Acetone in a child: symptoms, causes, action plan for parents

Symptoms of acetonemic syndrome are quite painful for a baby: abdominal pain, lethargy, nausea, and often severe bouts of vomiting. How to protect a baby from elevated acetone? And what to do if the attacks are repeated quite often?

Zmist:

• Acetone in a child – how does it manifest itself?
• Why does acetonemic syndrome occur?
• "Trigger" for acetone in a child
• Dangerous condition
• If there is a smell of acetone, you need to act quickly.
• Take acetonemic syndrome under control
• Monitor your child's activity
• Do not neglect the help of a doctor

The widespread term “acetone in a child” (or, to put it more professionally, acetonemic syndrome) does not cover a disease, but rather the common features of the functioning of their digestive tract for all children. As well as the individual characteristics of the child’s body, which must be taken into account when organizing the baby’s diet and lifestyle.

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Acetone in a child – how does it manifest itself?

Acetonemic syndrome is the body's reaction to the increased formation of ketone bodies in the child's liver - special chemical compounds that occur when consuming foods high in protein and/or fat.

If the number of ketone bodies in the child's body does not exceed the norm (but does not fall below the lower limit), the baby is cheerful and cheerful, because ketone bodies are a source of energy. If there are not enough of them, the child feels a decline in strength, lethargy. If there are too many ketone bodies, they begin to cause a toxic effect on the central nervous system and other organs. That is, they simply poison the baby's body, causing the corresponding symptoms, one of the most severe of which is vomiting.

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Why does acetonemic syndrome occur?

Increased acetone in a child can occur against the background of quite serious diseases. Such as diabetes mellitus, liver damage, thyrotoxicosis, brain tumors, concussion, intestinal infections. But more often increased acetone is observed in children of a special constitutional composition: children prone to acetonemic syndrome are usually very mobile, ahead of their peers in the development of speech, quickly absorb any information, but often lag behind in weight.

However, sometimes acetonemic syndrome occurs in overweight children who have been involved in a very active game. The smell of acetone in this case occurs due to excess energy expenditure. Sometimes an increase in acetone occurs in obese children if parents put them on a diet without the supervision of a doctor. In this case, the body begins to use up internal fat reserves and an intoxication effect occurs.

Remember: Any drastic changes in a child's lifestyle can cause negative changes in the body. Be very attentive to your child's well-being during such periods, and in no case neglect the help of a doctor.

"Trigger" for acetone in a child

If a child is prone to acetonemic syndrome, mothers need to be especially vigilant in cases where the child is experiencing any stress. Often, the smell of acetone appears during travel or after very active games against the background of unusual food for the baby. For example, after a birthday party at friends': they ate well (potatoes with meat, followed by a cake with cream), and then played actively. The result: a pronounced smell of acetone in the urine and in the child's breath.

Remember: The ability of a child's body to absorb fats is reduced, so attacks of acetonemic vomiting in children prone to acetonemic syndrome can occur even with a single overfeeding of fatty foods.

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Dangerous condition

Acetonemic crisis can occur suddenly, without any precursors. But more often attacks of acetonemic vomiting are preceded by a painful condition: the child loses appetite, becomes lethargic, sleepy, complains of nausea and pain in the navel. Soon after these symptoms, vomiting occurs: first the child vomits undigested food, then bile, then transparent foamy mucus. At the same time, the smell of acetone is clearly heard from the vomit, the child's breath, and his urine.

The younger the child, the more dangerous this condition is due to the high risk of dehydration. Therefore, it is necessary to act quickly and correctly.

If there is a smell of acetone, you need to act quickly.

If there are already signs of increased acetone – weakness, refusal to eat, smell of acetone from the mouth and body, from urine, the most important thing is to prevent dehydration and help the child’s kidneys cope with the excretion of ketone bodies. In the first aid kit of the mother of a child prone to increased acetone, there should be glucose for first aid to the baby in case of an attack. Glucose is sold in pharmacies in the form of a solution for injections or tablets, and helps to very quickly restore the energy balance of the child’s body. If you manage to replenish the glucose level before the onset of obvious signs of acetone, it is quite possible to avoid acetonemic vomiting. The glucose solution should be given to the baby at the rate of 5 mg per 1 kg of weight.

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If the exacerbation of acetonemic syndrome still cannot be avoided and the child vomits, do not try to feed him: this will only increase the vomiting attacks. But it is necessary to give the child a drink with increased acetone! And in this case, the best choice is sweet drinks: dried fruit compote, weak tea, rosehip infusion or raisin decoction. Juice is not the best option, but it is important that the child drinks a lot. Therefore, if the baby refuses tea or compote, let him drink juice.

If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting, you should drink small sips frequently to avoid aggravating the vomiting. Remember that drinks at body temperature are absorbed much faster.

Take acetonemic syndrome under control

If your child is prone to high acetone levels, you should always have special test strips in your home that can help you determine the presence of acetone in your child’s urine. The principle of operation of such strips is simple – a special substance is applied to a paper strip that changes color depending on the concentration of ketone bodies in the urine. Since test strips from different manufacturers may visually differ, you should always strictly follow the instructions for use. And do not forget to check the expiration date of the strips.

Monitor your child's activity

If your child is prone to increased acetone, be especially attentive to his well-being during periods of increased physical activity: acetone in a child may appear due to over-expenditure of energy. Make sure that the child does not feel thirsty in the heat of his games - give him a drink almost by force, pulling him out of the gambling game. It is also important that during periods of increased activity the child eats more carbohydrates: for a child prone to acetonemic syndrome, a candy or a sweet drink will not be harmful, but beneficial.

DO NOT NEGLECT THE HELP OF A DOCTOR

Even if this is not the first time you have encountered elevated acetone in a child, do not neglect a visit to the doctor. To determine elevated acetone, test strips and mother's intuition are not always enough; a doctor must confirm the diagnosis, prescribe treatment, and monitor the baby's condition. If necessary, you may be referred to a hospital, where fluid and glucose levels will be maintained using droppers.

As a comforting piece of information, we will say that modern pediatrics considers the increase in acetone in the blood and urine of children to be an age-related physiological norm and associates it with the immaturity of the child's body. With age, the probability of a child's elevated acetone to a critical level decreases and, as a rule, everything passes by the age of 10-12.

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