Solutions to Junior's digestive problems


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Constipation

What’s that? According to Prof Quak, most Singapore kids move their bowels once every one to two days. If Junior hasn’t pooped for days and has a bloated tummy, he may be constipated. If it lasts for more than a week, see a doctor.

Why it happens Take a look at what Junior is eating. Is he taking too much processed food – crackers, chocolates, fries – and too little fruit and greens? Insufficient fluids may also be the culprit. Constipation can also become a “habitual” and vicious cycle, warns Prof Quak. “Children may associate passing hard stools with pain. So they tend to hold back their bowel movements and the stools progressively become larger and harder.”

Solve it Junk the junk food. Load up on high fibre food and keep to a well-balanced diet. He also suggests regular doses of prune juice. Parents should also encourage their kids to visit the toilet regularly. The best time to do it? Right after a full meal, which triggers the body’s gastrocolic reflex, he says.

Diarrhoea

What’s that? Every parent’s nightmare comes in the form of loose, watery stools, especially if they’re in charge of diaper changes. While Prof Quak says it’s normal for some children to move their bowels up to two to three times a day, anything more than that is not.

Diarrhoea may also be accompanied by cramping abdominal pain, bloating and even vomiting and fever, depending on the cause. Your child may also have fever or bloody stools.

Why it happens Diarrhoea can be due to many reasons, such as an infection, or a chronic problem like intestinal disease or irritable bowel syndrome. In Singapore, it’s usually caused by an infection of the gastrointestinal tract, he says. This is because young children tend to put things into their mouth, which puts them at a higher risk of this infection.
Solve it Teach your child proper hand hygiene to lower the risk of getting such infections. While diarrhoea due to common infections usually resolves within a week, complications from dehydration can be dangerous and even fatal in young children. So make sure your child is well hydrated to prevent dehydration.

If your child weighs about 10kg, she will need at least 1 litre of fluids each day. Add an additional 100ml each time she has an episode of diarrhoea or vomiting. A tip is to give 10ml to 20ml of fluids every 10 minutes, advises Dr Wendy.

Seek medical attention if the diarrhoea lasts more than a week or if he’s losing weight, not eating and passes out blood or mucus in the stools, she adds.

Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease

What’s that? Yes, kids get this too. It occurs when contents in the stomach move back up into the oesophagus (windpipe). After a meal, Junior may start complaining of pain or heartburn – a burning sensation in the upper chest area. In babies, the problem may show up as spitting up, excessive regurgitation or fussiness after a feed.

Why it happensIn older kids, this is often due to poor eating habits – eating large meals, too much fatty or oily food or eating too quickly, says Dr Wendy. Stress, the lack of sleep and certain foods such as spicy meals and carbonated drinks, can also contribute to the problem.

The good news is, reflux problems in babies are typically related to the lower oesophageal valve not being developed enough. It usually improves with age, says Prof Quak.
Solve it Dr Wendy advises smaller portions and eating more slowly. Take note of the types of food that trigger symptoms, and avoid them. Prevent Junior from leaning forward or lying down too soon after eating.

For younger babies under six months, Prof Quak suggests feeding less milk each time, but upping the number of feeds. For example, on average, a 4kg baby would need about 600ml each day. Instead of feeding five bottles of 120ml, give eight bottles of 75ml. Keep Baby upright at an angle of 45 degrees for about 45 minutes after a feed to reduce regurgitation, adds Dr Wendy. Also, junk the junk food. Load up on high fibre food and keep a balanced diet instead.

Excessive Gas

What’s that? While certain cultures may view loud belches as a compliment after a tasty meal, letting out gas – which manifests as farting and burping – indiscriminately in public can be downright embarrassing.

Why it happensIntolerance to certain foods can cause this. Dr Wendy says certain complex carbohydrates such as wholegrain products can cause gas if they’re eaten in large amounts.
Solve it Keep a food diary to identify which foods trigger the symptoms, and then avoid them. According to Dr Wendy, including probiotics such as lactobacillus and bifidobacterium into the diet may be able to “reduce intestinal gas” and nip excessive farting in the bud. Certain spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric have also been reported to counter excessive intestinal gas production, she adds.

Lactose Intolerance

What’s that? If Junior starts passing excessive gas, having diarrhoea, abdominal bloating or pain after consuming milk products, he might have lactose intolerance, says Dr Wendy.

Why it happensSome kids are born with a lactase deficiency. This means they lack the enzyme lactase to breakdown lactose, a type of sugar found in the milk. There is also another form of lactose intolerance which is temporary and usually occurs after a severe bout of gastroenteritis, adds Dr Wendy.

Solve it Kids who are born with a lactase deficiency will have to remain on a lactose-free diet, and take soya milk or lactose-free milk instead. For those with temporary lactose intolerance, avoid milk for two to three weeks, she advises.

Cow’s Milk Allergy

What’s that? Not to be confused with lactose intolerance, this usually occurs in infants who develop an allergic reaction to the protein in cow’s milk. Instead of feeling happy, full and content after milk feed, the child starts developing symptoms similar to other allergies such as skin rash, vomiting, wheezing, coughing or swelling, says Dr Wendy.

Why it happens Like other allergies, a milk allergy occurs when the immune system mistakes milk protein as something it should fight off.
Solve it Some children outgrow this. However, true cow’s milk protein allergy can be dangerous, especially if the child gets severe reactions such as anaphylaxis – a life threatening allergic reaction, which can be fatal. If you think your child has a milk allergy, see your doctor. A food diary to keep track of the foods that trigger the symptoms will also help you know what to avoid.

From Young Parents issue

Solutions to Junior's digestive problems

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