How to treat diarrhea in infants and young children as recommended by the CDC

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi An - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Diarrhea is a common problem in infants and young children. In certain cases, severe diarrhea can lead to dehydration and have serious consequences for a child's health. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to treat diarrhea properly and quickly for babies.

1. Recognize the signs of dehydration from diarrhea in children

One of the key steps to treating diarrhea in infants and young children is to watch for signs of dehydration in order to rehydrate them quickly. Here are the early signs of dehydration in children, including:
Dry lips, tongue and mouth Heart rate faster than normal When crying without tears Diapers not wet for more than 3 hours Also, During dehydration, children may have the following symptoms:
Drowsiness Irritability Sunken cheeks, eyes or soft spots on the top of the head Even, with severe dehydration, children can experience problems life-threatening problems such as coma, convulsions, organ failure, and, rarely, death.

2. Quickly rehydrate children

Mild diarrhea only brings discomfort to the child, but does not seriously affect health if the child continues to eat and drink as usual. You should continue to breastfeed or formula feed your baby. However, for diarrhea that persists or occurs frequently, it may be necessary to make some dietary changes and treat the condition with oral rehydration solutions.
Children's rehydration solution is also known as electrolyte solution. This is a substance that can replace the salt and water lost when your baby has diarrhea. In addition, they are also easier to digest than a typical child's diet. Most rehydration solutions come in cream or liquid form, with distinct flavors.
When your child first has diarrhea, you should try to encourage him to eat and drink as usual and drink as much rehydration solution as possible. However, if your child shows signs of vomiting, you need to take him to the emergency room immediately, as this will speed up dehydration of the child's body.
Besides, you should not follow home remedies for diarrhea in children, such as giving them rice water or boiled milk. Moreover, you also absolutely do not give your child carbonated drinks when he is having diarrhea. In fact, these drinks are often sweetened with added sugar and are used primarily for athletes performing strenuous physical activities. Therefore, they are not an appropriate liquid to rehydrate a child.
In addition, foods or liquids that contain a lot of sugar, such as cookies, cakes, juices or soft drinks, can contribute to the symptoms of diarrhea by pulling in large amounts of the substance. liquid in the intestines.
Health care experts say that the outstanding advantage of oral rehydration solutions is that they contain only a sufficient amount of sugar, allowing the body to absorb potassium, sodium and water without causing the baby to be digested. flow more.
In case the baby shows signs of deterioration, or is at risk of severe dehydration, you should immediately contact a specialist for timely treatment.

3. Correct use of OTC anti-diarrheal medicines for young children

Experts recommend that over-the-counter (OTC) anti-diarrheal medicines should not be given to young children with diarrhea, unless authorized by a doctor. Some products that help relieve diarrhea, such as Kaopectate and Pepto-Bismol, which contain magnesium, bismuth, and aluminum, can be harmful to babies and toddlers because of how quickly they build up in the body. can happen very quickly.
Although the above products can be used on older children, it is still advisable to consult your doctor or read the label instructions carefully. As for Pepto-Bismol, the product packaging often recommends that you consult a doctor before giving it to children under 12 years of age. Meanwhile, Kaopectate product packaging recommends that you consult a doctor before giving it to children under 6 years old.

4. When should the baby see the doctor?

You should take your child to the doctor immediately if he or she has any of the following symptoms:
Signs of dehydration Fever over 39 degrees Diarrhea for more than 24 hours Stools containing pus or blood Black or tarry stools Bloody stools in children can occur because the anorectal area is irritated, causing bleeding from the skin. It usually presents with bright red blood on the tip of the stool. To ease this symptom, your pediatrician may give your baby a certain cream.

5. Identify the cause of diarrhea in children

Acute diarrhea in children is usually caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. This condition usually comes on quickly in a short time and seriously affects the health of the child.
Rotavirus is a virus that causes enteritis and gastritis. This is also the leading cause of acute diarrhea in children. However, the FDA has now approved the use of two rotavirus vaccines to prevent this risk of infection. This is a liquid vaccine, recommended for 2 - 3 doses for infants aged 6 - 32 weeks, where the dose of vaccine will depend on the type of vaccine. used.
Just like any other medicine, vaccines can cause serious allergic reactions or other worrying health problems. Some studies have shown that some infants born with rotavirus vaccine have a rare condition of bowel obstruction called intussusception. However, the risks of serious harm to health from vaccines are insignificant, while their benefits in preventing disease are much higher. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rotavirus vaccination has reduced the number of babies who need urgent care or hospitalization for illness caused by the virus by 85% by 85%. this caused.
For chronic diarrhea (recurrent or ongoing), or diarrhea that persists for more than a week in a child may be associated with a number of other problems. At that time, you should take your child to see a pediatrician as soon as possible to quickly find the right remedy.

In summary, children in the period from 6 months to 3 years old are very susceptible to respiratory problems, respiratory infections, skin diseases and gastrointestinal infections... Parents need special attention. special attention to the care and provision of adequate nutrition for children. The pediatric department at Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for receiving and examining diseases that infants and young children are susceptible to: viral fever, bacterial fever, otitis media, pneumonia in children. , diarrhea... With a system of modern facilities, medical equipment, sterile space, minimizing the impact as well as the risk of disease spread, Vinmec will bring satisfaction to you. Customers and are highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading doctors and nurses in Pediatrics: Including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctors, etc.) Doctor, Master), rich experience, worked in big hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. The doctors are all well-trained, professional, have heart - reach, understand young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to play comfortably and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: fda.gov