Why doesn't the fetus gain weight in the womb? Baby's weight in the womb


Often parents come to the doctor with the question: why is the child gaining weight poorly when breastfed or bottle-fed and what to do in such a situation. Alla Anatolyevna Shcherbakova, Ph.D., doctor of the highest category, pediatrician at the Mother and Child clinic, talks about low-birth-weight children and toddlers, the monthly weight norm for newborns, as well as the reasons for insufficient weight gain in a child under one year old.

— Alla Anatolyevna, please tell me whether the weight gain of babies who are breastfed, mixed and bottle-fed differs.

— There are certain criteria and norms for weight gain in infants. The weight of a child in the first months of life depends on birth weight and nutrition. When calculating, we will take into account the actual weight at birth and the weight that the child should have (proper weight). If a child is not gaining weight well, it means he is not getting enough nutrition. In babies, with a properly selected diet, weight gain does not really depend on the type of feeding.

Weight gain while breastfed and bottle-fed

The realities of life are such that children with low birth weight often gain weight better on specially selected artificial feeding, because breast milk is a low-protein product. The protein content of breast milk is 0.91-1 g/l, and the lowest protein formula contains about 1.3 g/l of protein. As you know, the higher the protein content (“building material”) in the diet, the more weight gain occurs.

Among healthy children, breastfed children are more likely to be underweight.

In addition, the milk in the mother’s breast is not in such an accessible state compared to the formula in the bottle. The baby must suck mother's milk - apply pressure to the nipple and make an effort, and the milk mixture flows easily from the bottle. Overweight children are more likely to be bottle-fed than breastfed.

Overfeeding is more common in bottle-fed children.

Why doesn't the fetus gain weight in the womb? Baby's weight in the womb

Adults are not alike, and among many external differences they differ in height and weight. Even the same person can lose weight or gain weight at different periods of his life. And this does not cause concern to anyone. And how boring the world would be if we were all the same! Very young children are another matter; clear criteria are calculated for them, deviation from which indicates that something is wrong with the baby. And the smaller the child, the more important it is that his physical development meets certain standards. And to assess the state of intrauterine development of the fetus, its size is the most objective criterion.

In the mother's body, babies are already exposed to numerous influences. Above all, the mother's weight and well-being are factors. Protected, the fetus floats in a fruit bubble, equipped with an umbilical cord, protected and protected from external influences. What could happen to him?

The mother's lifestyle significantly influences the future of the unborn child. Whether he was exposed to environmental toxins, the events in the mother's life during the event, all leave their mark on the child's body and soul. Cancer, diabetes, depression, myocardial infarction: the basis of many diseases is already laid in the mother’s body. “This so-called prenatal programming later determines the entire lifespan,” says researcher and native physician Holger Stepan from Leipzig.

Baby's weight at birth

is very important for his development, especially in the first year of life, and has an impact on his health in the future. Children born with low body weight (up to 2500 grams) are more susceptible to obstetric complications: they tolerate childbirth worse, they are more likely than children with normal weight to develop hypoxia and even asphyxia, and neurological disorders occur.

Mother's weight has a big impact on baby

Children with very overweight women with a body mass index of over 30 are at risk of becoming themselves. The same goes for the mother's children who are suffering. Due to the mother's impaired insulin production, the unborn baby is essentially flooded with too much sugar. Therefore, a child's pancreas must contain more insulin to cope with high blood glucose levels.

Child enjoys a healthy diet

This, in turn, stimulates the growth of adipose tissue. The effect of prenatal yojo, says Stepan. Obviously this affects how the next generation will be able to perform later. This is evidenced by a study conducted by the German Institute for Nutrition Research in Potsdam-Rehbrück. The researchers fed part of their trials a high-fat diet, while other rodents were fed a low-fat diet. The result: offspring of well-fed mothers performed twice as well as others in a long-term test. Weakness of performance, according to the explanation, presumably together with disturbances in the metabolism of fats and sugar together.

As a result, these kids adapt poorly to their new life. In infancy, they suffer from hyperexcitability, increased or, conversely, decreased muscle tone, they sluggishly suck and regurgitate food, do not gain weight well, and may lag somewhat behind their peers in psychomotor development. At the age of 7-8 years, such children are hyperactive, clumsy and do not know how to concentrate on a necessary subject for a long time.

Fat children are not only the children of heavy mothers. Even those that are too small for the world because they were not optimally supplied with a placenta have a greater risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Possible explanation: kidney damage caused by a deficiency in the mother.

Doctors may take risks

He advises all overweight mothers to take off before pregnancy. “Mild overweight is not a problem,” the researcher said. In the case of diabetes during pregnancy, it is important to achieve good blood glucose levels - then it does not affect the baby. Easily born children were collected as quickly as possible.

The differences between healthy children and low birth weight babies are erased only by the age of 9-10 years, although in terms of height and weight they catch up with their peers by the age of two. However, the consequences of the condition may come back to haunt you in adulthood. For example, recent studies have shown a link between low birth weight and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and elevated blood lipids. All these diseases are associated with congenital pathology of the endocrine system, observed in low birth weight children. In this sense, such a pathology as intrauterine growth retardation syndrome

(or fetal malnutrition) deserves special attention.

Stress and harmful substances are harmful to the child

Doctors like Stepan today advise against this: “We now know that counterproductivity is the body getting used to consuming too many calories.”
Researchers also know today: even unborn children are little girls. They save themselves when their mother behaves badly, for example, they experience something burdensome, suffering or mentally ill. “How the mother walks plays an important role for the child's future stress management,” says Dr. Margaret Bolten from the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic of the University of Basel. Hypotrophy

It can be symmetrical, that is, all organs are reduced evenly, and asymmetrical, when the brain and skeleton correspond to the period of pregnancy, and the internal organs suffer. The reasons for this include smoking, drinking alcohol, chromosomal abnormalities, and infections.

The asymmetric form of malnutrition most often occurs in the last trimester against the background of chronic maternal diseases and pregnancy complications. In general, any conditions leading to circulatory disorders (high or low blood pressure, toxicosis in the second half of pregnancy, diabetes mellitus with vascular damage, kidney disease) can lead to intrauterine growth retardation. Chronic diseases of the mother, in which her body suffers from intoxication, lack of oxygen (chronic infections, tonsillitis, bronchitis, pyelonephritis, carious teeth, cardiovascular diseases, anemia, respiratory diseases), cannot but affect the baby, which also leads to to the development of malnutrition. Women with gynecological problems (menstrual irregularities, infertility, gynecological diseases, miscarriage,

If the mother is stressed, the baby then reacts quite fussily and angrily and sleeps worse than any other baby. It is noticeable that these children shed more stress hormones than others, an effect that lasts a lifetime and then leads to mental problems such as depression.

“And other drugs were similar,” explains Margaret Bolten. Research shows, however, that prenatal experiences can be mitigated in later life. If a mother adopts a sensitive approach to her newborn baby's needs, over time he will also learn to better control his feelings. Even if the mother's body takes on a lot of issues: "It's at least as stable as during pregnancy," says the expert.

It remains controversial whether maternal nutrition affects fetal development.

. It is believed that women who are underweight and who are on a low-calorie diet, either by choice or due to circumstances, have a higher risk of having a low-birth-weight baby. However, studies have shown that even such extreme conditions as the Leningrad Siege during the Great Patriotic War did not significantly affect the height and weight of children born then.

Mild overweight or underweight does not have a negative effect on the child. Fist formula according to the Institute of Medicine: Underweight women should increase between 12.5 kg and 18.1 kg, normal weight from 11.5 kg to 16 kg, slightly overweight from 7 kg to 11.5 kg. With the help of special tests for diabetes, metabolic disease can be detected at an early stage. If your doctor has diagnosed pregnancy diabetes, more exercise and a low-carbohydrate diet may improve your blood glucose levels. Important: Monitor your blood glucose regularly and take medications as directed. Research shows, however, that relaxation techniques such as meditation, qigong or relaxation muscle relaxation help relieve stress.

  • Even before pregnancy, mothers can achieve a healthy body weight.
  • Too many pounds is a problem, but not enough.
  • During pregnancy, pregnant women should monitor their weight.
  • And severe overweight no more than 9 kg.
  • The healthier a nursing mother eats, the better it is for the baby.
  • Especially important: do not use too much fat and sugar!
  • Therefore: regularly as a precaution!
  • Stress cannot be avoided.

Carol Celico, Kaka's wife.
Mother's age

plays a role insofar as women, especially under 15-18, and, to a lesser extent, after 30-35 years, have a higher risk of developing complications during pregnancy. The fact is that the body of too young mothers is simply not yet ready for the upcoming loads; the second category of mothers most often already has baggage. chronic diseases. If a woman is healthy and tolerates her condition normally, then age in no way affects the growth and development of the fetus.

Most pregnant women do not know how to properly feed themselves during pregnancy. Maintaining good nutritional status and adequate intake of macro- and micronutrients are key to achieving a healthy pregnancy for both mother and baby.

Poor maternal nutrition can lead to poor child development or even premature delivery. However, a pregnant woman who eats in excess can cause gestational diabetes, increasing blood pressure, creating difficulties during childbirth. Research shows that overweight children can become obese adults and develop chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. However, insufficient weight gain may result in children's poor resistance to infections.

Smoking

also
contributes to the development of malnutrition
, since it causes pronounced vasoconstriction and reduces uteroplacental blood flow. Intrauterine growth retardation syndrome (IUGR) can occur even if the mother does not have bad habits or any diseases. This is observed during multiple pregnancies, since the twins have to literally share in a fraternal manner the nutrients they receive from the mother.

This is why it is so important to have control over your diet during this period. The number of calories a pregnant woman consumes daily or how many kilograms she should gain depends on the weight she carries at the beginning of pregnancy. For example, underweight women should gain up to 16 kg. Women who become pregnant at a normal weight should gain weight up to 11 kg. And pregnant women who are already overweight should not exceed 7-11 kg for the rest of the pregnancy. In the first quarter you need to gain 1.5 kg.

In the second and third quarters they average 400 g per week. Lucimara Sylvester. A pregnant woman's feeding should be divided between five and six meals a day, every three hours, to avoid hypoglycemia, to minimize nausea and to ease digestion, which makes pregnancy difficult. It is quite common for her to feel a lot of nausea, especially at the beginning, due to hormonal fluctuations - progesterone and prolactin increase during this period. These hormones cause a delay in stomach emptying, leading to nausea, reflux and heartburn.

With all the variety of factors leading to malnutrition, they all interfere with the normal functioning of the placenta. This organ is the only source that provides the baby with everything necessary. Diseases of the mother and complications of pregnancy lead to pathology of the placenta itself (premature aging, detachment, improper attachment, the presence of cysts, infarctions) disrupt the uteroplacental blood flow. With a long course of the disease, changes occur in the placenta, accompanied by the development of placental insufficiency

. In this case, the transport of nutrients is disrupted, and subsequently the gas exchange of the fetus, which leads to a lag in its growth and the development of intrauterine hypoxia.

Cravings for certain foods are also caused by this hormonal transformation. A pregnant woman's colon becomes lazier due to hormones and the weight the uterus places on it. Therefore, a pregnant woman must swallow plenty of fluids as well as fiber, which also helps maintain the blood glucose levels of a normal pregnant woman.

There are some nutrients that are very important during pregnancy. Calcium: Responsible for the formation of the baby's bones and teeth, in addition to replacing maternal calcium. Prevents the occurrence of high blood pressure at the end of pregnancy. It can be found in milk and its derivatives, in addition to dark green vegetables. - Proteins: necessary for ensuring the growth and development of the child, in addition to the formation of the placenta, amniotic fluid and dilation of the uterus. Proteins are also a source of iron, B vitamins and phosphorus.

The first signs of VUSRP syndrome

can be detected as early as 24 - 26 weeks, and a symmetrical form of intrauterine developmental delay is noted. The onset of the syndrome after 32 weeks is characteristic of the asymmetric form, usually accompanied by fetal hypoxia. One of the simplest methods for monitoring fetal development is measuring the size of the uterus. As soon as it can be easily felt above the womb (approximately 4 months of pregnancy), at each visit the doctor measures the height of the uterine fundus, and in the second half of pregnancy also the abdominal circumference at the level of the navel. This allows the doctor to judge the size of the fetus. However, it is obvious that these indicators are not objective enough, because their value is influenced by the thickness of the anterior abdominal wall, the amount of amniotic fluid, and the woman’s physique.

These can be found in: red meat, egg whites, fish, chicken and legumes. Proteins: Essential for growth and healing. child development. Iron: Prevents anemia and ensures oxygen distribution in the fetus and mother. They are found in protein sources and sunbathing habits. - Folic acid: This is one of the most important nutrients during pregnancy. Its deficiency can lead to poor development of the child's nervous system, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is found in citrus fruits such as lemon, acerola, pineapple, strawberry and orange. - Magnesium: Nutrient responsible for relaxing the muscles of the uterus and uterine arteries, avoiding contractions outside the hours following high blood pressure.

The most accurate method for diagnosing VUZRP

is
an ultrasound examination
, in which many parameters are measured and assessed (this is called
biometry
). The most traditional is to measure the head, abdomen and femur. If the doctor has doubts, additional measurements are taken. Often the diagnosis of fetal growth retardation and subsequent “massive” treatment is unfounded. The accuracy of the diagnosis depends on the quality and resolution of the device and the possibility of Doppler measurements.

Found in protein sources. - Copper: helps in the prevention of anemia, in addition to the fact that it is responsible for the formation of important elements of the child’s neurological system. Found in proteins; — Zinc: Responsible for increasing the body's defenses. - Omega-3: It affects the development of vision, regulates blood pressure and prevents postpartum depression. Food source: salmon and cold water fish. There are also some products that pregnant women should not use. Artificial sweeteners containing phenylalanine are prohibited.

To clarify the diagnosis, it is recommended to consult in well-equipped, highly qualified clinics, where, if necessary, it is possible to conduct additional, more complex studies to help the doctor exclude serious, including chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. When conducting biometrics, it is important that the size of the fetus matches the gestational age and adequate growth during follow-up. A delay of 2 or more weeks most often indicates the presence of intrauterine growth retardation syndrome. Ultrasound examination also monitors the amount of amniotic fluid, allows you to identify signs of dysfunction of the placenta (changes in its size, structure), as well as changes in blood flow during Doppler measurements, which helps the doctor quite accurately make a preliminary diagnosis and begin treatment.

The ideal is to give preference to those based on sucralose or stevia. Excess salt should also be avoided to reduce fluid retention, which is quite common nowadays. Candies outside the bill are also not listed. Caffeine, cola-based soft drinks, black tea and swear words should be avoided as they increase stomach discomfort and calcium excretion into the body, meaning it is not absorbed. The use of an alcoholic drink is also not indicated during pregnancy, as well as very spicy and fatty foods.

However, low birth weight babies do not always suffer from VUGR. In a number of families, all children, from generation to generation, are born with low body weight and do not have any deviations in further development. If the parents have a fragile constitution, then it would be strange for such a couple to have Ilya Muromets born. Usually a woman is asked what weight she and the child’s father had at birth, because this trait, like many others, is also inherited.

To finalize the diagnosis, a Doppler study

vessels of the placenta, umbilical cord and large vessels of the fetus, while the speed and nature of blood flow in them is studied.
Doppler is complemented by cardiotocography (CTG),
which allows you to record the heartbeat and the nature of changes in the fetal heart rate in response to movements or contractions of the uterus. Normal Doppler and CTG data (even in the presence of low weight) indicate the well-being of the baby.

If the examination did not reveal any abnormalities, then it becomes clear that we are talking about a healthy low-weight fetus. In this case, the woman is simply observed without any therapy.

Treatment of fetal malnutrition

consists of treating women’s diseases and pregnancy complications. Placental insufficiency is also corrected (vasodilators to improve blood supply to the uterus and fetus, drugs that relax the muscles of the uterus, since its contractions compress the vessels and impair blood flow). Medicines are used that increase the fetal body's resistance to hypoxia, since it usually accompanies the VUGR syndrome. Depending on the severity of the fetal condition, treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis or in a hospital.

Although, as you know, houses and walls help, but in severe cases it is better not to refuse hospitalization. In the hospital, it is easier for medical staff to monitor the condition of mother and baby, and therefore provide more effective care.

Method and timing of delivery

largely depend on the condition of the fetus. If treatment for VUZRP is successful and the baby is growing, then there is no point in rushing things, since by the end of pregnancy he can reach quite a decent size. If, despite all efforts, the child does not gain weight or has any other problems, then they resort to early delivery.

When the pregnancy is close to full-term and the birth canal is ready, natural labor is usually stimulated. In this case, childbirth is carried out under close medical supervision. However, if the baby is so weak that a normal birth would be too much of a challenge for him, then a caesarean section is resorted to.

Women whose fetus is diagnosed with VUZRP must choose a maternity hospital that has a modern service for caring for low birth weight babies, for example, such as the Maternity Hospital at City Hospital No. 8

and
Center for Family Planning and Reproduction
. After all, it is important for such a child to receive qualified assistance from the first minutes of life and may need to stay in a specialized department for newborns.

Medical supervision after discharge from the maternity hospital is very important for children with VUZRP. Therefore, at some large perinatal centers, follow-up departments for children have been created, where a comprehensive and individual examination of pediatricians and medical specialists using the latest achievements of medical science will make it possible to compensate for the child’s existing disorders, so that in his further development he does not lag behind his peers.

Of course, every woman who has given birth to a baby with malnutrition is concerned about the question of whether this situation will repeat itself if she wants to have another child? Most often, VUSRP syndrome does not recur in subsequent pregnancies. However, this depends on the cause that led to the development of the syndrome. If a woman suffers from a chronic disease, which first caused the development of malnutrition, then in subsequent pregnancies she has a high risk of having a low birth weight baby.

One of the most important indicators that pregnancy is proceeding normally is the weight of the child. Depending on the position of the consultation, the approximate weight of the child is determined at the 2nd or most often at the third screening. And in some cases, the low weight of the fetus is noted. These are considered babies born weighing less than 2.5 kilograms.

Mothers, especially first-time mothers, get scared and don’t know what to do if the baby does not gain weight during pregnancy. So what can you do to ensure that your baby is born at a normal weight?

Do not panic!

  • First of all, there is no need to panic. Ultrasound is always wrong, up or down. And the gestational age is not yet too long to make a definitive diagnosis. Even in the last month, mommy will be able to adjust her diet so that the baby begins to gain weight at a double rate. Naturally, this is done with the consent of the attending physician.
  • Secondly, there are special injections that a pregnant woman can receive at a day hospital. They enrich the baby with vitamins and help him grow.
  • Thirdly, in addition to injections and IVs, there are other methods of treatment, for example, taking oxygen cocktails, visiting a pressure chamber, etc.
  • Fourthly, if a child does not gain weight during pregnancy, this does not mean that an unhealthy baby will be born. In many cases, miniature babies are born without any pathologies, compared to those born with too much weight.

What is the risk of low fetal weight? If no pathologies are detected during pregnancy, then such a baby will simply endure the process of birth worse. Complications such as intrauterine hypoxia and neurological disorders are also possible. However, similar diseases also occur in children with normal body weight.

Causes

If a child does not gain weight during pregnancy, then the reasons may be different, from developmental pathology to the peculiarities of the constitutional structure of the parents. If, over the course of several generations, low-weight children are born in your family, then we can talk about a constitutionally low-weight fetus.

If the parents are short and thin, then expecting the birth of a hero is also not justified. You can't argue with genetics. And if the child does not gain weight during pregnancy in these cases, then there is nothing to worry about.

The danger is caused by low fetal weight caused by pathologies identified during pregnancy, for example, such as placental insufficiency. However, its impact on the baby can be minimized if it is detected and treated in a timely manner. As a rule, this pathology occurs when a woman smokes, abuses alcohol, has intrauterine infections or chromosomal abnormalities.

Woman's age

If the child does not gain weight during pregnancy, then you should pay attention to the age of the mother. Thus, women who become pregnant before 18 and after 35 years of age have a higher risk of developing pathology such as fetal malnutrition. In the first option, the mother’s too young and immature body is to blame for everything; in the second option, the woman’s chronic diseases, of which there are already many by this age, are to blame.

Treatment

If the child does not gain weight during pregnancy, and this fact was confirmed by an ultrasound performed with Doppler, then competent and timely treatment is necessary. Depending on the condition of the woman and the fetus, treatment is carried out either in a consultation (day hospital) or in a maternity hospital.

The methods and duration of treatment, as well as the tactics of labor management, depend specifically on the condition of the fetus. So, if the treatment is beneficial and the baby begins to gain weight, then there is no point in rushing the birth. If, despite treatment, the child still does not gain weight, doctors choose early delivery. As a rule, at 36 weeks, provided the birth canal is ready for childbirth, doctors stimulate natural labor. At the same time, the entire birth process should be under the supervision of doctors.

Author's experience

My first son was diagnosed with developmental delay and underweight at 34-35 weeks of pregnancy. We were treated with Actovegin, but it didn’t help. The baby was born at 38 weeks, weighing 2750 grams and 50 centimeters tall. My second son was also diagnosed with underweight and developmental delay at 35-36 weeks. We were treated with the same Actovegin and glucose. It didn't help either. Born prematurely, at 37 weeks, with a weight of 2790 and a height of 50 centimeters. The doctor came, as they say from God, and said that it turns out that I have a constitutional feature for the birth of such miniature children. Therefore, I can say one thing: there is nothing to worry about if the child does not gain weight during pregnancy. Much worse than pathology with normal weight is the illiteracy of doctors.

During pregnancy, especially in the second half, some mothers may begin to worry if the baby moves very low. Is this good or not...

Weight gain with mixed feeding

Mixed feeding is feeding with both mother's milk and dry milk formula. With mixed feeding, the more the baby receives dry milk formula, the higher the risk of overnutrition and excess weight gain (paratrophy in young children).

— What could be the reasons that a child does not gain weight well on mixed or artificial feeding?

— The most common reason for insufficient weight gain is insufficient feeding, when the baby receives little nutrition. This applies to a healthy child. It happens that there is enough nutrition, but there is no weight gain - in this case, you should think about impaired intestinal absorption, and this is a reason to consult a doctor and undergo additional examination.

A child does not gain weight well on mixed feeding

Most often this occurs due to the breast component, when the mother:

  • puts the baby to the breast incorrectly;
  • does not spend enough time feeding;
  • does not allow the child to breastfeed as much as he wants;
  • does not attach the baby on demand, but tries to maintain the interval between feedings.

But it may also be that the food he receives is not suitable for the baby due to an artificial component or minor factors in breast milk.

Minor components are components that are contained in milk in very small quantities, but have a very important function.

The baby does not gain weight well when bottle-fed

Here, malnutrition plays a lesser role. When a mother feeds her baby from a bottle and the feeding volume is calculated, she knows exactly how much dry milk formula she gave him. (It is important to choose the right powdered milk formula given the modern variety of such products - after all, each baby is individual.) When a mother is breastfeeding, you can only determine how much the baby has eaten by using the scale.

— Alla Anatolyevna, please tell us about normal weight gain.

- We can calculate weight gain in different ways - using centile tables, using formulas. At birth, the average weight of a baby is 3100-3300 g; by the age of one year, premature and low-birth-weight babies, as a rule, catch up with the weight of their peers.

  • Weight gain in newborns by month
  • in the first month - 600 g;
  • further up to 6 months - 800 g;

  • further up to 1 year - 400 g.

In the first month, the physiological loss of body weight during the newborn period is taken into account - the child loses a little weight after birth, so he gains a little less.

  • Centile tables
    The tables were created on a very large sample of children with different anatomical and physiological characteristics. There is an average statistical corridor in them and average deviations are visible. Based on these tables, you can calculate how much an average healthy child should weigh and gain.
  • — Tell us more about physiological weight loss after birth.

    — Physiological loss of body weight occurs in the first ten days of life, when the newborn’s metabolism is aimed not at gaining weight, but at reducing it. After losing some weight, by the tenth day the child should regain its original weight.

    The norm is considered to be a loss of up to 10% of body weight at birth (the maximum occurs on the third day). For example, if your baby was born weighing 3300 g, he may physiologically lose 330 g.

    It happens that weight loss is associated with transient physiological conditions (jaundice of the newborn, erythema of the newborn). The more pronounced this condition is, the greater the loss of body weight.

    — And if a child does not gain weight well from birth, what are the reasons for this?

    — The most common reason for insufficient weight gain is insufficient feeding. A healthy newborn loses weight because in the first ten days of life he receives not mature breast milk, but mother’s colostrum. Colostrum contains more protein (a building material) and more fat (a high-energy product), but less water. Physiological loss of body weight occurs due to the fact that the child loses water (swelling goes away, food with a reduced water content is received), and this is the norm. The mother knows about this, and so that the child does not lose too much weight, she puts him to the breast more often and feeds him with colostrum.

    After the 10th day of life, it is necessary to calculate the child’s weight and amount of nutrition, since the child already receives mature milk, which contains enough liquid, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The cause of insufficient weight is no longer colostrum, but insufficient feeding.

    Treatment

    The main directions of treatment of malnutrition in children are as follows:

    • Identifying the cause of malnutrition and eliminating it
    • Proper care: daily routine, walks (3 hours daily, if it’s ≥5˚ outside), gymnastics and professional massage, swimming in warm baths (38 degrees) in the evening
    • Organization of proper nutrition, balanced in proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and microelements (diet therapy)
    • Drug treatment

    Treatment of congenital malnutrition consists of maintaining a constant body temperature in the child and establishing breastfeeding.

    Nutrition for children with malnutrition

    Diet therapy for malnutrition is divided into three stages.

    Stage 1 – the so-called “rejuvenation” of the dietthat is, they use food products intended for younger children. The child is fed frequently (up to 10 times a day), the diet is calculated based on actual body weight, and a diary is kept to monitor food absorption. The stage lasts 2-14 days (depending on the degree of malnutrition).
    Stage 2 – transitionalMedicinal mixtures are added to the diet, nutrition is optimized to the approximate norm (according to the weight that the child should have).
    Stage 3 – period of enhanced nutritionThe calorie content of the diet increases to 200 kilocalories per day (with the norm being 110-115). Special high-protein mixtures are used. For celiac disease, gluten-containing foods are excluded, fats are limited, and buckwheat, rice, and corn are recommended for the diet. In case of lactase deficiency, remove milk and dishes prepared with milk from foods. Instead, they use fermented milk products and soy mixtures. For cystic fibrosis, a diet with high calorie content, food should be salted.
    Main directions of drug therapy
    • Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy; drugs that increase the secretion of gastric enzymes
    • Use of immunomodulators
    • Treatment of intestinal dysbiosis
    • Vitamin therapy
    • Symptomatic therapy: correction of individual disorders (iron deficiency, increased excitability, stimulant drugs)
    • In severe forms of malnutrition - anabolic drugs - drugs that promote the formation of building protein in the body for muscles and internal organs.

    Treatment of malnutrition requires an individual approach. It would be more correct to say that children are nursed rather than treated. Vaccinations for malnutrition of the 1st degree are carried out according to a general schedule, for malnutrition of the 2nd and 3rd degrees - on an individual basis.

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