Causes of Digestive Problems & How Dumex Supports Digestion

Most, if not all parents, deal with their child’s tummy troubles every now and then. However, rest assured, parents, for you are not alone. According to a study (1), approximately one child out of two develops at least one digestive issue, or related signs and symptoms. It is indeed a stressful and distressing issue to deal with as it results in discomfort in both parent and child, constant switching of milk formula, and countless consultations with healthcare providers.

Causes of digestive problems in children

Children are still growing. Unlike adults, their digestive system may not be fully developed. Sometimes, when food does not move through the digestive tract at the right pace, or the system only partially digests the food, which leads to a build-up of gas in the lower intestines.²  While this isn’t a cause of huge concern, it does still cause discomfort in children, and worry in parents.

Let’s take a look at the common problems children experience when it comes to digestion.

Common digestive problems in children

You might notice that your child experiences either one, some or all forms of these common digestive issues:

Constipation

Symptoms of constipation are having fewer than two bowel movements a week, passing stools that are hard, dry or lumpy, having stools that are difficult or painful to pass, having a swollen or bloating abdomen, or having stool in his or her underwear that looks like diarrhea.⁴

Diarrhoea

Symptoms of diarrhoea are loose/watery stools, and your child passes motion often. The common causes of diarrhea in children are virus infections and food poisoning. Another common culprit is trouble in digesting food (food intolerance).⁴

The importance of a healthy digestive system

Indeed, there are traditional ways of comforting your child during these challenging moments such as adjusting feeding positions, but the one true way and solution of navigating you and your child’s way around these symptoms is by maintaining a healthy digestive system⁵.

This is especially important because a healthy digestive system supports the overall growth and development of your child, allows for better nutrient absorption, regulates bowel movement and the building of natural defences. The study of gut bacteria and their importance in supporting both physical and emotional health is booming in the last several years, and it is found that healthy gut bacteria aids in proper digestion of food, leading to a better absorption of nutrients needed for growth and development such as such as DHA, ARA, Calcium and other essential nutrientsS⁶. Most importantly, being free from any stomach or digestive discomfort would allow for a happy child and consequently, happy parents.

The journey towards a healthy digestive system with Dumex Mamil Gold

By working alongside mothers who want only the best for their child, Dumex introduces the all-new Dumex Mamil Gold, which caters to the needs of all children alike. Dumex aims to support and nurture your child’s journey to a healthy digestive system, and this is made possible with our unique prebiotic blend of galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS), long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (IcFOS) in a ratio of 9:1. The prebiotics contained in Dumex Mamil Gold are essential in encouraging the development of existing gut bacteria, and act as fuel to help the good bacteria (probiotics) in the gut or intestines to grow⁷.

To supplement this, a study⁸ was conducted to compare standard formula with prebiotics GOS/IcFOS (such as the Dumex Mamil Gold) and one without prebiotics, for the purpose of seeing whether prebiotics can influence the microflora of a child’s digestive tract. The results? An increase in the numbers of the good bacteria, Bifidobacteria and a reduction in the numbers of harmful bacteria – prebiotics is indeed important in supporting a healthy digestive system.

Healthy digestive system aside, Dumex Mamil Gold Growing Up Milk Stage 3 also offers other benefits such as DHA (as high as 75mg per 100g) for brain development. The formula contains calcium, vitamins D and E and zinc, and has no added sucrose. Begin your child’s journey to a happy tummy with Dumex today. Find out more at Dumex.com.sg.

References

1. Vandenplas Y, Abkari A, Bellaiche M, Benninga M, Chouraqui JP, Çokura F, et al. Prevalence and health outcomes of functional gastrointestinal symptoms in infants from birth to 12 months of age. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2015;61:531–537

2. Aptaclub. Tips for Dealing with Digestive Problems. Aptaclub.de. Retrieved 15 April, 2020, from https://www.aptaclub.de/en/baby/tips-for-dealing-with-digestive-problems.html

3. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms & Causes of Constipation in Children. Retrieved 15 April, 2020, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/constipation-children/symptoms-causes

4. Stanford Children’s Health. Diarrhea in Children. Retrieved 15 April, 2020, from https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=diarrhea-in-children-90-P01990&sid=

5. Kotlen, M. (2020). The Science Behind Infant Digestion. Very Well Family. Retrieved 15 April, 2020, from https://www.verywellfamily.com/infant-digestion-431681

6. Bischoff, S.C. (2011) ‘Gut health’: a new objective in medicine? Retrieved 12 May 2020, from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/9/24

7. Gibson, G.R., Hutkings, R. et al. (2017) Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics. Nature Reviews. Retrieved March 23, 2020 from https://www.nature.com/articles/nrgastro.2017.75

8. Costalos C, Kapiki A, Apostolou M, Papathoma E. (2008) The effect of a prebiotic supplemented formula on growth and stool microbiology of term infants. Early Human Development, 84:45-49.