Children often have various diseases that require laboratory diagnosis. Especially often, infants develop diseases and dysfunctions of the digestive system, which is explained by functional immaturity and ongoing adaptation processes. The child adapts to new conditions for him, including nutrition. One of the most common pathologies is a violation of carbohydrate metabolism. Analysis for carbohydrates in feces it is prescribed for infants with suspected lactase deficiency.
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Indications for analysis of carbohydrates in feces
The analysis is prescribed if there is a suspicion of a violation of carbohydrate metabolism, in particular, lactase deficiency. It is recommended to conduct a study in violation of digestive processes, with flatulence, frequent regurgitation. If the child is concerned about abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation, research should be done. The analysis is also recommended if the child is not gaining weight well.
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Preparation
In order not to get false, distorted results, it is necessary to feed the baby as usual. You cannot change the diet, include new products, or exclude the usual ones. It is necessary to prepare in advance a sterile container into which the analysis will be collected. Usually, jars are used for tests, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. They are sterile and can be additionally equipped with a special spoon or stick for collecting feces. In the evening, do not give the child any medicine, do not give an enema either.
How to collect a stool carbohydrate test?
The feces are collected in the morning after the baby has naturally evacuated. Feces are taken with a spoon and placed in a sterile container for analysis. It is necessary to collect at least a spoon, since a smaller amount will not be enough for the analysis. Close the lid tightly. The analysis must be delivered to the laboratory within 1-2 hours after collection.
It is not recommended to take stool from the diaper, as the liquid part will be absorbed and the result will be distorted. It is recommended to put the child on an oilcloth and wait while he goes to the toilet. After that, the feces are taken with a spoon. If there is a liquid part, collect as many liquid elements as possible. You can also collect feces from the pot. To do this, you need to wash the pot with soap well, pour over boiling water, which will destroy the accompanying microflora.
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Technique for the analysis of carbohydrates in feces
The principle of the method is based on the ability of lactose to reduce copper atoms, while changing the color. For the study, a stool sample is placed in a centrifuge. Beforehand, water must be added to the test tube with feces. After a homogeneous mass is obtained, the reagents are added to the test tube and the color change is monitored. The results obtained are compared in a calibration graph. Additionally, microscopy of the obtained sample is carried out, which makes it possible to detect signs of inflammation, as well as particles of carbohydrates, undigested fiber, and other components that may indicate the development of an inflammatory process.
Analysis of feces for carbohydrates in infants
In the first year of a child's life, milk is the staple food. Normally, the digestive system should fully digest it, it should be easily and completely absorbed by the body. But in fact, over 50% of newborns suffer from lactase intolerance, as a result of which there are problems with digestion and intolerance to milk and formula milk.
If a violation of lactase assimilation is suspected, a laboratory study is carried out - the feces are examined for the content of carbohydrates in it. Normally, carbohydrates should not be in the feces, since they are quickly degraded and easily assimilated elements that are degraded in the mouth and stomach, and absorbed in the large intestine and stomach. The appearance of carbohydrates in feces indicates that they are not completely broken down and not absorbed by the body.
It is prescribed in order to confirm or deny the diagnosis - lactase intolerance. The analysis makes it possible to identify pathology in time, make a diagnosis, select the necessary treatment and adjust nutrition. The sooner measures are taken, the higher the effectiveness of the treatment, and the more chances for the normalization of metabolic processes and the full growth of the baby.
The disease must be identified as soon as possible, since it is milk that is the main food for the child. If it is not fully absorbed, or not absorbed at all by the body, it can be dangerous. The child may develop delayed growth and mental development. Also, metabolic processes throughout the body are disrupted: the metabolism of vitamins, trace elements, proteins and fats suffers. Over time, a violation of nervous activity and hormonal regulation develops, the body's defense mechanisms decrease.
To carry out the analysis, it is enough to collect the morning portion of the child's feces and deliver it to the laboratory within 1-2 hours; at the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the feces are collected in a sterile container. The feces must be at least one full spoon, otherwise it will be impossible to carry out the analysis. They take the analysis free of charge in a state clinic, or in private medical centers or laboratories.
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Normal indicators
Normally, lactate should not be found in feces. Thus, if the result is zero, this is a good analysis, which indicates that all carbohydrates are processed and absorbed by the body. Accordingly, carbohydrate or lactase deficiency has not been diagnosed.
If the amount of carbohydrates in the stool exceeds the norm, this may indicate lactose deficiency, or a violation of the metabolism of other carbohydrates. Cases of a false positive result are possible. They appear if the child has taken any medications, ascoric acid, salicylates, antibiotics and some other substances. Also, if a low-lactose mixture is consumed before analysis, there may be a false positive result.
If the indicators do not deviate greatly from the norm, it is necessary to track the results over time. After a while, the child is re-examined, as well as an acidity test. If the carbohydrate content exceeds 1% and the clinical picture of lactose deficiency is expressed, appropriate therapy is prescribed.
The unit of measure for carbohydrates in feces is percentage. Normally, these indicators for an infant range from 0 to 0.25%. These indicators are relevant for children aged 0 to 12 months. If the indicators exceed 0.25%, and range from 0.26% to 0.5%, this indicates a slight deviation from the norm. If the indicators are in the range from 0.6% to 1%, this may indicate an average degree of lactose deficiency. With indicators over 1%, the deviation is considered significant, special treatment is prescribed.
Many babies have digestive problems and breast milk or formula is not fully absorbed. It is very important to undergo an examination in time and determine the cause of pain in the tummy, lumpy, green or mucous stools. Often, the pediatrician issues a referral for the analysis of biomaterial for carbohydrates. What does such a study show, and in what cases is it prescribed?
The analysis is prescribed for problems with the assimilation of breast milk or formula
Why is a biomaterial study prescribed for carbohydrates?
As a rule, the analysis of feces for carbohydrates (or Benedict's test) is designed to identify signs of lactase deficiency in a child of the first year of life. This condition means that the baby's gastrointestinal tract cannot fully assimilate breast milk, the main carbohydrate of which is lactose (milk sugar). This substance is a disaccharide, which is normally broken down in the small intestine into monosaccharides, which are convenient for further assimilation.
To break down lactose in the baby's body, a special enzyme is produced - lactase. With its lack, milk sugar is not broken down, but is deposited in the intestinal lumen. This is fraught with fluid retention, diarrhea, gas and abdominal cramps. Enzyme deficiency is especially critical in infancy, since milk is the main type of baby's nutrition.
Lactase deficiency can be congenital and acquired. The primary one occurs in a child with violations of intrauterine development, and the secondary - due to dysbiosis, past diseases (rotavirus), giardiasis, enteritis or allergies.
If this pathology is detected, the baby is prescribed enzymes or transferred to a special lactose-free diet.
Preparing a baby for research and rules for collecting feces
Special preparation of the child for the analysis is not required. It is important that the stool collected for analysis is kept in a sterile container with a tight screw cap. It is best to use a plastic jar with a spoon for this purpose, in which it is convenient to collect liquid stool fragments - such a container can be purchased at the pharmacy (for more details, see the article :). When collecting the analysis, the following nuances should be taken into account:
- The biomaterial must be delivered to the laboratory no later than 4 hours after the act of defecation.
- It is advisable to collect feces from oilcloth rather than from a disposable diaper or diaper, as this test requires a liquid component of the sample. If the baby uses a pot, the bowl should be pre-washed and scalded with boiling water.
- Before collecting feces, the child should be fed according to the usual scheme, then the result will be as accurate as possible. If you overfeed the baby, the test may turn out to be false positive, if you underfeed, or if you give a low-carb mixture, it may be false negative.
There should be no changes in the baby's nutrition before taking the tests. - In newborns and infants at 2-3 months, the values may exceed the norm, since at this age the secretion of enzymes and digestion are at the stage of formation.
- If the results of the analysis show that the percentage of carbohydrates in the stool is up to 0.6 - do not worry. Experts believe that these figures can be conventionally considered the norm.
- If the value is from 0.7 to 1.0%, treatment is not prescribed if the child does not have problems with the tummy. Such babies are taken under control, they are recommended to undergo a re-examination. If the result remains within the same range, the pediatrician may prescribe enzymes, such as Lactase Baby.
- More than 1% of carbohydrates in feces indicates a high likelihood of lactase deficiency in the baby (for more details in the article:). An indirect confirmation of the diagnosis will be increased acidity of feces if the pH value is lower than 5.5.
Stool analysis for carbohydrates Is a study that is carried out in infants to identify milk intolerance. With the help of diagnostics, you can establish an appropriate diagnosis and promptly adjust the nutrition of the newborn.
The main indication for the study is suspicion of - impaired absorption of carbohydrates, which are the main components of breast milk and synthetic mixtures.
Due to the fact that the baby's body does not absorb nutrients, it begins to delay growth and development. In order to correct this condition in a timely manner, it is necessary to examine the baby's feces in order to detect possible deviations in it.
How to get tested correctly?
Preparation for the test
- Before collecting the material, the food should not be changed. You cannot introduce new foods into the child's diet, give him complementary foods, as this can affect the composition of the newborn's feces.
- If possible, you must stop taking all medicines. Before that, it is better to consult with your pediatrician, who will determine whether it is possible to stop treatment for a few days.
- Do not give your child laxatives or enemas for 2-3 days before the procedure.
- The use of rectal suppositories is prohibited.
Container preparation
To collect biological material, you can use pharmacy or home containers. Containers adapted for feces must be properly prepared. To destroy pathogenic microorganisms, it is necessary to boil the jar, dry it and immediately place the biological material in it. Contamination of the container with bacteria can blur the picture of the analysis, since microorganisms multiply consume carbohydrates. As a result, false negative tests can be obtained.
Since it is impossible to completely destroy pathogenic bacteria by boiling, it is better to use pharmacy containers designed to collect feces. Special containers undergo compulsory processing, which guarantees the sterility of their walls. Therefore, the risk of incorrect results when using such containers is much lower.
Collection of material
It is strictly forbidden to collect feces from diapers or diapers, as their tissue absorbs liquid samples, disrupting the concentration of substances in the sample.
- An impervious oilcloth or plastic wrap must be placed under the newborn.
- Wait for a bowel movement.
- Take biological material from 4-5 places on the surface of feces, the approximate total volume of the sample should be 50 ml (1/3 of the container volume).
- If the amount of stool is very small, then it is worth waiting for the next bowel movement, since a small sample volume cannot be used for research.
- If there is liquid stool, pour 5-10 ml of liquid into a collection container.
- Close the container tightly and take it to the laboratory.
How and how long can the material be stored?
Stool should be stored in a cool, dark place. The best option is a shelf in the refrigerator with no food on it. The sample can only be stored within 4 hours... If the sample is delivered to the laboratory later, then it cannot be used, since over time the substances in the container react and decompose. This can lead to inaccurate results.
Decoding indicators
| Index | Decoding | A comment |
| from 0 to 0.25% | Norm | The indicator indicates that the child definitely has no abnormalities in digestion. |
| from 0.25 to 0.5% | Minor deviations | A slight increase in the indicator in most cases is an individual feature of the child's body, most often with such indicators there are no deviations in carbohydrate metabolism. |
| from 0.5 to 1% | Average increase | The increase most likely indicates a violation of the digestion of lactose in the body of the newborn. It is necessary to carry out an additional examination of the child and repeat the test for carbohydrates in dynamics. |
| above 1% | Significant deviation | The indicator accurately confirms the diagnosis of lactase deficiency in the baby's body. |
What to do if the test is positive?
A significant deviation from the norm in the analysis is a reason to start treating the child. Initially, it is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. For this, an additional test is carried out - an analysis for the acidity of feces. A decrease in the pH level in feces indicates the accumulation of lactic acid in them, which is obtained during the processing of milk sugar in the intestines. Therefore, a significant change in the indicator also indicates lactase deficiency.
When the diagnosis is confirmed, the baby is assigned a set of therapeutic measures. The presence of violations in most cases is associated with. Therefore, the child is prescribed therapy.
If even after the correction of microbiological disorders, lactase deficiency persists, then the child is given substitution therapy - a lactase drug is prescribed, which is given along with feeding. With this treatment, breastfeeding can be continued.
In the event that the baby is gaining weight too slowly, a complete nutritional correction is performed. Instead of natural feeding, the child receives low-lactase or lactase-free formulas that will restore normal digestion. Additionally, the child is given fermented milk products and medicinal prebiotic mixtures.
A simple examination is not always enough for a pediatrician to assess the condition of a newborn child and make a correct diagnosis. Coprogram is a full-fledged study of feces, which makes it possible to see a complete picture of the state of the digestive system, liver and gallbladder.
What is a stool analysis for carbohydrates
In the first year of a baby's life, milk is the only product that the baby's not yet fully formed digestive system is able to digest. According to statistics, more than half of all newborns have problems with the assimilation of breast milk or formula.
If you suspect a violation of digestive processes in the still immature intestine of an infant, an analysis of feces for carbohydrates is prescribed. This study shows the amount of carbohydrates in your baby's stool. Monosaccharides are lactose, galactose and glucose. And according to the results of the analysis, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes the appropriate treatment.
What is it needed for
The main indication for the appointment of this type of analysis is lactase deficiency or lactose intolerance. This can be a serious problem, especially for a small organism that needs to grow.
Lactose and lactase are two enzymes closely related to each other. Due to a lack of lactase, which is involved in the breakdown of lactose, breast milk is partially absorbed or not completely absorbed. This is the main cause of lactose intolerance.
Why rent
The sooner the doctor can diagnose lactase deficiency, the sooner the necessary treatment will be prescribed.
Symptoms of a Lactase Deficiency:
- Loose stools that are often frothy. The number of bowel movements reaches up to 10 times a day.
- Feces have a pungent sour smell.
- Gas formation, bloating, colic.
- Baby cries during or after feeding.
- Your toddler is not gaining or losing weight well.
What is lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance is the lack of absorption of milk sugar by the intestines. It is of two types: primary and secondary.
- Primary lactose deficiency is a hereditary disease. Dairy intolerance is transmitted to the child at the genetic level from the mother or father. Doctors can only alleviate the condition of the baby, because this disease cannot be completely cured.
- Secondary lactose deficiency is a temporary lactase deficiency that is observed in almost all children in the first year of life. In this case, it is very important to quickly determine the cause and eliminate it.
What is the danger
For an adult, giving up milk will not be a serious problem, unlike a baby. Because his stomach is incapable of digesting anything but milk. An insufficient amount of lactase in a small body leads to a delay in the development of the child.
Breast milk contains over 400 enzymes and substances. These are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, microelements, macronutrients, nucleotides. Lactose is a milk monosaccharide, which, when broken down, produces glucose and galactose. Glucose acts as the main source of energy, and galactose is involved in the development of the central nervous system.
In addition, insufficient absorption of lactose in the intestine leads to a decrease in the level of potassium, magnesium and zinc in the body, because lactose helps the immature intestine to absorb these trace elements. Breast milk is the only source of calcium, protein and glucose for babies.
Causes
The enzyme lactase is to blame for lactose intolerance. More precisely, its absence or insufficient amount, causing pain and gas formation in the child. This enzyme is produced by healthy intestinal microflora: bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. In the first few months of life, the intestinal microflora is just beginning to form, and the amount of lactase is unstable. Therefore, lactose is poorly broken down.
How to get tested
It is not so easy to "get" feces from an infant. What can be difficult to take a fecal sample after a baby has emptied onto a diaper or diaper? To avoid getting a false result:
- The analysis should be taken without the intervention of an enema.
- The use of laxatives is unacceptable. Since the drugs accelerate the digestion process and undigested food debris, undigested fats and carbohydrates can be found in the feces.
- The sample must reach the laboratory no later than 4 hours after receipt. After more time, the composition of the stool may change, possibly affecting the composition.
- Under no circumstances should a sample be taken for analysis from a cloth or diaper. For a true result, you need a liquid from the stool. And the diaper will absorb this liquid part of the stool, and the analysis may be invalid. The best option is to put the baby on a clean oilcloth and wait. You can also use the potty (if the child is already sitting), but always clean and sterilized. After success, collect the feces in a plastic jar, which can be purchased at the pharmacy.
- The analysis may be invalid if the child has been taking medication before the test. Therefore, three days before collecting feces, it is necessary to stop taking medications.
- The infant's nutrition should be the same as usual. No addition of new products if complementary foods have not been introduced before.
- The required volume of feces is at least a teaspoon. A smaller amount may not be enough to react with the reagents.
Where can I take
Usually, the analysis is handed over free of charge in state polyclinics. But you can also use the services of private clinics. The waiting time for the result is two days.
Analysis and its essence
As stated above, lactose is a milk carbohydrate. It is a monosaccharide. Simple carbohydrates can reduce copper atoms by changing their color. It is this ability that is used to conduct analysis.
The resulting stool sample is sent to a special centrifuge, after adding a small amount of water there. After obtaining a homogeneous mass, add reagents to the container and observe the color change.
- If the color of the sample remains unchanged, then this means that the carbohydrates in the stool are 0 percent.
- If the color of the mass turns green, then the content of monosaccharides is up to 0.15 percent.
- If the color of the mass turns yellow, then the carbohydrate content is up to 0.75 percent.
- Red color means the content of monosaccharides up to 2 percent or more.
The downside of this procedure is that the analysis shows the content of other simple carbohydrates, and not just lactose. Monosaccharides also include glucose, lactose, maltose, fructose, sucrose. Plus, the content of other carbohydrates in feces is negligible. In addition, the most common indication for the analysis is lactase deficiency. Other diseases associated with poor absorption of carbohydrates are rare.
Decoding and significance of the analysis for feces
For children under one year old, a good test result is considered from 0 to 0.25 percent. The meaning of the numbers is simply deciphered: there is no lactase deficiency.
Readings above 0.25 percent are already considered abnormal. But up to 0.5 percent of carbohydrates in feces is an insignificant deviation and does not require special treatment. From 0.6 to 1 percent is the average.
All results over 1 percent indicate lactose intolerance and require medical intervention.
For minor to moderate results, the infant should be monitored by a doctor. And after a certain period of time, you need to re-pass the analysis for the carbohydrate content, as well as pass the acidity test.
In case of large deviations from the norm, the doctor diagnoses lactose intolerance and prescribes treatment.
If the analysis shows high levels of carbohydrates in the feces, but the child does not have symptoms (he sleeps well, eats, gains weight and there are no signs of anxiety), then there should be no reason for alarm.
Additional analyzes
To confirm the diagnosis of lactase deficiency, you can take another test - a stool acidity test. This study allows you to confirm or deny the results of the analysis for carbohydrates. With lactase deficiency, the acidity of the stool becomes elevated. The feces acquire the smell of sour milk. This can be attributed to the symptoms of milk intolerance.
The ph is 5.5 percent or more. With milk intolerance, the level of these indicators falls.
Often, babies have digestive problems. They are connected with the fact that the very first meal of the baby is milk. The product contains in abundance all the necessary components for the active growth and development of the baby: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, as well as a set of vitamins. However, many newborns have a hereditary pathology - lactase deficiency. It is the main reason for the poor digestibility of milk. With this disease, the body of infants does not produce lactase, an enzyme from the β-galactosidase group that breaks down lactose (milk carbohydrate). In this case, the child will still have to pass the feces for carbohydrates. And to collect material is my mother's destiny.
Poor digestibility of carbohydrates in the body entails not only pain:
- anxiety;
- colic;
- the formation of gas in the stomach.
In general, for infants, it is considered a dangerous condition. The child can lose weight, lag behind in development due to the fact that the norm of nutrients will noticeably decrease. To clarify the diagnosis, mom will have to collect material from her child and take the sample for analysis of feces for carbohydrates. The decoding will show whether the newborn's feces contain simple carbohydrates: galactose, lactose, glucose, maltose, reducing copper ions, as well as other compounds that are involved in biochemical reactions. Such a necessary study as feces for the carbohydrates present will reveal disruptions in the processes of cleavage-absorption.
A laboratory study of a child's stool is carried out using special equipment. The prepared material is taken, placed in a centrifuge, a small amount of water is added, and after auxiliary manipulations the apparatus is turned on. Then add a certain amount of reagent and observe the changes taking place. The decryption of the received data is as follows.
- If the color of the feces is light blue, this is the norm and no carbohydrates were found in the test material. In other cases, the color changes, which confirms the carbohydrate content of the stool.
- If the color is red, there are more than two percent of them.
- Green - from 0.05 to 15%.
- When stool is stained yellow, the carbohydrate content is 0.5-0.75%.
The analysis of feces for carbohydrates will reveal such complex substances as lactose, fructose, maltose, glucose.
When to worry
In frequent cases, in a baby, in the presence of a disease, the following symptoms are observed:
- diarrhea;
- pain in the abdomen;
- small weight gain;
- flatulence;
- frequent regurgitation.
All this is considered a sign of lactase deficiency. That is, the baby, with the help of his mother, will have to pass the material for research - feces for the carbohydrates present. Other signs are also pronounced - poor sleep and anxiety after eating. In a child from one year of age, however, as in adults, the rate of carbohydrate content in the stool should be equal to zero. With good functioning of the stomach and intestines, they are completely absorbed into the bloodstream. The primary breakdown of monosaccharides occurs during chewing, when saliva is involved in the process. Further, through the esophagus, and as it passes through the entire gastrointestinal tract, carbohydrates simply do not reach the final sections of the colon.
In babies, the stomach does not work as actively as in older children, so carbohydrates are still present in the stool, but their percentage should be minimal. The optimal rate is 0-0.25%. Some children at the age of six months have a slight increase in the carbohydrate content in their stool - up to 0.5%, but this figure is not considered dangerous for the child's health. Worse if it rises to 0.7 or more. Then you need to sound the alarm and urgently undergo an analysis of feces for carbohydrates. In some cases, if the clinical picture does not level out, the baby will have to take another test. Treatment will be required if lactase deficiency is diagnosed, as indicated by a high carbohydrate rate of 1% or more.
How to prepare for the study
In order not to get a false negative result, you need to feed the baby as usual. The material for research is required to be collected after spontaneous defecation in a sterile container with a tight-fitting lid. For these purposes, special plastic cups are sold in pharmacies. You can take a chair using a special spatula, approximately two teaspoons in volume. Also, make sure that no urine gets into the stool. When the sample is ready, the feces for the carbohydrates present must be taken to the laboratory. This takes four hours.
The material can be taken even if the child has swallowed loose stools. The sample can only be collected from a clean oilcloth or from a pot, which must first be thoroughly rinsed and poured over with boiling water. You can not take feces from diapers or cloth sheets. Decryption usually takes a couple of days.
To be sure of the accuracy of the studies, the child should not be given antibiotics, salicylates and other medicines, as well as ascorbic acid, on the eve of the tests. Low-calorie mixtures are also banned. To clarify the results, attention is also paid to another indicator - acidity.... The normal value should be at least 5.5%. If it falls, the pH level drops relative to this figure, which actually confirms the decoding of the sample for the presence of carbohydrates in the feces. In frequent cases, both analyzes are studied in parallel to eliminate error.
According to statistics, every sixteenth born baby needs a stool examination for lactase deficiency. However, parents can sleep well because not every single example confirms the diagnosis. That is, if the child is assigned to take a sample, it is not yet a fact that the result will be positive and, therefore, no therapy will be required.
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