Can You Help a Child With Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
July 23, 2009 by Admin
Filed under IBS - Free Content
Most people think that it is only adults that suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. No one would ever dream of suspecting that their child would suffer from such a painful, uncomfortable and potentially embarrassing condition.
However, children can and do suffer from this uncomfortable digestive disorder that causes bloating, gas and abdominal pain. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is characterised as a functional disorder that is thought to be caused by a problem in the intestines. This problem is thought to be the major cause of the recurring abdominal pain suffered by children and adults alike.
The symptoms that the child would generally experience are abdominal pain and cramping which will usually be relived when the child has had a bowel movement. The child may also suffer from bouts of constipation and/or diarrhoea. Again, these symptoms are almost identical to those that would be suffered by an adult.
Obviously any of these symptoms will be very scary for a child. No-one wants to see their child in pain or discomfort and that is why it is very important to get a proper diagnosis from your Doctor in order to help your child with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Getting a Clear Diagnosis
Changing your Child’s diet may be recommended as the first course of action by your Doctor. Many sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome benefit from changing their diet to include more fibre and drinking more water along with eating more fruit and vegetables while also eating less fatty, greasy food.
Medications can be prescribed but as children are generally very susceptible to medications the first course of action should be the changes to their diet. Obviously these changes may take a little bit of time to incorporate into their daily routine. Everyone knows the many excuses children will come up with in order to avoid anything healthy!
However, even the smallest changes to their diet can have a huge effect. As an example changing from white bread to brown wholemeal, getting them to eat an extra piece of fruit a day, these changes although small can have a huge effect on their symptoms.
Making these changes can be easier when the child is a little older. When I first attempted to make these changes with my daughter, when she was very young, it was extremely difficult. She would stubbornly not try any new foods! However, as she has got older, she is now almost 6 years old, she is more aware of her situation and the effect eating certain foods can have on her symptoms.
Most Doctors do not know why children suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and they generally think children will grow out of the condition. However, if you try making the changes to their diet and the symptoms do not improve, you need to follow up with your Doctor. There are medications available that can help and also some relaxation techniques that the Doctor can show you so you can help your child when they are suffering from an attack of certain symptoms.
By: Lyndsay Whittaker
About the Author:
For more information on Helping your Child with Irritable Bowel Syndrome please take a look at http://www.living-with-ibs.com.
Self-help Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solutions
July 8, 2009 by Admin
Filed under IBS - Free Content
The condition manifests itself at any age, in males and females, most commonly as mild or severe abdominal pain, with or without a bloated abdomen feeling, often accompanied by alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation. In diagnosing this condition today it is recognised that there are psychological and medical factors to be considered, whereas for many years, Irritable Bowel Syndrome solutions were determined by considering only the so-called “brain-gut” link, and ignoring lifestyle in general.
There are a number of self-help Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) solutions that may well reduce, or even cure, the condition however, the symptoms may also indicate other underlying medical conditions, so a visit to the doctor is recommended. Natural remedial actions are recommended before considering over the counter medications that may give temporary relief but ignore the long-term underlying problem.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Stress
It is rcognised that psychological factors contribute to bowel disorders, and stress is the number one condition that affects health and plays a part in IBS. This stress may include anxiety over job loss, divorce, family death, insolvency, existing health problems, fears of examinations and even passing the driving test. Relaxation and stress management techniques will enable identification of a particular stress source and then removing it from the equation will go far in reliving IBS. Also, exercise is a tremendous way of reducing the stress in life apart from helping to keep daily bowel movements regular.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diet
As in so many health related problems, the importance of diet cannot be over-estimated, and as different foods have varying effects on the body, Irritable Bowel Syndrome solutions may well be found in a diet change. Missing out foods suspected of triggering the problem on a one by one basis will identify those that bring on IBS and various nutritional supplements will enhance a deficient diet.
Depending on the predominant symptom, diet modifications help and constipation requires a higher intake of fruit, vegetables and other foods with a high fibre content, while diarrhoea requires a reduction in caffeine content, spicy foods and alcohol. Similarly, removing beans from the diet will reduce the tendency to flatulence.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Medication
Apart from prescription medications there are any number of over-the-counter medications readily available as well as natural preparations. “Imodium” is good for diarrhoea and “Lactulose” for constipation. Natural preparations such as Probiotics as found in yoghurt should not be ignored although their effectiveness is doubtful, as are traditional Chinese remedies as Self-Help Irritable Bowel Syndrome solutions.
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By: Raj Kumar
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What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome
June 30, 2009 by Admin
Filed under Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is such a nebulous condition it can be difficult to identify as a distinct illness at all. The most common symptoms are abdominal cramping, bloating and gas, and diarrhea or constipation. With such normal signs as that – which can occur with dozens of other, more serious conditions – it can be hard to diagnose IBS.
Yet, physicians and researchers regard this syndrome as among the most common disorders and often distinguish it as much by what it is not, or by the absence of signs of other diseases. Unlike more serious ailments, like Crohn’s or colitis for example, IBS does not produce inflammation of the colon. Neither does it increase the odds of colorectal cancer, as those diseases can.
Because the symptoms themselves are so varied – indeed sometimes contradictory, such as alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea – it is difficult to narrow down the presence of IBS. However, it is a chronic condition – occasional cramping or gas is completely normal and doesn’t merit a special name – and so it receives a specific tag.
As semi-digested food (called “chyme”) moves into the colon, where water is extracted and helpful bacteria create vitamins B and K, the intestinal muscles contract to keep it going. We’re normally not aware of that contraction, called peristalsis. In IBS, those contractions can be spasmodic and stronger than normal, causing food to move too quickly or too slowly. The first often leads to diarrhea, the second to constipation.
There is research to suggest that some individuals are hypersensitive to that movement. They sense more clearly the stretching of the bowel produced by gas or bloating. That can lead to stress that tends to amplify the ill effects. Since women are more prone to IBS, some studies believe that hormones play a role, as well, particularly since symptoms often worsen during the menstrual period.
Since diet plays a role – some experience IBS after consuming chocolate, milk, or alcohol – it is possible to modify the symptoms in some cases. Reducing intake is an obvious method, but diet alterations help, too. Eating yogurt, for example, which contains organisms that break down lactose sugars, can help counter the effects of drinking milk for those who are lactose intolerant.
Controlling stress is often more difficult than simply an act of will. Education and counseling can provide techniques to reduce the anxiety and feeling of being overwhelmed that are typical of the condition. That often leads to a reduction or even elimination of the symptoms of IBS.
Nearly one in five American adults are believed to suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome yet, because it is so easy to confuse with normal stomach upsets, fewer than half seek professional diagnosis and treatment. The condition itself is not particularly serious and certainly not life threatening. But the overlap in many of the symptoms warrant a visit to the physician if they persist. That will help individuals discover if a more serious underlying condition is at fault.
