What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea can be defined in various ways, the most commonly used is loose stools or watery stools ≥3 times a day. However, in infants or children, due to age and diet, stool frequency and characteristics are different, so the number of stools more than usual or the characteristics become thinner, blood or mucus in the stool can be considered as diarrhea.

What causes diarrhea?

Diarrhea is mostly caused by viral infections, such as rotavirus, norovirus, Sapporo virus, astrovirus, adenovirus, etc. Other causes of diarrhea include bacterial infections, improper feeding, food allergies or intolerances, etc.

Do I need to take medicine when my baby has diarrhea?

When a baby has diarrhea, the first thing the mothers need to do is to prevent the baby from becoming dehydrated. Breastfeeding babies continue to breastfeed, which can increase the frequency of feeding and extend the time of single feeding; mixed-fed, artificial-fed babies and older children should drink oral rehydration salt III on the basis of feeding. A certain amount of fluid should be added every time after loosening the stool until the diarrhea stops.

If the baby continues to have diarrhea, you need to take fresh stool and take the baby to the hospital for treatment. The doctor will determine the condition and decide what medicine to use.

What happens when I need to seek medical attention immediately?

● The baby's diarrhea is frequent and the amount is large, and the phenomenon of "feeding and pulling" appears, or the stool is obviously watery;

● The baby's urine volume is obviously reduced, the baby does not urinate or the urine color is obviously yellow;

● When there are bloody stools, pus and bloody stools, or obvious abdominal pain (small babies crying, irritability and difficult to coax) or frequent vomiting;

● The baby's mental response is poor, the skin is dry or there is no tears when crying;

● At the same time as diarrhea, when the baby has obvious fever or other systemic symptoms.

Diet and feeding during diarrhea In order to provide sufficient nutrition for the baby and not increase the burden on the intestinal tract, the most suitable diet during diarrhea is what you usually eat and what you eat now.

●Breast- or formula-fed babies continue to breast-feed or formula-fed

●Continue to eat the foods that you are used to, such as porridge, noodles, rice, eggs, minced fish, mashed meat, etc.

●Encourage eating, if the amount of food consumed each time is reduced, the frequency of feeding can be increased

●Avoid feeding your baby vegetables, fruits and high-sugar foods containing crude fiber

Buttock skin care during diarrhea

 Choose soft cloth or paper diapers with strong water absorption, and change diapers frequently. Wash the buttocks with warm water and wipe dry after going to the toilet to keep the skin clean and dry. When applying oil or ointment, use a cotton swab to gently roll the applicator on the skin to avoid pain and skin damage caused by rubbing.

How to prevent diarrhea?

Diarrhea is one of the main reasons for the growth and development of babies and malnutrition. For the sake of baby's health, it is necessary to pay attention to strengthen care in daily diet and life to prevent the occurrence of baby diarrhea.

● Develop good eating habits and establish a reasonable diet structure. Don’t indulge your baby’s appetite just because your baby likes it. Don’t give your baby cold food because of the hot weather, so as not to cause indigestion due to greed or cold. diarrhea.

● Paying attention to food hygiene is the key to preventing infectious diarrhea. The fruits and vegetables you eat should be soaked and cleaned, and the tableware used for the baby should be disinfected with boiling water. Cultivate your baby's good hygiene habits and wash hands before and after meals.

● The weather is changeable. Add or remove clothes for your baby in time according to temperature changes. Cover your abdomen when your baby sleeps, and keep your feet and abdomen warm.