Dysbiosis often cover any problems with digestion. It's easier than to understand the true causes of disease. So what it is in fact a violation of the intestinal microflora?
Our body inside and outside inhabited by many microorganisms. The most densely populated of the intestine - where there are more than a thousand species of bacteria, fungi and viruses. All of them together may weigh up to 3 kg and constitute the intestinal microflora - microbiota.
When a baby is born, a few hours of his gut is populated by bacteria that get to him from his mother, from the environment and with food. Changing the concentration of bacteria and their relationships in the body - this is the overgrowth, or in a scientific way - dysbiosis.
Dysbacteriosis: a real problem or hyped myth / istockphoto.com
How to recognize a goiter
If the child has diarrhea, rash or green frothy stools, so even with a sour smell, the first thought Mom: pass feces for bacteria overgrowth. As if he were the culprit of all problems with children's intestines.
1. Dysbacteriosis not determined by the presence or absence of the above symptoms.
2. Analysis of dysbacteriosis has no significance for diagnosis and treatment purposes.
The composition of the intestinal microbiota like fingerprint is unique for each person and depends on a huge amount of factors, up to the region in which he lives. Therefore, common rules for all concentrations of bacteria can not be determined, and therefore, the information content of the analysis tends to zero.
The same material deposited at different times or in different laboratories, show very different results.
3. Analysis of dysbacteriosis detects only conditionally pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Klebsiella. Such "findings" in the lab stool child embarrass you do not have, as they can be part of the normal microflora. But for the detection of dangerous pathogens (Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia) other diagnostic methods are required: seeding fecal PCR antibody.
Dysbacteriosis: a real problem or hyped myth / istockphoto.com
To treat or not to treat?
Dysbacteriosis - it is not diagnosed and not a disease. In dysbiosis no symptoms, there is no characteristic for him signs and complaints.
"Treatment" without a diagnosis - a waste of time and money.
Doctor prescribed probiotics? Of course, you can give a child their drink, they do not have side effects and are safe even for infants. But keep in mind that the use of probiotics is justified only in case of acute intestinal infections and for the prevention of severe diarrhea while taking antibiotics.
In most other cases (for constipation, colic, regurgitation, respiratory infections, and just to "improve" the results of the analysis) evidence of the effectiveness of this group of drugs is not. At some point, it might seem that treatment is even helping (or just the symptoms have passed on their own), but the cause will remain in the shadows.
If the child is supposedly being treated for allegedly dysbiosis, either he is healthy, or the true cause of the complaints were found.
Dysbacteriosis: a real problem or hyped myth / istockphoto.com
When alarmed
Sometimes bacteria overgrowth may be a manifestation of certain diseases. But to say this certainly can not be: the causes and consequences of intestinal dysbiosis and its influence on the development of disease is now being actively studied. The main thing you need to know if the child has no complaints, it feels good, happy eating, running, jumping and playing, then you worry about. What complaints should alert you:
- stomach ache
- weight loss
- vomiting
- prolonged diarrhea (more than 2-4 weeks)
- impurity blood in the stool
- skin rashes.
Such symptoms may indicate the presence of an intestinal infection and other dangerous diseases. So the first thing to do - show the child to the doctor. Do not look for the root of evil in the notorious dysbiosis, and contact the person who will understand the possible causes of the disease, diagnose and prescribe appropriate treatment if necessary.
Also you will be interested to read this: intestinal infection in children: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
