Infant diarrhea: What to do?

Although infant diarrhea seems to be something that does not represent a major risk, it is important to be informed on the subject, to know when to take action and go to the doctor urgently.

In the following post, you will learn a little more about this topic that, although it is quite recurrent in babies and young children, it is important to pay due attention to it.

Let's get started!

What is diarrhea and how does it affect children's health?

Diarrhea is an inflammation of the intestines, and sometimes of the stomach, which manifests itself through a slight or noticeable increase in the amount of stool, resulting in a decrease in stool consistency.

The symptoms appear progressively, and in some occasions, they can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever and abdominal pain. Most children recover within 3 to 7 days.

Childhood diarrhea can be caused by a variety of factors, for example: parasites, bacteria, viruses, functional disorders or food sensitivities.

How do I know if my child has diarrhea?

Although it may seem simple, for many parents it is difficult to tell whether or not their child has diarrhea, since the amount and volume of stools may vary from child to child.

In the case of newborns, during their first weeks of life, they are capable of having 8 to 10 semi-liquid stools a day and this is considered normal. This is a process which is called prandial diarrhea and does not require any treatment.

How can you treat diarrhea in your little one?

The discomfort caused by diarrhea usually goes away on its own within a few days. However, in some cases it can cause a series of complications such as dehydration and malnutrition.

Although infant diarrhea does not require treatment, there are a series of recommendations that will help either to alleviate the discomfort caused in the baby or to stop the diarrhea.

It is very important that children with diarrhea never stop eating or drinking water. In the case of breast-feeding babies, they should continue to do so.

On the other hand, children with a bottle can continue to drink it, but avoid mixing it with other substances such as rice or carrots.

Remember that if diarrhea persists after a week and is accompanied by fever, vomiting or blood in the stool, it is absolutely necessary to go to an emergency doctor or pediatrician. The health and well-being of children should always be the priority.