The he alth of the smallest citizens of the country is strongly influenced by poor environmental conditions, various chemical additives in food, electromagnetic radiation, mutating viruses. Often the child's immune system is weakened and cannot cope with pathogens, and he gets sick. Antibiotics are often prescribed for treatment. Potent drugs kill not only pathogenic microbes, but also all the beneficial intestinal microflora. The child has: diarrhea, intestinal colic, vomiting, flatulence. My child has diarrhea on antibiotics, what should I do? This is a question parents often ask. Let's try to answer it.
The effect of antibiotics on the baby's body
Violation of the digestive tract in a child does not begin immediately, but after the accumulation of the antibiotic in the body. For example, in the case when the baby is often sick and every time he is prescribed antibacterial drugs for treatment. Or parents self-medicate and without the knowledge of the doctor give the babypowerful drugs. The fact is that antibiotics cannot distinguish harmful microorganisms from beneficial ones and kill both at once.
The small and large intestines, left without useful microflora, cannot cope with the digestion of food. As a result, the child develops diarrhea while taking antibiotics. He loses his appetite, suffers from pain, flatulence and bloating.
Causes of diarrhea
When taking antibiotics, the occurrence of diarrhea may be due to the following factors:
- Strong intestinal motility prevents the absorption of nutrients. Diarrhea occurs due to the high activity of the intestinal muscles. Such diarrhea is asymptomatic. It will stop within a day after the drug is discontinued. If this does not happen, then the cause of diarrhea is completely different, a consultation with a doctor is necessary.
- Death of beneficial intestinal microflora. Diarrhea in a child against the background of antibiotics will stop if you stop the drug and start taking probiotics: Bifidumbacterin, Bifiform, Lactobacterin, Linex.
- Intestinal infection. It can begin against the background of reduced immunity and the death of beneficial bacteria.
- Individual intolerance to individual components of the drug. In this case, in addition to diarrhea, the child develops a rash, itching, and possibly a slight increase in temperature.
Symptoms of diarrhea from antibiotics
Loose stools when taking antibiotics are accompanied by the following symptoms:
- abdominal pain;
- feeling bloated;
- vomit reflex;
- deterioration of general well-being belching;
- flatulence;
- characteristic changes in fecal matter: frothy with an unpleasant odor;
- with diarrhea from antibiotics in a child, the intestines may be released up to eight times a day or more.
Forms of diarrhea
There can be several forms of diarrhea when taking antibiotics:
- Mild - loose stools are observed no more than five times a day, while there are mild painful sensations that disappear after defecation. Feces do not contain any impurities and pungent odor, have a watery consistency.
- Medium - liquid stool occurs up to fifteen times a day, the body temperature rises, there is an increase in pain, vomiting. There is mucus in the feces, streaks of blood are possible.
- Severe - severe diarrhea in a child after antibiotics, the intestines are emptied up to thirty times a day. The body temperature rises to the forty-degree mark, vomiting appears, and rapid dehydration occurs. The skin becomes bluish, dry mouth, cracks appear on the surface of the tongue and lips, urination stops.
- Lightning fast - the development of all symptoms occurs rapidly. The child suffers from severe pain in the abdomen, the frequency of defecation increases. Mucus and blood appear in the feces, vomiting begins. There is rapid dehydration of the body, urgent medical attention is needed.
Diagnosis of diarrhea in children
To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to identify the cause of diarrhea. For this doctor:
- conducts a conversation with the child's parents, finding out what preceded the deterioration of the patient's condition, how long the child had diarrhea on the background of antibiotics, the frequency of defecation, the presence of mucus and blood in the feces;
- examines the baby, palpates the abdominal cavity;
- assigns a stool test for the presence of worm eggs;
- conducts a study of the biochemistry of feces and bile.
And also:
- sowing on the microflora of the intestinal contents;
- a blood test for biochemistry is taken;
- ultrasound indication of the abdominal cavity;
- computed tomography;
- endoscopy of the stomach and intestines;
- with functional diarrhea, a study of intestinal motility is prescribed. For this, peripheral electrogastroenterography and manometry are used;
- radiography.
If necessary, appoint other types of research. It all depends on the severity and duration of diarrhea. In addition, consultations of specialists are appointed. If dysbacteriosis is detected, treatment is prescribed depending on the severity of the disease.
Restoration of water-s alt balance
When vomiting and diarrhea while taking antibiotics, a child loses a lot of fluid, and drinking plenty of fluids is required to restore it. To do this, first use plain drinking water, then you can give tea, for example, herbal tea based on chamomile or sage, various jelly, dried fruit compotes. In no case should you use carbonated water, juices and milk. Usefulpharmaceutical powders for preparation of registration solutions:
"Rehydron" - restores the balance of s alts and fluids in the child's body, removes toxins. One sachet of the product is dissolved in a liter of cold boiled water
Store the composition in the refrigerator for no more than a day. Give to drink often, but in small doses, so as not to cause vomiting. In case of diarrhea in a child from antibiotics, they begin to use the solution from the beginning of the appearance of loose stools and end after its recovery.
"Humana Electrolyte" - a bag of the mixture is diluted in a glass of boiled water. The solution is taken in a cold and warm form. Babies under three years old use fennel powder, older than three years old - banana flavored. The solution has a pleasant taste and does not cause problems with its use. The required amount that you need to drink per day is calculated according to the instructions per kilogram of weight and is drunk in small portions
How to stop antibiotic diarrhea in a child?
Fixing the stool is the main stage of treatment. It begins simultaneously with the restoration of water-s alt balance. The most popular and optimal antidiarrheal drugs for children are:
"Smecta" - powder for suspension at home. It has vanilla or orange flavor
Babies up to a year old drink two sachets daily for the first three days, then reduce the dosage to one. Children 1 year and older use four packs for the first threedays, then the dosage is reduced to two.
"Enterosgel" - a fixing agent used for diarrhea from antibiotics in a child. It not only has antidiarrheal properties, but also binds and removes toxic substances from the body. This helps to improve the functioning of the intestines, kidneys and liver, restores the immune system. Release form: paste for oral administration and gel for solution preparation. Instructions for use are included
Before using these drugs, you should consult your doctor, non-compliance with the dosage can harm the child. Please note that medicines should not be used for stomach ulcers and bloody discharge from the anus.
Normalization of microflora
What to give a child after antibiotics for diarrhea? Using special preparations, beneficial microorganisms are artificially introduced into the baby's intestines, which were destroyed by antibiotics. The drugs are prescribed by the attending physician. Commonly used are:
- "Bifidumbacterin" - a probiotic, contains live, active bifidobacteria. Available in the form of tablets, dry powder and rectal suppositories. The dosage and form are prescribed by the doctor depending on the age of the child.
- "Hilak Forte" - contains substrates of metabolic products. Release form - oral drops.
They are dissolved in a small amount of water and drunk before or during meals. The drug is recommended for children from the age of two.
- "Bifiform" - contains lactobacilli, bifidobacteria andvitamins of group B. Available in the form of chewable tablets that the child uses as a candy, an oil solution for the preparation of a suspension, capsules and sachets. The duration of treatment and dosage is determined by the doctor.
- "Rotabiotic" - restores the intestinal microflora and improves the digestion of food, promotes the absorption of nutrients. Capsule release form.
It takes a long period, up to several months, to restore the intestinal microflora after diarrhea from antibiotics in a child.
Diet
Diarrhea diet is essential. Feed the child in small portions, but often. It is advisable to exclude all foods that injure and irritate the intestines: fresh vegetables and fruits, canned foods, semi-finished products, sweet carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, freshly squeezed juices, sweets and pastries. From meat, you can eat lean chicken. Porridges cooked on water are suitable: oatmeal, rice, wheat, boiled or baked fish, steamed cutlets. You can eat light soups, white toasted bread, biscuits, crackers, baked potatoes, apples, bananas.
From drinks it is better to use jelly, dried fruit compotes, teas, herbal infusions.
Folk treatments for diarrhea
Diarrhea from antibiotics in a child, how to treat? In addition to medications, you can use the advice of traditional medicine. The following recipes are suitable for the treatment of diarrhea:
- Blueberries. Pour two tablespoons of dried berries with a glass of boiling water, insist. drink bytablespoon every hour.
- St. John's wort. Pour 10 g of dry raw materials with a liter of boiling water, insist, strain and give children 50 ml three times a day.
- Chamomile flowers. Prepare an infusion of 20 g of dry raw materials per glass of water. Give the child a teaspoon four times a day.
- Mint and chamomile. Pour a teaspoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water, insist and drink in small sips throughout the day.
Before applying these prescriptions, you should consult your doctor.
The main antibacterial drugs that provoke diarrhea
Several groups of antibiotics should be noted, after taking which diarrhea most often occurs:
- Penicillin preparations: "Flemoclav", "Amoxicillin", "Flemoxin". These drugs cause not only loose stools, but also an allergic reaction.
- Antibacterial preparations of tetracyclines: Doxycycline, Metacycline, Tetracycline. Very often there is diarrhea in a child when taking antibiotics of this series.
- Macrolides - "Erythromycin", "Azithromycin", "Sumamed". These drugs are more gentle, but diarrhea can also occur.
To minimize the side effects of antibiotics in children, doctors prescribe them in combination with pre- and probiotics.
Prevention of diarrhea from antibiotics
In order for a child not to get diarrhea when taking antibiotics, you need to:
- do not give medicine on an empty stomach;
- at the time of treatment, include in the diet products that have a bindingaction;
- discuss with your doctor to prescribe probiotics at the same time as antibacterials.
Don't resist intramuscular antibiotics. They have a more effective effect on pathogens than suspensions and tablets. In addition, with this method of administration, the antibiotic bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and saves the child from unpleasant consequences.
