Rotavirus and other viral infections can cause your infant to experience diarrhea. While this diarrhea typically ends after several days, taking certain supplements may reduce the length of the illness. Probiotics, or good bacteria, live in your child's intestines and destroy harmful, disease-causing microorganisms. Check with your pediatrician to determine whether probiotic supplementation is appropriate for your infant's diarrhea.
Purpose of Probiotics
The term 'probiotics' refers to a number of bacterial strains that are beneficial to your health. Commonly used probiotics include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus GG. These strains of bacteria colonize in the intestines and create an environment harmful to disease-causing microorganisms. For example, the L. acidophilus bacteria excrete hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid, killing dangerous bacteria living in the gut.
Efficacy
Rotavirus, a common viral infection in infants, typically causes diarrhea for three or four days. According to Dr. Athos Bousvaros, a specialist in pediatric gastroenterology at Children's Hospital Boston, giving infants probiotic supplements may reduce the length of diarrhea by a day. A 2007 study by R.B. Canini -- a researcher at the University of Naples Federico II -- that was published in the "British Medical Journal" found that probiotic supplements successfully reduced the length of diarrhea and improved stool consistency. These findings suggest that probiotics may be an effective treatment of diarrhea in infants, although more research is needed to substantiate these claims.
Probiotic Preparations
Adults typically take probiotic supplements through liquid, pill or capsule form. Infants cannot take capsule or pill medications and, therefore, must receive probiotics via baby formula manufactured with probiotic supplements, for instance. Alternatively, you can mix the contents of a probiotic capsule supplement into breast milk or regular formula. Consult your doctor before giving your child probiotics.
Dosage
The Food and Drug Administration regulates the safety of baby formulas that contain probiotic supplements. According to the International Association of Infant Food Manufacturers, infant formula should have 106 to 108 colony-forming units of probiotic bacteria per gram. However, more research is needed to determine the most effective dose for infants with diarrhea. Common side effects of probiotic supplements include gas and upset stomach. Talk to your pediatrician to find the dose of probiotics that is best for your child.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Lactobacillus Acidophilus
- National Review of Medicine: For Infant Diarrhea, Probiotics Work Wonders
- National Institutes of Health: Lactobacillus
- Harvard University: Understanding Pros and Cons of Probiotics
- International Association of Infant Food Manufacturers: Probiotics in Infant Nutrition
- British Medical Journal: Probiotics for Treatment of Acute Diarrhoea in Children: Randomised Clinical Trial of Five Different Preparations
