Diarrhea:
It is a common symptom and not a disease and is rarely serious. It is any change from the normal pattern of a child’s stool, whether it is an increase in the number of stools, a change in the nature of the stool (loose or watery), or the presence of mucus or blood. Diarrhea can lead to Drought, due to a change in the natural balance of water in the child and an imbalance in electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and chloride).
Types of Diarrhea:
- Short-term (acute): Diarrhea that lasts a day or two and goes away. It may be caused by food or water contaminated with bacteria (a bacterial infection) or it may occur if the child has a virus. It usually goes away within 5 to 7 days.
- Long-term (chronic): Diarrhea that lasts at least 4 weeks and is commonly caused by an infection in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Celiac disease, functional digestive disorders, food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, or bacterial overgrowth.
Reasons for Diarrhea:
- Bacterial infection
- Viral infection.
- Digestion problems.
- Immune system response to certain foods (food allergy).
- Parasites that enter the body through food or water.
- Reaction to medications (eg: antibiotics).
- Colon and bowel diseases (eg: chronic colitis).
- Stomach and intestine disorder (functional bowel disorder) (eg: irritable bowel syndrome).
Symptoms:
Symptoms can occur differently in each child, and include:
- Abdominal pain (colic).
- Upset stomach (nausea and vomiting).
- Urgent need to use the bathroom.
- High body temperature.
- bloody stools
- Loss of body fluids (dehydration) is one of the most serious symptoms in children.
When to see a doctor:
- The infant stops feeding from the breast or from the bottle for more than a few hours.
- Lack of wet diapers for 4 to 6 hours in infants and young children or 6 to 8 hours in older children.
- The child has signs of dehydration after using oral rehydration bags.
- No tears while crying.
- When there is bloody diarrhea.
- Severe or frequent vomiting.
- Severe abdominal pain.
- Lethargy and unresponsiveness.
- Dehydration (ex: thirst and dry mouth).
Complications:
The biggest complication of diarrhea is dehydration. Dehydration can be mild, moderate, or severe. Loss of water and electrolytes (sodium, chloride, potassium, bicarbonate) is lost through loose stools, vomit, perspiration, urine, and respiration. The degree of dehydration is graded on a scale of three:
- Severe dehydration (with at least two of the following signs):
- Lethargy/loss of consciousness.
- Sunken eyes.
- Unable to drink.
- pinch the skin back very slowly (≥2 seconds).
2. Some dehydration (with two or more of the following signs):
- Insomnia and irritability.
- Sunken eyes.
- Excessive thirst and binge drinking of water.
3. No dehydration (not enough signs to classify it as severe or some dehydration).
Treatment:
- By giving the child a rehydration solution to prevent dehydration. This solution contains clean water, sugar, salt and some minerals in proportions equivalent to those lost from diarrhea.
- Zinc supplements reduce the duration of diarrhea.
- Rehydration treatment with intravenous fluids in case of severe dehydration.
- Nutrient-rich foods, including breast milk.
- Consult a doctor, especially to treat persistent diarrhea or when there is blood in the stool or if there are signs of dehydration.
Protection:
- Drink safe water.
- Washing hands with soap and water.
- Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.
- Good personal hygiene and food.
- Take the rotavirus vaccination.
- Taking the necessary measures with children at the time of travel, for example, not eating fruits and vegetables until after peeling them or making sure to wash them well, not eating raw or undercooked food, and not eating food from street vendors.