What often say young mothers? Smiled? So, you guessed it. It is about children's stool. And no wonder - the crumb is still so small that he could not tell her parents about how he feels. And that's why parents have to be very meticulous - they are kept under strict control of the weight of the child, his power and, of course, the stool.

The color and consistency of bowel movements can really tell a lot about the condition of the body as a child in general and about the digestive system in particular. And most parents are faced with the phenomenon of very bright calories a child. Too many parents are lost and do not know what caused the change of color and whether it is dangerous.

Even doctors can not give a definite answer, what should be the norm in the chair. To this effect sufficiently large number of very different factors: age of the child, the nature of his power. In principle, the medium variant of the norm is considered mushy stools light brown color, somewhat reminiscent of apricot puree. And then - for its formation it will need at least a week. And before that, the chair of a newborn baby can be anything.

But if the baby's bowel movements too light or, especially, white, parents should be wary. Of course, panic and assume the worst is not necessary, but the doctor - a pediatrician notified put all it is worth, as sometimes light feces can be a symptom of various diseases. Standard brown feces become due to the presence of a special pigment - stercobilin. And if the work of the internal organs occurs any failure, the development of the substance can not only be reduced, but completely stopped.

Baby food

In the event that in addition to changing the color children's chair crumbs no more worries, parents should check urine color and the child. In that case, if the color of the urine of the child has not been changed, and more intense, it did not stop the panic and just watch the baby closely. Pay attention to the child's sleep, his appetite, behavior during wakefulness. If crumbs are worried, attentive parents quickly notice it.

Seeing a child's first light feces, try to remember that your child ate yesterday. Of course, if we are talking about crumbs, feed exclusively on breast milk, you need to revise your diet is her mother. In that case, if the crumb is fed artificial milk formula, remember, you have not changed it yesterday.

And it is all the more necessary to pay special attention to the fact that it was eaten in the child if he was big enough to have all the same thing as eating adult family members. For example, foods with a high content of calcium leads to a chair in a child can be white, very thick and viscous consistency, like clay.

Think not eat your child on the eve of cheese with sour cream, or you can go too far with vitamins? In addition, this can happen due to the fact that on the eve of a pipsqueak ate a lot of food rich in carbohydrates. Therefore, carefully make sure that what and how much your child eats.

Other reasons

Doctors - Pediatricians say that very often the child's bowel movements appear bright at a time when his teeth start to erupt. The nature of this phenomenon is not fully understood, but the fact remains. Therefore, if no other symptoms are not observed in a child - just carefully observe the condition of the baby. And to put a doctor in popularity as necessary.

Also remember - you did not give the child the day before what - or pharmacological agents. Too many drugs can lead to the fact that the child's stool acquire a lighter color.

And in general - many young mothers talk about that child feces occasionally brightens. And being at the same time does not suffer. It takes a few days and the color of feces normalized without any special measures.

What if something is wrong?

However, unfortunately, it is not always so rosy. It often happens that a child's stool becomes lighter because of various failures in the normal operation of the organism. Most often there are failures in the work of the gastrointestinal tract: liver, gall bladder, pancreas, intestines.

Therefore, in some cases, light feces may indicate a child diseases such as:

• Dysbacteriosis

In case if the crumb is suffering from dysbacteriosis it becomes liquid stools with mucus and green stripes, is usually much lighter in color than normal. Chair in severe cases, the disease can emit enough foam and odor. In addition, the child may suffer from severe abdominal pain, increased gas, and sometimes even from skin rashes. In any case, parents need as quickly as possible, seek medical help.

• Hepatitis

As a rule, parents are afraid of hepatitis most when notice lightening stool with his baby. But panic is not immediately necessary - such a serious diagnosis can only be a doctor. Yes, and it is not immediately, but after a thorough examination of the child and a series of laboratory tests.

The only thing that the power of parents to immediately do yourself - is to check the condition of the child's urine. In that case, if the child is sick with hepatitis, his urine is always very dark - exceptions to this rule does not exist. And cal hepatitis often do not just light, but with a certain grayish tint. And do not try to find the child's symptoms of yellowing of the skin - it can happen a few days later.

• Inflammation of the pancreas

It is widely believed that inflammation of the pancreas - a purely adult disease. In reality this is not so, because, unfortunately, and very young children, it occurs no less. There the violation under the influence of a wide variety of factors. However, one of the major symptoms of the disease is always a bright chair.

In addition, the child can suffer from pain in the umbilicus and the upper right side of the abdomen. In addition, inflammation of the pancreas in a child may be present as nausea and vomiting, severe thirst, sometimes fever. By the way - very often the trigger for inflammation of the pancreas is the excessive use of children chocolate. Yes, indeed, any other sweets too.

• The bend of the gallbladder

In some cases, the reason for the clarification of feces in a child can be a bend of the gallbladder. Due to the bend of the gallbladder and bile coloring pigment that give the chair the usual color stand out very badly. In that case, if the doctor suspects like your baby, he'll appoint ultrasound.

• Rotavirus

In the case of the child chair to lighten due to rotavirus infection, the picture is quite typical of the disease. First, a child's body temperature rises, then - intoxication symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea. Changes in color of the chair in such cases is also very typical. In the first day of liquid stool, it is yellow, but on the second day, the color becomes whitish, like clay.

But beyond all this, the child has all those symptoms that are typical of conventional acute respiratory illness: headache, runny nose, cough, sore throat. Kid listless, refuses to eat, naughty, sleepy. If the child's treatment commenced on time, this state does not represent much of a threat to his body. But to see a doctor is needed, because the child's body is capable of surprises. And often very unpleasant.

• Whipple's disease

The disease is extremely rare, and the reasons for its development is still not revealed until the end. In a sick child to a large extent increased body temperature, developed iron deficiency anemia, inflammation of the lymph nodes. In addition, a sick child is very frequent stools - about 10 times a day. The stool of a sick child light-gray, have a very pungent odor.

Do I have to go to the doctor?

Sometimes parents are such a problem too lightly. And do not seek medical attention, believing that everything will be on their own. However, this is a very rash decision - the child's health may be in jeopardy. Children's bodies are almost unable to cope with similar pathologies.

And so it is very important to as quickly as possible to show the child's doctor. The doctor examines the child completely, diagnose disease and, if necessary, prescribe treatment. And how quickly recover the baby, it depends on how quickly treatment is started.

In no case is unacceptable to try to self-diagnose the disease. This article was written for reference only, but can not serve as an aid to diagnosis and especially of treatment. Always remember that the health of the child - the substance is very fragile. Health crumbs and trust can only be a doctor.

All new parents are extremely interested in everything that is connected with children. Including and especially of the digestive system in children. The fact that the digestive system is different from the crumbs thereof in adults, there is no doubt. But what exactly those differences? That's what we try to find out in this article today.

How it all began?

And let us start talking about the peculiarities of the digestive system in children from the very beginning, namely - after the implantation of the egg in the uterine lining. After all, at this stage of development of the fetus nutrition simply vital. Once an embryo is implanted in the uterus, it begins a secret power, which is produced by the mucous membrane of the uterus.

After about a week the embryo begins to feed on the contents of the yolk sac. And in about the middle of the second month of pregnancy, food crumbs becomes gemotrofnym - that is, the fruit receives nutrients from the mother, with the help of the placenta.

However, own digestive system of the fetus does not remain on the sidelines - it is directly involved in the recycling of nutrients such as protein, water, glucose, and other received them from the mother's body. Despite the fact that the maturation of the digestive system of the fetus is extremely fast to light a child is a very significant physiological immaturity of the salivary glands, pancreas, liver and other organs responsible for proper digestion.

Fortunately, nature is very wise. It has provided and it is - the first few months after the appearance of the crumbs in the light of a single food for him is the mother's milk. Breast milk is not only easily absorbed by the digestive system is still immature crumbs, but all that his physiological needs. By the way, all this is true of artificial milk formula. Although, of course, if it is possible to feed the crumbs chest, better to give preference to breast milk.

Salivary glands

Anatomic formation of the salivary glands crumbs completed by the time of the birth. But the secretory function of salivary glands is still far from ideal. And they will be fully operational only in 4 - 5 months. By the way, the active saliva production, which takes place in a child at this age, parents are often taken as a signal that the crumbs begin teething.

In fact, strong salivation caused by the crumbs pronounced immaturity of the mechanisms that regulate salivation and swallowing. Saliva plays a very important role in digestion crumbs - the first few months of life, it is necessary for proper sealing rotika during suckling. In addition, it is with the help of saliva formed small clots of casein - a substance contained in breast milk.

And at that time, when the child's diet is introduced the first solid foods, the role of saliva is simply impossible to overestimate. She just needed to form the correct bolus. If this will not happen, it is very likely to develop in a child a wide variety of digestive problems.

Pancreas and liver

By the time of the crumbs in the light of his pancreas is still relatively immature. Although splitting the digestible nutrients that are found in breast milk or breast milk substitutes, it is very easy to handle. By the way, in case the child is bottle-fed, the maturation of the pancreas occurs much faster. All of the remaining crumbs to eat my mother's milk, the final maturation of pancreatic cancer occurs at a time when their diet begin to introduce solid foods.

It delivers pancreas duodenum juice containing enzymes such as lipase breaks down fats, and trypsin cleave carbohydrates. Well, of course, that the pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which plays a huge role in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. In the case of insulin produced in insufficient quantities, it is very likely to develop such unpleasant diseases such as diabetes.

The pancreas releases into the duodenum pancreatic juice which contains enzymes: trypsin, digesting the proteins, lipase, breaks down fats, amylase breaks down carbohydrates. In addition, the pancreas releases the hormone insulin, which is the main regulator of the carbohydrate metabolism. In case of insufficient insulin production develops a serious disease - diabetes.

Liver. Despite the fact that the size of the liver of a newborn baby is big enough to functional maturity it is also far. Isolation of the bile acids that are necessary for the digestion of solid food is still too small. It starts at about the same time when the diet crumbs introduced an additional lure.

At the time of occurrence of the crumbs to the light his liver is approximately two times greater than that of an adult. Of course, as a percentage of body size. But, as mentioned above, a liver kid still very, very immature. Although, despite this, the liver copes with many of its functions. The liver is the real warehouse many nutrients such as fat, glycogen, proteins. And another very important function of liver - it antitoxic. That liver is one of the main "filters" that remove from the human body all the toxins.

Belly

Despite the fact that the volume of the stomach in the newborn child is growing rapidly, its secretory function is extremely weak. The full operation of his starts at about 9 - 10 months of baby's life. And the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the stomach crumbs very peculiar. The bottom of the stomach is very poorly developed, as well as all the muscle layer. But the entrance to the stomach in a young child is still quite wide.

It is the totality of all these three factors leads to the fact that young children often vomit. Yes, and vomiting have also fairly frequent phenomenon. Although, of course, is making its contribution and crumbs swallowing air during suckling.

The mucosa of the stomach of the child is very tender, replete with blood vessels. The stomach of the child has all the same gland that there are adults. And that is why in the gastric juice contains almost all of the child "adult" components, such as rennet, pepsin, hydrochloric acid, lipase and many - many others. But, of course, quite a different percentage than in adults.

For example, rennet is extremely important for the digestion of the child - that it causes curdling milk. By the way - human milk clot more slowly than cow's milk, which is made on the basis of the majority of infant formula. After curdling the milk comes in pepsin, which is designed to break down the milk proteins. A breakdown of fats occurs under the influence of lipase.

Oral cavity

Mouth of the child, too, has its own peculiarities, one way or another associated with sucking milk. The very mouth crumbs still very low - because of the low sky, yet still has no roof. Language of a small child is broad and short, with prominent papillae. In addition, the child is very well-developed chewing muscles.

It is because of all this complex crumbs manage very tightly encircle the breast nipple. In her mouth it creates a negative pressure, so that the milk and into the baby's mouth. If a pipsqueak was born full-term, all sucking and swallowing reflexes he developed very well.

The mucous membrane of the mouth of the child is very rich in blood vessels, but very dry. Remember, we talked about the fact that saliva from the first months of life babies are not yet produced in full. All the food consumed by the child, the liquid, so no problem.

But here it is worth to remind parents that because of the increased dryness of the oral mucosa is very sensitive. Therefore, you must treat her with attention and care. Make sure that the child is not pulled into the mouth rough diapers, toys. Otherwise, at mucosal surfaces child may wounds and abrasions. These injuries are extremely painful and can lead to the fact that the child can not suck it needs milk.

The saliva of the child, for that matter, any other person, contains various enzymes that begin to break down food even in the mouth. Of course, the question now is already on the lure, rather than milk.

Intestines

No less important role in digestion and bowel plays. Toddlers intestine compensate for the immaturity of the rest of the digestive system. After all, it is responsible for the child's gut membrane digestion, so relevant to the crumbs, eat mother's milk or formula. It is in the intestine occurs the cleavage of nutrients into components. And from the gut these nutrients are best absorbed into the bloodstream.

As being hit in the stomach to digest food, under the influence of intestinal peristalsis, it moves into the intestine. Its first stage - the duodenum, where under the influence of enzymes produced by the pancreas and liver, and is a further digestion.

Leaving the duodenum, the food enters the small intestine other departments, where he continues to have digested under the influence of intestinal juices. It then completes the process of digestion. Incidentally, the length of the intestine child twice larger than that of an adult - it is six times more growth crumbs.

There is a very active child intestinal peristalsis - he commits two types of movement:

• Vermiculation

With this type of movement the food moves through the various sections of the intestine. Without these movements is a normal process of digestion is simply impossible.

• Pendulum motion

With the pendulum movement occurs directly the process of digestion, as well as its subsequent absorption into the blood of a person - in this case the child.

The normal intestinal motility in the adult occurs under the influence hit him food. However, in children can occur peristalsis and strengthened not only because of the mechanical action of food, but also under the influence of some other factors: a long cry of a baby, overheating, excessive physical activity.

The intestinal mucosa of the child is very delicate and sensitive, and its walls have very high permeability. That is why a small child intestinal infections and toxins are particularly dangerous. They quickly penetrate the intestinal wall into the bloodstream, thus provoking the development of intoxication, sometimes very strong. In young children, the most ordinary food poisoning can result in serious consequences such as heart failure, meningitis and others.

Microbes of the gastrointestinal tract

During fetal development the intestines crumbs absolutely sterile. However, just a few hours after the birth of the baby inhabits the gut a lot of variety of bacteria. They disappear into the child's body through the nose, mouth, anus. About the second day after the birth of crumbs in the stool can be found a lot of variety of bacteria. Wherein any stomach or in the upper intestine is practically no bacteria. In general, they are localized in the large intestine and the lower part of the small intestine.

That is exactly what germs are predominant in the gut of the child depends entirely on the nature of feeding a child. In case the child is fed breast milk, which is very rich in carbohydrates, in the infant gut mainly will dominate those bacteria which are necessary for the fermentation of carbohydrates. It is this physiological microflora is for the infant.

In the same case, if the child is artificial milk formula made on the basis of cow's milk in his gut it prevails E. coli. Unfortunately, the intestinal microflora to the child is no longer physiological. And so under the influence of adverse factors may trigger the development of various intestinal diseases. That is why often suffer from intestinal disorders precisely those children who are bottle-fed.

Chair for children

You can not ignore the question of the child's stool. After a bowel movement in infancy kid can really tell a lot about his health. As part of the physiological norm in the first day - two after the birth of a child should stand original cal - meconium. Meconium is a viscous, oily consistency and dark - green light.

Meconium has no odor and germ-free. It is formed in the intestines baby during fetal development - from the digestive juices, swallowed amniotic fluid and the intestinal epithelium. Normal bowel movements come about on the third day. They consist essentially of residues of undigested milk crumbs, digestive juices, salts and bacteria.

The children of the first months of life, the chair is usually two - three times a day. However, very often the chair in the first four - five weeks of life is much more - 8 - 9 times a day, sometimes even has a liquid consistency. Of course, almost all mothers very frightened, believing that pipsqueak violently ill. However, if the overall health of the child does not suffer, the baby eats well and gaining weight within the normal range, for such parts of the chair should not be treated with increased anxiety.

Of course, what to say about the doctor - a pediatrician is still necessary. However, in most cases, this phenomenon is associated with doctors enough crumbs to the rapid adaptation is still new to him conditions of life outside the mother's body. Most often this occurs in children who rushed to be born, or weakened and were born with a low birth weight.

However, there is a reverse situation, in which children from eating in the same breast milk, stool happens only once in two - three days. And the reason is very simple - the mother's milk is digested very well. And almost completely digested, and, therefore, virtually no waste.

By the way, for those kids who are fed with artificial mixtures, made on the basis of cow milk, bowel movements are a darker color, a thick consistency and a foul odor. As children get older the chair becomes less and less. But, of course, up to the full maturity of the digestive system is still very far away. Full maturation of the digestive tract ends only to 15 - 16 years. Until then, parents have to always take into account the peculiarities of the digestive system in children, making their menu.