Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in children

Basic information

Stomach upset in children is quite common. As you know, the mentioned organ is one of the main elements that make up the human digestive system. Interruptions in its work negatively affect not only the patient’s well-being, but also his health in general.

Functional indigestion in children is a special condition in which one of the functions of the organ in question (for example, motor or secretory) is impaired. In this case, the small patient feels noticeable pain in the epigastrium and experiences a significant feeling of discomfort.

A characteristic feature of this condition is the absence of any structural changes in the gastric mucosa. Thus, the diagnosis is made based on a survey of the patient, existing symptoms, test results and other studies.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Diagnosing personality disorders in children is quite difficult. Specialists need to observe a small patient for about 6 months in order to be able to make an accurate diagnosis.

Personality disorder manifests itself in different ways, depending on the type of disease:

1. A paranoid type disorder is accompanied by the appearance in a child of one idea, which turns out to be extremely valuable for him. This could be the idea of ​​illness, persecution or jealousy, etc. In this state, children become extremely suspicious; they react very sharply to refusals to satisfy their desires.

2. The disorder may have a schizoid overtone. A typical behavior of a child with a similar personality imbalance is refusal to communicate. In this state, it is very difficult to establish a trusting relationship with someone; the child is restrained in emotions and is not capable of empathy. But at the same time, the patient loves to fantasize.

3. Weak-willed psychopathy or dissocial type of personality disorder is manifested in complete non-compliance with generally accepted moral standards. The child does not have his own principles, and is also unable to maintain family and friendly ties.

4. Emotional instability can also be observed in children with personality imbalance. This type of psychopathy occurs most often in adolescents. Aggression and cruelty are common symptoms of this condition and occur in outbreaks. From time to time, you can hear threats from a teenager to commit suicide.

5. A distinctive feature of hysterical psychopathy is demonstrativeness. The patient’s behavior, all his actions and emotions are aimed at attracting attention to himself.

6. A psychasthenic disorder is diagnosed in a child if he is constantly in an anxious state associated with worries about every little thing or detail. The patient strives to perform any task in the best possible way; as a result, this becomes an obsession, leading to personality imbalance.

7. Excessive fears and anxiety, leading to self-restraint in activities or communication, are characteristic of sensitive personality disorder in children.

Children may also develop a personality disorder, which experts call dependent. In this state, the child is afraid of his helplessness. Such children do not know how to make decisions on their own.

Manifestations of some types of personality disorder are very often mistaken for pedagogical neglect. Only an experienced psychoanalyst or psychiatrist can distinguish pathological changes in the psyche from elementary bad manners. When the first symptoms appear, parents should seek qualified help. If proper treatment and correction are not carried out, the child will have difficulties adapting to society in the future.

Types of disease, their causes

Indigestion in children, or rather its type, is determined by several factors that cause an imbalance in its functioning. Primary disorders are independent diseases. The main reasons for their development are the following:

• non-compliance with the correct diet (including overeating, irregular food intake, abuse of smoked, fatty and spicy foods, lack of microelements and vitamins in the body, adherence to strict diets, poor quality of chewing food);
• emotional or mental disorders;
• allergic reactions to any food products;
• taking potent medications that negatively affect the functioning of the stomach;
• tobacco and alcohol intoxication, as well as harmful working conditions;
• parasitosis;
• atmospheric influences (including radiation, increased air temperature, various vibrations);
• heavy physical activity.

Why does stomach upset occur in children? Secondary causes of this pathology are accompanying factors or consequences of other diseases of the internal organs. These include the following:

• vascular and heart diseases;
• disruptions in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system;
• chronic infections;
• organic or functional diseases of the central nervous system.

Most often, stomach upset in children occurs not because of one, but because of several factors that were mentioned above.

Treatment

The doctor chooses the most appropriate treatment regimen based on the reasons that caused the pathological changes in the child’s psyche. If we are talking about a hereditary form of the disease or organic disorders in the functioning of the central nervous system, then the emphasis is on drug treatment and supportive therapy. For diagnosis, specialists working at the Psychoendocrinology Center use the most modern developments and techniques aimed at identifying the cause of the disease. The small patient is monitored for a long time, after which a decision is made on the choice of treatment regimen.

Acquired forms of personality disorders in children can be corrected in most cases. Drug treatment rarely brings significant results; psychotherapy plays a large role in healing. If the need to take medications nevertheless arises, the doctor at the Psychoendocrinology Center prescribes only one drug, which is taken in a course.

Regardless of what causes personality disorder in children, it is necessary to begin treatment after detecting the first signs of the disease. Timely contact with specialists and strict adherence to recommendations will ensure positive success from treatment.

Symptoms of the disease

Now you know what a pathological condition such as indigestion is. Symptoms in children, however, as in adults, can be different. In modern medicine, several clinical pictures of this disease are distinguished:

• dyspeptic;
• painful;
• mixed.

Typically, functional indigestion in children is accompanied by such unpleasant symptoms as pain in the epigastric region. At the same time, both children and adults talk about paroxysmal pain, which is usually concentrated in the navel area and is intermittent.

Babies with this pathology may develop mild pain, especially when pressing on the abdomen.

Functional bowel disorder in children: flatulence

Flatulence is an intestinal disorder in children associated with excessive accumulation of gases, which can be caused by the formation of large amounts of gas when consuming cellulose-containing products (especially cabbage, peas, carrots, bran, etc.), impaired absorption of gases during their normal formation (cirrhosis of the liver , portal hypertension, malabsorption syndrome, cardiovascular failure).

Flatulence occurs with complete or partial intestinal obstruction, aerophagia, etc.; it is important to take into account the localization of flatulence (diffuse, limited).

Clinical picture. Symptoms of this intestinal disorder in children include abdominal pain, rumbling, and bloating.

Treatment. If surgical diseases are excluded, a gas outlet tube is inserted into the rectum, a hypertonic enema is given with a 10% sodium chloride solution, potassium preparations (panangin) are given, espumizan - 1-2 capsules or 1-2 teaspoons orally 3 times a day. Also, along with the treatment of this intestinal disorder in a child, therapy for the underlying disease is necessary.

Signs of illness

If your child has a fever and stomach upset, you should definitely contact your pediatrician. It is also necessary to visit a doctor if a small patient has poor appetite, a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, as well as belching with the smell of rotten or sour food and nausea leading to vomiting.

According to experts, a strong gag reflex in a child may indicate the presence of pylorospasm. It should also be noted that difficulties with swallowing food in a baby may indicate the development of cardiospasm.

Other reasons

An upset stomach in a baby can be caused by an allergic reaction of the body to a foreign protein, which, when entering the body, is not digested and causes upset. Often the product that causes an allergic disorder is milk. Not everyone can digest its specific protein normally, so if parents notice that the baby has diarrhea after eating dairy products, it is necessary to exclude them from the menu and consult a doctor.

Diarrhea in a child may appear during antibacterial therapy when he is taking a course of antibiotics. The fact is that these drugs are aimed at destroying bacteria that have formed in the body as a result of complications. However, antibiotics kill not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also those that are necessary for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. It turns out that during this period most of the intestinal microflora dies, and this is the cause of the disorder.

Other symptoms of the disease

How does indigestion manifest in children (such a disease should only be treated by a gastroenterologist)? The disease in question in children is often accompanied by excessive sweating, emotional instability, instability of the heart and blood vessels, as well as other internal organs.

It should also be noted that such a disorder of the main digestive organ has special forms in which symptoms such as aerophagia (that is, strong belching of air), acute dilatation of the stomach and habitual vomiting (including sudden bouts of vomiting) are observed.

All of these symptoms require special attention from doctors. But in order to make a correct diagnosis, one should rely not only on the identified signs of the disorder, but also on test results. Only in this case will the specialist be able to prescribe the necessary treatment, as well as adjust the diet of his patient.

According to statistics, children and adolescents suffer from gastric disorders much more often than adults. This fact is explained by the fact that it is young people, who are inextricably linked with computers and other electronic equipment, who regularly experience psycho-emotional overload. By the way, against the background of this, many children and adolescents forget about regular and nutritious meals, snacking on hamburgers and washing them down with carbonated drinks. Usually the results of such behavior are not long in coming.

A child has an upset stomach: what to do?

Modern food products do not always meet all quality and safety requirements. Therefore, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract took first place among all others.

Very often this problem occurs in young children and adolescents, especially if their parents do not particularly monitor their diet. So how to treat an upset stomach in a child? To eliminate the cause of this disease, doctors recommend using non-drug methods. Experts suggest the following:

• Normalization of diet. This includes the choice of high-quality and safe products, the presence of various hot dishes on the menu, regularity of meals, the absence of coffee, hot chocolate and sparkling water among the drinks consumed, as well as the complete exclusion of fried, spicy, fatty and salty foods.
• If an upset stomach in an adult is associated with harmful working conditions, then they must be eliminated. To do this, you should refuse to work at night, and also cancel frequent business trips.
• Healthy lifestyle. This method of eliminating the causes of gastric upset involves regular exercise and physical exercise, alternating work and rest, and giving up bad habits (for example, smoking or drinking alcohol).

In most cases of indigestion, such measures can not only significantly improve the patient’s condition, but also eliminate malfunctions in other internal organs.

Fever and stomach upset in a child can be observed not only in early childhood, but also in adolescence. By the way, in such children the signs of the pathology in question are very similar to gastritis. To make a more accurate diagnosis, morphological confirmation is required.

Medicines for stomach upset in children are used for more serious disorders, as well as for the presence of a huge number of symptoms of this disease. In addition, in this condition the patient is prescribed a special diet.

- mommy!

Stomach upset (diarrhea) in a child is temporary and chronic. Loose and/or frequent stools in a child are not so rare. In most cases, this is a one-time malfunction of the body due to external or internal influences. However, any diarrhea (diarrhea) should be immediately taken under control: consider whether there is any special reason for this and, if possible, prevent adverse consequences. So that parents can be fully prepared, I will talk about the existing types of diarrhea, possible manifestations and methods of combating the disease.

What is diarrhea and what are the norms?

Diarrhea is a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, manifested by an increase in stool frequency and a change in its consistency to a more liquid one - from mushy to watery .
Additionally, in the stool you can notice an admixture of mucus, blood and undigested pieces of food. Normally, the frequency of bowel movements varies among children of different age groups . In the first month of life, stool occurs after each feeding, i.e. about 7 times a day. Then, up to a year, the number of bowel movements is 3-4 per day. These figures are based on exclusive breastfeeding. With mixed or artificial feeding, food digestion and intestinal emptying occur more slowly.

One-year-old children and older children have no more than 2 bowel movements per day.

As for the normal consistency, color and smell of stool, this also depends on age . Before introducing additional complementary foods to an infant, the discharge is quite liquid, but not watery, and the color can vary from orange to green. Young mothers are often frightened by the green color of stool , but most often during breastfeeding this happens when the woman has eaten foods of plant origin. The smell of feces in newborns is sour.

After the introduction of complementary foods, the consistency of the discharge gradually becomes formalized, the color becomes brown, and the smell changes to unpleasant.

Classification of diarrhea

I can identify several types of classifications of diarrhea. According to duration, the pathological process is divided into:

- acute (lasts about 2 weeks); - long-term (2-3 weeks); — chronic (more than 3 weeks).

Prolonged diarrhea is distinguished conditionally and implies atypically prolonged acute diarrhea.

According to the point of application, diarrhea is divided into:

- functional (when there is no violation of the structure of the organs of the digestive system; such a diagnosis is not made in infants); - organic (when there are certain changes, for example, with ulcerative colitis).

Causes of loose stool in a child

Both acute and chronic diarrhea in a child has a number of causes. Failure can occur in various parts of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, intestines, pancreas or gall bladder). Loose stools also occur with many diseases of other organs and systems.

The factors that cause temporary and chronic diarrhea are fundamentally different, so I will talk about each of them separately.

Temporary diarrhea in a child

1. Enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine) or colitis (damage to the large intestine) of various infectious etiologies: bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, parasites. Some pathogens can be recognized by characteristic clinical manifestations. For example, with cholera, stool looks like watery rice water, and with amoebiasis, there is a discharge of blood and mucus similar to raspberry jelly. But nonspecific manifestations of infectious diarrhea occur with greater frequency, and it is possible to find out the nature of the pathogen only through laboratory tests. 2. Toxins of microorganisms (for food poisoning). 3. Inflammation of the urinary system (as a reflex reaction). 4. Otitis media. 5. Teething in infants. 6. Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (a consequence of intestinal or pulmonary infection). 7. Sepsis.

Chronic stomach upset in children

Parents often equate diarrhea with an upset stomach in their baby, but it’s not just the stomach that can cause diarrhea. The culprits may be:

1. Irritable bowel syndrome. 2. Cystic fibrosis. 3. Disaccharide deficiency (hypolactasia). 4. Celiac disease. 5. Food allergies. 6. Pseudomembranous enterocolitis. 7. Improper feeding and child care. 8. Chronic pancreatitis. 9. Immunodeficiency states. 10. Endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, Addison's disease, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, etc.). 11. Chronic infectious inflammation of the intestine. 12. Obstruction of the biliary tract. 13. Chronic gastritis. 14. Use of antibiotics, iron supplements and some other medications. 15. Diarrhea caused by chemotherapy or radiation.

Serious and severe intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease can cause both acute and chronic diarrhea, depending on the stage of disease progression.

Additional symptoms of diarrhea

In addition to changes in the quality and quantity of stool, diarrhea is accompanied by various additional signs of a particular disease.

1. Tenesmus.

This is the name given to the painful urge to defecate. Tenesmus is characteristic of lesions of the large intestine.

2. Abdominal pain.

Based on the localization of pain, one can guess which organ is involved in the pathological process. With gastric etiology of diarrhea, the baby will indicate pain “in the pit of the stomach.” If the small intestine is affected, pain will most likely be located near the navel. With pancreatitis, severe girdle pain is usually felt.

3. Fatty feces.

This sign indicates poor functioning of digestive enzymes, which means the breakdown occurred in the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, pancreas, etc.).

4. Flatulence.

5. Weakness and weight loss.

These symptoms are associated with decreased absorption of essential nutrients in the small intestine.

6. Fever.

Most infectious causes of loose stools cause an increase in body temperature.

How can diarrhea syndrome be complicated?

Without proper help, loose stools provoke quite serious changes in the body:

- dehydration (frequent watery stools can lead to a large loss of fluid in a matter of hours); - anemia; — hypovitaminosis and decrease in the amount of microelements; - haemorrhoids; - fear of defecation in young children.

Treatment of diarrhea

First of all, a sick child should be provided with a proper diet. Fresh vegetables and fruits, very fatty, smoked and fried foods should be excluded from the diet. Meals should include:

- boiled rice in water, without sugar and salt; - white bread crackers; - low-fat chicken broth; - meat in the form of minced meat (cutlets, meatballs), steamed.

In no case should you force your baby to eat; a weakened body will not be grateful for the additional work in the form of food processing. When the child has used up his energy reserves, he will ask for food.

It is very important to drink more liquid - water, compote, tea. Infants should be offered breast or formula more often. If the child refuses to drink, then it is advisable to purchase rehydration medications at the pharmacy (Regidron, Gidrovit, Polysorb).

You should monitor the baby's condition very carefully. If the skin and tongue become dry, urination has sharply decreased in quantity, then you need to urgently call an ambulance.

Drug treatment

There are several groups of antidiarrheal drugs of different directions:

1. Loperamide. The most common remedy for diarrhea. The mechanism of action is to enhance intestinal motility and more quickly eliminate pathogenic substances. The tablet form can be used in children from 4 years of age; Loperamide in capsules is contraindicated up to 6 years of age. The drug Diara has a similar composition (approved from 6 years of age). 2. Enveloping agents (Smecta (from 0 years), Attapulgite (from 3 years)). 3. Adsorbents (Activated carbon can be used from birth, the dosage of the powder is calculated at 0.05 g per kg of the child’s weight).

Folk remedies for treating diarrhea

Many drinks and herbs have astringent properties, i.e. are able to bind toxic substances in the intestines and prevent them from being absorbed:

- Black tea; - decoction of mint and chamomile; - hawthorn; - walnut shells.

You can prepare rice water without salt, but it will not be easy to persuade a child to drink such a drink. Dissolved potato starch is also often used.

Prevention of diarrhea

Since the most common cause of diarrhea in a child is an acute infectious intestinal disease, appropriate preventive measures can be taken:

- washing hands after using the toilet, walking and before eating; - Drink only boiled or bottled water; - consumption of fresh food, especially confectionery, eggs, salads and meat dishes; — thorough washing of fruits and vegetables; — sufficient heat treatment of eggs, meat, etc.; — if possible, avoid eating in public places, especially fast food.

Parents should listen to their child’s complaints, monitor the frequency and nature of stool, try to understand the possible reasons for the changes that have occurred, contact specialists in a timely manner and conduct the necessary examination. Only careful attention to the child’s health will help to avoid many serious diseases.

Drug treatment

What stomach upset remedy should I use for children? Experts say that to eliminate motor disorders, children can be prescribed medications from the following groups: antispasmodics, anticholinergics, selective cholinomimetics and prokinetics. If it is necessary to correct secretory disorders, doctors recommend the use of antacids or anticholinergics.

For autonomic disorders, it is allowed to use drugs and various herbs that have a sedative effect. Also, with this pathology, acupuncture, antidepressants, electrosleep, massage, gymnastics, and water procedures are often used. If gastric disorders arise due to psycho-emotional overload, then a consultation with a psychiatrist is indicated.

Treatment of young children

While various medications and other procedures can be prescribed for adolescents and adults for indigestion, such treatment methods are not suitable for young children. So what should you do if a child develops a similar disease?

The main condition for successful treatment of indigestion in a young child is drinking enough fluid, which helps prevent dehydration.

If, with gastric pathologies, a child willingly and more often takes the breast, as well as a bottle with formula, then he should not be limited in this. The baby also needs to be given an additional electrolytic solution. The drug “Regidron” can act as it. This remedy will help restore water balance in the child's body.

According to experts, if you have stomach problems, you should not give your child fruit juices containing glucose. Children are also prohibited from drinking carbonated drinks. If you ignore this advice, the listed products will increase diarrhea and significantly worsen the child’s condition. By the way, it is not recommended to give strengthening drugs to children, since they are contraindicated for children under 12 years of age.

If the sick child is already 6 months old, then if severe diarrhea develops, he can be given mashed ripe banana or rice water. For older children, starchy foods and chicken are ideal.

If a child has loose stools due to an upset stomach for two days or more, and dietary restrictions do not affect his condition in any way, then you should definitely consult a doctor. It is not recommended to independently purchase medications intended to treat this condition in pharmacies.

Sequencing

The advisability of using certain medications, their doses, as well as the duration of treatment for gastric disorders are determined only by the doctor.

If the disease in question has secondary causes of development, then treatment should be aimed at eliminating the main symptoms and those pathologies that caused the disorder itself. To do this, a sick child or adult with complaints of severe stomach pain must register with a therapist or gastroenterologist for a period of 12 months. In this case, examinations of the patient should be carried out every six months.

Diet for a child with an upset stomach is very important for the healing process. The correct diet for a baby or adult is prescribed by a doctor. In this case, the doctor must give the patient a brochure indicating prohibited and permitted products.

In particularly severe cases, the patient is prescribed sedatives, as well as moderate exercise.

If after some time the main signs of gastric disorders no longer recur, then more intensive therapy is not required. In this case, the patient is removed from the register.

If you do not consult a doctor in time for an upset stomach, the child may experience serious disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, which can develop into peptic ulcers or chronic gastritis. In this case, the symptoms and treatment will differ significantly.