Diarrhea is a condition when your child needs to use the bathroom often or your little one passes loose stools with increased frequency. It is a common problem, most often among children. Diarrhea may go away on its own, remaining for one to two days. It can be either;
Short-term or acute- diarrhea that lasts for one to two days and goes away on its own. It can occur due to drinking water or eating food contaminated by bacteria. Also, it can occur due to viruses. If your child has a complaint of diarrhea, you must consult with the best child specialist in Lahore.
Long-term or chronic- diarrhea that lasts for a few weeks is known as chronic diarrhea. It can occur due to reasons like;
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Intestinal disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Celiac disease
- Giardia
Table of Contents
Symptoms
The symptoms of diarrhea are;
- Abdominal cramps
- Swelling and bloating
- Upset stomach
- The urgency to use the bathroom
- Bloody stools
- Fever
- Dehydration
- Urinary incontinence
How Can You Deal With Diarrhea in Children?
In children, diarrhea can become life-threatening due to dehydration. Therefore you should be vigilant about their health, especially when they pass loose and frequent stools. The treatment depends upon the symptoms, child’s age, and general health condition.
To cope with diarrhea, you can do the following things.
Rehydration
The essential thing to prevent complications of diarrhea is to rehydrate the child. The major complication of diarrhea is dehydration when your body loses water content with loose stools. Water contains electrolytes that are needed for your body to perform various functions, especially for the heart. Since diarrhea causes loss of water, it can also lead to loss of electrolytes. Therefore, you must keep feeding your child with an oral rehydration solution. You can constitute it at home or get a constituted one from a pharmacy.
Oral rehydration solutions contain the right amount of water, salt, and sugar. It can help replenish the lost electrolytes and water. However, if the baby is vomiting too much, an oral rehydration solution would not work alone. You may need to get them an intravenous infusion to replenish fluid and electrolytes.
Avoid Soda And Juice
Do not give sugar-rich beverages to your child as they can worsen it.
No Plain Water
Do not give plain water to your child as it can worsen vomiting and can be dangerous. To rehydrate, an oral rehydration solution is the best.
Keep Them Feeding
Keep feeding your child with milk during diarrhea, especially if you breastfeed. While if they are bottle-fed, make sure the bottle is clean, thoroughly washed, and sterilized.
Watch Them
Keep an eye on your baby’s activity level. If she is active and playing, you do not need to panic. But if she is sleepy and drowsy, you should take them to the hospital as soon as possible.
Tips to Prevent Diarrhea in Children
To prevent diarrhea in children. The following tips may help;
- Get your child vaccinated against rotavirus- the diarrhea-causing agent.
- When your child brushes the teeth, make sure they do not drink tap water. Or give them boiled water to brush their teeth.
- Do not use ice made from tap water.
- Do not make them drink unpasteurized milk.
- Give them peeled fruits and vegetables to eat. Do not give them raw vegetables to eat.
- Make sure the food they eat is properly cooked under hygienic conditions.
- Before traveling to developing countries, talk to their healthcare provider.
Conclusion
Diarrhea in children can become life-threatening due to dehydration. Therefore you need to be more cautious. Make sure you keep rehydrating them with an oral rehydration solution to replenish the lost electrolytes and water. If your child has a complaint of recurrent or long-term diarrhea, you can consult with the best child specialist in Karachi.
