Diarrhea In Children: How To Treat It?

The diarrhea is a very common disease in children, you should never neglect.

The causes can range from a virus or an infection, to intolerance towards a food such as lactose. It can even be caused by consuming too much fruit or its juice, at any given time.

What can you do? The most important thing, without a doubt, is to go to the pediatrician; especially if the diarrhea is accompanied by fever, as the case may require special measures.

The greatest danger of diarrhea is dehydration, so the most important thing is that the child drinks plenty of fluids, to ensure that they preserve nutrients and that their organs can function normally.

Consult with your pediatrician about the possibility of introducing any of the following measures and follow their advice.

What symptoms does infant diarrhea usually have?

Of course, diarrhea in children is noticed immediately, since their stools are liquid and frequent. Now, this ailment is usually accompanied by other symptoms that we have to take into account:

• Fever of 38 ºC or more.
• Abdominal pain.
• Vomiting
• Children over 6 years of age may show periods of oscillation between diarrhea and constipation. In this case, there would be an intestinal problem that, if prolonged, could give a clue about some type of food intolerance.

If the diarrhea is very profuse or lasts four weeks or more, you should immediately put the situation in the hands of a doctor. It can be the symptom of a more complex problem, or a case of chronic diarrhea. This can be due to different causes: from intolerance to certain foods, to possible celiac or intestinal disease.

Basic guidelines for treating diarrhea

The pediatrician is the right person to point out the measures to be taken. In principle, some basic strategies that have proven to be effective can be applied to give initial treatment to diarrhea in children.

Take note.

1. Drink fluids

A document published in the La Paz Medical Journal highlights the importance of fluid ingestion as an initial approach to diarrhea.

This is not to drink “plenty of fluids”, but small sips throughout ingest of l day , with half – hour intervals. Typically, children drink 4-6 glasses a day, in total. Likewise, we suggest you follow these recommendations:

• Don’t give them canned juices. Better opt for a natural one made at home, such as natural apple juice. Research published in EMC Pediatrics indicates that its use is recommended in cases of mild dehydration.
• The child should not drink soft drinks.

• Don’t just give them water throughout the day. You also need to regain the balance of electrolytes and sodium, which is often lost in diarrhea. You can prepare, for example, a rice water drink; this is very appropriate in these cases, as evidenced by an article published in the British Medical Journal .
• Chamomile or mint infusions are also highly recommended. This is warned by an academic document published by the Los Angeles Chimbote Catholic University in which the antibacterial properties of these plants are highlighted.
• Drinks should be at room temperature, never too cold or too hot.
• There are very suitable hydration treatments for children such as “oral rehydration solutions”, sold in pharmaceuticals. They have different flavors and are special for treating diarrhea.

2. The best foods

In case the child has diarrhea, it is important to give him small amounts of food, several times a day, especially if he has vomited.

It is also recommended that you do not give him “new foods” or foods that he has not tried before. In these cases, such a change can be very counterproductive.

So remember: small amounts throughout the day. Regarding milk, it is necessary that you consult your doctor if it is convenient to offer it or not; However, an article published in the Las Condes Clinical Medical Journal does not recommend it, since it is common for episodes of diarrhea to present a temporary intolerance to lactose.

According to a medical document, some of the foods that  you can include in your diet are :

• Boiled white rice.
• Gelatin is also very suitable and children love it.
• Yogurt with active lactobacilli or bifidus.
• Boiled carrot.
• Chicken breast without skin.

• A banana in pieces.
• Apple puree.
• Quince.

3. Foods to avoid:

According to a document published by NIH, most doctors do not recommend fasting or following a restricted diet during diarrhea. However, some of the foods that can be inconvenient are:

• Orange juice.
• Carbonated soft drinks.
• Raw vegetables
• Fruit with skin.
• Candies.
• Chocolate.
• Chard.
• Lettuce
• Spinach.
• Nuts.
• Vegetables.
• Wholemeal bread.

Do not forget…

To conclude, never neglect the guidelines that the pediatrician has given you. Diarrhea is a disease that must be cured in a few days and should not last long. Above all, it is important that the child is always well hydrated and that he eats small amounts many times a day.

If at any time you see a little blood appear in your stools, see a doctor immediately. However, diarrhea is common in children and generally resolves with proper diet.