What should be the chair of a 7 month old. Chair in infants: norms and possible problems. These pathologies include

Gastrointestinal disorders in young children are the cause of anxiety and concern for many mothers. The appearance of diarrhea or constipation in a child may be a symptom of some pathology, but more often, in infants, it turns out to be only a natural reaction to external and internal stimuli.

Constipation in a child at 7 months: causes and what to do?

Often, the opinion of the mother that the child has constipation turns out to be unfounded. Confusing the appearance of dense stool and its absence for several days. As doctors say, these symptoms are not enough to make a diagnosis, especially in children who are breastfed.
The fact is that breast milk is completely absorbed, and the absence of stool for several days is not a symptom of constipation.
The situation is more complicated with artificially fed children. You can talk about constipation if you have the following symptoms: the appearance of dry and dense feces, the act of defecation itself is painful and is accompanied by the crying of the child. Regardless of the frequency of stools, when such symptoms appear, one can speak of constipation.
Constipation in a child at 7 months can appear for various reasons, but, as a rule, this is due to nutrition: lack of milk during breastfeeding, improper introduction of complementary foods. A hard stool in a child at 7 months may appear due to physical inactivity, prolonged bed rest and taking certain medications.
To eliminate constipation itself, the main thing is to identify its main cause, the doctor will help with this. Only then, it will be possible to talk about successful treatment. In the fight against constipation, it is important to establish a diet that will soften the stool, and choose the right products, normalize feeding and the amount of formula / milk. In addition, it is imperative to carry out gymnastics, exercises that will be aimed at stimulating the abdominal muscles - laying on the tummy, raising the legs up, from a supine position, stroking the baby's tummy clockwise - stimulation of peristalsis. The most important rule in the treatment of constipation is not any initiative, especially in prescribing and taking medications.

Loose stools in a 7 month old baby

Diarrhea or diarrhea - liquefaction of the stool of a pathological nature. In childhood, such manifestations are especially dangerous - due to the loss of fluid and electrolytes. Some pediatricians and mothers associate the appearance of diarrhea at this age with teething - which has nothing to do with it! It is necessary to look for another reason, the development of an intestinal infection will be more likely.
The infection is characterized by changes in the stool (diarrhea and constipation), nausea up to vomiting and, of course, an increase in body temperature. These symptoms help diagnose an infection. But what to do in a child of 7 months with diarrhea, there is no temperature?
By analogy with constipation, it is also necessary to distinguish true diarrhea from simple loose stools. Diarrhea will be indicated by its uncontrollable nature, bloating, nausea, sometimes up to vomiting, a 7-month-old baby has a stomach ache due to spasms.
According to the data, diarrhea is more typical for artificial babies, who, due to physiological characteristics, find it extremely difficult to digest fats, and if the child is overfed, with almost 100% probability, the symptoms of diarrhea will not be long in coming.

The appearance of green stool in a child of 7 months

The color and shade of the baby's stool is determined by the diet; the diet of the nursing mother also has an effect on the stool of infants. Green feces in a 7-month-old breastfed baby is quite normal, and this can be explained by several reasons:

release of bilirubin;
formation of the balance of intestinal microflora, and features of the production of digestive enzymes;
stool oxidation;
improper breastfeeding, only hind milk gives a light brown color to the feces, the fore milk is greenish.

For artisans, approximately the same reasons for the appearance of greenery in feces are characteristic. Also, the reason may be hidden in the change of the mixture and the excess content of iron in it, which gives such a color to the feces.

Six months ago, this man did not even look like a man, as such, he was called a newborn, and he himself was a completely helpless, small creature. In the seventh month of his life, he is an active explorer, giving mom and dad as much trouble as joy, a very loving creature and almost a full-fledged person.

Height and weight

How much will your baby grow this month? For 7 months of life, the child should gain approximately 500-600 grams and grow by 1.5-2 centimeters in height. In addition, the circumference of his head and chest should increase by 0.5 centimeters.

What does a 7 month old baby know?

A child at 7 months should be able to move independently, thereby expanding the boundaries of his world. He can crawl to an object of interest to him, examine it, feel it and taste it. For normal development, the child should be given complete freedom of movement: choose a place in the apartment where nothing will threaten or interfere with him. At this age, traumatism especially increases, so when arranging a children's corner, make sure that there are no small, prickly and sharp objects near it. At 7 months, the child should have new knowledge about objects: some he likes and delights, and on the contrary, he is indifferent to some. The main task of parents is to activate such movements with the help of insert toys: bowls, boxes, nesting dolls. At this age, the child begins to be interested in everything that you can click on: a computer, a mobile phone, a remote control.

The daily routine of a child at 7 months

Massage and gymnastics

At 7 months, when the child actively begins to crawl and explore the world, it is especially important to strengthen his musculoskeletal system. This can be done with the help of gymnastics and massage. When doing such exercises, you should follow a number of rules:

the duration of gymnastics and massage should be approximately 30 minutes;
during exercises, it is recommended to play, talk and sing with the child, thereby causing him positive emotions;
you can not strongly squeeze and grab the joints and tissues of the baby, as this can cause pain, all movements and techniques must be performed carefully;
it is extremely important to observe the child during gymnastics and massage, highlighting those exercises and techniques that he likes the most;
massage and gymnastics should be done no earlier than half an hour after eating.

Menu and nutrition of the child

Cereal porridge can be introduced into the diet of a child at 7 months. Almost all of them contain a lot of starch, vegetable protein, minerals, vitamins and fiber. Cook porridge should not be very thick, medium consistency. When choosing the first porridge for a baby, it is necessary to take into account the following: rice contains a lot of starch, and buckwheat includes a lot of iron and vitamins. There is no gluten in these two cereals, and over time, semolina and oatmeal can be added. You can also add meat to the vegetable puree already known to the child. It is better to use rabbit meat or young veal. The meat is boiled and finely chopped, you can mix it with porridge. So, at 7 months, the child can already eat meat, egg yolk, butter and vegetable oil, dairy-free and milk cereals, fruit juices, as well as vegetable and fruit purees.

How much sleep

At 7 months, the baby should sleep 2-3 times a day. At this age, the child must have two daytime sleep. You can put him down before lunch for an hour and a half, and for a few hours after lunch, this will allow you to evenly distribute sleep throughout the day, it will also allow the child to be slightly tired in the evening and fall asleep faster. If the child did not manage to fall asleep during the day, then the night time of sleep should be brought closer.

Stool norm

The feces of a 7-month-old baby who is breastfed can be yellow-green in color, be both liquid and mushy with a sour smell. These children often have stools that contain red pigments (infection-fighting white blood cells) and mucus. If complementary foods in the form of milk porridges, vegetables and meat are introduced into the child's diet, it is difficult to give an unambiguous answer what the baby's toilet should be like. Everything here directly depends on his readiness to digest new foods, on the amount of food eaten and on the general health of the child. If there are undigested particles in the feces, then you should not worry - this is the norm. The normal amount of stool discharge at the age of 7 months is considered to be from 1 to 3 times a day, however, depending on the food taken, this value may vary, for example, zucchini weakens, and rice, on the contrary, strongly strengthens.

Baby care at 7 months

Bathing

It is necessary to bathe a child at 7 months every day or every other day, while the duration of water procedures can reach up to 20-25 minutes. Water in the bath (preferably large) must be collected in such a way that the baby can sit in it and calmly play with toys. For a seven month old baby, the best bathing toys are a fish, a fishing rod, a boat, a watering can, a bucket, as well as clockwork toys that float in the water. At 7 months, everything that can move, overflow and overflow will be interesting for a child. Each bath should turn into an exciting game, in which case he will be able to love him for life. For swimming, the ideal temperature should be + 36-37 degrees, while the temperature in the room should not be lower than +22.

Entertainment

At this age, you can play with your child as follows - read him rhythmic verses, with special emphasis on those syllables that he can best pronounce. You will be able to notice how he repeats the syllables after you with great pleasure. You can also play a game with him called "Which hand?". The principle of the game is as follows: hide an interesting toy for him in your hand. Open your palm, show the object and close it again. Hide the toy in the other hand and let the baby try to find it. If the child correctly determines her place, then congratulate him by clapping your hands cheerfully.

Problems

A seven-month-old baby can be intoxicated, because his mouth turns into an organ of knowledge: everything that is in his hands, he pulls into his mouth. Therefore, to avoid such a problem, keep all harmful substances away from the crumbs.

Gradually, potatoes, fruits, meat, porridge, and cottage cheese will appear in the diet of the crumbs. A loving mother tries to feed the baby with the most delicious and rejoices at his appetite. But here's the problem: after the introduction of complementary foods, the child may begin to have problems with the stool. Read our expert's article on why constipation occurs and how to avoid it.

Feeding Rule #1: Don't Hurry!

Previously, complementary foods were started at 4-5 months, but modern research shows that this should not be done in most cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends introducing complementary foods to healthy full-term breastfed babies no earlier than six months of age. By this age, enzymatic systems mature in the baby's body, which makes it possible to digest thick food.

Feeding rule #2: Where to start?

According to pediatricians, it is better to start with vegetables. If the child is prone to constipation, zucchini is most suitable for him for the first feeding. Give the little gourmet a teaspoon of zucchini monopurée to try. If there is no negative reaction to the product, the next day offer him 2 spoons, then 4 and so on. A week later, you can try cauliflower, carrots, potatoes or pumpkin. Follow a simple rule: one new product in 7 days.

Important! Do not insist that the baby “finish” the volume you planned: you are only introducing him to adult food, so if he refuses, offer him a breast or formula.

Feeding Rule #3: First Porridge

If the baby is not gaining weight well, the pediatrician may advise you to start complementary foods with porridge. For other children, porridge is, as a rule, the second complementary food after vegetables. Please note that the porridge must be gluten-free. Gluten is a vegetable protein (gluten) that is still difficult for a child's digestive tract to digest. Therefore, to begin with, stop at rice, buckwheat and corn porridge.

Ideally, this should be a special baby porridge of industrial production. Such porridge is easier to digest by the baby's body. If the child refuses, you can add a little breast milk to the porridge.

Important! If your baby is prone to stool retention, it makes sense to give up rice porridge for a while, because. it can have a reinforcing effect. But buckwheat, on the contrary, contains a lot of fiber and stimulates digestion.

Complementary Feeding Rule #4: Water is the best prevention of stool retention!

Breast milk is both food and drink for the baby. Guided by this, many parents forget that when introducing complementary foods, it is imperative to start giving the child water and herbal teas. If there is not enough fluid in the baby's body, it can cause constipation in the baby.

Advice: if you do not give your child water from a bottle, for fear of rejection of the breast, you can drink water directly from a spoon.

Complementary Rule #5: Don't Rush Your Protein Foods

One of the most common causes of constipation in a child is the early introduction of protein foods. It is a building material for the baby's body, but at the same time it is digested with great difficulty by the growing body of the crumbs. It is recommended to introduce meat into the child's diet no earlier than 7-8 months, and we are talking about turkey and veal, and not about fatty varieties. Egg white can be offered to the baby only at 11-12 months, until this time it is better to limit yourself to the yolk.

What to do if a child has constipation?

If, after the introduction of complementary foods, the baby has no stool for more than a day, help the baby. To begin with, massage the tummy once an hour: in a circular motion clockwise 8-10 repetitions. A good "warm-up" will be bending the legs to the stomach and laying the baby on the tummy. All this stimulates intestinal motility and strengthens the abdominal wall. A gas tube helps to eliminate excessive gas formation in the intestines.

If the baby does not have a stool for 2-3 days, he strains, blushes and even refuses to eat, you can talk about

constipation. In this case, it is no longer worth waiting for a natural resolution of the situation and it is time to take action - for example, use a microclyster *. It is a local laxative, easy to use, and therefore so popular among new parents.

Unlike a regular water enema, Microlax® usually does not cause spasms in the intestines, but acts gently. In its action, this remedy also differs from a glycerin suppository - a microclyster does not cause a mechanical urge to defecate, but releases water, softens the contents of the intestine. The drug can help the baby go to the toilet in 5-15 minutes without screaming and protesting. The drug is suitable for regular use, does not cause addiction, it can be used as often as necessary.

* THERE ARE CONTRAINDICATIONS. PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE.

Constipation in a seven-month-old child is characterized by difficult or incomplete defecation due to irrational introduction of complementary foods, which disrupts the proper functioning of the intestines.

Changes in the functioning of the digestive tract in infants can provoke the development of chronic constipation. Prolonged stagnation of feces leads to its hardening, flatulence occurs.

Insufficient stool frequency, reduced amount of feces and its hard consistency determine the clinical picture of the pathological condition in a child at 7 months.

Features of the act of defecation in infants

Fecal masses are formed in the caecum, where protein compounds are broken down under the action of enzymes. The final transformation of feces is completed in the large intestine, where the process of water absorption and promotion and excretion of feces takes place with the help of muscles that are innervated by nerve endings.

A full-term baby excretes from 40 to 100 g of feces per day, depending on the amount of food consumed. The warehouse of products has a strong effect on the peristalsis and motility of the colon. So, food, saturated with coarse fibers, fats and products that cause fermentation, helps to increase motor skills.

The final process of stool formation occurs in the sigmoid colon. Various functional disorders in this department can lead to the development of constipation.

Normally, the frequency of bowel movements at seven months should be 2 times a day, the feces look like gruel.

Constipation in premature infants at 7 months of age may manifest itself due to inhibition of reflex connections, a decrease in the contractile function of the intestinal muscles and weakening of straining.

Important! Functional immaturity of the nervous and muscular apparatus at birth may contribute to the development of defecation disorders in the child in the future.

Reasons for the development of the condition

All factors contributing to the development of stool retention can be divided into two categories:

Functional (psychological, alimentary and nervous disorders).
Organic (disorder of the digestive system, malformations, prematurity).

The main reason that causes constipation in a child is the irrational introduction of complementary foods, which leads to stagnation of the intestinal contents. With insufficient consumption of plant foods and water, the movement of feces through the rectum slows down.

The main reasons that provoke constipation in a 7 month old are:

The use of viscous foods by a nursing mother.
Violation of the drinking regimen in infants.
The introduction of too thick complementary foods.
Early transition from breastfeeding to artificial.
Incorrect mixture selection.
Irrational nutrition of the baby (excess in the diet of proteins and fats).
The inability of the child's stomach to process and assimilate heavy food.
Vitamin D deficiency impairs the functioning of the digestive system.
Decreased beneficial microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to decay processes.
Allergic reactions caused by the introduction of food allergens, which leads to inflammation in the intestinal walls.

As a result of exposure to adverse factors, the tone of the intestinal muscles changes in the child, the feces stagnate and begin to harden.

Important! Violations in the nutrition of the child leads to a temporary delay in stool.

Symptoms of constipation in a child

The disorder of the act of defecation in children for a long time is accompanied by a general intoxication of the body. There are disturbances in the work of the digestive, cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Symptoms of intoxication of the body in infants:

growing weakness;
decreased or absent appetite;
excessive tearfulness;
sleep disorder;
increase in body temperature.

Excessive accumulation of feces in the rectum leads to malnutrition of its walls, which is manifested by a disorder in the process of digestion of food, absorption of water, nutrients and trace elements. Feces release toxic substances, as a result of which the development of pathogenic flora increases. Against this background, dysbacteriosis develops, in which the normal intestinal microflora is disturbed.

Symptoms of disorders in the digestive system:

flatulence;
changes in the consistency of feces;
pain in the abdomen;
streaks of blood in the stool.

Important! When the above symptoms appear, parents must definitely show the baby to the pediatrician and not self-medicate.

Treatment for constipation in the chest

Constipation in a child of 7 months requires immediate evacuation of the contents of the intestine. Therapy of the condition is aimed at regulating the stool and eliminating the cause of the delay in dedication.

The most important in the treatment of infants is nutritional correction, which includes the following principles:

a sufficient amount of liquid;
compliance with the diet;
optimal amount of fiber;
the use of probiotics;
the exclusion of products that contribute to flatulence.

Food should be mechanically and chemically gentle, enhance intestinal motility and peristalsis and not cause putrefaction processes.

carrot;
pumpkin;
plum;
beet;
zucchini;
dill.

bananas;
apples;
rice porridge.

Children who are breastfed need to normalize the drinking regimen. The child should be given purified, boiled water with the addition of fennel, compotes based on prunes and dried apricots.

Formula-fed children should be given only adapted milk formulas, as they contain the optimal amount of trace elements and vitamins that help prevent the development of stool disorders.

What to do at home

You can also treat a child at home, using the recommendations of a pediatrician.

If the doctor has prescribed laxatives to alleviate the condition, then the dosage of the drug must be strictly observed. The systematic use of laxatives is prohibited.

Laxative drugs:

Motility regulators (Duphalac, Bifidumbacterin, Lactulose).
Prokinetics (Cerukal, Raglan, Dompiredon).
Saline laxatives (sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate).
Enzymes (Pancreatin, Mezim, Festal).
Cholagogue preparations (Flamin, Hofitol, Gepabene).

Important! Medicines should be used with caution, as they can cause side effects and allergic reactions.

With a long delay in stool, a baby can be given a hypertonic enema using a 10% sodium chloride solution. In infants, an enema is made with a pear-shaped balloon with a small volume according to age.

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 4 minutes

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Article last updated: 02/13/2019

With such a delicate and unpleasant problem as constipation, a good half of humanity is faced, unfortunately, it does not bypass even the smallest ones. A change in the consistency, frequency, or lack of stools in babies is a reason for concern for their parents.

In the first year of a child's life, it is possible to learn about his condition only by emotions. A baby who cannot speak will not be able to tell his parents about the cause of his anxiety, nothing more than crying. Negative emotions of the crumbs are often associated with a disruption in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, which manifests itself in the form of colic, gas formation, regurgitation and constipation.

What do pediatricians mean by making such a diagnosis for a baby? In a healthy baby, in the first year of his life, the stool should ideally resemble gruel in consistency. If the baby does not defecate for three days or more, or his feces are dry, hard and shaped like balls, then he has constipation. Such violations can occur in children of any age, and with breastfeeding, and with artificial feeding. The reasons for this may be different, but most often this problem occurs in connection with the introduction of complementary foods, at the age of 6-7 months, when the child begins to receive, in addition to mother's milk or formula, other, more solid food.

How to recognize constipation

Discomfort in the intestines associated with a delay in defecation causes negative emotions in the child, he becomes capricious, irritable, lethargic, often cries and refuses to eat. Unfortunately, constipation can be the cause of some disease, such as a malfunction of the thyroid gland or nervous system. Therefore, parents should take full responsibility for its manifestations and find the cause of stool retention. If you observe in your baby, signs such as:

Stool less than once a day
Stools are hard and hard or very little
Bloody discharge with stool
The baby during the act of defecation pushes and cries
Sleeps badly at night

If such symptoms occur, the most correct decision of the parents will be an immediate visit to the doctor.

Types and causes of constipation

Doctors divide constipation into two groups, organic and functional.

Organic, usually manifest themselves from birth, are associated with abnormalities in the development of the large intestine and often require urgent surgical intervention. But, fortunately, this type of disease in infants is extremely rare.

If constipation occurs at the age of 7-8 months, then most likely it is functional and there can be many reasons for its appearance.

A small amount of liquid consumed by the mother if the baby receives breast milk and by the child when he is bottle-fed.
Incorrectly selected baby food or a sharp transition from one type of formula to another
Violation of the microflora in the gastrointestinal tract
Violation of the central nervous system
Deviations in the work of the thyroid gland
Overuse of laxatives and antibiotics

This type of constipation is most common and, in turn, is divided into several subspecies:

Alimentary, the most common type of disease associated with malnutrition of a child or mother.
Atonic constipation is often associated with a decrease in intestinal tone. That is, the exit of the initial portion of feces occurs with difficulty, due to its large volume and high density. The baby has to strain hard during bowel movements, because of which he may experience discomfort and pain.
Spasm, in fact, spasm of the intestine and, as a result, the impossibility of expelling feces from it. Such constipation is characterized by "goat feces", in the form of small, dry and dense lumps. This type of problem is accompanied by bloating and pain.
Conditionally - reflex or psychological, of course, not characteristic of infants, since they are not yet able to endure, but common at an older age. It occurs due to an untimely bowel movement, that is, when the child does not have the opportunity to go to the toilet on time, and suppresses the urge to defecate. As a result, the nerve endings at the exit from the rectum get used to rare emptying.

Negative effects of constipation on the body

Chronic constipation is not at all harmless to the child's body, as many used to think.

Its prolonged manifestations cause serious consequences in a fragile organism.

Due to frequent constipation, the child becomes lethargic, he has a decrease in appetite.
From the fecal masses accumulated in the body, harmful substances are absorbed into the intestinal walls, as a result of which intoxication of the body occurs, that is, poisoning with decayed substances and their entry into the blood.
The intestinal microflora and the nutrition of its mucous membrane are disturbed
The absorption of vitamins and microelements from food worsens, which leads to metabolic disorders, anemia and beriberi
Possibility of inflammation in the intestines
With prolonged constipation, the occurrence of cracks in the rectum

How to deal with constipation at home

Before you start getting rid of an unpleasant disease, you need to find out the cause of its occurrence. If it is associated with malnutrition and a seven-month-old baby is breastfed, in the first place, the mother should reconsider her diet. Drink more fluids, eat foods that stimulate intestinal motility, eat more vegetables and dairy products, but do not forget that some of them can cause increased gas formation in a child.

If the baby receives infant formula or is mixed-fed, the pediatrician, to combat the disease, may prescribe the introduction of sour-milk or lactulose-containing and dietary fiber mixtures into the diet, or complementary foods in the form of mashed fruits and vegetables that have a laxative effect. For example, pumpkins, zucchini, beets or baked apple puree, and it is better to refuse rice and potatoes for this time. A good prevention is to drink liquids before eating solid foods.

Daily morning exercises will help to avoid problems with stool retention, regular exercise will help strengthen the abdominals and will have a stimulating effect on the intestines.

Done before feeding, a light massage of the tummy, in a circular motion in a clockwise direction, will also be a good tool for the prevention and treatment of spastic and atonic constipation. And laying out the crumbs on the stomach, regularly 3-4 times during the day, will help to avoid not only the delay in defecation, but also cope with such unpleasant manifestations as regurgitation and bloating.

If constipation occurs while taking antibiotics, first of all, it is necessary to restore the intestinal microflora by taking bifidus and lactobacilli.

Sometimes, you need to help the child a little so that he defecates, in this case, mechanical irritation of the anus will help. To do this, you can use a small baby pear, a gas tube, or a cotton swab. Liberally lubricate the baby's anus and the tip of the object you are using with petroleum jelly.

Insert it into the rectum, 1-2 cm and make several translational movements. This must be done as carefully as possible so as not to injure. Usually, such manipulations quickly and painlessly help the child to perform an act of defecation, with a delay in stool. Of course, this method is not a cure, but only a temporary relief from the problem, and it is often not recommended to do this, in order to avoid addiction.

As a last resort, if other methods did not bring relief to the baby, as an ambulance, you can apply a cleansing enema, the main thing is that this does not become a habit. An enema should be done with cool boiled water, using a soft syringe, the tip of which is abundantly lubricated with a greasy cream or vaseline oil. The child is placed on its side to insert the tip into the rectum.

The volume of fluid in the enema depends on the age of the child, for newborns it is 25 ml, from 6 to 9 months it is recommended to administer 100-120 ml, and by the year 120-180 ml.

Pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of the disease

If there is a delay in defecation in a child at seven months old, you should not immediately start using medications, you should make every effort and try to help the baby without resorting to medications. But if, in this way, the problem is not solved, then you need to contact the pediatrician to get appointments for further therapy.

For children of the first year of life, any use of laxatives is not recommended, except for drugs based on lactulose. Permitted drugs for infants are Duphalac and Forlax. They act on the children's body gently, are not addictive, they can be used for a long time, but it is better not to do this.

As a quick help, it is possible to use glycerin suppositories and Microlax microclysters. It is not recommended to use more than one candle per day. If after using it, the child still does not defecate, you should immediately consult a doctor.

But resorting to the help of any medicines, we must remember that this is only a temporary relief from the problem, a quick relief for the suffering baby, and not a treatment for the cause of the disease.