Diarrhea in a child: causes and methods of treatment. Medicinal and folk remedies

Diarrhea in childhood is very common, especially in preschool age. Indigestion can be caused by nutritional errors, infections, or diseases of the internal organs. To effectively treat diarrhea in children, it is important to correctly identify the cause.

A child is born with an unformed digestive system: intestinal loops are not formed, less enzymes are produced. For this reason, food passes through the gastrointestinal tract faster. The formation process is completed by an average of 3-5 years, so the stool rate varies depending on age.

Loose stools are the absolute norm for children under six months of age who are breastfed. The first 2-3 months of life, babies empty their intestines after each feeding (6-10 times a day), while the consistency of feces is liquid.

As the child develops, beneficial bacteria colonize the intestines, organs that secrete digestive enzymes develop, so the number of bowel movements increases, and the density of feces increases.

For babies whose diet is dominated by mixtures, the stool norm is different: the feces are more formed, the number of bowel movements does not exceed 3.

After the introduction of complementary foods (at 4-6 months), the baby's stool changes. Babies walk in a big way up to 2 times a day, the consistency of feces depends on the foods consumed.

After a year, most children switch to normal nutrition, so they call diarrhea watery stools more often 5-7 times a day with a pungent odor. Depending on the cause of diarrhea, the color, smell and consistency of feces may vary.

Classification of diarrhea in children

There are several types of diarrhea in children:

Infectious.

Indigestion caused by the penetration of viruses and bacteria into the child's body (dysentery, intestinal flu, salmonellosis).

Toxic.

Diarrhea caused by chemical poisoning: mercury, arsenic, household chemicals.

Alimentary.

Indigestion is associated with the peculiarities of nutrition, may be caused by intolerance to a certain product.

Dyspeptic.

Diarrhea is a symptom of enzyme deficiency in pathologies of the pancreas, small intestine or liver.

Medical.

Diarrhea develops after prolonged use of drugs (usually antibiotics) due to a violation of the intestinal microflora.

Neurogenic.

Diarrhea occurs after an experienced fright or stress due to a violation of the nervous regulation of intestinal motility.

Any kind of diarrhea can be acute - it occurs suddenly, the symptoms develop rapidly.

Chronic diarrhea occurs due to intestinal irritation, loose stools do not stop for several weeks. Violation can be caused by diseases of the digestive system or lactose intolerance.

In children's intestines, the mucosa is thin, toxins easily penetrate the circulatory system, so diarrhea is often accompanied by vomiting and high fever. This condition leads to intense fluid loss, especially if the child is less than 3 years old. Rapid dehydration is very dangerous, it disrupts the entire body and can be fatal.

Causes of chronic diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea that lasts for several weeks or months with periodic exacerbations is a symptom of a general disease or pathology of the digestive tract:

Celiac disease is gluten intolerance.

The violation is very rare, diarrhea begins after eating foods with gluten. This vegetable protein is found in wheat, rye, and oats. The disease is accompanied by constant diarrhea, severe gas formation.

Dysbacteriosis.

Imbalance between good and bad bacteria in the gut. It develops due to the use of antibiotics.

lactase deficiency.

Manifested by diarrhea after eating dairy products. It occurs due to a lack of an enzyme in the body that breaks down milk sugar.

Intestinal diseases of a non-infectious nature (Crohn's disease, Duodenitis, irritable bowel syndrome) cause inflammation of the mucosa, increase peristalsis, so food comes out very quickly.

Chronic diarrhea leads to a violation of the absorption of useful substances, a decrease in intelligence and a developmental delay (mental and physical). This condition requires urgent medical treatment.

In the case of celiac disease, a gluten-free diet must be followed for life.

Causes of acute diarrhea

Most often, children develop acute diarrhea. Violation of the stool can be caused by a variety of reasons:

Features of nutrition.

The intestinal microflora and the immune system of children are very unstable, so diarrhea can appear after eating new foods. Such symptoms are often observed with the introduction of complementary foods.

In infants, diarrhea may occur due to the product eaten by the mother.

Medicines.

Diarrhea can be a side effect of certain medications: choleretic, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics. Diarrhea occurs due to the development of dysbacteriosis, long-term treatment or dosage violations.

Infections not associated with the gastrointestinal tract: tonsillitis, otitis media, rhinitis.

These diseases are accompanied by the formation of mucus in the nasopharynx, which drains into the stomach and changes the consistency of feces. In children under one year, diarrhea often occurs against the background of teething.

Food and chemical poisoning.

One of the most common causes of diarrhea in children. Toxic substances enter the body when consuming stale or low-quality products.

Intestinal infections caused by bacteria and viruses (dysentery, rotovirus, salmonellosis, staphylococcus aureus).

Children attending kindergarten and school are susceptible to such diseases. Infection occurs through contact with the carrier and non-compliance with personal hygiene.

Dr. Komarovsky's comment that diarrhea in itself is not a diagnosis, but occurs as a result of some disease.

Associated symptoms of diarrhea

Diarrhea rarely occurs as an independent phenomenon, it is usually accompanied by other symptoms:

nausea and vomiting;
flatulence;
abdominal pain, usually cramping;
the appearance in the feces of mucus, blood or undigested food.

An increase in temperature and vomiting accompanying diarrhea is a sign of the penetration of a pathological organism into the body of a child. Symptoms appear 8-12 hours after the onset of diarrhea.

With each bowel movement and bout of vomiting, the child loses 100 to 300 ml of fluid, moisture evaporates through the skin, which leads to rapid dehydration.

Signs of dehydration:

weakness, sometimes loss of consciousness;
convulsions;
rare urination, urine of a rich yellow color;
disappearance of shine in the eyes;
dry mouth and lips;
frequent heartbeat;
lowering blood pressure.

Frequent bowel movements cause irritation of the rectum and anus, a rash and redness may appear around it.

All colors of slime: from white to black

With infectious diarrhea, mucus appears in the feces, its smell becomes very sharp. The cause of diarrhea can be judged by the color of the feces:

With bleeding of the lower and middle sections of the intestine.

Green

With diarrhea caused by a bacterial or viral infection, the child will have green stools.

Black

This color is typical for stomach bleeding.

Bright yellow

If a child has yellow feces, then this indicates dyspeptic disorders.

White

With enzyme deficiency, white feces appear.

Stool with blood

The appearance of blood in the feces is a very dangerous symptom that occurs when the intestines are damaged.

How can diarrhea be treated

Diarrhea in a child is not always a sign of infection or poisoning. If there is no temperature, the baby is active, there are no suspicious inclusions in the feces, treatment can be done at home.

You can't do without professional help if:

the temperature has risen sharply;
vomiting started;
the child is very weak;
there is blood, foam in the stool;
stools have acquired an atypical color;
diarrhea does not stop for more than a day.

Children under one year of age deserve special attention. Due to their low weight, they lose fluid very quickly, dehydration develops very quickly.

If such symptoms occur, you should contact the infectious diseases department. After examining the child and studying the stool, treatment is prescribed. If a bacteriological or viral nature of diarrhea is suspected, a laboratory study of feces is performed.

Treatment in a hospital lasts several days and depends on the age, condition of the child and the type of infection.

First aid: what to do to stop diarrhea?

Alimentary diarrhea can be stopped at home. To do this, it is enough to exclude the irritating factor - any food. Usually after a few hours, loose stools disappear.

It happens that against the background of the disorder, the appetite remains at the same level and the child asks to eat. You can offer him a cracker or unleavened biscuits with weakly brewed tea.

dairy products;
fresh fruits, vegetables and juice from them;
solid food.

The biggest danger with prolonged diarrhea is dehydration. To make up for the lost fluid, you need to give clean water to drink after each bowel movement, weak tea (weakly sweet without lemon), dried fruit compote.

If diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, the amount of liquid should not exceed 20 ml, but you need to drink every 10-15 minutes.

Babies do not stop breastfeeding. At the same time, it must be remembered that mother's milk will not be able to compensate for the fluid lost by the body, therefore, between feedings, 5 ml of water must be poured into the child's mouth.

While waiting for an ambulance, you can give an absorbent (Smecta or Activated charcoal). These drugs are not absorbed into the bloodstream, so they are harmless even for babies.

Medications and preparations for children with diarrhea

Drug therapy for diarrhea in children consists of several areas:

Restoration of water-salt balance.

To do this, use Regidron or Glucosalan. The drug in the form of a powder is diluted in warm water and given in small sips after 5-10 minutes.

Removal of toxins.

Absorbent preparations will cope with this task: Activated carbon (in powder, tablets or in the form of a gel), Smecta, Enterosgel. These funds absorb not only toxins, but also molecules of other medicines, so you need to observe an interval of 1.5-2 hours between different drugs.

For antibacterial effects, Levomecithin, Enturol, Furozalidon are used.
Restoration of microflora is carried out with the help of probiotics and prebiotics: Linex, Enterol, Bifiform Baby.
Normalization of peristalsis.

With diarrhea, accompanied by uncontrolled contraction of the intestine, Loperamide or Imodium is prescribed.

If diarrhea is caused by the waste products of helminths in combination with symptomatic treatment, antihelminthic drugs are prescribed (Nemozol, Pirontel).

The type, form and dosage of drugs for diarrhea in children is determined by the pediatrician. It is strictly forbidden to use medicines intended for adults.

Traditional medicine at home

In addition to the main treatment, you can use proven recipes for informal medicine:

Rice for stool

2 tablespoons of cereals are washed once and poured into hot water (about half a liter).

Cook over low heat for 35-45 minutes. The cooled broth is ground until smooth and give the child 1-2 tablespoons several times an hour.

Decoction of bird cherry

A handful of dry berries are poured with 2 cups of boiling water and simmered in a water bath for half an hour. After cooling, the liquid is filtered and given to the child in 20 ml after 2 hours. For children under 3 years old, a teaspoon is enough.

Decoction of oak bark

It solves several problems at once: it makes the feces denser, eliminates the process of inflammation on the mucous membrane and destroys some microbes. It is easy to prepare: oak bark is poured with boiling water in a ratio of 1: 2 and heated in a water bath for 20 minutes. The cooled liquid should be drunk 50 ml 4-5 times a day.

Rosehip decoction

Contains many vitamins, it is recommended to drink it instead of tea with signs of dehydration. It is very simple to prepare the product: a handful of rose hips are poured with a liter of water and boiled for 7-10 minutes. The container with the broth is left to infuse for an hour under a warm blanket.

Chamomile tea

It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents. Its reception with diarrhea soothes the inflamed mucosa and eliminates discomfort. The plant can be added to regular tea or brewed separately (1 tablespoon per cup of boiling water).

Despite the complete naturalness, the listed funds may have an undesirable effect, so be sure to consult your doctor before using chamomile.

Nutrition and diet during treatment

It is desirable to make the first day of diarrhea “hungry”, since any food has an irritating effect. In extreme cases, it is allowed to give unsweetened crackers or cookies.

Starting from the second day, you can add water porridge (oatmeal or rice), grated dietary meat, vegetable broths, low-fat cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs into the diet. All food should be cooked without adding spices.

With normal diarrhea, such a diet is observed for no more than a week, if the diarrhea is caused by an infection, it is extended until complete recovery.

To prevent diarrhea in children, it is necessary to strictly observe the rules of hygiene, subject meat and fish dishes to heat treatment, wash vegetables and fruits with soap.

Diarrhea is a dangerous condition that requires immediate attention. Frequent loose stools, regardless of the reasons that caused it, can threaten the child with dehydration. Therefore, it is impossible to delay the choice of treatment. Folk remedies for diarrhea in children are a collection of proven recipes that are effectively used at home. When choosing a suitable method, the diagnosis and the age of the small patient should be taken into account. Some of the presented recipes are universal, and can be used to treat children of all ages with dosage adjustments.

The main causes of the disorder

Before dealing with the question, if the child has diarrhea, what to do at home, it is necessary to establish the cause of the ailment. Diarrhea can be caused by a variety of factors. Eating fatty or heavy foods, changing water or climate, new foods, or even emotional arousal can all trigger loose stools. In this case, the treatment of diarrhea does not imply any specific therapy, and diet correction is sufficient to eliminate the unpleasant symptom.

When choosing what to feed your baby, give preference to healthy and light food that will be easy to digest. Divide the daily rate into 5-6 doses, do not overfeed.

But often the cause of diarrhea is such serious diseases as viral or bacterial infections, a violation of the intestinal microflora, or inflammation of the digestive system. In this situation, it will not be possible to cure diarrhea in children with folk remedies, and medications can only temporarily relieve the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, only the attending physician should be involved in drawing up a treatment regimen. Depending on the diagnosis, he will select the allowed drugs in accordance with the age of the baby and tell you what can be given to the child at home in order to shorten the recovery period.

Treatment of diarrhea in infants folk remedies

The younger the baby, the more dangerous for him loose stools. At home, from diarrhea for children up to a year, it is customary to use rice water and herbal infusions that have astringent properties. Also, rehydration therapy becomes an obligatory component of treatment.

Homemade solution of Regidron. Since dehydration in infants begins very quickly, with abundant diarrhea, Regidron is given even before the arrival of an ambulance or the arrival of a pediatrician. If a bag of powder is not at hand, you can prepare it at home. To do this, in a glass of boiled water 1 tbsp. l. sugar and 1 tsp. salt. We take all the ingredients without a top. Drink the baby's solution every 10 minutes for several sips.
Rice broth. Sticky rice decoction envelops the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, providing an anti-inflammatory effect. At the same time, it absorbs excess fluid and eliminates flatulence, reducing intestinal motility. To prepare it, boil 1 s. l. rice in a glass of water for 45-50 minutes. Strain the finished broth, and take it warm every 2 hours. The dosage for children up to a year is 2-3 sips per dose. For children aged 2 years and older, the dose can be increased to 50 ml. The prescription is not used to treat bacterial diarrhea, as this can make it difficult to remove pathogens.
Decoction of oak bark. To prepare a decoction for a small child, use 1 tsp. bark by boiling it in 250 ml of water for 10 minutes. The finished product is infused for half an hour, after which it is filtered and given to the baby every two hours for several sips. Pay attention to the color of the decoction, if the product is too concentrated, dilute with water before use. For older children, the intake regimen remains the same, but at the same time a more saturated infusion is prepared.
Chicory. Pour boiling water over dried chicory flowers and boil for 5 minutes. Wait for the product to infuse and cool, then strain. Infants with diarrhea are given 1 tsp. after 2-3 hours, for children over three years old, the dosage is 1 tbsp. l.
Chamomile tea. The simplest remedy for diarrhea is a decoction of chamomile. The infusion has a powerful antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect, which quickly relieves spasm in the intestines and inhibits the activity of pathogenic microflora. A warm decoction of chamomile is given to a baby every hour for several tablespoons.

Effective remedies for children from one year and older

One of the basic rules for treating diarrhea in children at home is no self-activity! First, we establish the cause of the disorder, and only then we proceed to the choice of a method for eliminating diarrhea in a child at home.

Methods for treating diarrhea in infants are also suitable for older children. Separately, consider additional ways to stop diarrhea in children older than a year:

Serpentine mountaineer. The serpentine root contains a large amount of tannins that have a beneficial effect on the intestinal walls. Its main advantage is the absence of toxic elements in the composition and, as a result, absolute safety for patients of any age. Boil the crushed root of the snake mountaineer in slightly boiling water for 10 minutes (1 tsp per 200 ml of water). Strain the finished broth, and give the child 20 ml twice a day.
Bananas for indigestion. Every hour, a small patient needs to eat one ripe banana. In addition to the fact that the pulp of the yellow fruit has an astringent effect and helps to quickly eliminate diarrhea, bananas make up for the lack of potassium lost along with copious stools. This method can be used to treat diarrhea in a child over the age of 3 years.
Baked and fresh apples. How to treat loose stools so that it is tasty and safe? Give your child apples! Due to the high content of vitamin C and pectin, apples effectively bind the toxins that caused diarrhea. To achieve the desired effect, the child is given an apple every hour, pre-baked or grated.
Pomegranate peels. Pomegranate bark has antiseptic, antibacterial and astringent properties. But it contains alkaloids known for their toxic effects on the body. So the method is suitable for the treatment of diarrhea in children over the age of 7 years. To prepare the infusion, pour 1 tbsp. l. Pour chopped peels into a thermos and pour boiling water (0.5 l), then leave in a closed container for 4 hours. Strain the finished infusion, and give the child several times a day, 1 tsp.
Black peppercorns. This method is used to eliminate the cause of poisoning, that is, to remove toxins. For medicinal purposes, it is necessary to give the child 4-5 black peppercorns. Pepper must be swallowed without chewing, and washed down with water.

Medications to treat diarrhea in children

If you're not sure what your child's diet might be causing the diarrhea, check with your pediatrician. You will need to tell your doctor about your baby's diet, any accompanying symptoms, and even previous events that could also have caused the infection.

With a bacterial or viral infection, folk remedies will be ineffective, since most of them do not eliminate the cause of diarrhea. Often, even with dysbacteriosis, home therapy is not enough. In all these situations, medical artillery will be required, which should be selected by a specialist. Parents themselves cannot do anything here.

All drugs intended for the treatment of diarrhea and approved for use at home can be divided into several groups:

Enterosorbents - bind and remove toxins, most often used to treat food poisoning. In pediatrics, the use of drugs such as Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel is allowed.
Probiotics are useful bacteria used to eliminate dysbacteriosis, intestinal disorders while taking antibiotics and in the complex treatment of intestinal infections. Among them are Bifiform, Linex, Bifidumbacterin, Laktiale.

Antimicrobial and antidiarrheal agents are rarely used in pediatric practice, their appointment is indicated only for acute intestinal infections in a hospital setting.

When home treatment is dangerous

Home treatment for diarrhea does not replace consultation with a pediatrician. Most likely, to establish an accurate diagnosis, you will need to take tests and be examined by a gastroenterologist.

But there are situations when it is impossible to continue self-treatment. Closely monitor the condition of the child and at the first sign of danger, call an ambulance. These serious symptoms include:

severe abdominal pain, regardless of their location;
frequent episodes of diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours, despite the measures taken;
intense vomiting;
darkening of urine or lack of urination during the last 6-7 hours;
detection of blood particles in the feces;
persistent rise in temperature;
dry tongue and discoloration of the skin;
sunken eyeballs.

When choosing a way to cure diarrhea in a child without the help of specialists, parents must understand the full degree of responsibility. Therefore, carefully evaluate the condition of your crumbs, and only then choose the right remedy. But remember that there is not always time for experiments with traditional medicine.

Fortunately, in developed countries, diarrhea is not included in the list of life-threatening diseases. Diarrhea is most often caused by infections that are not characterized by a protracted course and associated complications. However, parents need to know what to do to relieve symptoms and treat diarrhea at home, and why do children get diarrhea more often than adults?

Causes and treatment of diarrhea in children

Diarrhea is the body's natural response to an intestinal infection. Thus, he tries to get rid of the pathogenic microflora. Diarrhea is often accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, and dehydration. The most common reasons why children suffer from diarrhea are:

Preventing dehydration is the first thing to consider when treating viral gastroenteritis, which lasts 5 to 14 days. By itself, water for these purposes will not be enough, as it lacks sodium, potassium and other trace elements that the body loses during diarrhea. Therefore, infants need to increase the portion of breast milk, and older children should be given oral rehydration solution. A sweet solution for dehydration can be popsicles.

If the child has diarrhea after returning from abroad. It is necessary to immediately hand over the stool for analysis. To rule out life-threatening infections.

Medications, especially antibiotics, can cause diarrhea not only in children but also in adults. To treat mild diarrhea caused by the use of drugs, it is enough to give the child enough fluids. If diarrhea was provoked by antibiotics, which, one way or another, must be used. Seek medical advice. The doctor will reduce the dosage, prescribe probiotics, or replace the drug.

Studies have shown that yogurt with live cultures or probiotics can help relieve diarrhea caused by antibiotics. Live bacteria contained or pharmaceutical probiotics contribute to the restoration of the microflora destroyed by antibiotics.

Food poisoning is another common cause of diarrhea in children. With food poisoning, the symptoms of diarrhea develop rapidly. Occurs: vomiting, abdominal pain, fever. The diarrhea usually goes away within 24 hours.

Treatment of diarrhea at home caused by food poisoning is not much different from the fight against viral gastroenteritis. It is enough to ensure the necessary hydration of the child's body and, in case of deterioration of health, call a doctor.

Rarely, diarrhea in children can be caused by irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, or food allergies.

Other causes of diarrhea include irritable bowel disease, Crohn's disease, food allergies, and celiac disease. If you're not sure what caused the diarrhea, it's best to see your doctor.

Signs of dehydration with diarrhea

Dehydration is one of the most worrying complications of diarrhea in children. Mild diarrhea usually does not cause significant fluid loss, but moderate or severe diarrhea is characterized by dehydration. Severe dehydration is dangerous; since it can cause seizures, brain damage, even death.

Call your doctor right away if your child has:

Dizziness
sticky sweat
Dark yellow, very little or no urine at all
No tears while crying
Cold dry skin
Loss of energy, fatigue

Diarrhea usually goes away after a few days, but can sometimes lead to complications. If your child has any of these symptoms, don't put off seeing a doctor.

Diarrhea lasts more than three days
Baby less than 6 months old
Yellow or green vomit
Body temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius
There is blood in the stool
Had several episodes of diarrhea in a month
Abdominal pain lasts more than two hours

Treatment of diarrhea in children with folk remedies

The safest and most effective home remedy for diarrhea in children is ginger. Ginger can not only relieve the symptom, it successfully defeats the root cause: bacterial infections. Ginger improves blood circulation and kills bacteria in the stomach and intestines.

Oak bark is also an effective and mild home remedy for diarrhea in children. For diarrhea, a decoction or tincture of oak bark is used. For 0.5 liters of boiled water, take 2–2.5 tablespoons of bark, insist. Take 50-70 gr. 3 times a day.

Rice water can be used to treat diarrhea in very young children. To prepare it, add 1.5 teaspoons of rice to 0.5 liters of water. The broth is cooked over low heat for about 40 minutes. Now it remains to cool and strain the finished remedy for diarrhea. Let the baby drink at least half a tablespoon of rice water after each meal with an interval of two hours.

Komarovsky about intestinal infections

A disease such as diarrhea in children, the treatment of which at home is effective if it is started in a timely manner, is quite common. The warm season, poorly washed fruits or berries, insufficient hand hygiene after the street, infections and viruses - all this can cause an unpleasant illness in children.

A little about the disease

Every mother sooner or later faces such an unpleasant child's illness as diarrhea. It may be a separate disorder, or it may be a symptom of another illness, such as the flu or an intestinal infection. Almost no one is immune from this disease, even if you protect the child from all infections, the insidious virus can still break through. Therefore, every mother should know how to deal with diarrhea at home.

Diarrhea can affect children of all ages. Most often, diarrhea occurs in younger students who do not bother with extra hygiene and pull dirty foods into their mouths. Diarrhea is very dangerous in young children, especially infants. This may indicate the presence of an intestinal or other infection in the body.

According to the World Health Organization, diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in childhood. Around 700,000 children die from it every year worldwide. Residents of southern countries are at risk, where various intestinal infections are quite common, and food quickly deteriorates. The lack of clean drinking water also negatively affects the course of the disease and only aggravates it. Diarrhea is a disease that every second child between the ages of 0 and 15 suffers every year.

Causes of diarrhea in children

Mild diarrhea can appear for no apparent reason after eating any product. For example, if a child drinks a lot of juice or has eaten several large pears, his stool becomes "weak". Frequent urge to go to the toilet becomes a cause for concern, the stool becomes almost liquid, the child may begin to be disturbed by pain in the abdomen or a fever.

The main cause of diarrhea in children is various intestinal disorders. They happen because of unwashed fruits, vegetables and berries, dirty hands, insufficiently purified water. A child can quickly develop an acute intestinal infection that is easily passed on to other family members.

The second reason: diarrhea can be caused by general intoxication with an infectious infection of the body. Most often accompanied by high fever, weakness, severe headache. Abdominal pain may be absent. In this case, it is not the diarrhea itself that should be treated, but its cause - a viral or bacterial infection.

There are a number of other reasons that cause diarrhea in a child:

Symptoms of diarrhea in children

It is important for every mother to know how simple diarrhea differs from a serious illness. In some cases, the chair speaks of a slight disorder, and in which of a strong intoxication of the body.

Children under the age of 9 usually have several episodes of diarrhea per year. Most often, it goes away on its own without much anxiety and additional symptoms, but in some cases the disease drags on and becomes a threat to the life of the child.

Ways to treat diarrhea in children

Depending on the course of the disease, the frequency of urging to the toilet and the condition of the child himself, methods of its treatment are also distinguished.

In the absence of high temperature, blood in the stool, when the child feels normal, he has no other signs of severe intoxication, you can be treated at home with folk remedies. It should be remembered that a sharp increase in temperature, severe lethargy, blood discharge, severe vomiting can signal a serious illness. The child must be immediately isolated from other children and adults and immediately consult a doctor.

The main problem with diarrhea is dehydration. Due to diarrhea and vomiting, a large amount of fluid leaves it, the necessary trace elements and minerals are washed out, the child quickly loses nutrients. This can not only aggravate his condition, but also become a threat to life. Severe dehydration can be indicated by dry skin, mucous membranes, corneas of the eye, and intense thirst.

Many folk remedies for diarrhea are aimed not only at strengthening the stool, but also at replenishing the water-salt balance of the body. With a strong bowel disorder and poisoning, it is necessary to consume a large amount of mineral water without gas. This will help maintain the level of minerals in the body.

Even with severe poisoning, the child needs to eat. With diarrhea, there is practically no appetite, and the stomach is not able to cope with heavy food. It will be useful for a child to use a grated apple (it can be pre-baked).

As a drink, you can use strong tea with the addition of bird cherry flowers or pomegranate peel. It is recommended for indigestion to drink an infusion of viburnum berries with the addition of honey. To do this, they are poured with boiling water and boiled for ten minutes. You can use a decoction with the addition of honey for half a glass before each meal.

Garlic slurry will help with severe diarrhea. But you can use this tool only for children from 10 years old, half a teaspoon per day. This medicine has many contraindications, but at the same time it fights well with microbes in the intestines.

Banana pulp will help to cope with the unpleasant consequences of diarrhea in young children. This fruit does not contain coarse fibers, and pectin, which is abundant in banana pulp, helps restore the intestinal mucosa after an upset. In addition, the banana is very tasty, such a treatment will be pleasant to almost all children.

Rice broth will help strengthen the stupas. This is the most common folk remedy for diarrhea, both in young children and adults. The recipe is quite simple: just boil previously peeled rice (you will need several times more water than with conventional cooking). Water after cooking must be drained into a separate bowl, where then strongly squeeze the rice. The gluten of this cereal will help normalize bowel function.

If a baby over a year old has diarrhea, but at the same time he feels good, his appetite does not disappear, he does not act up, there is no temperature and vomiting, you should not be very worried. Perhaps this is "physiological diarrhea" not associated with an acute intestinal infection. Diarrhea can be a reaction to a new product, water change, climate change, moving, stressful situations, etc. How to treat diarrhea in a child in this case? Usually such diarrhea happens once, passes quickly and does not require special treatment with medications.

Causes

The causes of diarrhea in children sometimes lie on the surface: they ate something wrong or too much, and even with unwashed hands. Diarrhea is a very common symptom of various diseases. It is impossible to neglect its appearance, especially in a child of preschool age.

irritable bowel syndrome

This diagnosis is often made in children 1 to 5 years of age who have chronic diarrhea (more than 2 weeks in a row). It is placed when the stool and urine tests are in order, no intestinal pathogens or pathologies are found. What treatment can a doctor prescribe?

Psychological work with parents. The main task of the doctor is to convince parents that diarrhea is not dangerous. The psycho-emotional state of the parents is important for the recovery of the child. In some cases, work with a psychotherapist and psychologist is required.
Diet. You must adhere to a strict diet prescribed by your doctor. Sweets are completely excluded.
Hospitalization. Indicated if the diet does not help. If the diarrhea stops in the hospital, this once again confirms that the cause of the baby's diarrhea is in the psycho-emotional sphere.

The cause of irritable bowel has not been fully identified. Many doctors are inclined to believe that the main factor is the psychological state of the child, negative emotions, fears, stress, and an unfavorable atmosphere in the family.

Why does the temperature

Diarrhea and fever in a child are symptoms that may indicate the infectious and non-infectious nature of the disease.

Infection. Acute intestinal infections are characterized by high fever. Also, it, in combination with diarrhea, vomiting, and acute abdominal pain, may indicate cases of acute surgery. The cause of diarrhea and fever can be a viral infection and its complications - tonsillitis, scarlet fever, measles, rubella, otitis media.
Indigestion. This term is often used in everyday life when a child ate a food that his immature digestive system could not cope with due to a lack of enzymes. The baby may also be allergic to some food or medicine. The temperature rise in this case is insignificant, the diarrhea passes quickly.

High temperature with diarrhea must be brought down with antipyretics. You definitely need to call a doctor.

Diarrhea treatment

How to cure diarrhea in a child at home? In order not to harm the health of the baby, you need to remember two important and safe ways.

Hungry pause or sparing diet. Usually the child himself refuses food. You can't force feed him. Some modern pediatricians believe that a hungry pause can harm a child and lead to rapid weight loss, protein imbalance in the body, and a long recovery after an illness. At least if a child has diarrhea at 1 year old, a hungry pause is contraindicated for him. Moreover, it cannot be used as a treatment for infants. But if the child is 4-5 years old, he may well go without food for a while. A hungry pause can be replaced by a sparing diet.
Plentiful drink. It is necessary to replenish the loss of fluid by the body at any age. The older the baby, the greater the volume of drinking should be. How to cook and how much to give, read below.

What else can you do if your child has diarrhea? In this situation, it is important to know how not to "treat".

You can not immediately stop diarrhea with antidiarrheal drugs. With an intestinal infection, do not rush to get rid of diarrhea and vomiting, because in this way the body is freed from toxins. At the very least, it is not necessary to give medicines for diarrhea in the first hours of illness. To help cleanse the body, in addition to drinking, you can give the child an enema with water at room temperature. Anti-diarrhea medicines should not be given if the child has a high temperature, there is blood in the stool.
The use of "Smecta" and other enterosorbents. With abundant, frequent diarrhea, the child loses a lot of fluid. It is necessary to monitor his condition, if necessary, you need to give an antidiarrheal agent. The safest medicine for diarrhea for children under one year old and older babies is the Smecta enterosorbent. It contains an astringent, it quickly restores the affected intestinal mucosa, and has absorbent properties.
It is necessary to treat not the symptom of diarrhea, but the root cause of the disease. It is important to establish it, and only then prescribe treatment. Let the doctor tell you better than to treat diarrhea in a child, and not a neighbor or an alarmed grandmother. You can not use any medications, except for enterosorbents, without the appointment of a pediatrician. The doctor must establish a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. If the baby has an acute intestinal infection, he must be examined, in severe forms - hospitalized. For bacterial intestinal infections, antibiotic treatment is effective.

Diet for diarrhea

What should be the diet for diarrhea in children?

Fractionality. Increase the number of meals and reduce portions by half. The child can eat during the day 6 times.
The frequency of meals. It is recommended to skip one or two meals in a serious condition, when the baby refuses to eat. Portions should be twice as small.
Worn food. You can rub through a sieve or grind in a blender.
First day. They start with mashed soups based on cereals (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal) and cereals cooked in water from the same cereals without adding oil.
Second day. White bread crackers, biscuit cookies, boiled potatoes without oil are added.
The third day. Pediatricians of the old school can prescribe a diet for diarrhea in a child under the “code name” BRYAS: this includes bananas, rice, applesauce, crackers. You can also add low-fat cottage cheese. Applesauce can be replaced with baked apples.
Fourth day. Included in the diet is fresh biokefir without low-fat additives.
Fifth day. With good health and the presence of a heroic appetite, you can offer the child cutlets or meatballs from turkey, chicken, veal, lean fish, steamed.

What to give a child with diarrhea? Only freshly prepared and high quality dishes. What to exclude from the menu? Milk, cream, sour cream, full-fat cottage cheese, nuts, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, fresh bread, rolls, sweets, sugary drinks. As well as fried, spicy, smoked, marinated dishes, meat broths. Food and drink should be served warm.

What and how to drink a child with diarrhea

With diarrhea, it is important to replace the loss of fluid. What drinks are best to offer the baby?

electrolyte solutions. Designed to restore and maintain the water-salt balance in the body. A universal remedy: you can give it to a baby, and with diarrhea in a child of 3 years. In the pharmacy, you can buy special powders from which these solutions are made. The most famous of them is Regidron.
Self-prepared solution. If it is not possible to buy a ready-made mixture, you can prepare a solution at home. To do this, dilute in 1 liter of boiled water 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of soda, 1 tablespoon of sugar. The liquid is stored for no more than 24 hours.
Volume of liquid. The child should drink the solution at the rate of: 50 ml per kilogram of weight. If he has a desire to drink more, you need to give as much as he wants. You need to drink after each bout of diarrhea or vomiting. It is important to give drink in fractional portions. If the baby vomited, you need to offer him a drink again.
Dried fruits compote. It is indicated for all diseases of the intestines, contains potassium and magnesium salts, which are necessary to maintain the water-salt balance during diarrhea.
Raisin compote. Raisin decoction is nutritious, gives the body the necessary minerals and trace elements.
Weak green tea. It contains bioactive substances and trace elements that normalize bowel function.
Alkaline mineral water. Should be non-carbonated and warm.

If the child refuses to drink within a few hours, and the diarrhea gets worse, you need to urgently seek medical help.

Medicines for diarrhea

Table - Overview of diarrhea medicines for children

Enterosorbents	They have sorption properties, remove toxins from the body	Activated carbon, Gastrolit, Smecta, Polyphepan, Polysorb, Filtrum-STI, Enterosgel
Probiotics	Useful bacteria for the body, prescribed for dysbacteriosis, taking antibiotics, intestinal infections	Acipol, Atsilakt, Bifidumbacterin, Bifiform, Linex, Hilak Forte
Antimicrobial	They are prescribed for intestinal infections, slow down peristalsis, stop diarrhea	Nifuroxazide, Sulfaguanidine, Ftalazol, Enterofuril; for children after a year: Sulgin, Furazolidone, Enterol
vegetable	They have an antiseptic, astringent, antidiarrheal effect.	Bilberry fruits, bird cherry, St.

Effective folk remedies: 7 recipes

Folk remedies for diarrhea for children are decoctions and tinctures from various herbs, compotes and jelly from dried berries and dried fruits, etc.

Rice broth. Perhaps the most popular remedy for diarrhea in children and adults. How to cook it? 1-2 tablespoons of rice are placed on half a liter of water, simmered over low heat for about 30 minutes. Then you need to “evaporate” the broth for 20 minutes, covering the pan with something warm. It is advisable to give on the first day of diarrhea 3-4 times a day, 50 g or 100 g (volume depends on age) in a warm form. Rice broth not only has an astringent effect, normalizes bowel function, but also nourishes a weakened body.
Kissel. Prepared on the basis of starch, which acts as a sorbent, has a calming effect. In addition, it is also "tasty" with a strict diet during diarrhea. It is better for jelly to take not fresh berries and fruits, but dried ones.
Oatmeal jelly. For cooking you will need: half a liter of oxen, 3 tablespoons of oatmeal (not cereal). Boil for 15 minutes, then let it brew for about an hour. Give to drink jelly 50 or 100 g twice a day.
Dried pear compote. They have an astringent effect. It is advisable to cook compote without sugar (or with a minimum content), because sugar provokes fermentation processes in the intestines.
Dried blueberries. Compote or jelly is prepared from it. Blueberries have an antiseptic, astringent effect.
Decoctions based on tannins. It can be a decoction of oak bark or rhizomes of urban gravilate. For 15 g of crushed bark or rhizome, you need 1 glass of water. Cook the broth in a water bath for about 30 minutes. Give 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
A decoction of the collection of herbs. Take 1 teaspoon of oregano, chamomile, yarrow, pour a glass of boiling water and insist in a water bath for 30 minutes. Offer the child to drink 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day.

Alternative methods of treatment sometimes lead to unpredictable results. Great care must be taken with herbs and their dosages. Children often have acute allergic reactions to them. If you have any doubts about the use of a folk remedy, it is better to check with your doctor. You can not use recipes using alcohol, pepper, pomegranate peel, walnut.

In what situations you need to urgently consult a doctor

The listed symptoms should serve as a signal for immediate action:

severe pain in the abdomen;
profuse and frequent diarrhea during the day, which is not eliminated by a hungry pause and drinking;
profuse vomiting, which prevents the child from drinking;
dark urine - fluid deficiency;
no urine for 6 hours;
feces with blood;
a sharp increase in temperature;
dry tongue, grayish skin;
sunken eyes;
lethargy, weakness.

The most dangerous consequence of prolonged diarrhea is dehydration. It cannot be allowed. And when the question arises of what to do with diarrhea in a child at 2 years old, you will never go wrong if you drink, drink and drink again. If dehydration still could not be avoided, in the hospital, emergency care will be that the baby will be injected with saline intravenously.

What to do after diarrhea

If the baby has run out of diarrhea, his body needs time to recover. How to help and not harm?

Don't overfeed. The child may lose weight during diarrhea. But this does not mean that now he needs to be fed from the belly. It is important during the recovery period to feed the baby more often, in fractional portions, not to overfeed.
Avoid dairy and meat products. A vegetarian diet will benefit the child. How long to diet? This issue must be agreed with the pediatrician. It can last several days or several weeks, depending on the severity of the disease and the cause of the diarrhea.
enzyme deficiency. First of all, there is a lack of enzymes that help digest dairy products, food of animal origin. The doctor may prescribe enzyme therapy for the child in order to quickly resume the normal functioning of the digestive system.

The baby can be very weak after diarrhea. It is advisable to postpone long trips, cultural events, visits, etc. However, his condition should not become an obstacle to calm walks in the fresh air.

Treatment of diarrhea in children at home involves two important principles: a sparing diet and replenishment of fluid loss. If these methods fail to stop diarrhea during the day, and symptoms such as vomiting, fever, dehydration are added to it, you should urgently seek medical help.

Loose stools in a baby up to a year old are considered the norm, since he eats breast milk. And this confuses many parents. They simply do not know how diarrhea occurs in children under one year old.

Causes of diarrhea

There are several causes of diarrhea in an infant up to a year old:

Drinking too much breast milk can lead to indigestion. This is especially true for formula-fed babies.
Diarrhea in a child up to a year occurs due to the predominance of fatty foods in the diet of a nursing mother.
Complementary foods can be given to the baby no earlier than after 6 months.
Some children lack the enzyme lactase to digest milk sugar. Lactose deficiency leads to foam in the stool.
After treatment with antibiotics, the baby has a violation of the microflora, and dysbacteriosis develops.
The cause of diarrhea in children under one year old may be an allergic reaction that occurs in an infant after consuming a new formula.
. The child's gums swell, and profuse salivation begins.

How to distinguish loose stools in a baby from diarrhea?

Diarrhea can be recognized by the following symptoms:

a sick child begins to act up;
there is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements;
the stool becomes more watery;
the baby's temperature rises sharply and the skin turns pale;
the baby suffers from bloating and loses appetite;
a sharp, sour smell emanates from the baby's feces;
diaper rash appears on the skin of the baby;
the baby stops gaining weight.

What are the features of the children's chair?

The newborn is breastfed. His stools are liquid and may contain white lumps. As the baby grows, the consistency becomes thicker.

Bowel movements can occur 5 times a day. You should not compare the chair of an adult and a child. The baby eats mostly liquid food. His feces with such a diet cannot be dense. The frequency of stools depends on the nature of the diet and the amount of digestive enzymes.

An alarming symptom is the appearance of mucus and foam in the feces. During bowel movements, the baby should not show concern. The child's stool becomes dense only after the introduction of complementary foods.

Diarrhea with artificial feeding

Unlike breast milk, mixtures do not contain substances that promote the growth of normal microflora, and protective immunoglobulins that are found in breast milk.

In newborns, the activity of enzymes is sharply reduced. This complicates the process of digestion. The breakdown of fat takes a particularly long time. In breast milk, fat is in a simpler form, which is much better absorbed in the baby's body.

In artificial mixtures, fat from cow's milk is used. But in the body of babies there is not enough lipase. Deficiency of this enzyme leads to disruption of the process of digestion of the artificial mixture.

The risk of diarrhea in children is much greater than in adults. The reason lies in the anatomical features of babies. The intestines do not have sufficient protection to prevent the development of pathogenic microorganisms. Toxins and microbes easily penetrate the mucous membranes.

Signs of dehydration

Intensive diarrhea in a child up to a year leads to instant dehydration of the child's body. Compensate for the loss of fluid with ordinary water is unlikely to succeed. Fluid in the body of a sick baby does not linger.

It is important for parents to be able to understand in time that the baby develops dehydration. Symptoms of this condition include:

Diarrhea in children under one year old leads to permanent weight loss.
The baby becomes lethargic and asks to be held.
In infants, the urge to urinate becomes less frequent. Urine becomes darker.
The fontanel retracts, and the skin loses its elasticity.
The baby practically does not salivate, dry mouth appears.
The baby cries without tears, as there is not enough fluid in his body.

Treatment of diarrhea in children under Great Dane

If you have diarrhea, do not stop feeding your baby. depends on the baby's diet.

For infants who are bottle-fed, you can choose special mixtures with a therapeutic effect. They help to restore the functioning of the digestive system.

Breast milk contains substances that protect the baby from various infections. It creates favorable conditions for the growth of healthy microflora in the intestines of the baby.

To stop diarrhea from an artificial, you need to purchase a mixture with bifidobacteria.

A nursing mother should not eat foods that have a laxative effect during this period. To eliminate a mild degree of dehydration, you can use mineral water without gas.

In more complex cases, ready-made solutions have to be used. A dehydrated child complains of dry mouth and headache. The skin becomes very dry and loses its elasticity. The kid constantly asks for water, as he cannot compensate for the loss of fluid.

To do this, add half a teaspoon of salt and 8 teaspoons of sugar to boiled water. So that the baby does not refuse to take the solution, it is advisable to add a mashed banana to it.

What to do if indigestion occurs due to food intolerance?

The digestive system cannot instantly readjust to digest new ingredients.

Congenital pathologies can disrupt the digestive process in a baby. Deficiency of essential enzymes can lead to the following diseases:

A sign of celiac disease is the inability to digest cereals.
Many babies do not digest lactose well. Such children should not be fed dairy products.

How to treat infectious diarrhea

A baby at this age is practically defenseless against harmful bacteria. The danger to the child is represented by such infections as Escherichia coli, pathogens of dysentery, salmonellosis and typhoid fever.

You can identify infectious diarrhea by the following signs:

the child suffers from vomiting;
his temperature rises sharply;
profuse diarrhea occurs;
he suffers from excessive gas formation;
the baby does not want to eat and begins to lose weight.

Parents should immediately take the child to the hospital. Babies under one year are very difficult to tolerate infectious diseases. In such a situation, treating diarrhea at home can only aggravate the child's condition.

Treatment of the disorder with folk methods

Be sure to consult your doctor before starting treatment with herbal decoctions.

Lime blossom has long been used as a bactericidal agent. To prepare a linden decoction, pour 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flowers with a liter of boiling water. The solution should be infused for 40 minutes. The tool will not harm even a newborn. Diarrhea should stop within 12 hours of starting treatment.

You can also get rid of diarrhea with the help of aspen buds. Pour 30 grams of raw materials with a liter of water and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. The cooled infusion must be passed through cheesecloth. A decoction should be given to the child for 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day before meals.

It is considered the safest remedy for diarrhea. Rinse a spoonful of cereal with cold water. Bring a liter of water to a boil and add rice to it. The decoction can be used at any age, regardless of the cause of the disease.

A decoction of wild rose has a healing effect. To prepare the infusion, pour 50 grams of dried fruits with 4 cups of boiling water. Close the container with a lid and wait for an hour. The child should be given a decoction of 100 ml 30 minutes before meals.

Diarrhea disease is accompanied by frequent urge to the toilet with loose stools. The cause of diarrhea, both in adults and children, may be unwashed hands, or dirty vegetables, fruits, or poor quality food.

Diarrhea is a fairly common symptom of many types of diseases. And its appearance may be associated with the most common disorder, with infections or viruses.

Therefore, before starting to treat this disease at home, it is necessary to determine the cause and seek help from a doctor.

Quite often, acute diarrhea in children is underestimated by its danger in adults.

Diarrhea seems to be short term and can be easily managed.

And if the symptoms of the disease quickly disappeared on their own or due to treatment, parents do not seek the advice of a specialist.

Loose stools in a child

A small child, unlike an adult, is just beginning to form the immune system, and many processes in the child's body are far from perfect.

In a child, the healing process takes much longer than in an adult. Sometimes diarrhea can take a severe form and for its treatment it is necessary to carry out urgent therapeutic measures.

Since the child dehydrates much faster, and the loss of fluid leads to disturbances in metabolic processes.

As a result, this entails changes associated with the activity of organs in the child's body. The very first suffer from the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system.

What should be alerted in the symptoms of diarrhea

The fact that a child has diarrhea associated with an infectious disease says:

An attack of nausea and vomiting.
Stools are liquid with blood.
Strong headache.
Elevated temperature.

Diarrhea may be unnoticeable or come on suddenly.

Diarrhea from a small child aged one to two years must be stopped as soon as possible, since due to the dehydration of the child's body, deterioration occurs associated with the work of internal organs.

This phenomenon can lead to a child's death.

If green diarrhea is observed in children of one or two years old, this may indicate nutritional problems. Most often, this stool occurs in children who are bottle-fed.

Pull yourself together and do not panic, carefully monitor the condition of the child, his well-being. And if you notice that it has become worse, call your pediatrician immediately.

If a child has diarrhea with an admixture of blood, do not waste time urgently call an ambulance, do not self-medicate and traditional medicine! In this situation, only the treatment of a specialist will help!

In order to find out for what reason the disorder occurred, they must be sent for blood tests. The appearance of diarrhea in a child can be for various reasons:

If the diet has been changed. Sometimes the cause of loose stools can be a change in infant formula. Also, changes in diet can lead to gastrointestinal disorders. Diarrhea in a baby can be from overeating, or if the baby was fed a product that was not appropriate for his age. It may be too fatty food. Considering that the child is still too young, he does not produce enough enzymes, their deficiency occurs. Food that is not completely digested descends to the lower part of the section in the intestine and begins to ferment here. This irritates the intestinal wall and causes an attack of diarrhea.
Diarrhea in children may be due to an infectious or bacterial intestinal infection. Or perhaps the baby is infected with worms. An attack of diarrhea can be caused by bacteria and their toxins. With a decrease in the immune system, there may be damage to the intestines by a fungus. Infection occurs from untreated poor-quality water, from the use of poor-quality food (toxic infection), expired or spoiled dairy products. And finally, from an elementary violation of the rules in personal hygiene. The immunity of the baby to the transferred infection in the intestine is still weak, so you need to protect it from re-infection.
Diarrhea is sometimes a symptom of a serious illness. The causes of diarrhea in children can be from inflammation of the wall in the digestive tract, diverticulosis, intussusception in the intestine. Diarrhea can be caused by an excess of thyroid hormones (hyperticulosis).
Diarrhea can be due to disorders associated with the digestion of food:

with cystic fibrosis;
with lactase deficiency;
with celiac disease;
with a diagnosis associated with Hartnup's disease.

Diarrhea sometimes comes from a food allergy or an imbalance in the intestinal flora (if an antibiotic has been prescribed).

Older children (preschool and school age) may have diarrhea due to irritable bowel or if the child is frightened or nervous.

It should be noted that the appearance of loose stools in a baby is not always an attack of diarrhea. If this is an infant and he is breastfeeding, his stools may be liquid or mushy.

The baby usually recovers ten to twelve times a day. And only with time does he establish a stool regimen. The manifestation of diarrhea is expressed in rapid and irritated stools.

Diarrhea has watery and abundant discharge, gas formation is increased, peristalsis is increased, discomfort is felt in the abdomen, diarrhea occurs more than three times a day (this is in children who receive solid food).

With this diagnosis, the appearance of bloody, mucous or purulent discharge may be observed, and the color of the stool may also change. To all these symptoms, there may be manifestations of dehydration or intoxication.

What to do with diarrhea in children

If the child is breastfed, be sure to continue to feed him with your milk, as mother's milk contains substances that your baby needs so much. These substances are called bifidum-fator.

They contribute to the settlement in the gastrointestinal tract of bacteria necessary for the human body, which resist pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

In the event that the child is bottle-fed, he needs to pick up (on the advice of a pediatrician) mixtures with bifidobacteria (fixing effects).

Be sure to give your baby plenty of water. Pay attention to the condition of the child’s skin, and if it has a dry appearance and can be easily folded and it does not immediately straighten up, his eyes are sunken, he complains of dizziness and pain, dryness in the mouth, does not pee for many hours are signs of dehydration.

Call an ambulance, and start giving rehydration drugs urgently.

Be sure to tell your doctor if your child has:

Does he have abdominal pain?
swelling (especially in the lower legs or feet);
reaction to medications;
whether he suffers from chronic diseases;
whether there were convulsions, shortness of breath;
Are there signs of dehydration?
what was the chair (foamy, whitish).

In the event that diarrhea in children is not accompanied by nausea, vomiting, bloating in the abdomen, temperature, you can give him an antidiuretic drug, Smecta is usually given.

If your child is over five years old, and you know for sure that the disorder could be due to food poisoning.

Call an ambulance, or your family doctor, and after a consultation, apply Polisorb enterosoben (this drug also helps with diarrhea in adults).

With diarrhea, a lot of fluid is lost, so it is necessary to replace the loss. What treatment can be offered to the child?

Solution "Rehydron" (electrolyte). This type of solution is necessary in order to restore or help maintain the water-salt balance in the body. This tool is equally suitable for both infants and babies from three years. This medicine can be purchased at any pharmacy.
In cases where it is not possible to buy Regidron, you can independently prepare the desired solution at home. Take one liter of boiled water and dilute ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of soda and one tablespoon of sugar. The resulting liquid must be stored for a day.
It is necessary to water the baby as follows: take 50 ml of the solution per one kilogram of its weight. If he asks to drink more, you can give more, as much as he wants, but in fractional portions. Give your child water every time after every bout of diarrhea, vomiting. And if he vomited, offer to drink again.
To help restore the lost balance of useful minerals potassium, magnesium, salts, prepare dried fruit compote. This drink will help maintain the water-salt balance. A wonderful compote of raisins will give the body the necessary trace elements and minerals.
A healthy drink made from green tea, it contains the necessary trace elements and bioactive substances in order for the intestines to work properly.
Buy alkaline mineral water, let off the gas and warm it up a bit.

Important! If the baby refuses to drink water for several hours, and the diarrhea becomes stronger, urgently call an ambulance!

Usually in children with bouts of diarrhea there is a refusal to eat. Hunger or a sparing diet is prescribed.

If the child is one year old, then hunger is contraindicated for him, so rapid weight loss will occur, if the child is about four or five years old, he can stay for a certain time without food or on a diet.

Sometimes there are bouts of diarrhea due to the fact that the child was given a complex food or he tried a new type of food for the first time, since the body is not yet fully formed, the baby may have diarrhea for a short time.

Usually, there is bloating, a feeling of discomfort and slight pain in the abdomen.

Difficult foods for children are: fatty and spicy foods, raw vegetables or fruits. Carbonated, sugary drinks and milk combined with these foods can cause diarrhea.

Young children should not be fed fatty fish, pork, duck, goose, peanuts and other whole nuts, raw eggs. It is strictly forbidden to eat fast food dishes.

With the appearance of diarrhea associated with a violation of the diet, health is restored quickly after the child switches to a suitable diet.

Treatment at home

One of the most inexpensive, affordable and safe remedies for the treatment of loose stools can be prepared from rice.

A decoction of rice envelops the intestinal wall and due to this it is not irritated by the action of gastric juice.

Thanks to this, peristalsis improves, and stool begins to form correctly.

Rice broth contains astringents, when it enters the body, excess fluid is absorbed and the intestinal contents thicken.

It also stops fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract. With the help of a decoction, nutrition is provided in the body, and this is very important for diarrhea, since the intake of any food can aggravate the course of the disease.

This tool is equally safe for both children and adults. It does not cause allergic attacks.

Treatment of diarrhea with rice decoction

Take an enamel bowl and pour a little more than half a liter of water into it, when the water boils, add a dessert spoon of rice to it. It is necessary to stir the broth for 45 minutes.

After the rice water has cooled down (room temperature), it is filtered and a ready-made composition is obtained for consumption.

For children, fifty to one hundred milliliters of the solution is enough for every three to four hours a day.

Literally one hour after taking this remedy, the patient will feel an improvement. It is also good to eat rice porridge between meals.

When improvement comes, the rice decoction is replaced with sweetened tea with rye crackers.

Treatment of diarrhea with bird cherry

Bird cherry berries are suitable for the treatment of diarrhea in children and adults. This is the old tried and true method.

The fruits of this tree contain many tannins, they are used in cases where diarrhea is not associated with an infection.

Important! Bird cherry berries are not consumed in large quantities, so when ingested, the substance contained in it turns into hydrocyanic acid.

As you know, it is a potent poison for the body. Therefore, treatment with bird cherry berries is important strictly according to the prescription. For pregnant and lactating women, this recipe is contraindicated!

We prepare a decoction of bird cherry. We wash the collected berries with water and fill them with half a glass, pour them into an enameled pan, pour about two glasses of boiling water into it and keep it in a steam bath for about half an hour.

After that, the finished broth is left to infuse under a closed lid. After we filter and add blueberry juice in equal proportions.

The resulting decoction is given to the child every hour, one tablespoon. If your child is about three years old, the dose should be reduced to one teaspoon every two hours.

Treatment of diarrhea with dried blueberries

The composition of blueberries contains a lot of tannins and pectin. Thanks to them, the treatment of diarrhea at home is carried out successfully. From dried berries, you can make jelly, tea, decoction.

Cooking jelly. We take one tablespoon of berries and three hundred grams of water, 1 teaspoon of starch, sugar to taste. Cooking jelly in the usual way, drinking as much as the child wants to drink.
Blueberry decoction is great. To do this, take about 40 gr. dry berries and pour a glass of water, cook for about twenty minutes over low heat. Drink half a glass about three times a day.
Dry berries can be given in small portions about six times a day, be sure to chew well.

Blueberries are healthy and safe for children, so they can be given without worry.

Diarrhea is a serious disease, in order to properly start it you need to see a doctor. Not always treatment at home can bring success.

This article is for informational purposes only and cannot replace a consultation with a doctor. The health and life of your children is in your hands!

Useful video

Causes

irritable bowel syndrome

Psychological work with parents. The main task of the doctor is to convince parents that diarrhea is not dangerous. The psycho-emotional state of the parents is important for the recovery of the child. In some cases, work with a psychotherapist and psychologist is required.
Diet. You must adhere to a strict diet prescribed by your doctor. Sweets are completely excluded.
Hospitalization. Indicated if the diet does not help. If the diarrhea stops in the hospital, this once again confirms that the cause of the baby's diarrhea is in the psycho-emotional sphere.

Why does the temperature

Diarrhea and fever in a child are symptoms that may indicate the infectious and non-infectious nature of the disease.

Infection. Acute intestinal infections are characterized by high fever. Also, it, in combination with diarrhea, vomiting, and acute abdominal pain, may indicate cases of acute surgery. The cause of diarrhea and fever can be a viral infection and its complications - tonsillitis, scarlet fever, measles, rubella, otitis media.
Indigestion. This term is often used in everyday life when a child ate a food that his immature digestive system could not cope with due to a lack of enzymes. The baby may also be allergic to some food or medicine. The temperature rise in this case is insignificant, the diarrhea passes quickly.

High temperature with diarrhea must be brought down with antipyretics. You definitely need to call a doctor.

Diarrhea treatment

How to cure diarrhea in a child at home? In order not to harm the health of the baby, you need to remember two important and safe ways.

Hungry pause or sparing diet. Usually the child himself refuses food. You can't force feed him. Some modern pediatricians believe that a hungry pause can harm a child and lead to rapid weight loss, protein imbalance in the body, and a long recovery after an illness. At least if a child has diarrhea at 1 year old, a hungry pause is contraindicated for him. Moreover, it cannot be used as a treatment for infants. But if the child is 4-5 years old, he may well go without food for a while. A hungry pause can be replaced by a sparing diet.
Plentiful drink. It is necessary to replenish the loss of fluid by the body at any age. The older the baby, the greater the volume of drinking should be. How to cook and how much to give, read below.

What else can you do if your child has diarrhea? In this situation, it is important to know how not to "treat".

You can not immediately stop diarrhea with antidiarrheal drugs. With an intestinal infection, do not rush to get rid of diarrhea and vomiting, because in this way the body is freed from toxins. At the very least, it is not necessary to give medicines for diarrhea in the first hours of illness. To help cleanse the body, in addition to drinking, you can give the child an enema with water at room temperature. Anti-diarrhea medicines should not be given if the child has a high temperature, there is blood in the stool.
The use of "Smecta" and other enterosorbents. With abundant, frequent diarrhea, the child loses a lot of fluid. It is necessary to monitor his condition, if necessary, you need to give an antidiarrheal agent. The safest medicine for diarrhea for children under one year old and older babies is the Smecta enterosorbent. It contains an astringent, it quickly restores the affected intestinal mucosa, and has absorbent properties.
It is necessary to treat not the symptom of diarrhea, but the root cause of the disease. It is important to establish it, and only then prescribe treatment. Let the doctor tell you better than to treat diarrhea in a child, and not a neighbor or an alarmed grandmother. You can not use any medications, except for enterosorbents, without the appointment of a pediatrician. The doctor must establish a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. If the baby has an acute intestinal infection, he must be examined, in severe forms - hospitalized. For bacterial intestinal infections, antibiotic treatment is effective.

Diet for diarrhea

What should be the diet for diarrhea in children?

Fractionality. Increase the number of meals and reduce portions by half. The child can eat during the day 6 times.
The frequency of meals. It is recommended to skip one or two meals in a serious condition, when the baby refuses to eat. Portions should be twice as small.
Worn food. You can rub through a sieve or grind in a blender.
First day. They start with mashed soups based on cereals (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal) and cereals cooked in water from the same cereals without adding oil.
Second day. White bread crackers, biscuit cookies, boiled potatoes without oil are added.
The third day. Pediatricians of the old school can prescribe a diet for diarrhea in a child under the “code name” BRYAS: this includes bananas, rice, applesauce, crackers. You can also add low-fat cottage cheese. Applesauce can be replaced with baked apples.
Fourth day. Included in the diet is fresh biokefir without low-fat additives.
Fifth day. With good health and the presence of a heroic appetite, you can offer the child cutlets or meatballs from turkey, chicken, veal, lean fish, steamed.

With diarrhea, it is important to replace the loss of fluid. What drinks are best to offer the baby?

electrolyte solutions. Designed to restore and maintain the water-salt balance in the body. A universal remedy: you can give it to a baby, and with diarrhea in a child of 3 years. In the pharmacy, you can buy special powders from which these solutions are made. The most famous of them is Regidron.
Self-prepared solution. If it is not possible to buy a ready-made mixture, you can prepare a solution at home. To do this, dilute in 1 liter of boiled water 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of soda, 1 tablespoon of sugar. The liquid is stored for no more than 24 hours.
Volume of liquid. The child should drink the solution at the rate of: 50 ml per kilogram of weight. If he has a desire to drink more, you need to give as much as he wants. You need to drink after each bout of diarrhea or vomiting. It is important to give drink in fractional portions. If the baby vomited, you need to offer him a drink again.
Dried fruits compote. It is indicated for all diseases of the intestines, contains potassium and magnesium salts, which are necessary to maintain the water-salt balance during diarrhea.
Raisin compote. Raisin decoction is nutritious, gives the body the necessary minerals and trace elements.
Weak green tea. It contains bioactive substances and trace elements that normalize bowel function.
Alkaline mineral water. Should be non-carbonated and warm.

If the child refuses to drink within a few hours, and the diarrhea gets worse, you need to urgently seek medical help.

Medicines for diarrhea

Table - Overview of diarrhea medicines for children

Group of drugs Indication Name of drugs

Enterosorbents	They have sorption properties, remove toxins from the body	Activated carbon, Gastrolit, Smecta, Polyphepan, Polysorb, Filtrum-STI, Enterosgel
Probiotics	Useful bacteria for the body, prescribed for dysbacteriosis, taking antibiotics, intestinal infections	Acipol, Atsilakt, Bifidumbacterin, Bifiform, Linex, Hilak Forte
Antimicrobial	They are prescribed for intestinal infections, slow down peristalsis, stop diarrhea	Nifuroxazide, Sulfaguanidine, Ftalazol, Enterofuril; for children after a year: Sulgin, Furazolidone, Enterol
vegetable	They have an antiseptic, astringent, antidiarrheal effect.	Bilberry fruits, bird cherry, St.

Effective folk remedies: 7 recipes

Folk remedies for diarrhea for children are decoctions and tinctures from various herbs, compotes and jelly from dried berries and dried fruits, etc.

Rice broth. Perhaps the most popular remedy for diarrhea in children and adults. How to cook it? 1-2 tablespoons of rice are placed on half a liter of water, simmered over low heat for about 30 minutes. Then you need to “evaporate” the broth for 20 minutes, covering the pan with something warm. It is advisable to give on the first day of diarrhea 3-4 times a day, 50 g or 100 g (volume depends on age) in a warm form. Rice broth not only has an astringent effect, normalizes bowel function, but also nourishes a weakened body.
Kissel. Prepared on the basis of starch, which acts as a sorbent, has a calming effect. In addition, it is also "tasty" with a strict diet during diarrhea. It is better for jelly to take not fresh berries and fruits, but dried ones.
Oatmeal jelly. For cooking you will need: half a liter of oxen, 3 tablespoons of oatmeal (not cereal). Boil for 15 minutes, then let it brew for about an hour. Give to drink jelly 50 or 100 g twice a day.
Dried pear compote. They have an astringent effect. It is advisable to cook compote without sugar (or with a minimum content), because sugar provokes fermentation processes in the intestines.
Dried blueberries. Compote or jelly is prepared from it. Blueberries have an antiseptic, astringent effect.
Decoctions based on tannins. It can be a decoction of oak bark or rhizomes of urban gravilate. For 15 g of crushed bark or rhizome, you need 1 glass of water. Cook the broth in a water bath for about 30 minutes. Give 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
A decoction of the collection of herbs. Take 1 teaspoon of oregano, chamomile, yarrow, pour a glass of boiling water and insist in a water bath for 30 minutes. Offer the child to drink 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day.

In what situations you need to urgently consult a doctor

The listed symptoms should serve as a signal for immediate action:

severe pain in the abdomen;
profuse and frequent diarrhea during the day, which is not eliminated by a hungry pause and drinking;
profuse vomiting, which prevents the child from drinking;
dark urine - fluid deficiency;
no urine for 6 hours;
feces with blood;
a sharp increase in temperature;
dry tongue, grayish skin;
sunken eyes;
lethargy, weakness.

If the baby has run out of diarrhea, his body needs time to recover. How to help and not harm?

Don't overfeed. The child may lose weight during diarrhea. But this does not mean that now he needs to be fed from the belly. It is important during the recovery period to feed the baby more often, in fractional portions, not to overfeed.
Avoid dairy and meat products. A vegetarian diet will benefit the child. How long to diet? This issue must be agreed with the pediatrician. It can last several days or several weeks, depending on the severity of the disease and the cause of the diarrhea.
enzyme deficiency. First of all, there is a lack of enzymes that help digest dairy products, food of animal origin. The doctor may prescribe enzyme therapy for the child in order to quickly resume the normal functioning of the digestive system.

The baby can be very weak after diarrhea. It is advisable to postpone long trips, cultural events, visits, etc. However, his condition should not become an obstacle to calm walks in the fresh air.

kids365.ru

The child has diarrhea - what to do and how to treat diarrhea?

Probably the most common problem that parents face is diarrhea in a child (diarrhea). The work of the children's intestines is often unstable, and most mothers are calm about loose stools in their child. However, diarrhea in children can be caused by serious causes, including infectious ones. Therefore, parents should be attentive to the manifestations of diarrhea - this condition is dangerous for babies with the rapid onset of dehydration. What to do if the child has diarrhea?

Symptoms of diarrhea in children

In large children, the digestive processes are no longer very different from the functioning of an adult organism. The frequency and consistency of their stools are the same as those of mom and dad: once every 1-2 days, ideally daily, in a decorated sausage-like form.

The question of the norm often worries parents, because the gastrointestinal tract of newborns and infants works differently. In children of the first months of life, frequent loose stools are not a pathology. The nature of feeding (breast milk), the immaturity of the enzyme system are the main reasons for multiple bowel movements during the day (up to emptying after each feeding). Feces in infants are soft, mushy, yellowish in color. It should not contain mucous, blood impurities; foam and fetid smell.

Babies who are on mixed feeding or completely switched to mixtures have a slightly different stool pattern: thicker and darker, with a frequency of 1 to 3 to 4 times a day.

The introduction of complementary foods and the transition to solid foods is the time when the baby's intestines are a clear indicator that the mother is doing everything right. If the stool is still regular, there is no constipation in the child and disorders, then new products do not cause digestive disorders. Closer to the year, the child's feces become more dense, formed, "interruptions" of defecation are permissible within the limits twice a day / every other day, if this does not cause any discomfort to the baby.

Diarrhea is defined as loose, watery stools that are accompanied by a sharp urge, often uncontrollable, with abdominal cramps and soreness. The number of bowel movements increases many times, and a pattern can be traced between the consistency and the multiplicity of the stool: the thinner it is, the more often the child “grabs”. For the smallest, it is worth focusing mainly on the density of the feces and the presence of foreign inclusions in it, since the frequency in this case is not an indicator. In children who have come out of infancy, diarrhea can also be indicated by an increase in the number of bowel movements, and more rare, but liquid bowel movements.

Parents should sound the alarm when the stool is very plentiful, frothy, greenish in color and occurs 7-8 times a day or more often. Such diarrhea can pose a serious danger due to dehydration and leaching of nutrients from the body, violation of the electrolyte composition of the blood.

By the nature of the feces, you can try to determine the cause:

foam is usually present with infection;
infection with staphylococcus gives green diarrhea;
swamp-colored feces can be excreted with salmonellosis;
discolored (white) loose stools occur with hepatitis;
raspberry-colored gelatinous stools can signal dysentery.

Why do children often have diarrhea?

Pediatricians are often interested in a child's stool as it is an important indicator of health. The peculiarities of the child's body are such that many internal and external factors first of all "hit" the digestive tract: infections, viruses, allergens, teething, untimely introduced complementary foods, unsuitable food for the child.

Let's try to figure out why this happens:

Children's intestines are relatively longer, and their absorptive surface area is larger than that of adults. Nutrients in babies penetrate into the blood faster and in greater volume, but the same property allows pathogenic microbes and their toxins to be more actively absorbed. So far, the intestines of the crumbs are not able to distinguish “good” microorganisms from “bad”, which does not allow it to fully perform the barrier function.
Due to the increased suction surface, recovery is also difficult in case of infection of the intestinal mucosa. With a disease, the work of the villi slows down, enzymes have a weak effect on food, as a result of which it is poorly processed and evacuated to the outside with a mass of undigested particles.
The secretory apparatus of the intestines of the child begins to work from birth, but the enzymes themselves are not yet maximally active. If carbohydrates are the easiest to digest, then proteins take longer and more difficult to break down, because the baby’s intestinal environment is not acidic enough for them. Fats cause the largest number of digestive disorders, since the weak action of lipase does not contribute to their efficient processing. If a child does not receive lipase from mother's milk, his intestines react to the intake of large amounts of fat with diarrhea until the enzyme system is fully operational.

If we talk about the immediate causes that provoke diarrhea, then most often it is the ingestion of pathogens of intestinal infections, SARS, intolerance to certain products, the irritating effect of certain medications. Let's consider these factors in more detail.

Causes of acute diarrhea

infectious diarrhea

Diarrhea is often called the "dirty hand disease": babies grab everything in their mouths, and older children do not always follow the rules of hygiene. Unwashed fruits, communication with animals, drinking dirty water - all this contributes to the entry of pathogenic microorganisms into the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, if diarrhea occurs in a child, it is first of all important to exclude an intestinal infection.

The most common pathogens are rotavirus infection, enterovirus, salmonella, shigella, E. coli, staphylococcus aureus, which are transmitted by the fecal-oral route, that is, by the methods already mentioned and by direct contact with a sick person.

Intestinal infections are characterized by an acute disorder with diarrhea and associated symptoms: vomiting, nausea, lack of appetite, and fever.

The same goes for food poisoning. Spoiled food causes acute diarrhea, accompanied by signs of intoxication: weakness, pallor, sweating, high fever.

Dyspepsia

Diarrhea associated with malnutrition in children can be caused by the abuse of sweet and fatty foods, excess fruits in the diet, and banal overeating. Nausea, vomiting, bloating and loose stools are a frequent result of a hearty meal at a festive table, at a party or in a cafe.
An abrupt change in the usual diet is the cause of the so-called "traveler's diarrhea", which occurs in children when moving in most cases. In another city and, moreover, in a country, the usual set of dishes, the composition of water, the diet change, unfamiliar ingredients appear. In such situations, the child complains to his mother about heaviness in the abdomen, frequent stools, and sometimes vomiting. But in general, his health is not alarming.
Dyspeptic disorders in babies are associated with overfeeding, attempts by adults to treat the baby with food from their table, a sharp curtailment of breastfeeding, an inappropriate mixture, early and improper introduction of complementary foods. Most likely, the baby will react to such a diet with diarrhea, regurgitation with a fountain and colic.

Dysbacteriosis is one of the causes of diarrhea

Disturbances in the intestinal microflora are a common cause of loose stools in children. In a child, diarrhea can be chronic or alternate with constipation. Disorders of defecation are accompanied by arching pains in the abdomen, increased gas formation, irritable bowel syndrome.

When intestinal dysbacteriosis in children is already at an advanced stage, the feces become similar to infectious: it acquires a green color, a putrid odor, and contains an abundance of undigested fragments.

Food intolerance

Milk intolerance in children is due to lactase deficiency. For its digestion, a special enzyme is needed - lactase, which breaks down milk sugar (lactose). If a child does not produce this substance well, each intake of milk ends with violent foamy diarrhea with a sour smell, rumbling in the stomach and other dyspeptic manifestations. This disease can be both hereditary and acquired (due to dysbacteriosis, allergies, poisoning, etc.). In infants, this condition may be transient, and lactase synthesis will improve with age. Many lactase deficiency persists, and then a person is forced to follow a lactose-free diet all his life. It is impossible to suspect this disease on the basis of diarrhea alone, it is necessary to pass an analysis for glucose in the feces.
The child's body may not accept the cereal protein gluten. An allergy to gluten is called celiac disease. The disease manifests itself with the introduction of cereals and bread products into the baby's diet with foamy, fetid diarrhea, against which weight loss and growth retardation of the child occur. The cause of the disease is a hereditary predisposition to allergic reactions to cereal gluten.

Other diseases

Alternating severe diarrhea in a child with persistent constipation may be a sign of a genetic disease called cystic fibrosis, which affects the glands, most often the digestive and respiratory systems. If the stool is greasy in appearance and touch, smells terrible and is not washed off, you should urgently consult a doctor and undergo special tests.

Emergency cases include the appearance of blood in the baby's stool. Diarrhea with blood in a child and pain can be a symptom of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease and requires an immediate examination of the intestine.

In any case, if a child develops diarrhea, it is worthwhile to see a pediatrician as soon as possible, since the disease can be dangerous for the child, and sometimes for others.

Why is diarrhea dangerous in children?

Frequent loose stools carry away large amounts of water and nutrients from the body, leading to acute metabolic disorders. In babies, with each emptying, up to 100 ml of liquid comes out, in older children even more - up to a glass. With the loss of fluid at the rate of 10 gr. dehydration occurs per 1 kg of body weight in a child.

How to determine this condition in children? It is necessary to monitor the skin and mucous membranes (they dry, crack), the eyes sink and are framed by dark circles, the fontanel on the head is “drawn in”. The child shows anxiety, refuses to eat, falls asleep "on the go".

But the surest sign is the color and amount of urine: it becomes concentrated (dark), it is excreted much less often and in smaller volumes. To confirm the guesses, parents can conduct a “wet diaper” test - if the number of urination is less than 10 per day, this may indirectly indicate dehydration. Older children at the same time go to the toilet less than 4-5 times during the day.

Fluid loss in infants very quickly reaches critical values, since their weight is still small. The process is accelerated by profuse regurgitation and vomiting. Therefore, babies are shown hospitalization at the first sign of dehydration.

With diarrhea, a child loses salts. The imbalance of salts in the blood threatens with a violation of the electrolytic metabolism, and this is already the risk of formidable complications, up to the cessation of the heartbeat.

Frequent diarrhea also causes nutritional deficiencies: the child loses weight, grows poorly, is lethargic and apathetic, he develops beriberi.

If diarrhea is caused by infectious causes, it is important to isolate the child, as he can infect others.

What to do if the child has diarrhea?

If loose stools do not have pathological signs, the baby feels satisfactory, and the parents guess that diarrhea is the result of dietary errors, you can try to cope with diarrhea yourself. Otherwise, this should not be done, especially when it comes to a baby.

The first step is to call a pediatrician at home, but for now, give the baby first aid.
Do not feed the child, wash and lubricate the anus with baby cream after each bowel movement to avoid irritation.
Try to prevent dehydration. The baby is more often applied to the chest, an adult child should be given sweetened tea alternately with salt water, but it is best to have special solutions in the children's first aid kit - Regidron, Glucosolan or analogues. Give a little liquid every 5-10 minutes.
Carefully monitor the baby's condition: if the temperature rises, if there is blood in the stool, etc. When worsening, do not wait for the doctor, but call an ambulance.
You can not take medicines without a doctor's examination. It is permissible to give activated charcoal, smectite, in case of poor health and temperature - paracetamol.
To facilitate diagnosis, collect feces in a jar to show the doctor. Recall the factors that could provoke diarrhea.

What can be given to a child with diarrhea: how to treat diarrhea?

You can stop diarrhea in an adult child with the help of folk remedies and diet. Here are a couple of fixing recipes:

1 st. spoon collection of fennel, oak bark and sage in equal proportions insist in 200 ml. water at room temperature. Bring the infusion to a boil, boil for 15 minutes and drain through cheesecloth. Take before breakfast, lunch and dinner for ½ cup.
Pour dried bird cherry berries (3 parts) and blueberries (2 parts) with boiling water in a ratio of 1 tbsp. l. collection on a glass of water. Boil for 20 minutes, cool and take a decoction of a quarter to a half glass three times a day.

Compliance with the diet is prescribed for all scolding children. If the child does not want to, it is not necessary to force-feed him, the main thing is that a sufficient volume of liquid enters the body.

Breastfed babies do not need to change anything: continue breastfeeding and postpone planned complementary foods. Mom should follow her diet: exclude allergens and gas-forming products. Artificialists need to be transferred to lactose-free and gluten-free hypoallergenic mixtures.

The rest of the children eat according to the following recommendations:

exclude fried, smoked, fatty; give up gas-producing foods (milk, sweet fruits, apples, grapes, cabbage, legumes, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, bread and pastries, soda);
obligatory enveloping and slimy dishes (mashed soups, cereals on the water from oatmeal and rice, rice water, jelly);
vegetable puree (potato) without adding milk, with vegetable oil;
omelette;
boiled, stewed, steamed vegetables, peeled fresh fruits (except prohibited), fruits from compote;
blueberries and cranberries;
fresh kefir and other fermented milk drinks (with caution);
wheat crackers;
steam cutlets from lean meat and fish of low-fat varieties.

In the treatment of acute diarrhea, the following medications are used:

enterosorbents (Enterosgel, Polyfepam, Filtrum);
from flatulence and colic - Espumizan, Sub-simplex;
enzymes to aid digestion (Pancreatin, Mezim);
to relieve spasms - antispasmodics (No-shpa, Papaverine);
to restore microflora - pro-and prebiotics;
antidiarrheals (Loperamide, Imodium) - only for children from 6 years old. It is undesirable to give them before the diagnosis is made, since dysentery and a number of other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract appear in contraindications.

When the diagnosis is already known, all appointments are made by the doctor, based on the established problem:

antibiotics, antiviral and antifungal medicines for infections;
anthelmintic drugs for helminthic invasions;
infants with lactase deficiency are prescribed the intake of Lactraz (enzyme).

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stopgemor.ru

Symptom of indigestion - diarrhea in a child without fever and vomiting: how to treat and in what cases you need to see a doctor

Diarrhea in children is a common reason for young parents to visit a pediatrician. Diarrhea is characterized by loose, frequent stools. Indigestion in itself is not a disease, diarrhea is a characteristic symptom of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or other diseases.

Diarrhea is a common pathology in young children, due to the imperfection of their digestive and immune nervous systems. Any change in diet, taking certain medications, even stress can cause diarrhea. It is important to immediately identify the provoking factor, immediately eliminate it. Do not self-medicate, consult a pediatrician.

In the first years of a baby's life, it is difficult to determine the onset of diarrhea from the usual liquid stool. If the baby is breastfed, then the feces have a porridge-like consistency, which is the norm. Young parents begin to sound the alarm, due to their inexperience. It is important to know and be able to distinguish the normal state of affairs from pathology. Pediatricians highlight several options when the stool is normal, do not worry:

In the first weeks of life, the baby will defecate up to eight times a day. The discharge is yellow, has a sour, milky smell. If the baby has white lumps in the stool, do not worry, so the digestive system is trying to normalize its work, get used to the new living conditions;
from the age of two months, stool occurs much less frequently - up to five times a day. The secretions themselves become more solid, acquire a dark color.

As new foods are introduced into the child's diet, the stool changes, becomes thicker, and changes color. Pediatricians identify several main causes of diarrhea in a baby without fever and vomiting.

Diet violation

improper introduction of complementary foods or infant formula. Sometimes parents are in a hurry with this process, the child's body does not yet produce the necessary enzymes that digest food;
binge eating. It is observed in infants and preschool children, abundant food intake disrupts the normal functioning of the digestive system, intestinal motility increases, which provokes diarrhea;
unbalanced diet. Taking too heavy, junk food disrupts the normal functioning of the children's stomach;
low quality products. Spoiled "goodies" are rich in pathogens that lead to diarrhea (the body tries to get rid of toxins).

Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of atopic dermatitis in children.

Read about how to care for a newborn girl in the first month on this page.

Intestinal dysbacteriosis

The problem is characterized by an imbalance in the intestinal microflora, is a common cause of diarrhea in children of different ages, and causes a lot of inconvenience. Babies suffer from intestinal dysbacteriosis due to the imperfection of the digestive system, nutritional errors. Older children get sick for a number of other reasons:

developmental anomalies or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
taking antibiotics and other medications;
helminthic invasions;
recent intestinal infections;
chronic diseases that are accompanied by a significant decrease in immunity;
inflammatory processes in other organs.

Infectious diseases

Diseases of the digestive system, other organs, pathogens can be various bacteria, viruses. Diarrhea is often a symptom of the following ailments:

the initial stages of dysentery, salmonellosis. A few days later, symptoms of general intoxication of the body join the diarrhea;
diseases of "dirty hands". The category includes gastroenteritis, enterocolitis, colitis;
viral and bacterial diseases of the respiratory tract that occur in an acute form: tonsillitis, SARS, pneumonia and others. With such pathologies, loose stools are the cause of intoxication of the child's body with the waste products of pathogenic bacteria.

enzyme deficiency

Nowadays, pediatricians are increasingly diagnosing a special pathology - lactase deficiency (congenital or acquired). During this disease, there is little or no lactase enzyme in the body, which promotes the absorption of milk sugar (lactose). A congenital ailment is noted by parents immediately after the birth of the baby: the baby has a frothy, loose stool with a sour smell of milk, colic that bothers the child after each feeding.

With such a pathology, the baby is prescribed the transition to artificial feeding with a special lactose-free mixture. In addition to the most common enzyme deficiency, there are other types: celiac disease, congenital chlororrhoea.

Pathologies of non-infectious etiology

Loose stools are not always provoked by the vital activity of pathogens. Diarrhea in a baby sometimes indicates the course of the following pathologies:

Characteristic signs and symptoms

The consistency of the stool with diarrhea in a child is different: watery, mushy. The nature of the clinical picture depends on the specific ailment. Diarrhea is characterized by rumbling in the abdomen, bloating, discomfort in the intestines or tummy. Acute diarrhea, which lasts for several days, will not bring much harm to the body of the crumbs, chronic diarrhea can cause dehydration, serious pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, and pronounced pathologies of internal organs.

In what cases should you consult a doctor

Contact your doctor if you notice the following unpleasant changes:

a pungent odor from stool that was not there before;
frequent stools (more than five times a day);
unusual color of feces;
you notice that in the stool of the crumbs there are pieces of mucus, pus or undigested food;
the skin around the anus turned red, sometimes rashes appear.

Important! If you notice any of the above symptoms, call your doctor immediately. Sometimes this state of affairs indicates the course of a serious illness.

Learn about treatments and other unpleasant symptoms in children. About the treatment of barking cough is written here; hoarse voice - here; food poisoning - on this page. Read about a nosebleed in a child at this address; about sore throat - in this article. About vomiting in children is written here; about temperature - on this page; we have a separate article on the treatment of dry cough.

Diagnostics

If the diarrhea lasts more than two days, there is no improvement in the condition of the crumbs, consult a doctor. At the doctor's appointment, be sure to tell the specialist when the unpleasant symptoms began, describe in detail the clinical picture.

To make a correct diagnosis, an analysis of fecal masses is required, if necessary, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, a complete blood count and other diagnostic manipulations. Based on the results, the pediatrician will identify the cause of the problem and prescribe the correct course of treatment.

Methods and rules of treatment

How to treat diarrhea in a child? First of all, establish the cause of the appearance of the pathology, depending on the pathogen, treatment is prescribed. On their own, parents can provide first aid to the baby; with simple diseases, it is quite possible to cope with diarrhea at home.

Therapy for diarrhea in a child consists in taking several drugs that perform very important functions. An integrated approach to treatment speeds up the recovery process, positively affects the child's condition.

Restoration of water-salt balance

The main danger for the baby is dehydration. Together with loose stools, the body loses useful salts and substances. The main treatment for diarrhea in children and adults is fluid replacement. Rehydration should be carried out immediately after diarrhea is detected. To prepare a special solution, use pharmacy products. For babies, normal breastfeeding is perfect.

For oral rehydration, the following medicines are used:

Glucosolan;
Regidron;
Citroglucosolan.

Pour one sachet of the product with boiled water (the proportion is indicated in the instructions). Give the resulting solution to the crumbs throughout the day. If it is not possible to give the child a finished medicinal product, prepare it yourself: in one liter of water, dissolve a teaspoon of sugar, salt, half a dessert spoon of soda. Use similarly to pharmacy products.

Sorbents

In addition, help the child's body cope with toxins formed as a result of poisoning or intoxication during the course of an infectious disease. Sorbent agents bind the contents of the intestine, contribute to its speedy removal. Children are allowed to receive the following remedies for diarrhea:

Smecta;
Activated carbon;
Enterosgel;
Polysorb;
Polyphepan and others.

Wash down preparations with boiled water or dilute healing powder in it. Use all medicinal products for their intended purpose, follow the instructions.

How to rinse your nose with Dolphin? Read the instructions for use for children.

Why does a newborn groan and arch and is it dangerous? The answer is on this page.

Read about the symptoms and treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in a child at http://razvitie-malysha.com/zdorovie/bolezni/drugie/konyunktivit.html.

Probiotics

Diarrhea tablets contain beneficial bacteria that normalize the microflora, are often used for intestinal dysbacteriosis. Apply:

Hilak Forte;
Linex;
Bificol;
Lactobacterin and others.

The following diarrhea medications can help treat bacterial intestinal infections:

Ftalazol;
Enterol;
Levomycetin;
Sulgin.

Antibiotics are used quite rarely, it is generally undesirable for young children to use potent drugs. Unjustified use of antibiotics can harm the health of the crumbs. It is forbidden to independently prescribe any medications to a child, first consult with a pediatrician.

Folk remedies and recipes

Natural medicines will help children cope with diarrhea, they are easy to prepare, they do an excellent job with the task, they are absolutely safe for the baby:

pear decoction. It is better to use dried fruits, they can be found at any time of the year;
starch solution. Take a teaspoon of starch in half a glass of cold water. Cook according to the principle of jelly, it is allowed to sweeten a little, give the child a glass of the drug 2-3 times a day;
give your baby a few tablespoons of hard-boiled rice porridge without salt and water. You can also use rice water (50 ml for a child three times a day);
infusion of pomegranate peel. Dry the product, pour 1 teaspoon of the drug with a glass of cold water, boil for no more than a quarter of an hour, let it brew for 2 hours. The resulting remedy give the children a tablespoon three times a day.

Be sure to adhere to a special diet: exclude fried, fatty, too spicy and salty, forbid the child to eat sweets. Porridges on the water, lean meat, compotes, mineral water are perfect.

To prevent the appearance of diarrhea in the crumbs will help the study, compliance with the rules of complementary foods and feeding the baby. Older children are taught to wash their hands before eating, not to eat spoiled food.

Diarrhea in a child is a commonly diagnosed problem of the gastrointestinal tract. If you find unpleasant symptoms, do not panic, follow the doctor's recommendations, do not repeat the mistakes associated with the nutrition of the child.

Medical video - reference. Folk remedies for the treatment of diarrhea:

razvitie-malysha.com

Diarrhea in a child without fever: 5 possible causes and first aid

It would seem that the worst thing is left aside: your child’s diarrhea is not accompanied by fever, which means there are no serious reasons for concern. Is that so? Do not flatter yourself ahead of time!

It does not mean at all that if a child has diarrhea without a temperature, then you can give a pill and calm down. Not at all. To ensure that serious consequences are avoided, you first need to find out the cause of the disease.

One of the most common disorders of the gastrointestinal tract in children is diarrhea (diarrhea). Often it is not accompanied by fever or other symptoms.

But diarrhea is far from the only possible cause.

What else can cause such a disorder?

Possible causes of diarrhea in a child without fever

Diarrhea can be a child's reaction to a stressful situation. It is accompanied by twisting cramping pains in the navel. Relief comes immediately after going to the toilet. Observe the baby if he has diarrhea attacks in the same situations (for example, before going to kindergarten, school or after returning from a walk), perhaps this is how he reacts to an unpleasant situation. Try to find out what scares or upsets the baby, and consult a pediatric neurologist as soon as possible.
Diarrhea in children under one year old may be a reaction to the introduction of complementary foods. Pay close attention to your baby's reaction to the new product. If it causes indigestion, its administration should be temporarily canceled.
Also, diarrhea in children of the first year of life can be caused by new bacteria that enter the body. To many of them, children after two years become completely insensitive. To avoid such disorders in babies, carefully sterilize the dishes used by the baby. Periodically wash and pour boiling water over toys.
Attacks of diarrhea can cause immature fruits and berries. They cause fermentation in the intestines and, as a result, twisting pains and loose stools.
Diarrhea can be caused by overeating sweets, eating poor-quality foods that have expired. Carefully check the quality of the food that the baby receives. Food poisoning can have very serious consequences.

Please note: the choice of drugs that can treat diarrhea in a child is a separate big topic. And taking many medications must be agreed with the doctor. Here we give only general recommendations, which in each case should be carefully evaluated.

If the baby has diarrhea against the background of a general good state of health (high temperature does not join it, bouts of vomiting) - this is not a reason to contact the doctor. The baby can be given "Smektu", this drug serves as an absorbent that neutralizes pathogenic bacteria and removes them from the body. With severe spasms and pains, “No-shpa” helps well.

Pay attention to the quality of the baby's stool, if it has a frothy texture, a sharp fetid odor, impurities of mucus or blood - this may be a sign of an acute intestinal infection and requires immediate contact with the pediatrician. The temperature in such cases may rise on the second day.

It is also necessary to call a doctor if there are signs of dehydration - circles under the eyes, dry lips, rare urination, dark yellow urine. Dehydration is especially dangerous for babies, as it develops at a rapid pace. When the first signs of dehydration appear in babies under one year old (a sunken fontanel also testifies to this), the child should be urgently taken to the hospital.

In order to avoid dehydration of the body, it is necessary to give the child a saline solution, which is sold in a pharmacy (Regidron, Oralit, etc.), or cook it yourself (three teaspoons of sugar and a spoonful of salt per liter of warm boiled water). Give the solution in small portions as often as possible.

After three repeated attacks of diarrhea, it is necessary to exclude dairy products from the baby's diet. Breastfeeding can be abandoned. Attach the baby to the breast as often as possible.

With frequent bouts of diarrhea, you should follow a certain diet, which the pediatrician will prescribe. All foods that are given to the baby should be steamed or boiled. It is useful during this period to give the baby grated or chopped food in a blender. As a rule, fatty meats, fish and poultry, legumes, muffins and white bread, fruit juices and sparkling water are excluded from the menu.

And be sure to call your doctor as soon as possible. Especially if the temperature rises. Self-medication is not the best way to restore a child's health.

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Children fall ill unexpectedly, and a child's condition, which differs from the physiological one, must be explained as much as possible and measures taken. Diarrhea or diarrhea several times a day, of course, deserves close attention from parents. Especially for babies, dehydration due to diarrhea is terrible. Therefore, the age of the child at which diarrhea occurred is important.

Symptoms and Causes

What should parents pay attention to?

the number of bowel movements per day;
chair color;
smell;
dependence on food intake;
the presence of symptoms (nausea, vomiting, flatulence, fever, pain in the abdomen, etc.);
the presence of blood or mucus in the stool.

For infants, the situation is complicated by the inability to ask a question and get an answer.

Diarrhea cannot just start. As a rule, any infection precedes, for example, intestinal flu. Diarrhea itself, without any symptoms, is rare.

There can be a million reasons for diarrhea.

For example, a manifestation of dysbacteriosis or an acetonemic state.
An error in the storage of food eaten by a child, food poisoning, an infectious disease.
Surgical diseases like appendicitis can start with diarrhea.
Babies have diarrhea, maybe when teething.
Cold viral diseases, such as rotavirus infection, can occur with diarrhea.
Diarrhea can be the result of taking certain medications, overeating, monotonous, vitamin-poor nutrition.
The variant of secretory insufficiency of the liver, stomach, pancreas and small intestine should not be excluded.

Important! If loose stools are more than three times a day or any symptoms are present, this is a reason to contact a specialist to confirm or rule out a serious illness and provide timely medical assistance.

Diarrhea without fever

I would like to warn parents against a frivolous attitude to diarrhea if the child does not have a temperature. You should always remember that some diseases can occur atypically. Even with appendicitis, the temperature does not always rise, although the solution to the problem requires urgent surgical intervention.

Causes

Without temperature, diarrhea occurs with uncomplicated dysbacteriosis, acetonemic condition, pancreatic diseases associated with fermentopathy.

Important! Food poisoning is not always accompanied by fever.

Formula-fed or formula-fed babies may react with diarrhea if formula or complementary foods are not suitable.

If the general condition of the child is good, he is active, there is an appetite and loose stools happened a couple of times, then you can observe the child, perhaps this is a functional state, the child ate a lot of sweets or drank a lot of juice.

Important! Diarrhea can be a reaction to stress!

What to do

If there is no fever, but the child has signs of dehydration (bags under the eyes, lethargy, reduced skin turgor, etc.), then you should immediately call a doctor.

In this case, it is necessary to replenish the volume of lost fluid with diarrhea. Regidron, Oralit and other solutions are well suited here. Liquid can be given even with a pipette if the child refuses. The main thing is to replenish the lost fluid!

Until the doctor arrives, you should not force the child to eat if he does not want to. Moreover, a diet will be needed in the future. It is also not advisable to take any medications before consulting a doctor.

Diarrhea with fever

Definitely, this condition requires examination by a specialist. If the temperature figures are more than 38, then it is better to call an ambulance or go to the reception center on your own to accurately determine the cause of this condition.

Causes

The most common cause of diarrhea with fever is rotavirus infection. But do not forget about serious infectious diseases such as salmonellosis, dysentery, etc. In addition, it is necessary to remember the possibility of surgical pathology with the same symptoms.

Diarrhea and vomiting in a child

If a child has diarrhea and vomiting at the same time, the best thing to do is to call a doctor. At the same time, before the arrival of a specialist, the child should not be fed and given medicines. It makes sense to save a diaper or diaper with feces and a container of vomit to show the doctor.

The only thing that can be done is to start soldering the child. It is necessary to give liquid every 10-20 minutes. in small portions. If there is Regidron, then you can use it. If not, then give purified water with salt and sugar diluted in it (for 1 liter of water, 2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of sugar).

How to treat diarrhea in a child

The main rule in this situation, as well as the principle of all medicine, will be the rule “Do no harm!”. What can be given to a child with benefit in any diagnosis with a symptom of diarrhea?

Folk remedies

Folk remedies are very popular with many mothers. Their advantage is that they are harmless, easy to use, always at hand and do not require significant financial costs:

rice broth. The ratio of water and rice is 1:3. Rice must be peeled;
decoction of chamomile with mint;
tincture from the "partitions" of the walnut kernel;
decoction of pomegranate peel;
potato starch solution (1 tablespoon per 2 tablespoons of water).

Medicines

If we talk about traditional medicine, then you should pay attention to the following medicines that can be given to a child for diarrhea.

Rehydration solutions will always come in handy to replenish lost fluids.

Regidron: 1 sachet per 1 liter of boiled water that has cooled to room temperature. It is necessary to give 100 ml per 1 kg of body weight per day.
Oralit: the maximum daily dose is up to 200 ml per 1 kg of body weight per day.

Adsorbents:

activated carbon - 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight;
Polysorb - an average of 1 tsp. per 50 ml of water, depending on the age of the child;
Smecta - 1 sachet per 50 ml of water, the number of doses depending on age;
Enterosgel - from 1 tsp. 2 times a day - up to 3 years, then - depending on age.

Probiotics:

Bifi-forms - there is a special form from the first days of life - an oil solution; taken 1 time / day;
Linex - 1 capsule 3 times a day - from infancy; more convenient for children who are already able to swallow the capsule;
Hilak - on average, 20 drops per 1 dose from infancy.

Important! Antimicrobials are best taken as directed by a doctor.

If there is confidence that diarrhea is a consequence of toxic infection, then you can take Stop-diar (nifuroxoside) 2 times / day. 2.5 ml from 2 months. The drug has a high safety profile, allowed from the age of 2 months.

What to feed a child

If the baby is breastfed, it is difficult to come up with better nutrition than breast milk. Apply on demand.
With mixed or artificial feeding, an adapted fermented milk mixture is better. But you need to dilute more with water, the mixture should be somewhat thinner than usual.
For children who eat regular solid food, a diet is recommended with the exception of dairy products, smoked meats, pickles, flour dishes, fatty meats and fish, the exclusion of carbonated drinks, vegetables and fruits that have a laxative effect.

If the child does not want to eat during the period of illness, and you do not know what to feed with diarrhea, then it is better not to force. But after feeling better, oatmeal and rice porridge, rice water, baked apples will be useful.

Meat dishes are preferably steamed or in the oven.
Fried food options are excluded from the diet.
Yesterday's bread is possible, flour is excluded.
Kissels will come in handy, given the sparing regimen of the gastrointestinal mucosa.