Means to stabilize digestion should be in every home first aid kit. It is impossible to know in advance when these medications will be needed. Diarrhea, vomiting, flatulence and bloating can occur at the most inopportune moment. What to do if you notice that your child has diarrhea? We will try to understand the causes of this ailment and how to eliminate it as soon as possible.
Signs of diarrhea and accompanying symptoms
Diarrhea, or diarrhea, is the release of liquid feces. In most cases, patients also experience increased urge to empty their bowels. Diarrhea in a child can be observed at a time with some side symptoms. Most often, these are spasms in the stomach and / or intestines, vomiting. Sometimes there is also an increase in body temperature and general malaise, weakness. Diarrhea almost always starts suddenly and unexpectedly. In some cases, diarrhea stops after a few hours (rarely - a few days) without special treatment, while in others it requiresobservation of specialists and the patient's stay in the hospital. If symptoms of diarrhea are observed in a child, the task of the parent is to carefully monitor the well-being of the baby during the first hours and immediately seek medical help if necessary. Diarrhea can be a symptom of a number of serious conditions, some of which require immediate specialized treatment.
Causes of diarrhea
Diarrhea in a preschool child can very often be an individual reaction to certain foods or combinations thereof. You should especially carefully monitor the well-being of the baby when introducing new dishes into his menu. Diarrhea can also be caused by eating unboiled water or expired foods. Gastrointestinal disorders can occur when taking certain pharmaceuticals, this is usually indicated in the instructions for use, in the side effects section. Vomiting, diarrhea, temperature in a child are simultaneously observed with a viral infection. When such symptoms appear, it is recommended to immediately show the baby to the doctor. Diarrhea can be a manifestation of a number of specific diseases and disorders of the digestive system. In especially impressionable and sensitive babies, diarrhea can be the result of emotional experiences, stress.
Diarrhea in infants
A newborn baby receives all the necessary substances, trace elements and enzymes along with mother's milk. Diarrhea is rarely observed in children who are onnatural feeding. Gastrointestinal disorders usually occur with the introduction of complementary foods and the transition to breast milk substitutes. Sometimes diarrhea can begin with the eruption of milk teeth. During this period, the child has an increased secretion of saliva, due to its constant ingestion, the stomach and intestines may overflow with excess fluid. This condition does not require special treatment, but it is still advisable to show the baby to the doctor. Diarrhea and fever in a child under 2 years of age may be symptoms of an infectious disease. Young children taste everything - their own hands, toys, and any objects that they can reach. In the course of such research activities, an infection can enter the child's body. On their own at home, even the most attentive parents find it difficult to determine the true causes of digestive upset. In some cases, laboratory tests may be required to make an accurate diagnosis. It is for this reason that diarrhea in infants is a significant reason for contacting a pediatrician.
Diarrhea in children aged 2-3 years
After two years, children are just beginning to learn the rules of personal hygiene. A kid at this tender age can, without hesitation, continue to eat cookies that have fallen to the ground or lick a bright toy. The situation worsens when a child enters kindergarten. The body of the child only develops immunity. At this point, it is especially vulnerable to infections and parasites. At the same time, the babycommunicates freely with peers and does not always keep their hands clean. Diarrhea in a child at 2 years old is also a reason for contacting a medical institution. If the symptoms of a painful condition do not go away within a few hours, the baby should be urgently shown to the doctor. However, digestive disorders in early preschool age are also possible due to individual reactions to foods and their combinations.
Digestive disorders in babies over 3 years old
Children over the age of three are able to be more sensitive to their condition. A child at this age can quite clearly explain what exactly he ate during the day, and at what point he felt unwell. In most cases, children over three years of age eat together with adults, from a common table. Diarrhea can start after eating heavy, fatty foods and unhe althy foods like processed foods and carbonated drinks. Quite often, preschoolers are also diagnosed with food poisoning and infectious diseases. Parents are encouraged to monitor their child's diet and personal hygiene to minimize the risk of stomach and intestinal upsets.
First aid for diarrhea
If parents notice that the child has diarrhea, what should I do? The task of an adult at this moment is to reasonably assess the seriousness of the situation. It is advisable to skip a meal immediately after a bowel movement with liquid feces. It is useful to give the baby tea without sugar or a rosehip broth to drink. If the child has a good appetite, you can feed him a simple,easily digestible food. With diarrhea, it is unacceptable to give dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits, juices and fatty foods. If diarrhea has begun in a breast-fed child, it is not worth limiting the consumption of mother's milk. Diarrhea is dangerous due to dehydration. With loose stools, it is important to replenish fluid losses in a timely manner. It is important to give plain water or weak tea for drinking, it is better to refuse milk and juices until complete recovery. Before deciding what to give a child for diarrhea and whether to call a doctor, parents should observe the symptoms present. If the digestive system is upset, it is imperative to take the temperature and make sure that there is no/presence of vomiting.
When is it necessary to call a doctor?
If a child has vomiting, diarrhea, fever - what to do, at what point should you call a doctor? It is worth seeking medical help if diarrhea occurs with abundant release of liquid feces and does not stop for a long time (12 or more hours). Diarrhea, accompanied by vomiting, is a symptom of an infectious disease, severe poisoning, or specific pathologies of the digestive system. If a small patient has diarrhea accompanied by nausea, do not delay contacting a medical institution. An alarming symptom is an increase in body temperature. Usually with diarrhea, the thermometer shows 38-39 degrees. It is not recommended to give antipyretics on your own if the child has diarrhea and fever. What to do in such a situation?Call a doctor to examine the patient and prescribe treatment. Urgent consultation of specialists is also necessary if mucus or blood is present in the patient's feces or vomit. Such symptoms are the reason for calling the ambulance brigade. If, with diarrhea, a child complains of abdominal pain, it is also not worth starting symptomatic treatment on your own. Be sure to see a doctor!
Medication at home
Means for the treatment of diarrhea and the normalization of digestion should be in every children's first aid kit. What to give a child from diarrhea at the first symptoms of malaise? The most popular drugs for babies from this category are Smecta and Enterosgel. Both products can be used even for the smallest children and have a convenient release form. Read the instructions for use carefully. These drugs can be mixed with baby food or given in pure form. If a child has diarrhea without fever, what should I do at home? A tool that has been proven over the years is activated carbon. It is an adsorbent drug with virtually no side effects. It can be used from the first days of life. As a first aid for digestive disorders, a child can be given any drug that is available from pharmacies without a prescription and is suitable for age. The most important thing is to strictly observe the dosage appropriate for the age and weight of the child, and make sure there are no side effects.
Diet and folk remedies for diarrhea
How to treat diarrhea in a child and is it possible to eat with suchailments? In case of disorders of the digestive system, in no case should you force-feed a sick baby. If the child refuses to eat and is passive, offer a drink and do not insist on a full meal. It is not uncommon for diarrhea to be combined with excellent appetite. In this case, the main task of parents is to carefully monitor the baby's diet and offer him portions of moderate volume. Our grandmothers also said that rice should be cooked in water if the child has diarrhea. What to do when the baby does not want to eat? Try to drink it with rice water - water drained after cooking cereals. In both cases, the rice is cooked without s alt, milk and butter. It is a completely safe and natural remedy that helps stop diarrhea in many cases. Pears have similar means. With diarrhea, it is recommended to completely exclude fresh vegetables and fruits from the diet. To reduce the risk of side effects, you should prepare a decoction (compote) of dried pears without adding sugar. Immediately after the first signs of diarrhea appear, you should try to minimize the likelihood of dehydration. The child should receive enough clean water. Milk, juices, sweet teas and other special drinks are not recommended until the baby's condition is completely stabilized. Without restrictions, you can eat rice porridge boiled in water, crackers, dryers and dry biscuits without additives. If a child has diarrhea without fever and vomiting, you can try to gradually introduce boiled potatoes, herculean porridge, lean veal into the diet. Help maintain fluid balancealso low-fat broths. With diarrhea, it is unacceptable to eat spicy, fatty, smoked foods and canned foods.
Prevention of diarrhea in children
It is much more pleasant to think not about how to treat diarrhea in a child, but how to try to minimize the risks of digestive disorders. The task of parents is to teach the child to monitor personal hygiene from a very early age. Already at the age of three, a baby can easily learn such useful habits as: washing hands before eating / after using the toilet and the street, regular brushing of teeth, and so on. It is important to teach the child to eat carefully, sitting at the table, not to eat pieces of food that have fallen on the floor. Fresh vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed before they get on the table to the baby. Also, parents are required to monitor the expiration dates and storage conditions of all products that fall into the baby's plate. New foods should be introduced into the child's diet in small portions. Be sure to monitor the body's reaction to an unusual treat at the first samples. The appearance of allergies and digestive disorders is a serious reason to refuse to eat certain foods.
How dangerous is diarrhea?
Disorders of the digestive system really often occur against the background of dietary habits. Sometimes even a child vomits without fever and diarrhea just because he ate incompatible foods together. Usually in such cases, the condition of the baby quicklystabilizes. And yet, in any case, one should not neglect any manifestations of malaise. Very often, when a child vomits and diarrhea is observed against the background of an increase in body temperature, the cause of the ailment may be more serious. Digestive disorders can indicate chronic diseases, poisoning and infectious diseases. Diarrhea itself is a dangerous risk of dehydration. It is for this reason that it is important to start treatment at the first symptoms and try to contribute to the speedy normalization of digestion. If diarrhea occurs with abundant release of liquid feces, accompanied by vomiting and fever, it is urgent to call a doctor. Infectious diseases of this type are often treated in hospitals. Be sure to seek professional help, even for a day or more there is diarrhea in a child without fever. How to treat such an upset of the digestive system and what are its causes, the doctor will help determine.
