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Pediatric diarrhea
What are the symptoms of diarrhea in children?
When children experience diarrhea, it is defined by an increased frequency of bowel movements and changes in the stool's consistency, which might appear as watery, mushy, or mucus-filled. The mucus may contain blood streaks. Additionally, children may exhibit systemic symptoms including persistent fever accompanied by nausea and vomiting, while the frequency of bowel movements noticeably increases, and the fever may present as persistent high temperature. Due to frequent episodes of diarrhea, the child might show signs of dehydration such as poor skin elasticity, sunken eye sockets, and if not yet closed, a sunken fontanelle. The skin can be particularly dry, and the child may have reduced urine production. In cases of severe diarrhea, the child may also appear lethargic or drowsy and show signs of circulatory collapse.
Pediatric diarrhea bacterial infections are most commonly seen in what?
Pediatric diarrhea is a condition caused by various causes and factors, mainly characterized by an increase in the frequency of bowel movements and changes in stool characteristics. A portion of this condition is caused by bacterial infections, particularly in the summer when enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli gastroenteritis is a likely cause. In such cases, children may experience vomiting, persistent diarrhea, and severe dehydration. Additionally, if the child's stool contains mucus and pus, or is a pus-blood stool, it is generally considered to be caused by bacterial dysentery bacilli. If the stool is jam-like with more blood and less stool, amoebic dysentery should be considered. Other invasive bacterial infections, such as invasive E. coli gastroenteritis, jejunal Campylobacter gastroenteritis, or Salmonella gastroenteritis, are also common bacterial infections.
Can children with diarrhea eat fruit?
When a child experiences diarrhea, their gastrointestinal function is clearly disordered. They have absorption dysfunction, meaning the nutritional substances they consume are not easily absorbed. There may even be a bacterial infection in the intestines, leading to inflammatory exudation and consequently, a noticeable increase in the frequency of bowel movements and watery stools. If the child consumes cold fruits during this period, it could aggravate the diarrhea. Therefore, if parents need to give fruits to a child with diarrhea, they should choose fruits like apples or oranges and serve them warm. Other fruits, such as bananas, could increase gastrointestinal motility and thus worsen the symptoms of diarrhea. During a diarrhea episode, it is important to select appropriate fruits and avoid cold foods.
Can children with diarrhea eat noodles?
Children experience diarrhea because various factors cause disturbances in their gastrointestinal function, leading to malabsorption of nutrients. This manifests as a significant increase in the frequency of defecation and a noticeable change in the nature of the stool, even resulting in watery stools. When children have diarrhea, it is recommended to eat easily digestible, bland foods; noodles and porridge are good dietary options.
Can children with diarrhea drink yogurt?
Yogurt is made by fermenting pure milk and retains all the nutritional components of fresh milk. During the fermentation process, lactic acid bacteria can produce a variety of vitamins essential for human nutrition. Yogurt contains a large amount of lactic acid bacteria, which have the effect of resisting the production of harmful bacteria. Therefore, children with diarrhea can appropriately drink some yogurt. However, it is not recommended to drink it on an empty stomach. Additionally, if a baby has diarrhea, drinking chilled yogurt might aggravate their condition, so it is also not advised to consume large amounts of yogurt on an empty stomach.
Can children with diarrhea eat potatoes?
Pediatric diarrhea is caused by various factors leading to gastrointestinal dysfunction, resulting in malabsorption of nutrients, characterized by increased frequency and changed nature of stools. Potatoes contain a rich amount of starch and a large amount of dietary fiber. A large amount of dietary fiber can enhance gastrointestinal motility and has a laxative effect; therefore, it is advisable for children with diarrhea to eat fewer potatoes or avoid them altogether.
What are the treatment methods for infectious diarrhea in children?
For infectious diarrhea in children, it is first important to determine if the cause is viral or bacterial. In general, rehydration should be provided first to prevent dehydration; oral rehydration salts are commonly used to prevent dehydration and replenish electrolytes. Additionally, probiotics can be given to regulate the gut flora, commonly including bifidobacteria. Another option is to administer smectite powder to protect the gastrointestinal mucosa. It is also appropriate to supplement zinc and folic acid to promote the repair of the gastrointestinal mucosa. If a bacterial infection is suspected, sensitive antibiotics can be administered, commonly cephalosporins or penicillins for anti-infection treatment. If a viral infection is considered to be causing the diarrhea, some antiviral medications can be added to the treatment. Pay attention to the baby’s mental response and urination situation.
How should pediatric diarrhea be treated?
For childhood diarrhea, initially probiotics can be administered to adjust the intestinal flora, commonly used probiotics include Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillus acidophilus. Next, it's important to protect the gastrointestinal mucosa, for which oral smectite powder can be given. Additionally, diarrhea can easily damage the gastrointestinal mucosa, so it's appropriate to supplement with zinc or folic acid to promote the repair of the gastrointestinal mucosa. It is also important to ensure fluid replenishment to maintain hydroelectrolytic balance, commonly using oral rehydration salts which can replenish both fluids and electrolytes. Attention should also be paid to the child’s mental response and urinary output.
What medicine should a child take for diarrhea?
For children with diarrhea, it is first necessary to determine the cause of the diarrhea. If the child has diarrhea due to a viral infection, with watery stools, the first step is to replenish oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration and oral mucosal protectants, and then give the child probiotics. For severe diarrhea, some anti-diarrheal medications can also be taken. If the child has diarrhea due to a bacterial infection, or dysentery, which is also a bacterial infection, or caused by Shigella bacteria, it is necessary to treat the child with antibiotics under the guidance of a hospital doctor in order to achieve the treatment goal. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)
Can children with diarrhea eat sugar?
For children with diarrhea, it is best to stick to a light, easily digestible diet. During diarrhea, a child's gastrointestinal function may decline, leading to indigestion or gastrointestinal disorders. In such cases, one must consume foods that are easy to digest, avoiding greasy, spicy, stimulative, and hard-to-digest foods. Meanwhile, sugar should also be largely avoided, as many instances of diarrhea in children are caused by lactose intolerance. Adding sugar under these circumstances can exacerbate the symptoms of diarrhea. Furthermore, some cases of diarrhea in children may lead to temporary lactose intolerance. In such situations, sugar should not be added as well. Thus, when dealing with diarrhea, it is advisable to refrain from consuming sugar.