The types of bacteria that live in a child’s body
Most people associate the word “bacteria” with something unpleasant and dangerous to health. At best, it refers to fermented dairy products. At worst, it refers to dysbacteriosis, plague, dysentery, and other nasty things. Bacteria are everywhere; they come in bad and good. The bacterium, in Greek, means “bacillus.” This name does not mean that they are harmful bacteria. They get this name because of their shape. Most of these single-celled bacteria look like bacilli. They also come in triangle, square, and star-shaped cells. Over a billion years, bacteria don’t change their appearance; they can only change internally. They can be mobile and stationary. A bacterium consists of a single cell. It is covered by a thin shell on the outside. This allows it to keep its shape.
People and bacteria
In our body, there is a constant battle between harmful and beneficial bacteria. Thanks to this process, a person is protected from various infections. Various microorganisms surround us at every step. They live on our clothes, they fly in the air, and they are ubiquitous.
The presence of bacteria in the mouth, which is about forty thousand microorganisms, protects the gums from bleeding, periodontal disease, and even angina. If a woman’s microflora is disrupted, she can fall ill with gynecological diseases. Observance of basic rules of personal hygiene will help to avoid disorders.
The state of the microflora completely affects the immune system of the child, and adults, too. Only in the gastrointestinal tract is about 60% of all germs. The rest are in the respiratory system and reproductive organs. The human body contains about two kilograms of bacteria.
Occurrence of bacteria in the body of a newborn baby
Only a newborn baby has a sterile intestine. After the first inhalation, many microorganisms are introduced into his body that he was not previously familiar with. Depending on whether the baby is born naturally or by cesarean section, the number of Bifidobacterium colonizing its gastrointestinal tract changes above all. Analysis of the meconium of newborns demonstrates a pronounced association of the first microbial associations with the vaginal flora of the mother (Lactobacillus) in children born naturally, and the microbiota of the mother (Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, and Propionibacterium) in case of cesarean section with the first attachment to the breast of the mother, she transfers with milk beneficial bacteria that contribute to normalizing the intestinal microflora. It is not for nothing that doctors insist that the mother breastfeed her baby immediately after birth. They also recommend prolonging such feeding as long as possible.
Useful bacteria include lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, E. coli, streptomycetes, mycorrhizae, and cyanobacteria. They all play an important role in human life. Some of them prevent infections, others are used in the production of medicines, while others maintain balance in our planet’s ecosystem.
Harmful bacteria can cause several serious diseases in humans. For example, diphtheria, anthrax, sore throat, plague, and many others. They are easily transmitted from an infected person through air, food, and touch. It is the bacteria that spoil harmful food. They give off an unpleasant odor, rot and decompose, and cause disease. Harmful bacteria can stay in the body for a long time and absorb useful substances from it. In doing so, they can cause infectious diseases.
The impact of the way of nutrition on the intestinal microflora of the baby
Normal intestinal microflora performs an important role in the human body, especially in infants and young children, as it affects immunity and resistance to pathogens, is involved in all types of macro-and micronutrient exchange, activates intestinal enzymes involved in the digestion of food substances and -intestinal circulation of bile components, regulation of tissue differentiation and regeneration, especially epithelial, maintenance of ion homeostasis, has a detoxifying function.
It is known that breast milk is a complex of intra-nutrients created by nature, which constantly adapts to the age of the child and provides him with nutrition and protection. In addition, breast milk is a constant source of maternal microflora, including bacteria that colonize the gastrointestinal tract. The question of how the bacteria get into the mother’s mammary gland is still open. However, different diagnostic methods confirm the identity of such bacterial strains, in the mother’s intestine, breast milk, and infant feces. In the gut microbiota of breastfed infants, compared with infants receiving organic formula, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are usually found in higher numbers, while Bactobacillus, Clostridium coccoides, Staphylococcus, and Enterobacteriaceae are found in lower numbers. In addition to being a source of microflora to populate the baby’s gut, breast milk also contains a unique prebiotic complex of oligosaccharides. The latter is involved in the metabolism of Bifidobacterium and contributes to their settlement in the intestines of the child.
If the child, for whatever reason, is fed artificially, then parents need to choose quality formula milk balanced with vitamins, minerals, and, and baby probiotics. It is also important to discuss the state of the child’s gastrointestinal tract with the pediatrician to choose an appropriate formula. It should be remembered that prebiotics and products of the activity of beneficial bacteria (postbiotics) create a so-called “intestinal barrier” that contributes to the development of a strong immune system of the baby. This means that infections and microorganisms that can provoke an infection are retained to a greater extent in the gastrointestinal tract and are not allowed to pass further into the body.
Everyone can resist harmful bacteria. To do this, you need to strengthen your immune system in every way, lead a healthy lifestyle, and follow basic rules of hygiene. Proper nutrition in the first years of the life of your baby has, without exaggeration, a huge impact on the development of all systems of his body in the future.
