All parents treat the health of their child with special care. Any change brings a lot of anxiety. Even finding grains in the feces of a baby, some may experience a real panic when there is practically nothing to worry about. In order for mothers to be calm and respond correctly to changes in their baby's stool, it is necessary to consider a number of the most common problems associated with feces in infants.
Anomalies of the feces of infants
Veins in the feces of the baby
When zealous parents discover bloody streaks in their baby's stool, the only thing they want to do is call an ambulance. At the same time, the baby is very active, gains weight well, his tummy does not bother him and the tests are quite normal. Blood streaks in the feces of a completely healthy child may appear due to intolerance to the proteins contained in cow's milk. In order for the streaks in the feces of a baby who is on breastfeeding disappeared, the mother needs to give up the use of dairy products and the baby's stool will be restored.
Leukocytes in stool in infants
The health of the baby is normal if the leukocytes are in the range from 8 to 10. When the leukocytes in the feces of the baby exceed the norm, this may indicate a number of problems. Among the most common:
- Dysbacteriosis.
- Ulcerative colitis, in studies there is an increased number of neutrophils.
- Follicular enteritis. Elevated leukocytes in the stool in infants provoke the appearance of mucus.
- Constipation or spastic colitis.
- Dysentery. The number of neutrophils is greatly overestimated, the emptying is very frequent and liquid. There is a strong intoxication of the body.
- Allergic colitis. Along with an increased number of leukocytes, there is a sharp increase in the level of eosinophils.
When the leukocytes in the feces of the baby are greatly overestimated, then there is a change in its consistency, smell and amount of bowel movements.
Staphylococcus aureus in baby stool
It is not worth worrying about the fact that staphylococcus in the feces of a baby is present in a small amount. It appears even in absolutely healthy babies who had no problems in the first weeks-months of life. Accompanied by staphylococcus can constipation, increased gas formation, colic. Often, the baby cannot go to the toilet on its own. No special treatment is needed. It is worth balancing the mother’s diet, increasing the child’s physical activity, increasing the number of investments in the stomach, and making regular massage of the tummy. Staphylococcus aureus in the feces of a baby indicates a dysbacteriosis that can and should be dealt with. Especially in the early stages of life.
Carbohydrates in the feces of the baby
In order for babies of the first year of life not to develop lactase deficiency, carbohydrates in the feces of the baby should be determined. Thanks to this analysis, it is possible to identify the ability to assimilate and absorb fats and sugars of natural origin. The main reason for not perceiving fats and sugars of animal origin is the underdevelopment of the gastrointestinal tract or dysbacteriosis that develops in infants in the first months of life.
The fewer carbohydrates in the stool, the better the baby's body functions.
Black in the stool in the baby
Sometimes in the bowel movements of a child, various inclusions may appear. Black in the stool in a fully breastfed baby appears due to insufficiently absorbed calcium. For children already receiving complementary foods, a similar phenomenon is typical after consumption flour products with poppy, kiwi or banana.
There is no need to worry about the fact that black in the feces of the baby appeared as a result of internal bleeding. Such deviations are typical only for adults. In addition, the speed of passage of food through the esophagus is very high, which is why the blood does not have time to darken.
Lumps in the stool in the baby
Pediatricians consider it quite normal if there are lumps in the feces of a white baby. Often, if such impurities appear, then the reason is very banal: overeating. The child is applied to the breast on demand and the entire amount of food does not have time to digest.
Red in stool in baby
The reason for the appearance of red in the stool in the baby may be dysbacteriosis and some other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, blood can appear both with every bowel movement, and quite rarely.
If the red in the feces of the baby is in no way similar to bloody inclusions, then the red foods consumed by the nursing mother may be the cause: beets, pomegranates, tomatoes. If the baby is already receiving complementary foods, then the reason lies in new dishes with a red color that are not fully processed during passage through the esophagus.
Grains in the feces of the baby
If there are grains in the feces of the baby, then you should not worry about this. Often the cause of their occurrence is: overfeeding, insufficient absorption of calcium or improper nutrition of the mother.
Fat in the feces of the baby
As a result of the immaturity of the pancreas, fat is observed in the feces of the baby. Most often, such a stool occurs in infants born ahead of time or having deviations in the process of intrauterine development. In some cases, similar bowel movements occur in children with various diseases liver or bile ducts.
Protein in the feces of the baby
Quite often, protein in the feces of a baby appears during the course of inflammatory diseases in the intestines of a baby. Additional reasons for increasing the protein rate may be putrefactive dispersion or ulcerative colitis.
Clostridia in the feces of a baby
It is worth paying special attention to the fact that clostridia were found in the feces of the baby. Often the cause is intestinal dysbacteriosis, which has arisen against the background of an increased amount of protein. If dysbacteriosis itself is not very dangerous, then the diseases to which it can lead are very alarming. Clostridium in the feces of infants can lead to putrefactive dispersion, tetanus, botulism, necrotizing enteritis, or the presence of anaerobic infection.
Foam in the stool in the baby
It is too early to panic about the fact that foam appeared in the feces of the baby. Almost always, a similar reaction occurs to a change in the mother's diet or the introduction of complementary foods. In addition, in the process of "maturation" of the gastrointestinal tract, various changes can be observed: foam, bloody inclusions, lumps, and so on.
Foam in the feces in infants can also be caused by dysbacteriosis or an infection introduced into the body. If no other impurities are observed against the background of the foam and the child feels good, then his body is normal.
Flakes in the feces of the baby
Almost always, flakes in the feces of a baby appear due to a lack of enzymes that can digest incoming food, or rather breast milk. In addition, the baby may have an excellent appetite and he absorbs more than he can absorb, or the mother has very fatty milk. Flakes in the feces of the baby are a passing phenomenon.
Detritus in the feces of the baby
It is quite a normal thing if detritus is found in the feces of a baby. It's just a product of the body. How well processed food is evidenced by detritus. It contains everything that the baby and his mother consumed. The better the baby's digestive system works, the more crushed particles the corpogram can show.
Enterococci in the feces of a baby
In the first months of life, enterococci perform a very important function: they help to absorb various organic substances. Therefore, having found enterococci in the feces of a baby, slightly exceeding the norm, you should not think about the bad. Quite often, the number of enterococci can be quite high. Against this background, dysbacteriosis may develop, subsequently provoking various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
In some cases, the main carrier of enterococci is a nursing mother, passing them in large numbers through breast milk.
Clots in the stool in the baby
In small quantities, clots in the stool in infants may be present from time to time. They can consist of both mucus and blood. In this case, it is necessary to focus on the behavior of the child. If he is worried about pain in the abdomen, he is irritable, often cries, then the cause of clots can be both dysbacteriosis and infection. You should make a corpusgram.
Bilirubin in the feces of the baby
In the first months of life, bilirubin in the feces of the baby should be present, since the bacterial flora of the intestine is not sufficiently developed. Up to nine months, bilirubin is processed into stercobilin. From 9 months, bilirubin should be completely absent. If bilirubin is detected, then its cause may be:
- accelerated intestinal motility;
- lack of bacteria
- antibiotics;
- tendency to rapid evacuation of feces from the intestines.
If bilirubin in the feces of an infant is present in minimal proportions, then the risk of developing or having diseases is very low.
Klebsiella in the feces of the baby
If the corpogram showed that Klebsiella is present in large quantities in the feces of the baby, then you need to act as soon as possible. Otherwise, along with bloating, dysbacteriosis, constant pain in the intestines, the baby can get a number of rather unpleasant diseases (sinusitis, conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal diseases, pneumonia, meningitis).
Starch in the feces of the baby
Having found starch in the feces of a baby, you need to carefully examine its gastrointestinal tract. Perhaps the reason for not splitting starches is the accelerated evacuation of intestinal contents, gastritis, fermentative dispersion. Over time, pancreatitis may develop. Starch in the feces of a baby is not normal, and the sooner the cause of its appearance is identified, the better.
Erythrocytes in the feces of a baby
Normally, red blood cells in the feces of the baby should be completely absent. Their appearance indicates a number of diseases or bleeding. At the same time, along with them, there should also be blood in the feces of the baby.
Bacteria in baby stool
Often, bacteria in the feces of a baby appear against the background of dysbacteriosis. Whatever type of bacteria is detected by the corpogram, timely treatment should be carried out in order to prevent degeneration into a more severe form of gastrointestinal diseases.
Whatever is found in the feces of a baby, the results of the tests should be examined by a pediatrician and, if necessary, prescribe appropriate treatment. You do not need to look for answers to questions and select medicines on your own. In some cases, deviations from the norm, against the background of full health in a child, are only a temporary phenomenon.
Ekaterina Bykova
19.04.2015 | 241
Young parents, when changing a diaper for their baby, often look closely at its contents. After all, the chair of a newborn can say a lot about the state of health of the crumbs.
At the same time, its regularity, consistency and color are important.
So, what are the features of the stool in a newborn and what health problems can he talk about?
Features of the chair in the baby
While the child is in the mother's womb, gastrointestinal tract absolutely sterile: there are no bacteria. Further, in the process of childbirth and close communication with the mother, bacteria from the environment enter the baby's body.
Consider the types of chair
1. Meaconios- Baby's first chair. It is a black mass of bile, water, prenatal hair, etc.
By the third day of life, the child may experience intestinal upset. There may be mucus and lumps in the stool.
2. transitional feces has a greenish color and a more liquid consistency.
3. mature stool It is yellow in color and has a mushy texture.
For the first 30 days of life, a baby can poop up to twelve times a day, after each feeding. Then a certain food regimen is formed, and the child defecates at approximately the same time. The number of bowel movements is gradually reduced.
Features of nutrition and chair
It is important for parents to understand that the consistency and color of a newborn's stool will depend on whether the baby is breastfed or, for one reason or another, receives artificial nutrition.
- Breast-feeding. The stool is usually yellow in color, reminiscent of fatty sour cream.
- artificial feeding. The stool in a newborn is most often darker in color and with an unpleasant odor.
What problems does stool indicate?
We list the options for "problem" feces:
- Green chair speaks of intestinal inflammation or malnutrition.
- loose stool indicates some problems in the digestion of lactose.
- Lumps that look like cottage cheese appear when the mother feeds the child too often, therefore, an excess of nutrients enters his body.
- Blood in stool. Do not immediately panic if you find bloody streaks in the feces of a child. They can be the result of constipation and possible cracks in the anus. But in any case, in order to exclude more serious pathologies, it is necessary to show the baby to the doctor.
- constipation more often they torment crumbs that feed on an artificial mixture. If we are talking about similar problems with breastfeeding, then the reasons for this are as follows: either the mother eats incorrectly (there is not enough dietary fiber in the diet), or the violation of intestinal motility in the newborn is to blame.
If you notice that the child's stool has changed dramatically in color or consistency, "green" has appeared in it, or the child does not go to the "toilet" at all, you need to visit a pediatrician. In any case, this factor cannot be ignored and you need to constantly look into the diaper.
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With the birth of a child, the mother has a lot of fears related to the health of the baby and the correct care of him. These fears are easy to dispel.
Young parents are looking at the contents of a baby diaper with interest and awe ... A familiar picture? The chair often causes concern to the mother and is really able to tell about the health and ill health of the baby - you just need to be able to "read between the lines", that is, understand the signs of the body.
Get to know the norm
While the baby lives and develops in the mother's womb, it accumulates in his intestines. meconium. It is a homogeneous tar-like mass of dark olive, almost black color, almost odorless. It consists of thickened cells of the intestinal mucosa, amniotic fluid swallowed by the baby, etc. Normally, meconium begins to be released from the intestines of the crumbs after birth and therefore is also called original feces(sometimes meconium is secreted in utero: in case of an unfavorable course of labor or at the very end of pregnancy, oxygen starvation of the fetus causes premature emptying of the intestine, in this case, meconium enters the amniotic fluid and stains them green). The baby's stool is usually represented by meconium in the first two or three days, that is, until the mother has a large amount of milk. Sometimes it happens that after the bulk of the meconium has passed, say, during the first day, until the mother has milk, the baby may not have a chair at all. This is due to the fact that the colostrum, which the baby eats in the first few days, is absorbed by the body almost completely, so that there are no toxins left in the intestines - therefore, there is simply nothing to stand out.
After the mother has established active lactation, the baby's stool gradually becomes mature, as a rule, passing through the transitional stage. Transitional called a stool that combines the features of the original feces and mature stools, it has a mushy texture, yellow-green color and sour smell. Mature the stool is distinguished by a pure yellow color, a homogeneous mushy consistency (it is often compared with thin sour cream), and an odor sour milk. Its frequency is higher than younger child: in the first weeks after birth, bowel movements can occur almost after each feeding, that is, reach 5-8, and sometimes 10 times per day.
Gradually, the stool is reduced to about 1-3 times a day, however, there is a rare variant of the norm, when mother's milk is so completely absorbed by the baby's body that almost no undigested residue accumulates in his intestines. In this case, bowel movements can occur once every few days, sometimes even once a week. This is due to the fact that only sufficient filling of the large intestine with waste (undigested food residues) is a signal for contractions of the intestinal walls, leading to emptying. That is why the intestines must first "accumulate" the remains, then to throw them out. As a rule, such a feature of the assimilation of mother's milk becomes apparent in babies no earlier than 1.5-3 months. Let's make a reservation: the frequency of stool 1 time in several days can be considered the norm only if three conditions are met: with completely natural feeding (that is, the baby does not receive anything other than mother's milk), at least 1.5 months old and without any signs of ill health - pain and bloating in the abdomen, discomfort and difficulty in emptying the intestines - that is, when the baby eats well, gains weight correctly and nothing bothers him.
Chair with artificial or mixed feeding may be no different from normal, mature breastfeeding stools, or may have a more "adult", putrid odor, thicker texture, and a darker, brownish color. Bowel emptying with mixed or artificial feeding should occur at least 1 time per day, everything else is considered constipation.
Now that we have become acquainted with the "ideal" course of the process, it is necessary to become familiar with possible deviations from it.
Greens in the chair
It often happens that the "correct" type of stool is not established for a long time, and feces, even against the background of active lactation in the mother, retain the features of the transition for a long time, that is, it has a clear greenish tint, sometimes mucus is also found in it. There are several reasons for this.
- Malnutrition(the so-called "hungry" chair). Often this is due to a lack of milk from the mother. Factors that make it difficult for a baby to “get” milk from the breast can also be flat and inverted nipples, tight breasts, especially after the first birth.
- The predominance of fruits and vegetables in the diet of a nursing woman compared to other products.
- Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa in a child. A very common reason for this is the hypoxia (oxygen starvation) of the fetus transferred during pregnancy and / or childbirth. This pathological condition affects many tissues in the body, including the intestinal mucosa, which then recovers for quite some time. In addition, inflammation of the intestinal mucosa can be caused by the influence of synthetic substances - flavors, dyes and preservatives and any artificial compounds present in the mother's diet, penetrating into breast milk and affecting directly the intestinal mucosa, i.e., the use by the mother of products containing synthetic additives: sausages, smoked meats, all types of canned food, juices of industrial production, dairy products with fruit and other aromatic fillers. Finally, a very common cause of intestinal inflammation is a violation of the normal intestinal microflora - in other words, intestinal dysbacteriosis (or dysbiosis), when there are few representatives of the normal microflora, but the so-called opportunistic microbes multiply, that is, pathogens that, when adverse conditions can cause inflammation in the intestines. In this case, the mucous membrane suffers as a result of the influence of opportunistic pathogens and their metabolic products. The risk of development increases significantly if the mother and / or baby were prescribed antibacterial drugs.
What to do? If there is greenery in the stool, the baby should first of all be excluded from malnutrition. Of course, in addition to stool disorders, other symptoms will also be noted: the baby may show dissatisfaction at the breast, if milk is poorly excreted from the nipple, he does not fall asleep after feeding and / or never withstands more than 1-1.5 hours between feedings, he reduced rate of weight gain and growth. With severe malnutrition, the number of urination may decrease in a child (normally it is at least 6-8 per day), urine may be more concentrated (normally it is almost colorless and has only a slight smell). Then you should act according to the situation: in case of insufficient lactation - switch to feeding "on demand" or "at the first cry", put the baby to the breast more often, allow him to stay at the breast for as long as he wants, give both breasts in one feeding, be sure to feed breast during the night, take drugs that stimulate lactation. If the cause of malnutrition lies in the irregular shape of the nipples, it may be worth using special nipple pads during feeding. In any case, if you suspect malnutrition of the crumbs, it is better to consult a pediatrician, as well as a breastfeeding consultant.
With artificial feeding, constipation is much more common.
Next, you should carefully check your mother's diet. All products containing synthetic additives are subject to unconditional exclusion. It should not be forgotten that synthetic vitamin preparations taken by the mother (including those for pregnant and lactating women) can often become the cause of intestinal inflammation in infants, so their intake should also be excluded. You should also take care that the amount of fruits and vegetables in the diet does not prevail over other products (these "gifts of the earth" contain a large number of acids, the excess of which breast milk can cause inflammation of the mucous membrane in the intestines of the baby).
Now that we have created all possible prerequisites for proper nutrition crumbs, you should be guided by his well-being. If the baby is gaining well in height and weight, he is not bothered by pain in the abdomen and allergic reactions, he is generally healthy and cheerful, interested in the world around him according to his age, then you can ignore the only symptom - the green color of the stool: most likely, it will reflect the consequences or the presence of intestinal dysbacteriosis in the baby. AT human body, especially recently born, everything goes according to its own laws and at an individual speed. The settlement of the intestines with the “right” microbes is a process of more than one day or even more than one week, so even in perfectly healthy children, transitional stools can last up to a month or even more. If this does not prevent the baby from developing normally, you can not interfere in this process. All the same, a drug for dysbacteriosis has not yet been created better than mother's milk. The only thing that does not interfere with protracted signs of dysbacteriosis is to hand over mother's milk for sowing to make sure that it does not contain pathogenic microbes (if any are found, their sensitivity to antibacterial drugs is necessarily determined, then the mother is treated with the most effective for this case antibiotics - for this period, breastfeeding is usually stopped).
If, however, not everything is well in the baby’s well-being (for example, he is tormented by intestinal colic, or skin allergic reactions are noted, or he is not gaining enough weight and height), then some tests should be taken - a coprogram and a fecal analysis for flora (or, as they say , for dysbacteriosis). The coprogram will show how the processes of digestion are going in the intestines, and can confirm the presence of inflammation of the mucosa (an increase in the number in the feces, a sharply acidic reaction, the presence of latent blood will indicate it). In the analysis of the flora, the main attention should be paid to the presence and / or number of pathogenic microorganisms - those that normally should not be found in the intestine or whose number should not exceed certain limits. The number of "friendly" microbes may be completely indicative if the feces were analyzed later than two hours after collection. Since this is exactly what happens in the vast majority of cases, the number of normal microbes in this analysis can be ignored. The detection of pathogenic (pathogenic) microbes (provided that the mother's milk has been analyzed and the mother has been treated if necessary) is the reason for prescribing special drugs to the baby. As a rule, treatment is carried out with phages - special viruses that destroy a certain type of pathogenic microbes and do not affect the flora as a whole. In some cases, antibacterial drugs may be prescribed, taking into account the sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria to them. Treatment is completed with drugs that help restore normal microflora.
White lumps in baby's stool
Sometimes white lumps can be seen in the baby's feces, as if someone had mixed coarse cottage cheese there. If this symptom is noted against the background of a normal physical (gaining weight well and growing), then it is evidence of some overeating: the body receives more nutrients than it needs to meet real needs (when the breast is offered not only to satisfy hunger, but also any relief). There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, since the baby's body is perfectly adapted to such a "bust": it simply throws out the excess in the form of such undigested white lumps. At present, when the course is taken to feed "at the first cry", most healthy children at least from time to time have this feature of the stool. If this symptom is accompanied by a lack of weight or height, especially if this lag is aggravated, most likely, there is an enzymatic insufficiency of the digestive glands, which does not allow to properly digest the incoming nutrients. In this case, a pediatrician or gastroenterologist may prescribe enzyme replacement therapy.
Sometimes white lumps can be seen in the baby's stool.
lactase deficiency
Quite often, parents may encounter the fact that the baby's stool is thin, watery, sometimes foamy, has a sharper sour smell, and in some cases a changed color - mustard or greenish. On a cotton diaper, such feces leave a watering zone around it. Quite often the chair is allocated with the small portions even at an otkhozhdeniye of gases. The acidic reaction of feces often causes stubborn. This picture is observed when there is a violation of the digestion of lactose - milk sugar, when for some reason the amount of lactose entering the intestines with mother's milk exceeds the amount of the lactase enzyme necessary for its digestion. This can either be with an excess of lactose in milk (hereditary predisposition of the mother , an excess of fresh milk and dairy products in her diet), or with reduced lactase production by the digestive glands of the crumbs. Undigested carbohydrates "pull" a large amount of water into the intestinal lumen, which is why the stool has a liquefied, watery character.
Often, lactase deficiency is accompanied by intestinal dysbacteriosis: the acidic reaction of the intestinal contents prevents the colonization of the intestine with the correct flora, and the absence of the required number of beneficial microorganisms, in turn, reduces the ability to digest carbohydrates. If this does not interfere with the development of the baby (as we have already said, its signs are a normal increase in height and weight, the absence of intestinal colic and persistent diaper rash), given state may well be left untreated. In the vast majority of cases, lactase deficiency is a transient problem and disappears without a trace with age (by about 9-12 months, the activity of the digestive glands increases so much that the baby’s body easily begins to cope not only with fermented milk products, but also with fresh milk). Severe and lifelong disorders of lactase production are almost always genetically determined: I should think about this variant of a hereditary disease if the next of kin in the family suffer from lactase deficiency in adulthood. To confirm the diagnosis, in addition to a scatological study, a stool analysis for carbohydrates is performed. With confirmed lactase deficiency, the mother should first of all adjust her diet: exclude fresh milk, if this step is ineffective, significantly reduce the amount of fermented milk products (the exception is cheese, in which there is practically no milk sugar). If all of these measures fail, the doctor may prescribe lactase replacement therapy.
Constipation in the chest
Constipation is the absence of an independent stool for more than a day (of course, except for cases of complete assimilation of milk), as well as cases when bowel movement is difficult and accompanied by significant discomfort.
With breastfeeding, constipation is quite rare, and there are two main reasons for them: maternal malnutrition and intestinal motility disorders, including anal sphincter spasm.
Improper nutrition of the mother is expressed by a tendency to foods rich in proteins and easily digestible carbohydrates, a lack of dietary fiber in the diet. Therefore, in case of constipation in a baby, the mother should first of all normalize her diet: give preference to cereals (especially buckwheat, brown rice, oatmeal), whole grains bread, include boiled vegetables in the diet. Some products (peaches, apricots, prunes, dried apricots, figs, boiled beets, fresh kefir) have pronounced laxative properties. In many cases, they will allow you to normalize not only your own stool, but also the baby's stool.
If such measures do not lead to anything, most likely, there is a violation of intestinal motility (or, conversely, spasm) and / or spasm of the sphincter anus. With spasm of the sphincter, the passage of gases from the intestine is also difficult, so constipation is often accompanied by pronounced intestinal colic. Unfortunately, these conditions are almost impossible to deal with at home, as they are associated with a violation of the nervous regulation of smooth muscle tone and are the consequences of a birth injury or an unfavorable course of pregnancy. If they are accompanied by other symptoms that make you turn to a neurologist (irritability or, conversely, lethargy of the crumbs, sleep disturbances, meteorological dependence, muscle tone disorders, etc.), then the treatment prescribed by him for the ill-being of the central nervous system, often helps to improve the situation with constipation. If, in the absence of a stool, the baby is worried about pain and / or bloating in the abdomen, you can try to put a gas outlet tube, which will gently stimulate the anus. With artificial feeding, constipation, unfortunately, is much more common, since the digestion of milk mixtures is a great difficulty for the infant's digestive system. In many cases, the situation can be normalized by replacing half of the baby's daily diet with a fermented milk mixture (gradually introducing acidic mixtures after 3 weeks of life). After 4-6 months of life, you can introduce a decoction and mashed prunes into the baby's diet, which help to cope with constipation in most cases.
02/05/2010 17:07:39, Elena ShEvery mother instinctively worries about the fact that the child is protected, warm and full. Confirmation that the baby is eating properly and does not experience digestive problems, a woman is looking for in diapers and a potty. And if there she discovers something strange, she runs to the clinic to take general analysis feces in a child. How to understand from the coprogram when to worry, and what indicators are normal?
The essence of scatological research
Fecal analysis includes a macroscopic examination of the sample to determine the consistency, color, odor and large inclusions, as well as a microscopic examination of the contents and biochemical tests. Microscopic examination reveals mucus, starch, undigested food particles, protein and many other components of feces. Coprological examination helps to recognize various deviations in the functioning of the digestive system. This analysis is especially important in early childhood, when any disturbances in the body can affect the overall development of the child.
It is according to the results of the coprogram that dangerous diseases can be identified in the first year of life. hereditary diseases associated with insufficient production of digestive enzymes necessary for the breakdown of disaccharides. Such pathologies include, for example, cystic fibrosis (damage to the external secretion glands) and celiac disease (congenital inability to break down gluten). To clarify the diagnosis, sometimes a stool test for trypsin, a pancreatic enzyme, is prescribed. Parents should not ignore routine screening tests of feces, urine and blood, even if the child seems to be quite healthy. Such studies help to identify pathologies at an early asymptomatic stage.
Indications for analysis
Children are prescribed a coprogram planned in the first year of life in order to assess the degree of maturity of the digestive tract. However, the main indications for conducting a coprological study include the diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases and the evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment. Analysis may be needed in the following situations:
- if blood, mucus, pus is visible in the feces with the naked eye;
- with a clear shortage or weight loss in an infant;
- if the child is restless, cries a lot and at the same time has a poor appetite;
- when an umbilical hernia is found in a baby;
- if the doctor, according to the symptoms, suggests the presence of a pathology of the digestive system.
Deciphering the coprogram, norm indicators
The specificity of childhood is a rather long process of formation and maturation of the digestive system, so the bowel movements of boys and girls are very different from adults.
The norms of indicators of the fecal coprogram when deciphering in children are presented in the table:
| Indicators | Breastfed babies (HB) | Formula-fed infants (IV) | Children over one year old |
| Consistency | mushy | Thick, putty | decorated |
| Smell | Sourish | Gives away rot | not sharp |
| Color | green yellow | yellowish brown | Brown |
| Acidity(pH) | Sour | subacid | Neutral |
| Blood (erythrocytes) | Missing (-) | (–) | (–) |
| Soluble proteins | (–) | (–) | (–) |
| Detritus | different volume | different volume | different volume |
| Digestible fiber | (–) | (–) | (–) |
| Connective fibers | (–) | (–) | (–) |
| Muscle fibers | Little or not at all | Little or not at all | (–) |
| Slime | In the form of small patches | (–) | (–) |
| Starch | (–) | (–) | (–) |
| Bilirubin | (+) | (+) | (–) |
| Sterkobilin | (+) | (+) | 75–350 mg/day |
| Neutral Fats | droplets | Small amount | (–) |
| Leukocytes | Single | Single | Single |
When carrying out scatology, soaps, ammonia, fatty acids and various crystalline compounds are also detected. For example, Charcot-Leiden crystals indicate allergies, helminthic invasion or amoebiasis. Calcium oxalates are talking about low acidity stomach or busting vegetables in the diet. Tripelphosphate crystals in an alkaline reaction of feces are an indicator of an increase in putrefactive processes in the intestine. The doctor deciphers the coprogram, based not only on the indicators, but also on the clinical picture.
What should be the chair of a newborn?
Feces in a newborn baby change very quickly. During this period, it is especially important to monitor the baby's appetite and weight gain. In the first 3 days, meconium is released - the baby's original feces are dark green and slimy, include bilirubin, epithelial cells, fats, cholesterol crystals. After that, greenish-brown semi-liquid stools are observed within a week, such a stool is called transitional. For a 4-week period, the feces of the baby acquire a characteristic curdled consistency and an orange-yellow hue. Feces in a newborn should be without a strong odor and pathological impurities.
Norms of feces in an infant
As the baby develops, his digestive system also matures, which cannot but be reflected in the feces. Each baby is individual, able to defecate from 1 to 6 times a day. And all this is the norm. Until the age of three months, the child develops a bacterial flora in the intestines that can process bilirubin into stercobilin. Until about 9 months of age, the bacteria only partially cope with this task. Therefore, the detection of bilirubin in a baby of this age is considered normal. When baby starch is found in the feces, this is most often associated not with the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, but with complementary foods, which include vegetable puree from potatoes, bananas and other starchy foods. Undigested food particles found in a 3–12 month old baby's diaper are usually not indicative of digestive problems. This often happens with teething, overfeeding, poor food processing, early introduction of complementary foods.
When conducting coprology, the decoding in the baby depends on the type of feeding.
For example, with artificial or mixed feeding, the child's feces smell unpleasant, give off rot, this is due to the decay of casein (protein cow's milk). Such babies usually defecate less frequently than those who are breastfed. Their feces are not acidic, but neutral or slightly alkaline, and microscopy shows a slightly increased content of fatty acids. In an artificial person, the properties and frequency of bowel movements may change due to a change in the mixture.
With natural feeding, the baby's stool is semi-viscous, yellowish, with fatty drops and a sour smell. If feces of an unusual color, white blotches, grains of sand, etc. are found in the baby's diaper, do not immediately worry. It is important to realize one simple thing - a breastfed baby can have feces of any color, consistency and frequency of bowel movements, provided that the general condition is not disturbed, there are no problems with appetite, and the baby is gaining weight normally.
Fecal norms in children older than a year
For a healthy one-year-old child and older, going to the toilet from 3 times a day to 3 times a week is considered the norm, the stool is already formed, does not have a strong odor. If irregular bowel movements are accompanied by pain, and the feces are too hard, then we can talk about constipation. The physical properties of children's feces can easily change depending on the foods consumed. Grainy stools, for example, are an indication of a lack of water or fiber in the body.
Normally, in a child after a year, tests for bilirubin, erythrocytes and protein should be negative, and for stercobilin - positive. Before worrying about the contents of the potty and testing for dysbiosis and other disorders, it is important to understand that feces do not exist on their own, they must be linked to the condition of the child. If the baby jumps and jumps, and the bowel movements seem strange, you need to calm down and just watch.
Preparing the child for stool analysis and rules for sample collection
How and how much feces should be collected for analysis from a baby or an older child? For greater reliability of the study, it is desirable to pre-prepare the baby. The day before, you need to stop taking drugs: antibiotics, Smecta, De-Nol, etc. In order for the indicator of latent blood in the feces to be reliable, three days before the sample is taken, foods that can increase hemoglobin levels should be excluded from the diet: liver, tomatoes, meat, etc. Preference in nutrition should be given to cereals, and it is better to limit fresh fruits and vegetables.
The algorithm for taking a sample for a coprogram is very simple. It is necessary to collect feces with a special spatula in a dry, clean dish, if possible in the morning, immediately before delivery to the laboratory. A teaspoon will suffice.
If there is an opportunity to collect feces only in the evening, it is important to remember that you can store the sample for no more than 10 hours and only in the refrigerator at a temperature not higher than +5 degrees, you can not freeze.
In infants, it is better to take feces not from a diaper, but from a diaper.
dangerous situations
Separate changes in feces require special attention from parents, even if the baby has no characteristic symptoms of malaise. Here are some situations in which it is dangerous to delay visiting a specialist:
- Watery diarrhea, which may indicate lactase deficiency, is not so easy to detect in an infant, because the diaper quickly absorbs moisture released from the stool. Therefore, if a baby has bright yellow feces with a sour smell more than 8 times a day in the first weeks of life, it is worth taking a sample for analysis.
- Grayish-white feces in a newborn or older child, due to low levels of stercobilin, may be a sign of hepatitis, blockage of the bile duct, or pancreatitis. An additional marker of the pathology of the biliary tract is obstructive jaundice. It is worth noting that for a newborn baby, jaundice is the norm, provided that he is gaining weight and does not show much concern. But if the yellow tint of the skin persists after two months of age, it is imperative to examine the baby.
- It is urgent to show the child to the doctor if symptoms such as weight loss, bloated abdomen, loose stools are observed, this may indicate congenital enzyme deficiency.
- Dark-colored feces indicate possible bleeding from the upper intestine.
- Visible traces of blood in the stool in a child from 6 months to 2 years old may be due to intussusception of the intestine, which requires urgent surgery.
Any pathological changes feces, combined with vomiting and impaired general condition - an occasion to immediately consult a doctor.
Stool disorders in infants are, of course, a serious cause for concern. Mucus in the stool - a pathology or a norm? When is medical assistance required? Let's figure it out together.
Gastrointestinal development from birth. What does a normal chair look like?
After the birth of the first bowel movements of the baby look like a homogeneous dark green mass - this is meconium. After 3-4 days, the feces become noticeably thinner, and the number of defecation acts increases. At this time, the natural colonization of the intestine by bacteria begins. Recall that initially it was sterile. During this period, most babies can notice elements of mucus in the feces, but this does not pose a danger.
2-3 days later, the features of the chair will begin to depend on the type of feeding. If the mother breastfeeds the child, the stool becomes yellow (orange), the consistency resembles sour cream, it acquires a sour smell. The formation of the gastrointestinal tract continues, so milk may not be fully absorbed. White grains appear in the stool, which is a variant of the norm and can last several months.
The frequency of bowel movements is a purely individual value, but a certain pattern can be traced. So, up to 2-3 months, the baby can poop after each feeding, up to six months - on average, 3 times, and after this age - 1-2 times a day.
If the baby eats the mixture, the picture will be different. After the release of meconium, the stool becomes very dense, the color is light yellow. The average frequency of stools in "artificial" is initially 1-2 times a day. With the introduction of complementary foods, the feces thicken, darken, the smell becomes typical.
Mucus in feces: dangerous or not
The presence of mucus in the feces as such is not an anomaly, especially during the neonatal period, when the body adapts to new conditions. Mucus serves to protect the intestines from damage (mechanical and chemical). Mucus stools are light shade become softer in texture. However, the mucus must be mixed with the feces, this makes it invisible. If its blotches can be seen without much difficulty, adults should not leave this body signal unattended.
Observe the child's stool for a while. If this is a rare occurrence, it usually does not carry anything terrible. But if it appears systematically, there are accompanying symptoms (anxiety, weight loss, poor appetite, etc.), you cannot do without consulting a doctor.
Possible reasons
Nutrition related
1. With natural feeding. Mothers need to streamline their own diet. The baby's body can react this way to certain foods. For example, sweet, fatty, flour or fried. It is necessary to exclude all harmful and questionable food and henceforth adhere to a special diet for nursing.
If, after normalizing the diet, the mucus impurities have not disappeared, the mother can take her milk for analysis to determine if it is sterile. In rare cases, it happens that the analysis gives positive result. Next, you need to follow the instructions of the doctors.
2. With artificial feeding. Perhaps the selected mixture is not suitable for the child (there is an allergy, some component is poorly digested). And in some cases, there is a cumulative effect. At the beginning of taking the mixture, the body does not betray its “dissatisfaction”, but then it becomes more and more difficult for it to process the product, and it lets you know about it. When choosing or changing the mixture, it is better to consult a pediatrician or gastroenterologist. Remember that it is impossible to abruptly transfer a baby to a new product. Sometimes it is advised to continue to feed the baby in the same way, but to replace one of the daily feedings with fermented milk formula.
3. Reaction to the introduction of complementary foods. Already at 4-6 months, the diet of babies begins to expand with the help of complementary foods. Previously, it was advised to start with juices, then give fruit and vegetable purees, and then cereals. Modern pediatrics looks at this issue differently. It is recommended to start with cereals (first introduce gluten-free ones), then start giving vegetable purees, then fruit purees. Juices should not be introduced early, they the nutritional value too exaggerated. There are no valuable dietary fibers, but there are fruit acids and a fairly large amount of sugar.
You need to introduce each new product a little, gradually increasing the portion. If this rule is neglected, you can overload digestive system, and then mucus will appear in the feces. Such a reaction is also possible on a certain product or type of product (most often it is fruits or vegetables).
To help, you need to reduce the amount of a new dish, the speed of its introduction to the menu, or stop giving it altogether for the time being.
4. Individual intolerance to a particular dish. There is only one way out - to exclude the product that irritates the intestines from the child's diet.
5. Irrational catering. Large intervals between feedings, portions larger than necessary, lack of water - all this can cause fermentation and other troubles. The appearance of mucus is just one of the possible consequences.
When it's not about food
Improper feeding is relatively easy to correct, therefore, with due attention, the baby's stool quickly returns to normal. Unfortunately, it happens that the problem is in the development of pathology. It could be:
1. Intestinal infection(dysentery, salmonellosis, rotavirus). Then, in addition to mucus in the feces, there are also signs:
- vomit;
- temperature rise;
- lack of appetite;
- lethargy;
- pale skin;
- change in color, smell, density, number of bowel movements per day.
If adults notice such symptoms, a doctor should be called. Sometimes hospital treatment is required.
2. lactase deficiency. Lactase is an enzyme necessary for the processing of lactose (milk sugar). A baby may lack it from birth, and it is also destroyed under the influence of pathogenic microorganisms, if there are too many of them. The result is dyspeptic phenomena: flatulence, stool disorders, abdominal pain, inability to completely digest food (the presence of white lumps and mucus in the feces).
Enzyme deficiency is detected by analyzing feces for carbohydrate content. Therapy consists of a therapeutic diet and taking lactase preparations; when feeding a child with mixtures, a lactose-free option is selected.
3. celiac disease(gluten intolerance). This is the inability to process gluten and some other cereal proteins. Such proteins remain unprocessed, causing an autoimmune reaction, resulting in intestinal damage. Symptoms can vary: bloating and pain in the abdomen, vomiting, low weight gain, stool changes (including mucus), iron deficiency, anxiety. The basis of treatment is a special diet and replenishment of the missing enzymes by taking medications.
4. Dysbacteriosis. Violation of the natural balance of microflora is one of the most common causes problems with stool in infants. This is when pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms prevail over beneficial bacteria. Primary signs: flatulence, constipation, mucus in the feces. In advanced cases, there is diarrhea, white flakes, an abundance of mucus and other impurities are visible in the stool. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the results of the tests and the collected anamnesis. The treatment is quite long, it involves the sanitation of the intestines, the intake of probiotics and nutrition correction.
5. Intestinal intussusception. The most dangerous of the causes, requiring immediate medical attention. The disease is characterized by obstruction in a certain part of the intestine, when it is squeezed by another part of the intestine.
The symptoms are quite clear:
- severe pain in the abdomen during and after feeding;
- frequent severe vomiting fountain;
- the stool has the following features: at first, the feces are diarrhea mixed with blood and mucus, then it becomes like clots of mucus streaked with blood.
Treatment requires surgery. The delay in providing assistance is dangerous for the health and life of the crumbs.
6. Atopic dermatitis. This disease is hereditary and depends on the characteristics of the immune system. If the rash on the skin is visible to the naked eye, then about a possible lesion internal organs many don't even realize. Their mucous membrane suffers, fragments of mucus may appear in the feces.
Another mucus in the baby's stool may be a reaction to certain medications. For example, for preparations based on simethicone (Bobotik, Espumizan, etc.). If the matter is in medications, after the end of therapy, the symptom disappears on its own.
The appearance of mucus as a source of information
something about possible reasons the appearance of mucus in the feces can tell its color:
- transparent - inflammation of the respiratory system, or enteroviruses attack the intestines;
- white - the presence of helminths, polyps or intestinal pathologies, it is important not to delay the examination;
- green - the result of the vital activity of harmful bacteria, medical assistance is needed;
- yellow - disorders of the intestines, helminths, enzyme deficiency;
- red (pink) - traces of blood, it is urgent to show the baby to the doctor.
When to call an ambulance:
- stools are loose, too frequent, offensive, there are impurities like blood;
- while the baby is restless or, on the contrary, too lethargic;
- any other warning signs (eg, atypical behavior, vomiting, pyrexia, pallor, refusal to eat) are present.
Be attentive to your child, contact medical workers in a timely manner, then many problems can be avoided. Health to you and your baby!