What is the cause of diarrhea in children?

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on September 18, 2024
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Childhood diarrhea is divided into infectious diarrhea and non-infectious diarrhea, with the common type in children being infectious diarrhea, which includes rotavirus enteritis, bacterial enteritis, and bacterial dysentery, among others, with rotavirus enteritis being the most common. It is characterized by watery diarrhea or "egg-flower" style diarrhea. It is also accompanied by dry mouth, reduced urine output, and some can have symptoms such as vomiting and fever. Similarly, bacterial diarrhea can also present with vomiting, fever, and other symptoms. Other types of diarrhea, such as allergic diarrhea, commonly occur from milk allergies, and there are cases of lactose intolerance that also result in diarrhea. Therefore, there are many causes of childhood diarrhea, and each case should be analyzed specifically.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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What should children with diarrhea not eat?

Children's diarrhea can be classified into infectious and non-infectious types. Generally, if it is infectious diarrhea, it is crucial to provide a light and easily digestible diet. If the infant is breastfed, continue breastfeeding, but the mother's diet should also be light and easily digestible. If the child is formula-fed, you can feed them diarrhea-specific formula and gradually add some supplementary foods such as thin porridge, noodles, and fruit juice. However, greasy and hard-to-digest foods should be avoided as much as possible, and this applies to older children as well; they also should not consume fatty and spicy foods. Additionally, foods that are hard to digest should be avoided to aid in the recovery of the condition. If it is non-infectious diarrhea, for example, caused by allergies to milk or eggs, avoid consuming these allergenic foods. In cases of lactose intolerance causing diarrhea, avoid lactose-containing milk powder; switch to diarrhea-specific formula instead.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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What medicine should a child take for vomiting and diarrhea?

In cases where children experience vomiting and diarrhea, it is generally considered that the child may have acute gastroenteritis. For particularly severe diarrhea, where the stool is watery, it is advisable to give the child montmorillonite powder to protect the intestinal mucosa, along with probiotics, and oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration. Because severe vomiting can also be a concern, treatments to stop vomiting can be implemented, such as administering Vitamin B6 via injection, or by administering oral aluminum phosphate gel. With the above treatments, vomiting and diarrhea can generally be well controlled. If the child has already developed moderate or more severe dehydration due to the vomiting and diarrhea, accompanied by varying degrees of electrolyte disorder, hospitalization for intravenous fluid therapy is then necessary. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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What formula should a child with diarrhea eat?

When a child experiences diarrhea, it indicates that there is an abnormality in their gastrointestinal function, and their ability to absorb nutrients is significantly weakened. If the child is fed ordinary formula, it might overburden their stomach and intestines, making digestion difficult and possibly exacerbating the diarrhea symptoms. Therefore, when a child has diarrhea, it is advisable to choose foods or formulas that are easy to digest. During periods of diarrhea, it is generally recommended for children to consume a special formula designed for infants with diarrhea. This formula is easier to absorb and helps in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, making it suitable for children with diarrhea.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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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.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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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.)