The very thought of feeding bacteria to your child may horrify and make you recoil in disgust. But did you know, bacteria, or rather good bacteria known as Probiotics is exactly what you should be introducing to your child’s wholesome diet.
Before birth, your child is protected in a sterile haven within the womb. But this shield of protection dissipates and just seconds after birth, a mass of bacteria inhabit various parts of your child’s germ-free body including your child’s gut (especially the lower intestines). This could inevitably contribute to various bouts of diarrhea and tummy upsets as your child matures.
So what are probiotics? Where can I get some for my child? How old should my child be before I introduce probiotics to him/her?
These are some of the common questions gnawing at the minds of all parents. Assunta Hospital’s experienced Consultant Paediatrician of more than 30 years, Dr. M. Paranjothy sheds light on the recent discoveries on probiotics:
Q – What is the right age of children to take probiotics and to obtain its full advantage?
Probiotics can be given at any age. You can give probiotics to your children each day to maintain the overall health of their digestive system and to strengthen their immune system. To ensure there is a conducive environment for the probiotics to thrive, doses of prebiotics can be introduced to supplement this.
Q – Are probiotics useful for any particular childhood syndrome?
Yes, especially if your child is taking antibiotics for the treatment of his or her health problems. Probiotics should be given to q child in order to refill the useful bacteria that had gone off track because of antibiotics.
Beneficial effects have been noted in prevention and treatment of acute diarrhea especially in rottaviral diarrhea. It is also known to reduce signs and symptoms of diarrhea related to usage of antibiotics in children.
Besides that, probiotics also have the ability to enhance the immune system of your child, especially if they show signs of cold or influenza. Probiotics are also good for the allergies of your children because sometimes an allergy is a sign that their immune system is not functioning very well.
Q – What kind of probiotics are best for children foods or supplements?
It would be good if you could provide probiotics supplement to your children, especially if there is reason to be worried about their health and if there is a noted imbalance in the pH of their stomach.
Make sure that the probiotics you are going to give to your children contain a distribution scheme, which includes the intake of prebiotics that can be found in pharmacies to guarantee that the beneficial microorganisms will not be destroyed.
You need not to worry about probiotics for children. The live microorganisms are safe enough to be consumed as health supplements and medication by your little ones. If your children are suffering from any of the conditions above, try supplying them with probiotics.
