Teething is a real test not only for children, but also for their parents. For each child, it goes completely differently, so adults should be prepared for everything. Moreover, this process may be accompanied by pronounced symptoms. Some are worried about severe pain, others have a fever, and others may experience other clinical manifestations. In addition, many parents are interested in whether constipation can occur when teething. This issue is very important, because stool disorders (diarrhea or, conversely, constipation) may indicate the presence of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or other digestive problems. Let's take a closer look at this and find out why constipation can develop, are there any reasons to worry about this, and what measures should be taken to help the baby and make him feel better.
What is the danger of prolonged constipation?
This issue should be considered in the first place. Difficult or impossible bowel movements pose a threat to the health of not only infants, but also adults. If it lasts longer than five days, then a person may develop various gastrointestinal diseases. In addition, there is a great risk of the following problems:
- deterioration in overall health;
- stretching of the walls of the intestine and pathological changes in it;
- intoxication of the body;
- liver dysfunction;
- prolapse of hemorrhoids;
- injury to the intestinal mucosa;
- metabolic disorder;
- the likelihood of polyps and other neoplasms in the intestine;
- development of pathologies in the biliary system.
If you ignore the problem and take no action for a long time, then constipation can turn into a chronic form. This is a very serious pathological condition, which often causes the development of many unwanted changes in the body and a number of dangerous diseases. In addition, irregular bowel movements adversely affect the functioning of the immune system, as a result of which a person's resistance to negative environmental factors decreases, and he begins to get sick much more often.
How to find out that the baby's teeth began to grow?
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Before we talk about whether diarrhea and constipation occur during teething, let's first find out the main symptoms that occur during this physiological process. The very first signs appear several months before the start of the growth of primary teeth. In infants, saliva begins to be produced in an increased volume, and they constantly pull their fingers into their mouths. The following symptoms appear shortly before teething:
- the appearance on the gums of tubercles;
- redness and inflammation of the oral mucosa;
- there is a white strip on the gum.
Over time, additional clinical manifestations may be added to the above symptoms. Among the most common can be identified:
- sleep disturbance;
- deterioration or complete lack of appetite;
- runny nose;
- cough;
- fever;
- spitting up food or vomiting;
- moodiness;
- constant change of mood;
- nervousness;
- general weakness.
In the presence of these symptoms, you should not panic and begin to give the baby any medications. They are considered normal. But if the baby’s condition does not improve during the week, then there is a chance that he has problems with the digestive tract. This is especially true in cases when diarrhea or constipation occurs in children with teething. If you have problems with bowel movements, you need to normalize the stool as soon as possible. With loose stool, it is very important to monitor the characteristics of the bowel movements, paying attention to color and smell. Any changes may indicate the presence of digestive disorders, infectious diseases and other disorders in the body.
What could be the problem of indigestion?
So what do you need to know about this? Many young mothers and fathers wonder whether constipation occurs when teething. According to doctors, a delay in the stool is quite possible. Among the most common causes are the following:
- violation of enzymatic activity, as a result of which the assimilation of food occurs in too much;
- feeding with artificial mixtures;
- non-compliance with water balance;
- eating too much food containing excess protein and fiber;
- fever;
- low physical activity;
- metabolic disturbance caused by increased salivation or dehydration;
- improper nutrition of mother during lactation.
It is worth noting that constipation during teething in infants can alternate with loose stools. This is a completely normal phenomenon that many parents regularly encounter. If the baby cannot go to the toilet for several days, then there is no particular reason for concern. If the problem persists for more than three days, then you should think about how to go to the hospital. This may be due to many serious pathologies of various etiologies.
According to qualified specialists, constipation during teething is most often associated with impaired intestinal motility, which develops due to insufficient mobility of children. However, they may experience a number of other symptoms, which will be discussed a little later. The response from the body to a completely natural physiological process can be very unpredictable.
Loose stool
Many young mothers are interested in the question of whether there is diarrhea when teething. According to doctors, this symptom is not mandatory and is extremely rare in medical practice, however, the probability of its occurrence cannot be completely ruled out. If the baby has started loose stools, then the color and smell of bowel movements should remain the same. If any changes are observed, then this may indicate the presence of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of infectious origin. Diarrhea is also often accompanied by fever, which can reach 38 degrees, and gum disease. Faced with such symptoms, do not immediately panic. It is not always caused by serious pathologies and health problems. The causes of loose stools can be very different, but among the most common doctors distinguish the following:
- malfunctioning of the immune system;
- heredity;
- rapid bowel contractions caused by increased salivation.
How many days does teething diarrhea last? It is impossible to unequivocally answer this question. Each case is unique and depends on many factors. In most cases, the duration of diarrhea is 2-3 days, but in some cases it can be observed in babies up to 5 days. This is quite normal and does not require any treatment. The following symptoms may be cause for concern:
- the presence in the feces of impurities of blood or mucus;
- defecation rate exceeds 5 times a day;
- there are additional clinical manifestations indicating an upset digestive system;
- discoloration of waste products;
- the stool becomes too thin;
- with every urge to go to the baby’s toilet, colic and bloating are observed, which makes him cry a lot.
In order to timely detect the problem and take the necessary measures, parents must know what color diarrhea is during teething. If there are no gastrointestinal diseases, then the characteristics of bowel movements remain the same. A yellow shade without a strong unpleasant odor is considered normal. In the presence of pathologies, the color may be as follows:
- Green. When teething, diarrhea with mucus can signal bacterial infections. Feces are accompanied by a strong fetid odor. This can not be ignored, since pathogenic microflora can lead to the development of serious complications, therefore, when the first symptoms appear, you should immediately go to the hospital.
- Dark brown. This shade most often appears after taking activated carbon, so there is nothing wrong with that.
- Bright red. Such diarrhea during teething (photos of bowel movements are not very pleasant, therefore we will refrain from publishing them) is considered one of the most dangerous. It is a sign of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, which poses a serious threat to the health and life of the child. This can not be ignored, you should immediately contact the hospital.
If diarrhea during teething of molars is of normal color and does not have a characteristic sour smell, then there is nothing to worry about. As practice shows, it independently passes through a few days without any action on the part of the parents.
Constipation
Do teething occur in young children? This is one of the most common questions that absolutely all young parents face without exception. The growth of the first incisors is associated with increased secretion of saliva, which enters the stomach and eventually leads to loose stools. But sometimes babies may have difficulty defecating. A similar response from the body occurs not only in the first year of life, but also in more adulthood. The following symptoms will help you find out about the problem:
- colic
- pain in the abdominal region;
- difficult bowel movements, the baby has to push harder;
- feces comes out in small fragments of increased density.
Against the background of the above symptoms, constipation during teething is considered normal. The reasons for constipation may be as follows:
- violation of the water balance, developing against a background of elevated temperature;
- increased activity of the production of digestive enzymes;
- feeding inappropriate artificial mixtures;
- improper nutrition of the mother during lactation;
- intestinal motility disorder caused by lack of mobility.
In some cases, constipation may change with teething diarrhea. Digestive system malfunctions are considered commonplace in a baby, but if the problem persists for five days or more, then you should go to the hospital, as it may be associated with any serious pathologies.
What to do with loose stools and difficult bowel movements?
So what do you need to know about this? If a teething infant has constipation or diarrhea during teething, then parents should try to help their child to make him feel better. Qualified specialists are advised to take the following measures:
- Revise your baby’s nutrition. When feeding with artificial mixtures, it is recommended to start introducing vegetable and meat purees, as well as juices, into the infant's daily diet when they reach the age of six months. This is necessary not only to diversify the menu of the baby. Better nutrition positively affects the composition of the intestinal microflora and general health.
- Make adjustments to mom’s nutrition. When breastfeeding, digestive upset in children is often associated with the fact that a woman does not eat properly. Nuts, baked goods, cheeses and rice should be excluded from the diet.
- Increased mobility. For normal intestinal motility, you need to move a lot. Therefore, try to spend as much time as possible with the baby in the fresh air or play with him at home.
- Keep track of water balance. Teething constipation can be caused by insufficient fluid intake. To normalize stool, give the baby more to drink pure water.
- Massage. There are a number of techniques recommended for performing with digestive problems in infants. Exercises should be performed shortly before or after feeding.
To speed up the process of teething, you can give your child a gnaw on an apple or bread. Regular pressure will stimulate the growth of teeth, so that everything will end much faster.
Most common diseases
This aspect should be given special attention. A detailed answer was given above to the question of whether there can be constipation during teething. But in some cases, a disorder of the stool can be caused by various diseases and serious pathologies. Among the most common doctors distinguish the following:
- acute intestinal infection;
- lactose deficiency;
- functional dyspepsia of the stomach;
- intestinal dysbiosis;
- E. coli;
- the presence of parasites in the body;
- various infectious diseases;
- pathology of the genitourinary system;
- ARVI;
- inflammation of the bronchi;
- otitis;
- congenital pathology of the gastrointestinal tract;
- food poisoning;
- allergic reactions;
- enzyme deficiency;
- disturbed intestinal absorption syndrome;
- giardiasis.
All of the above diseases are very serious, so they require treatment. It is strictly forbidden to start it yourself, since in order to select the most suitable treatment program, you must first determine the cause of the problem. Only an experienced doctor can make an accurate diagnosis based on the results of appropriate laboratory tests. Self-medication can only aggravate the situation and lead to the development of many dangerous complications, therefore, when the first suspicions of any diseases appear, you must immediately go to the hospital or call an ambulance.
How to help the baby?
If you are sure that constipation during teething is not associated with any health problems, then you can try to ease the well-being of the child. First of all, you need to review the nutritional quality of the baby and mother. As a rule, problems with stool are associated with it. In addition, you can massage the tummy before each feeding. If this does not lead to anything and the bowel movement does not normalize, then the following steps should be taken:
- Microclysters. These procedures are some of the safest when holding a chair. The enema tip is carefully inserted into the anus and its contents are slowly inserted into the rectum. Today, pharmacies sell a huge amount of medicines intended for use in digestive disorders.
- Rectal suppositories. There are a number of medications made on the basis of glycerol or sea buckthorn, the action of which is aimed at liquefying feces. They have high efficiency and fast action. A positive result will be noticeable 30 minutes after administration.
- Taking medications containing lactulose. This substance has a beneficial effect on the state of the intestinal microflora, and also helps to improve the excretion of waste products from the body.
It is worth noting that before starting any treatment, you must first consult with a pediatrician. Uncontrolled intake of drugs can be fraught with many serious consequences, especially in the presence of any disease.
General advice and recommendations on the normalization of the intestines
To cope with diarrhea during teething a year in a child, you need to try to restore the normal functioning of the digestive tract. To do this, take the following actions:
- Any therapy, regardless of diagnosis, should be aimed at eliminating the root cause. Parents should constantly monitor the state of their child. This is especially important in the presence of elevated body temperature. It must not be allowed to rise above 38 degrees. If this mark is exceeded, the child should be given an antipyretic. One of the best and safest is considered "Nurofen" or "Efferalgan."
- If the baby cannot go to the toilet for a long time, then it is necessary to give him drink as much liquid as possible. The same goes for food. Even if he doesn’t have an appetite, you still need him to eat something. Servings may be small, but feeding should be regular.
- With difficult bowel movements and loose stools, experts recommend revising the diet of the baby. It is very important to minimize the consumption of products consisting of too coarse fibers. If the baby is breastfed, then for some time the feeding is suspended. When kept on artificial nutrition, it is advisable to give more fermented milk mixtures instead.
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Many parents are interested in the opinion of a famous Russian therapist on various issues related to the care, upbringing and treatment of children. The doctor has many years of practice and is the author of numerous of his own methods that have proven their effectiveness in practice. Regarding constipation in teething in children, Komarovsky argues that they should last no more than three days. In addition, he is of the opinion that a violation of normal bowel movements is often accompanied by a decrease in immunity, which creates a great threat of penetration into the digestive tract through the oral cavity of various pathogenic microorganisms that can provoke the development of many serious pathologies. To minimize the risk of intestinal infections, it is advisable to show the baby to the doctor and consult.
If the child began to grow first teeth, Komarovsky advises the following:
- Do not panic and keep calm;
- buy a special gel for the baby for incisors;
- give drink as much fluid as possible, it is better that it was ordinary purified drinking water;
- Do not give any medicine without consulting a qualified specialist.
In addition, the mother should spend a lot of time with her baby. Teething is accompanied by gum disease, discomfort and pain, so the child should feel the constant presence and support of the person closest and dearest to him. To at least help him a little and make him feel better, you need to buy a teether. It will not only reduce the intensity of symptoms, but also accelerate the process of germination of milk teeth, which is important.
Preventive actions
Teething constipation is a common occurrence that many parents experience. But, according to doctors, its development can be prevented. The following preventative measures will help you with this:
- wash hands for yourself and your child each time you return from a walk;
- during lactation, mother is forbidden to eat dirty foods;
- subject meat and fish to thorough heat treatment;
- with artificial feeding, seriously approach the choice of the mixture - it is best to purchase high-quality products from world famous manufacturers;
- the introduction of complementary foods should be carried out gradually, adhering to the basic rules for accustoming babies to new products, while they should be natural, not contain in their composition food additives, dyes, preservatives and seasonings.
These preventative measures are very easy to follow, but they will reduce the risk of developing problems in the functioning of the digestive system.
Conclusion
This article described in detail about situations when a baby is worried about constipation or diarrhea during teething: how long such failures can be observed, why they appear, and also what measures must be taken to cope with the pathology. But if the baby’s condition does not improve, then you need to immediately go to the hospital. Even a slight delay can turn into very serious problems.
Teething in babies is a rather complicated process that you need to survive. The most important thing for any changes in the baby’s health is not to panic, but to start taking the necessary measures in time to normalize the condition of the crumbs.