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Children's Diarrhea

Diarrhea: Bowel movements where stool is soft or liquid for several times a day.

 

Symptoms:

  •  Change in stool form to become soft or liquid.
  • Increased number of bowel movements
  • Fever sometimes.
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting.
  • Colic and cramps.
  • bloody stool

 

When should you see a doctor?

  • When it occurs with an infant younger than 6 months
  • When stool color changes to black or is mixed with blood
  • Repetitive vomiting.
  • Fever exceeding 38C
  • Symptoms of dehydration on the child (lack of urination, lack of tears during crying, dry skin, mouth and tongue, headache).
  • The eye is sunken and the skin changes to gray.

 

What causes children's diarrhea?

Some types of antibiotics and allergies to certain foods, pathogens such as viruses including rotavirus, viral hepatitis A or bacteria such as E. coli and other bacteria or parasites that cause diarrhea in children. These germs are easily transmitted from person to person, especially children.

 

Prevention:

  • Teach the child to wash his hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before eating.
  • Teach the child to wash fruits and vegetables before eating them.
  • refraining from eating exposed foods or eat outside the home.
  • Taking appropriate vaccines such as (viral hepatitis, rotavirus) when traveling to endemic areas or recurrence of diarrhea throughout the year.

Treatment:

In cases of simple and moderate diarrhea, the child can be treated at home without having to go to the hospital by doing the following:

  • Give the child fluids to prevent dehydration such as dehydration solution, diluted apple juice with water.
  • Avoid giving the child milk or foods that are rich in fibers. Avoid sugars or fatty foods are high in fat as it worsens the condition.
  •  For infants who are breastfeeding, the mother continues to breastfeed even during diarrhea. But infants who are bottle-fed should be given lactose-free milk.
  • A child who eats and does not rely on milk solely should be given fluids such as apple juice and other juices for 24 hours and then snacks such as bananas, boiled apples, potatoes, boiled rice or jelly. 
  • A child with severe diarrhea, fever, or a newborn must be taken to the hospital to give intravenous fluids.

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