Enteritis in children

Parents always face countless worries, especially issues related to their children’s health. Enteritis – a common condition in children, is also one of the “nightmares” that makes parents extremely confused and worried. 

Not only causing uncomfortable symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain… affecting children’s daily activities, enteritis also has many potential risks of harming the physical and mental development of children in the long term. Through this article, parents will be able to be equipped with useful information about enteritis in children, including causes, initial treatment and prevention, thereby gaining more knowledge to take care of their children’s health in the best way.

Enteritis – the nightmare of parents and children

1. Introduction

Enteritis in children is an inflammation and damage to the digestive system of children. The disease often causes complications such as poor growth, delayed puberty and low bone density. The main causes are often due to rotavirus and adenovirus infection, in addition to many other viruses. Children are very susceptible to intestinal diseases as their digestive systems are immature and easily attacked by microorganisms. 

Currently, the rate of patients with enteritis in developing countries is mainly children under 2 years old. More worryingly, prolonged enteritis can cause severe dehydration in children, when the disease becomes severe, it can cause complicated intestinal complications that leads to difficult recovery for the body. From which it can be seen that, if parents do not closely monitor and treat promptly, enteritis can greatly affect the child’s future development.

The typical symptom of enteritis is abdominal pain

Enteritis can be classified into acute and chronic, with common agents in children, including rotavirus enteritis, bacterial enteritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. Rotavirus and norovirus are the two main causes of acute enteritis in children worldwide. For chronic enteritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two typical forms, requiring long-term and regular management. Both can cause serious complications for children as mentioned above. Therefore, parents need to recognize the disease early in children and apply timely treatment methods. 

In his sharing at the 7th Gastroenterology Conference of Bach Mai Hospital – Nagoya University, Japan, Dr. Vu Truong Khanh – Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Bach Mai Hospital also mentioned the warning about the increasing trend of chronic enteritis in Vietnam, sounding the alarm bell for parents to pay more attention to this issue in themselves as well as their children.

2. Causes of enteritis in children and prevention methods

2.1. Causes

Enteritis in children is a complex medical condition that can have many different causes, including:

 – Viral factors: Rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus are the most common viral agents that cause enteritis in children.

– Bacterial factors such as E. coli, Salmonella… are intestinal bacteria that can cause diarrhea and vomiting in children.

Microorganisms are the leading cause of enteritis in children

– Parasitic factors include pinworms, hookworms, roundworms… that can parasitize the intestines, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea and weight loss in children.

– Food allergies cause symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, rashes and difficulty breathing in children when they are infected. Statistics show that about 90% of all food allergies include the following foods: cow’s milk, wheat, eggs, peanuts, seafood, soy, tree nuts…

– And even psychological factors such as stress and anxiety… can also affect the child’s digestive system, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation.

Academic pressure causes mental stress and is also the cause of enteritis in children

In addition, some other factors such as an unreasonable diet, excessive use of antibiotics, etc. can also contribute to increasing the risk of enteritis in children. 

Symptoms of enteritis include a number of conditions such as: diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, dehydration, and in some cases, bloody stools. If your child has any of the above symptoms, parents should take them to see a doctor for timely diagnosis and treatment.

2.2. Prevention of enteritis in children

Prevention of enteritis in children is an important issue that needs attention. To ensure the health and comprehensive development of children, parents can apply some of the following preventive measures for their children:

– Personal hygiene is the first and most basic step that children and their caregivers need to take, including washing hands regularly with soap, especially before eating and after using the toilet. Along with that, cleaning utensils and choosing safe foods are also a careful way to eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses.

Regularly washing your child’s hands with soap and water keeps germs away

– Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life is an easy and highly effective prevention method. If it’s well followed then your baby will not only be provided with all the nutrients needed for development but will also be supported to strengthen a healthy immune system, reducing the risk of infectious diseases, including enteritis. When your baby starts eating solid foods, parents need to pay more attention to choosing foods suitable for the age of their children and gradually introduce a varied and balanced diet. This allows your baby to form healthy and reasonable eating habits. In addition, as mentioned above, parents should also avoid giving their children foods that are easily allergenic, such as cow’s milk and peanuts.

– In addition, creating good living habits for children such as getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and keeping a happy spirit also plays an important role in reducing anxiety, fear, and preventing diseases for children.

Regular exercise helps reduce stress and prevent disease in children

– Finally, regular health monitoring of children through medical check-ups enables early detection and prompt solution for health problems that may affect children, especially enteritis. Fully vaccinated as recommended by the Ministry of Health such as rotavirus, influenza… also allow prevention of viral enteritis. Each step in this process plays an extremely important role and needs to be done consistently and persistently to protect children’s health.

3. Supportive treatment of enteritis in children

Treatment of enteritis in children is carried out scientifically and systematically under the guidance of a doctor combined with a reasonable diet, good personal hygiene and the use of age-appropriate milk products to help children quickly recover and prevent disease recurrence. 

– Parents need to pay close attention to rehydration and electrolyte replacement, especially when children show signs of diarrhea and vomiting. This helps prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance that can cause serious health problems or the risk of interventions such as intravenous fluids. Parents can give their children Oral rehydration solutions (Oresol) or diluted fruit juice to overcome the above condition. 

Quick and proper rehydration for children with diarrhea

– The diet also needs to be adjusted to ensure that children receive enough necessary nutrients without increasing the burden on the affected digestive system. Parents need to prioritize foods rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber in their children’s diet. Limiting spicy and greasy foods is also important to avoid further stimulating the child’s intestines. However, parents should not be too restrictive with their children. Because this can easily lead to malnutrition in children and a loop of diarrhea.

A diet rich in vegetables and fruits is good for children’s digestion

– In addition, the use of probiotics and nutritional products supplementing beneficial bacteria can support the restoration of intestinal microflora, allowing rebalance of the digestive system and improvement of overall health for children. In particular, supplementing Postbiotic probiotics is considered an effective solution to protect the intestines. Parents can provide them to their children by using nutritional products containing Postbiotic such as Metacare Opti 2+. This is a pioneering product in the breakthrough application of Postbiotic probiotic technology, researched by scientists from Nutricare and the Nutricare Medical Nutrition Institute – USA (NMNI-USA), meeting international standards. Metacare Opti 2+ nutritional product supplements 30 billion Postbiotic probiotics (Postbiotic LBiome and Postbiotic L. Lactis probiotics) to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, enhancing the child’s natural immune system. In particular, the Postbiotic Lbiome is recommended by the Association of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and has been proven through 50 clinical studies to support: prevent the invasion of pathogens in the intestines; neutralize and inhibit unwanted harmful bacteria; prevent the invasion of other pathogens; restore the natural balance of intestinal microflora and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria strains. In addition, Metacare Opti 2+ also adds HMO and fiber to support a healthy digestive system, prevent the risk of constipation, and help balance the intestinal microflora. 24-hour colostrum from the US in the product also helps to increase resistance in children. Not only that, the product also provides children with up to 60 essential nutrients along with easily absorbed Whey protein, lysine, and zinc to allow children to eat well and gain weight more healthily.

– In addition to using nutritional products, parents also need to give their children enough rest, closely monitor their health and follow the doctor’s instructions to ensure that treatment is carried out safely with the best results.

Regular health check-ups and follow doctor’s treatment instructions for children with enteritis

Conclusion: Enteritis is a health problem that needs to be taken care of and treated promptly in children. The disease is caused by various causes and can lead to dangerous complications if not treated properly. Complying with the doctor’s treatment instructions, combined with a reasonable diet, good personal hygiene and using age-appropriate nutritional products allow children to recover quickly and prevent the disease from recurring. Always pay attention to your children’s health to protect them for a healthy and happy life.