbacteriosis medications for newborns:

• Acipol - contains lyopholized (inactivated, dried, but preserved alive) pieces of lactobacilli and kefir fungus. When added to water, milk, lyopholized bacteria come to a living, active state within 4-5 hours. That is, once they enter the intestine, they begin to multiply and populate its cavity. In this composition, kefir grains are a prebiotic - a substance on the basis of which lactobacilli multiply.
• Acylact – contains lyopholized lactobacilli. Available in powder form for dilution.
• Linex - contains lacto-, bifidobacteria and a small amount of streptococci.
• Bifilin, Bifiform + bifiform baby - contain bifidobacteria.
• Bifidumbacterin forte – contains bifidum bacteria on activated carbon. Shows additional detoxifying effect
• Biosporin - contains spores of living microorganisms - Bacillus subtilis and so-called Marine bacteria.
• Primadophilus - contains lactobacilli, Primadophilus Bifidus - contains a complex of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.
• Bactisuptil is dried spores of microorganisms, also kaolin and calcium carbonate. This is a complex-action drug that, in addition to populating the intestines with beneficial flora, removes toxins (creolin - clay, a natural detoxifier) ​​and prevents rickets, which often accompanies long-term dysbacteriosis. According to the instructions, this drug is given to children over 5 years of age. However, doctors often prescribe it for children under one year old and newborns.

Folk remedies for dysbiosis

Chamomile is a natural antiseptic and stimulant for the elimination of toxins. In addition, it has a carminative effect, which helps cope with flatulence in newborns. To treat and prevent dysbiosis in newborns, chamomile is brewed in a weak concentration - 0.5 liters of water - 0.5 teaspoon of dried flowers.

The resulting light yellow solution is given to the baby before each bottle feeding. After which, after 10-15 minutes, when the child feels hungry again, breastfeeding is given.

– is a supplier of lactic acid bacteria. When treating dysbiosis in a newborn or infant during the first months of life, kefir is used for enemas. It is necessary to introduce a small amount of kefir into the baby’s intestines (at the rate of 10 g for each kilogram of his weight). Number of procedures – 2-3.

Disturbance of healthy intestinal microflora- a common problem in newborns. Dysbacteriosis in infants is accompanied by upset stool, repeated regurgitation, abdominal pain and bloating. Timely treatment allows you to avoid aggravation of the condition and the development of serious pathologies of the digestive system.

Dysbacteriosis is not a disease and if such a “diagnosis” is made, you should not be alarmed ahead of time

Causes of dysbiosis in an infant

In newborn babies, intestinal problems are more likely to occur due to a lack of beneficial bacteria. This transient dysbacteriosis– colonization of bifidobacteria and displacement of the pathogenic environment. The physiological process lasts from the moment of birth until 10-15 days of life.

In the first month of life, the gastrointestinal tract is just forming and stool upset or lack thereof, regurgitation, colic in a one-month-old baby are a consequence of the immaturity of the mucous membranes of the digestive organs.

Children under one year old suffer from dysbiosis for reasons such as:

• improperly selected nutrition– frequent changes of formulas, early complementary feeding, abuse of dairy products with lactose intolerance;
• antibacterial therapy– after taking antibiotics, negative changes occur in the intestinal microflora, since the drugs have a detrimental effect not only on pathogenic microorganisms, but also on healthy bacteria;
• infectious diseases– rotavirus, salmonellosis, dysentery;
• helminth infestations, giardiasis.

The first cause of dysbiosis is unhealthy diet.

Dysbacteriosis in a breastfed child is much less common than when feeding formula. This is explained by the fact that with mother's milk the baby receives immunoglobulin and healthy microorganisms. The cause of watery stools, regurgitation and colic in the first 3-5 days is the presence of harmful cells in the body, which are replaced by healthy microflora within 7-10 days.

Symptoms of dysbiosis in infants

An imbalance of healthy and pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal mucosa is always accompanied by a pronounced clinical picture.

Table “Manifestations of dysbiosis in infants”

Frequent regurgitation often indicates gastrointestinal problems

As the problem worsens, infants' hair splits and falls out, nails peel off, and the skin on the face and body turns pale (seen in the photo).

Dysbacteriosis can cause hair loss

Pale skin is a sign of gastrointestinal problems

The severity of dysbiosis in infants has several degrees and depends on the quantitative and species composition of the intestinal microflora.

1. 1st degree – anaerobic (normal) environment, the basis of which is lacto- and bifidobacteria (not less than 105-109). The presence of opportunistic microorganisms is allowed (up to 104 CFU in 1 g of feces), but no more than 2 types.
2. 2nd degree – the ratio of aerobic (typical for pathogenic cells) and normal flora is 50:50. Replacement of (ordinary Escherichia coli) by pathogenic strains is observed - lactose-negative and hemolyzing enterobacteria are increased, their concentration reaches 108 CFU/g and more.
3. 3rd degree - lactic acid bacteria are significantly reduced, opportunistic microorganisms replace healthy flora. The aerobic environment occupies most of the microflora.
4. 4th degree – complete displacement of healthy microflora. Opportunistic bacteria are highly resistant to antibiotics. Acute intestinal infections develop, and sepsis is possible.

Degree of dysbacteriosis with the number of bacteria

The initial stage does not require special treatment. It is enough to adjust the diet of the child or mother (if breastfeeding).

When and which doctor should I contact?

The presence of several unpleasant symptoms in infants at the same time is a reason to show the baby, and, if necessary, also. During the examination, specialists prescribe special tests and instrumental studies.

Diagnostics

An analysis for dysbacteriosis - stool culture - helps to recognize an imbalance in the intestinal microflora. The material is submitted in the morning, feces are collected in accordance with the requirements of the laboratory. The study makes it possible to determine the types of pathogenic bacteria and their sensitivity to specific antibiotics.

Additionally, a biochemical stool test is prescribed. With its help, the degree of damage to the intestinal mucosa and the level of volatile fatty acid metabolites produced by pathogenic microorganisms are determined.

Instrumental diagnostic methods and additional tests help determine the cause of dysbiosis:

To diagnose dysbiosis, a number of studies are carried out, including ultrasound of the abdominal cavity

• gastroscopy;
• Ultrasound of the peritoneal organs;
• stool analysis for the presence of worms and lamblia;
• liver tests.

Comprehensive diagnostics makes it possible to accurately diagnose dysbiosis, excluding ulcerative colitis, acute intestinal infection, and identify the source of the pathological condition. A specialist deciphers the analysis.

Treatment of bacteriosis in infants

In case of dysbacteriosis, the child’s nutrition plays an important role:

• when breastfeeding, try not to switch the baby to formula for as long as possible;
• when artificial feeding, choose a mixture that contains lacto- and bifidobacteria.

It is possible to cure dysbiosis if you choose the right therapy. Several groups of drugs help eliminate pathogenic microorganisms in a child.

1. Bacteriophages - remove pathogenic flora - Intestifage.
2. Probiotics - contain healthy bacteria - Enterol, Acipol, Linex, Hilak-forte, Bifiliz.
3. Prebiotics - stimulate the growth of lactic acid bacteria - Duphalac, Inulin, Lactulose.

To replenish beneficial bacteria in the intestines, you can take Hilak-Forte

Immunostimulating agents – Anaferon, Polyoxidonium, Amiksin – strengthen the immune system weakened by the disease. All medications are selected individually, taking into account the characteristics of the body and the severity of the disease.

Why is dysbacteriosis dangerous?

An imbalance of healthy and pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal microflora is a serious deviation, the untreated of which is dangerous for the development of complications:

• the functioning of internal organs is disrupted;
• processes of decay in the intestines provoke acute intoxication of the body;
• increased susceptibility to allergic diseases;
• immunity decreases, which leads to frequent colds;
• sleep is disturbed, irritability and moodiness appear;
• there is a developmental delay.

Breastfeeding is one of the main guarantees of good future health for the baby.

1. Give preference to breastfeeding, while mothers strictly monitor their own nutrition.
2. If breastfeeding is not possible, carefully select formulas, using those that contain pre- and probiotics. Try to use one type of mixture.
3. Do not introduce complementary foods too early. Normally, the first acquaintance with adult food occurs at 6 months.
4. Monitor your baby’s health, lead a healthy lifestyle, and undergo preventive medical examinations on time.

Prevention allows you to prevent the development of dysbiosis or eliminate it in the early stages of development. The disease is much easier to prevent than to cure.

Komarovsky about dysbiosis in infants

Dr. Komarovsky claims that dysbiosis is not a disease. It is impossible to determine the true functioning of the intestines and internal organs by the composition of feces. According to the famous doctor, the main problem of dysbiosis is the unreasonable and far-fetched worries of parents, which is why they pester a completely normal child who has minor changes in his stool.

The main treatment for this condition is– do not stuff your baby with food and walk in the fresh air as much as possible. And visits to the doctor, tests for dysbiosis, medications for effective therapy are a waste of time and money.

Dysbacteriosis is the result of the predominance of opportunistic microorganisms over healthy microflora in the intestine. The disease is most common in newborns and infants, which is associated with the immaturity of the stomach and intestines or poor nutrition. Vivid manifestations are liquid, foamy stools with the smell of rot and a greenish tint of mucus, skin rashes, excessive regurgitation, and weight loss. To make an accurate diagnosis, stool culture is required. Treatment is prescribed individually and includes the use of bacteriophages, pro- and prebiotics.

Pediatricians note with alarm that in recent years, every second infant under the age of one year has been diagnosed with “intestinal dysbiosis.” Premature, weakened and often ill children are especially susceptible to this disease. Let's take a closer look at how dysbiosis manifests itself in infants, why is it dangerous and how to treat it?

Intestinal dysbiosis is an imbalance between healthy and pathogenic microflora, leading to disruptions in the normal functioning of the digestive system. In a healthy intestine, beneficial microflora predominates, but under the influence of unfavorable factors this ratio can change in favor of pathogens (staphylococci, streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, fungi).

This pathological condition can occur at any age, but infants are the most vulnerable in this regard.

How does microflora form in infants?

Until birth, the child is in a sterile environment; at this time, his intestines do not contain bacteria or microorganisms. For the first time, the baby encounters the mother’s natural microflora at the time of birth. It is during passage through the birth canal that the first colonization of the intestines by microorganisms occurs.

After birth, the microflora is replenished during the first contact with the outside world and the first attachment to the mother's breast. At this moment, the baby receives a sip of valuable colostrum, which contains a huge amount of useful substances that most favorably influence the formation of normal intestinal microflora.

Colostrum is rich in components that stimulate the growth of beneficial bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and create conditions for their development and reproduction. In addition, colostrum contains a large amount of immunoglobulins, without which normal well-being and the formation of stable immunity are impossible.

Therefore, babies who are put to their mother's breast in the first hours of life grow healthier and stronger than those who, for some reason, were weaned from their mother's breast.

Over the next 3-5 days, the baby's intestines continue to be colonized by various bacteria, including pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, in the first week of life, a child may develop transit dysbiosis, characterized by colic in the abdomen, regurgitation and the appearance of watery greenish stool with mucus.

But after a few days, beneficial bacteria obtained in the first hours of life multiply in sufficient quantities and displace pathogenic microorganisms. The baby's stool returns to normal and regurgitation decreases. The final stabilization of the microflora occurs by the end of the first month of the child’s life.

In weakened, premature children, under the influence of unfavorable factors, primary dysbiosis may develop, leading to disruption of normal digestion and stool, and weakened immunity. What reasons can cause the development of dysbacteriosis?

Causes of intestinal dysbiosis in infants

The causes of infant dysbiosis can be different. The development of primary dysbiosis can cause:

• Refusal of breastfeeding
• Early transition to artificial formula (up to 1 month after birth)
• Taking hormonal drugs or antibiotics by a nursing mother

The occurrence of secondary intestinal dysbiosis in infants is caused by the following reasons:

Very often, the cause of dysbiosis in infants is infection with Staphylococcus aureus. This hospital infection is very common in domestic maternity hospitals and hospitals. It is not easy to avoid and often both mother and child become infected. Staphylococcus greatly destroys beneficial microflora and can provoke the development of dysbacteriosis in weakened children.

Antibacterial therapy can destroy normal microflora. Even for adults, antibiotic treatment does not go away without leaving a trace, but for infants such therapy is simply dangerous. Microflora that has not yet fully formed can be completely destroyed, so dysbiosis in infants after antibiotics is diagnosed in most cases.

It is necessary that treatment of children with antibacterial drugs be combined with the simultaneous administration of agents that restore normal microflora.

The first symptom of dysbiosis in a baby is stool upset. It can be frequent and abundant, or, on the contrary, bowel movements become difficult and painful. The appearance of the stool changes, it becomes liquid and foamy, or mushy, with the presence of undigested lumps.

The stool becomes greenish in color, mixed with mucus, and acquires a sour or putrid odor. After feeding, the child experiences rumbling in the stomach, bloating, painful colic, he becomes restless, sleeps poorly and cries a lot. Between feedings, the baby often spits up and may have bad breath.

Due to impaired intestinal absorption, food is not completely digested, and signs of intoxication appear in the form of allergic rashes on the skin. In weakened children, dysbiosis may be accompanied by symptoms of anemia, lack of vitamins, and thrush often develops in the oral cavity.

Pediatricians distinguish three degrees of dysbiosis in infants:

1. Dysbacteriosis 1st degree (compensated)– characterized by decreased appetite, unstable weight gain, flatulence and colorless stool. This type of disease is associated with poor nutrition, the child’s body’s reaction to early complementary feeding and food allergens. The baby’s well-being is satisfactory and does not cause concern.
2. Dysbacteriosis 2nd degree in infants ( subcompensated) is manifested by flatulence, cramping abdominal pain, lack of appetite, accompanied by diarrhea. The stool is most often greenish in color, with an unpleasant odor and lumps of undigested food. Stool analysis reveals the presence of pathogenic microflora: staphylococcus, Proteus bacteria, yeast-like fungi.
3. Intestinal dysbiosis in infants, grade 3 (decompensated) accompanied by an increase in unpleasant symptoms and the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. The child may develop chronic diarrhea with a greenish tint and a rotten egg smell. There are more and more undigested food residues in the stool. The child’s immunity decreases and signs of rickets appear. The baby suffers from painful colic, flatulence, nausea, weakness appears, and his general condition worsens. Signs of anemia may appear, appetite disappears, and the child does not gain weight.
4. Dysbacteriosis 4 degrees. The proliferation of harmful bacteria (Escherichia coli, dysentery and salmonellosis pathogens) is significantly activated, which significantly increases the risk of an acute infectious process. Microbes from the intestines spread throughout the body, causing inflammatory processes in other organs. The released toxins poison the body. Intoxication is accompanied by weakness, refusal to eat, headaches and fever. Constant loose stools acquire a putrid odor, the child loses weight, symptoms of anemia and vitamin deficiency appear, and nervous system disorders are noted.

All manifestations and symptoms of dysbacteriosis should immediately alert parents, and medical help should be sought immediately. Further treatment will depend on the degree of development of the pathological process, and will be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor.

One of the simplest and most accessible laboratory diagnostic methods is stool culture and coprogram. Feces for dysbacteriosis in an infant must be collected before the baby is prescribed antibacterial drugs or at least 12 hours after they are discontinued. If a child has been prescribed probiotic therapy, the test is taken one month after the end of their intake.

Unfortunately, laboratory tests cannot always determine the real state of the intestines, since the microflora of each person is changeable and individual. Therefore, the pediatrician may prescribe additional blood and urine tests, as well as a consultation with a gastroenterologist.

How to treat dysbiosis in infants?

Once the diagnosis is confirmed, comprehensive and fairly long-term treatment will be required. At the first stage of therapy, the doctor will prescribe the use of bacteriophages, the action of which is aimed at destroying pathogenic and opportunistic microflora, while beneficial bacteria will not be harmed.

At the same time, sorbents are prescribed to remove accumulated toxins from the body and enzymes that will help the normal functioning of the digestive tract.
At the second stage of treatment for dysbiosis, the baby's intestines are populated with beneficial bacteria. For this purpose, drugs and mixtures are prescribed containing lacto- and bifidobacteria and their waste products, which help them populate the intestines.

Such drugs belong to the group of probiotics; when administered to infants, the beneficial microflora is restored quite quickly. Of the probiotics, Enterol, Bificol, Linex, Lactobacterin are most often prescribed to infants.

Prebiotics play a major role in the treatment of dysbiosis. These are substances that allow the body to produce the necessary bacteria itself and accelerate their growth and reproduction. These elements include:

• Lactose (milk sugar). Contained in breast milk, it is indispensable for activating and accelerating the growth of bifidobacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of infants.
• Lactulose. Contained in milk and its derivatives, it is necessary as a nutrient medium for beneficial bacteria.
• Fructosaccharides. These essential elements are found in vegetables and fruits.
• Insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (vegetables help). Necessary for the breakdown of nutrients into simple sugars, with the help of which bacteria grow and multiply.
• Alimentary fiber. The best known element is cellulose, found in vegetables, fruits and grains. In the body it serves as food for bacteria, promoting their growth and reproduction.

Treatment of dysbiosis in infants with antibiotics is not practical. But in some cases, a gastroenterologist, based on laboratory and clinical data, can prescribe antibacterial agents such as Diflucan, Macropen, which are the most sparing of beneficial microflora. Along with taking antibiotics, you should take biological products (dialact, lactobacterin).

The latest generation of medicines include immune drugs based on human protein. For the treatment of dysbiosis in infants, a complex drug based on immunoglobulin is considered the most suitable. Significant relief is observed after one or two courses of treatment.

In addition to drug treatment, parents of babies should take care of proper nutrition and daily routine. The child needs long walks in the fresh air, as oxygen promotes the renewal of cells in the intestinal mucosa.

Young patients may be prescribed a course of physiotherapy, namely a visit to a pressure chamber where they breathe pure oxygen. In addition, to maintain immunity, children are prescribed therapeutic massage and laser physiotherapy. For tummy pain, daily warm baths are helpful.

If there are disturbances in the absorption and assimilation of nutrients, a state of hypovitaminosis may develop. In such cases, experts recommend group B drugs, folic, nicotinic and ascorbic acids.

During the treatment period, doctors recommend not introducing complementary foods, not giving the baby new foods, and maintaining breastfeeding for as long as possible. Even if pathogenic bacteria are found in mother's milk, you should not stop feeding, since the baby continues to receive antibodies to pathogenic microorganisms with milk.

If the symptoms accompanying dysbiosis become too strong and are accompanied by vomiting, weight loss and exhaustion of the body, parents should not avoid the hospital. Doctors warn that loss of fluid and salts is deadly for a small child! In such cases, the only salvation will be intravenous fluid administration in a hospital setting.

Treatment of dysbiosis is always complex; it is based not only on drug therapy for this disease, but also involves treatment of concomitant diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, anemia or vitamin deficiency. At the same time, it is necessary to establish proper nutrition, organize a daily routine, the necessary supportive procedures and strictly follow all the prescriptions of the attending physician.

Prevention of dysbiosis in infants: diet for infants and nursing mothers

Doctors advise starting the prevention of dysbiosis even before the baby is born. Before planning a pregnancy, the expectant mother must treat all diseases of the female genital area. If at the birth of a baby the natural environment of the genital tract does not contain fungal and pathogenic bacteria, then the child will be healthy.

The main component of the prevention of dysbacteriosis is early breastfeeding. Thus, the baby will receive all the necessary beneficial bacteria along with colostrum. Pediatricians advise putting a baby to the breast for the first time immediately after birth.

Normal microflora will help to form the correct daily routine, feeding the baby by the hour. You should not overfeed your child or rush into introducing complementary foods and switching him to artificial formula.

The diet of a nursing mother should be balanced and contain sufficient amounts of nutrients, proteins and vitamins. The well-being and health of the baby will depend on this. The mother needs to carefully maintain the necessary hygiene both in the maternity hospital and at home, and daily walks in the fresh air and evening warm baths will help strengthen the child’s immunity and will be the key to his good health.

A properly selected menu for a nursing mother contributes to normal digestion in her baby. When breastfeeding, it is recommended to consume fermented milk products daily:

• kefir,
• fermented baked milk,
• bifidok,
• yogurt.

It is better to choose dietary meat (chicken, veal, rabbit); fatty varieties can provoke food allergies in a child.

If a baby develops skin rashes, you should exclude sweet milk porridges from the menu; it is better to boil them in water. Buckwheat and oatmeal are best for improving digestion. A young mother should limit the consumption of sugar and sweets, they can cause fermentation reactions in the body. Among confectionery products, unsweetened dry biscuits or confectionery products for diabetics are allowed.

Not all vegetables and fruits can be consumed; many of them can cause an allergic reaction in the baby. You can safely eat green apples, bananas, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, potatoes, and green onions.

Hard cheeses are preferred. It is better not to eat chicken eggs; you can make omelettes from hypoallergenic quail eggs.
From drinks you can drink black and green tea, juices diluted with water, dried fruit compote. A nursing mother should avoid coffee and carbonated drinks.

By following these simple rules, young parents will not have to treat dysbiosis in their infant for a long time. Your baby will be healthy and nothing will interfere with his good health and proper physical development.

Dysbiosis is any disorder in the healthy balance of intestinal microflora, which interferes with the natural balance between pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms, which causes a disorder in the normal functioning of the intestines.

Human intestinal microorganisms divided into two subspecies:

Mandatory flora

This group of microorganisms includes lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and E. coli. Saprophytic microflora, which does not have an impact on human health, positive or negative, also refers to the obligatory flora. This group is the broadest and forms approximately 96% of the intestinal microflora.

Optional microflora

Microorganisms of this class are present in the intestines in small quantities, and under unfavorable conditions, such as decreased immunity, stress, injury, unhealthy diet, they begin to multiply dynamically.

But after reaching a critical point, this pathogenic microflora often leads to many intestinal infections. Opportunistic microflora includes microorganisms such as staphylococci, Proteus, and fungi of the genus Candida.

In adults, the presence of such microflora does not always cause disease. In infants, whose immune system is not yet fully functioning, always.

The presence of beneficial bacteria (lactobacteria, bifidobacteria) in the child’s body, as mentioned above, is mandatory.

1. When there is a sufficient amount of these microorganisms in the intestines, all pathogens are displaced. This is due to the fact that the waste of these bacteria creates an environment in which the life of pathogenic organisms is simply impossible.

2. Another, no less significant role of beneficial microorganisms is to maintain the normal functioning of the immune system. The presence of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli stimulates the production of antibodies that protect the baby from various pathogens entering the body. It is not in vain that when a child’s microflora malfunctions, a significant weakening of the immune system often occurs.

3. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are responsible for the production of vitamins such as:

• vitamin B6;
• folic acid;
• cyanocobalamin.

These vitamins are important for a child's growth and the functioning of his immune system. Also, these microorganisms are responsible for the complete absorption of vitamin D, calcium, and iron.

4. In addition, another important function of microflora is to stimulate intestinal motility. Normal peristalsis is necessary to avoid occurrence in the child.

Understanding all this, the importance of the correct balance of bacteria in the baby’s intestines becomes clear. If the ratio is violated, the risk of developing rickets, hypovitaminosis, and iron deficiency anemia increases. The risk of occurrence also increases significantly.

The child is born with a completely sterile intestine.

Benefits of colostrum

Colostrum is rich in bifidogenic elements that stimulate the growth and development of bifidobacteria. Once in the child’s body, this substance creates a suitable environment for the life of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. In addition, a large number of colostrum immunoglobulins are a kind of biological shield against a large number of diseases.

This is why children who are put to the breast in the first 2 hours of life are healthier and stronger than their peers who were separated from their mother’s breast from birth. The former showed an increase in normal bacterial flora; cases of dysbacteriosis are much less common; they develop harmoniously and gain body weight.

• Over the next 3 to 5 days after the first feeding, the baby is exposed to infection with a variety of intestinal microorganisms. And among the organisms entering the intestines, there are quite a lot of opportunistic and pathogenic microflora. Therefore, in the first week of life, the following symptoms are often observed: watery stools with mucus and green streaks, abdominal pain, regurgitation;
• At the end of the first week, the child begins the next phase of intestinal colonization with microorganisms. At this point, bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, which were obtained immediately after birth, rapidly multiply and begin to expel pathogenic microorganisms.

Overgrowth of transit bacteria in itself is not a disease. Unless it is combined with extreme prematurity, taking antibiotics and the presence of infectious diseases.

Primary requirements

To successfully pass this stage, you must fulfill a number of specific requirements:

If these simple rules are violated, the chances of developing initial intestinal dysbiosis will increase sharply. As a result, the normal functioning of the digestive system and the process of defecation will be disrupted. the child will manifest themselves quite quickly.

What can affect the colonization of beneficial flora and the maintenance of a balanced and healthy gastrointestinal microclimate in the baby’s body?

This is a combination of factors, including maternal microflora, maternal diet, mode of birth, method of feeding, and use of antibiotics. Violation of the intestinal microflora leads to the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms and disruption of the development of the immune system.

Intestinal dysbiosis can occur in a child as a result of birth by cesarean section, taking antibiotics during breastfeeding and associated dysbiotic changes in the mother’s body, late breastfeeding or lack of natural feeding, hypoxic-ischemic pathology of the child’s central nervous system (cerebral ischemia 2 degrees).

Sometimes parents don’t even know that their child has dysbiosis. This happens not because of neglect of the baby’s health, but because of ignorance of how dysbacteriosis manifests itself in infants. Additionally, many babies suffer from colic during the first three months. Their intestines simply did not adapt to the new situation. Weather also has its influence. Mostly negative.

The main signs of dysbiosis in newborns include:

Depending on the cause of dysbiosis, doctors distinguish the following types of disease:

Compensable dysbacteriosis

With this form, the child does not show external signs of the disease. The parents believe that everything is fine with the baby.

It occurs without indigestion or changes in stool. And dysbacteriosis itself in an infant is discovered, as a rule, completely by accident, during the analysis of feces.

And, as a rule, the reason for this study is any other disease or simple examination. Testing for dysbiosis in infants is rarely the goal.

Uncompensated dysbacteriosis

An uncompensated type of dysbiosis brings many health problems. All of the above symptoms of this disease require treatment. Treatment of dysbiosis in infants should begin immediately, avoiding further deterioration.

Ultimately, neglecting the manifestations of dysbacteriosis will lead to a deterioration in the baby’s condition and more severe and lengthy treatment.

With a compensated form of dysbiosis, good weight gain and no complaints, parents often refuse treatment for children under one year old, believing that there is no reason to worry.

Such inattention to dysbacteriosis can be shown if the baby is older than a year. But dysbiosis in a one-month-old baby requires serious attention, regardless of whether it is compensated or not.

In young children the concept of compensation is very unstable. In the morning everything is quite good, but by the evening uncompensated dysbacteriosis will develop, occurring in a very severe form. This is why proper treatment is necessary.

There are four of them in total. And each has its own characteristic features:

Any of the listed symptoms should alarm parents, since only with their attention and care can one suspect the disease at its initial stage and begin treatment on time to avoid complications for the child’s body.

If for several days the child has an unpleasant odor in the stool and the urine becomes dark, it is better to call an ambulance, as this may require additional help in the form of a drip with drugs to stabilize the baby’s condition.

Some parents are in no hurry to see a doctor because they believe that they can handle it on their own. But dysbiosis, especially in infants, is a dangerous disease.

If a one-month-old baby develops symptoms such as diarrhea more than 10 times a day, vomiting, fever, and no weight gain, an urgent examination by a doctor is necessary, as these are the first and most dangerous symptoms of dysbiosis.

For newborns, weight loss of more than 10 percent can be complicated by multiple organ failure, and if dehydration occurs, which is caused by vomiting, the risk of death increases.

Under no circumstances should you delay going to the doctor when the first signs of dysbiosis appear, since microbes can multiply and spread throughout the body so quickly that the first degree can easily immediately turn into the fourth.

If you suspect the presence of a disease and have identified characteristic signs of dysbiosis in children (changes in stool, abdominal pain, rash, etc.), consult a doctor immediately.

To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must conduct a series of tests and verify his assumptions.

To make a diagnosis, you will need several steps:

1. It is necessary to do a bacteriological examination of feces. When performing this test, the presence of pathogenic microorganisms can be detected and the causative agent can be identified. When studying the microflora using this analysis, it is possible to determine the ratio of bacteria at the moment. There will probably be an increase in opportunistic flora - streptococci and staphylococci, Klebsiella and fungi. The analysis is not always able to reflect the objective state of the intestines. Microflora is individual and variable, subject to various conditions. In addition, the analysis, as a rule, ignores the microflora of the small intestine, changes in which have an impact on the state of the digestive system.
2. It is necessary to do a stool culture. As a rule, the analysis is carried out within a week, since during this time the bacteria multiply and grow, and doctors examine them and discover resistance to antibiotics.
3. It is important to do a test that shows the presence of undigested pieces of food in the stool and detects signs of inflammation in the metabolic products of the intestinal microflora.
4. The doctor may prescribe additional tests and examinations - a general and clinical blood test, a urine test, a test for helminth eggs, a consultation with a gastroenterologist and a gastroscopy.

After receiving the test results, the specialist will be able to make an accurate diagnosis. The choice of treatment will be agreed upon with the parents.

Treatment of dysbiosis in children

After parents' fears have been confirmed, a logical question arises: how to treat dysbiosis in children?

Before treating dysbiosis, it is necessary to conduct a study of the child’s feces to accurately diagnose the disease and identify intestinal infections. After the tests, a laboratory report will be received confirming the presence of dysbacteriosis in the baby. Now you can proceed directly to treatment.

Treatment of dysbiosis occurs in two stages:

1. Achieving a complete cessation of reproduction and growth of abnormal flora. To do this, doctors prescribe special drugs called bacteriophages. These immunotherapy drugs absorb and remove all pathogens from the body. In case of complications, when bacteriophages cannot cope, doctors are forced to prescribe an intestinal antiseptic and, possibly, an antibiotic. The antibiotics used are those that only affect the intestines and are not absorbed into the blood.
2. Prescribing treatment that improves the intestinal microflora and creates the necessary favorable conditions for its growth and development.

Probiotics are suitable for this purpose - preparations containing live bifidobacteria, lactobacilli and E. coli. It is impossible to recommend a specific medication; treatment should only be carried out by a doctor and should be individual in each case.

When parents know how to treat dysbiosis in infants, many complications of this disease can be avoided.

Of course, it is much wiser to try to prevent the development of dysbiosis than to treat it. This should be done as early as possible, even before pregnancy. Before pregnancy, a woman must be fully examined in order to detect and eliminate disturbances in the microflora of the genitourinary system.

In the same case, if a fungal infection is detected during pregnancy, you should immediately begin treatment. Pharmacology currently has a large number of drugs that can be used during pregnancy.

The best prevention of dysbacteriosis is proper and prolonged breastfeeding of the baby. Every child needs mother's immunity for at least the first year of life.

If breastfeeding is not possible, then it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the task of choosing formula milk. It contains additional protective components. Such mixtures should contain prebiotics. Prebiotics are substances that create a fertile environment for beneficial bacteria.

It is important to keep in mind that when choosing a therapeutic mixture, consult a pediatrician.

Dysbacteriosis in newborns is a very common phenomenon today. And the problem is not that the parents are careless towards the child, but that the environmental situation is so difficult that it can harm the baby and lead to disorders in such a fragile body.