5 things to know about childhood diarrhea for the best prevention and treatment
childhood diarrhea is a disease that can be not only very mild and temporary. but can also be very dangerous and lead to death. Let's take a closer look at 5 basic things about childhood diarrhea. to ensure their safety!
1. What is childhood diarrhea
Diarrhea is a change in the frequency of bowel movements or instability of excreta. The first sign to recognize diarrhea is that the stool comes out more often than usual (more than 3 times a day). or the discharge is liquid like unusual water, has a fishy smell, and may or may not contain blood.
Is childhood diarrhea dangerous?
The answer is yes! According to World Statistics, there are about 2 billion cases of acute diarrhea every year, of which. mainly in developing countries, up to 1.9 million children under the age of five die from this disease.
Diarrhea in children is frequent. so many parents do not attach much importance to careful treatment, especially in developed. as well as developing nations. as a result of which many young children become malnourished. or die from malnutrition. Emergency and timely treatment.
2. Causes and signs of childhood diarrhea
Diarrhea is usually classified into two types:
- For a few days to a week, severe diarrhea may last.
- Chronic diarrhea lasts two to three weeks or more.
Most cases of diarrhea in children are acute diarrhea, of which about 3 - 10% of children develop severe childhood diarrhea. especially young children under one year old. children who are fed cow's milk. or immunodeficient children. such as malnourished have a higher risk of developing chronic diarrhea than usual.
The main cause of childhood diarrhea is an infection of the gastrointestinal tract. The bacteria that cause this infection include bacteria and viruses. or parasites, each with different symptoms and treatments. The three most common causes today are rotavirus and intestinal infection. and intestinal bacterial infection due to food insecurity.
Rotavirus
Diarrhea in children is usually caused by rotavirus infection (about 80%) and infection.
Most often it has symptoms such as:
- High fever (above 38 degrees);
- constant crying;
- vomiting profusely;
- the exit of loose watery stools;
- going several times a day leads to exhaustion, poor appetite, and rapid weight loss.
- The duration of disease can last from 3 to 7 days ؛
Intestinal microflora
There are cases of diarrhea caused by intestinal infections (caused by Escherichia coli, bacillary dysentery, and amoebic dysentery ...). In addition to the above symptoms. the most obvious sign is the admixture of blood in the stool. In these cases. a specific examination and treatment from a doctor are necessary. Treatment usually lasts two weeks.
Intestinal infections caused by unhealthy food safety
In addition, children can also become infected by eating stale food, not washing their hands before eating, and using unclean utensils and utensils. Or because the child is allergic to a food. he is unable to absorb nutrients from that food (usually lactose or sugar contained in milk). because the diet is not suitable for age or illness. so antibiotics have to be taken for a long time, etc.
3. How to handle childhood diarrhea
Diarrhea leads to dehydration and electrolyte loss in children, causing dysfunction and fatigue. Depending on how persistent you are. parents can treat their children according to the three levels in the diagram below. The course of treatment is determined by how serious the condition is.
Treatment regimen A: for very mild cases, it can be treated at home
Signs: the body is normal, awake, have bowel movements more than 3 times a day, and loose stools.
Two principles of home treatment for diarrhea:
First, give the child plenty of salt solution
Secondly, let the children eat nutritious. meals that are digestible and nourishing. For babies who are breastfed, breastfeeding should be continued regularly and continuously.
Treatment regimen B: for mild or moderate dehydration
Signs: struggling, restless crying, the appearance of dryness, sunken eyes.
In this case, it is possible to provide first aid at home, in the first 4 hours, immediately give the child a solution of ORS = body weight (kg) × 75 ml. During that time continue breastfeeding. Observe the kids closely.
After 4 hours, re-evaluate the situation and based on the indicated signs determine the next treatment regimen A, B, or C.
Treatment regimen C: in case of severe dehydration, it is necessary to immediately go to a medical facility for treatment
Signs: high fever, lethargy, heavily sunken eyes, unable to eat or drink.
When the child shows signs of deterioration as above. immediately go to the doctor for testing and treatment. After diagnosing the disease and determining the cause of the disease. the child is treated according to the doctor's specific instructions.
Nutrition during treatment
During treatment with a solution of the drug, ensuring nutrition is also a very important step for the Prevention of malnutrition. It could make the condition worse.
The best way is to maintain the child's diet during diarrhea and after stopping diarrhea for about two weeks.
- Reduce the amount of animal milk (or food products containing a lot of lactose) in your daily diet.
- Provide sufficient energy, vitamins, mineral salts, as well as protein to children, so liquid or soft foods will be easier to absorb.
- Ensure the cleanliness of food. and daily eating utensils (they must be disinfected and sterilized before use).
Nutrition during the recovery period and follow-up
Give your child an extra meal a day for about two weeks after the diarrhea stops. Children who are malnourished. or have lost weight due to prolonged diarrhea, they should continue to eat more meals than above until the weight is restored.
4. When is the child taken to the hospital for treatment
Immediately take the child to the nearest medical facility if there is no improvement after two days of home treatment. or if any of the signs or symptoms listed below:
- Inability to eat or drink,
- stop breastfeeding;
- constant thirst;
- a high fever does not decrease.
- Frequent bowel movements, and loose or bloody stools; there are signs of lethargy, convulsions, and deep coma.
- Constant vomiting or vomiting of bile.
- quick decrease in weight.
If there are signs above that the disease has worsened, parents do not at all buy medicines from outside.. or listen to advice/advice from non-professionals. not to mention children who take preparations that stop digestion.
5. How to stop childhood acute diarrhea
There are several preventive measures that parents can refer to as follows:
- Breastfeeding is recommended for at least. the first six months of life to ensure cleanliness, ease of digestion, and absorption.
- Breast milk also contains optimal natural immunomodulatory components. which protects babies from infections, especially diarrhea.
- Be careful in the process of introducing solid foods to babies.
- You should carefully study and make sure that the baby's weaning regimen is healthy. and full of nutrients (protein, sugar, fat, fiber, vitamins ...)
- Because the weaning period will begin to help babies adapt to the source of nutrients.
In addition to that
- Susceptible to infection with bacteria, and viruses. or pathogenic microorganisms due to poor hygiene and quality.
- Always use clean water for children's eating and hygiene.
- Always clean before preparing food and feeding babies.
- Early practice for children is the habit of clean hygiene, washing hands after playing, and especially before eating.
- Handle children's waste systematically and hygienically, and avoid infectious diseases caused by infectious diseases in waste.
- Full vaccinations with the required vaccines and regular attention to monitoring the health status of children after the vaccination period.