Diarrhea in children

Causes of infant diarrhea

The most frequent causes are:

• Gastroenteritis: these are infections of the digestive tract. Most are viral (such as rotavirus in winter) and some are bacterial, such as salmonellosis. Infectious diarrhea is the most frequent so it is very important to maintain careful hand hygiene to avoid contagion.
• Food poisoning: due to the fact that a food in bad condition has been taken.
• Any infection in the child can manifest itself with vomiting and / or diarrhea: otitis, pneumonia, urine infection.

Symptoms

The child has abundant, frequent, soft and foul-smelling stools. They may have mucus or blood. It is very common for the child to have colicky abdominal pain (cramps), fever, nausea and vomiting.

Treatment for children

The main problem with diarrhea is that the child can become dehydrated: with frequent and liquid stools, a lot of water and salts are lost. To avoid this, you have to offer fluids frequently and whenever the child asks for them. The best drink is the rehydration serum that is sold in pharmacies. There are several commercial preparations available: different flavors, with bifidus included, in powder to reconstitute with water or in a ready-made liquid solution. Both of them allow the child to be offered an ideal amount of sugar and salts. Extra salt or sugar should never be added to these serums.

To get the child to better accept the preparation and drink it, it is useful to give it in small quantities and very cold (put it in the fridge).

Homemade preparations such as alkaline lemonade or isotonic sports drinks should not be given to children because the amount of salts and glucose is not adequate for children.

In an episode of diarrhea, children often lose their appetite; children should be offered a normal but bland diet. The important thing is that they are nourished and hydrated. Astringent and restrictive diets can be rejected by the child. If the pediatrician considers it appropriate to offer the child an astringent diet, it should not be prolonged more than 3 days. Sweets, packaged juices, and sugary drinks should be avoided.

Dairy products should not be removed (if the child was taking them previously) or change the milk for a lactose-free one. The Pediatrician will assess each specific case. Breastfeeding should be maintained and rehydration serum offered between feedings.

If the child has a fever greater than 38ºC, antipyretics should be administered in syrup, avoiding suppositories. Pediatrician follow-up is very important.

Warning signs

In the child with diarrhea, we must monitor, above all, that he is well hydrated. If the child is properly hydrated, he will have saliva in his mouth, tears and he will urinate normally. Signs of dehydration are dry mouth and skin, sunken eyes, no urination, and clouding. In the most severe cases, an intravenous rehydration serum is administered.

In cases where the fever is high and the child is in poor general condition or has blood in the stool, the pediatrician should be consulted.