In our final session of ABCDs of Children's Guy Health, lets take a look at diarrhea in children, its symptoms, causes and ways to manage it.
Welcome back to the final session of the 4 weeks collaboration between BYKidO and Miraco Nutripharm. We will be covering a range of common gastrointestinal disorders:
- Abdominal Pain
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
This week is the last session on know the ABCDs of children’s gut health and we will be talking about diarrhea in children, its symptoms, causes and ways to manage it. Don't forget to take part in our weekly giveaway at the end of this article, and you will stand to win a set of probiotics - 1 full size bottle of BioDrop plus 1 full box of Pro-Gut™, worth $89.90!
Source: kosmos111/ Adobe Stock
What is Diarrhea?
Diarrhea is the passage of stools that are watery or runny, which can happen at an increased frequency.1 Diarrhea happens because there is increased water content in our stools, due to impaired water absorption and/or active water secretion by the bowel.2
Diarrhea is not a disease but is usually a symptom of a number of illnesses.
Common Causes of Diarrhea1,3
Diarrhea can be caused by several factors, including but not limited to:
- Consumption of contaminated food or water
- Side effects from some medicines such as antibiotics or laxatives (Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea – AAD)
- Problems digesting certain types of food such as lactose or gluten intolerance
- Disorders that affect the digestive system like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Symptoms Associated with Diarrhea
Aside from loose stools, diarrhea can also be accompanied by4:
- Dehydration
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Fever
Although diarrhea is common and rarely serious, it is important to understand when to seek help. Take your child to the doctor if your child5:
- Has bloody diarrhea
- Is less than 12 months old and won't eat or drink anything for more than a few hours
- Has severe abdominal pain
- Shows behavioural changes or is unresponsive
- Is severely dehydrated. Signs of dehydration include:
- Dry mouth
- Thirst
- No urine or wet diapers for 3 hours or longer in babies and young children, or 6 to 8 hours in older children
- No tears when crying
Signs of dehydration in children and infants. Source: 3d450d995a88d9fcc39019b9c37e07cb.png (795×502) (pinimg.com)
Management of Diarrhea
If there are no accompanying alarming signs, diarrhea may be managed at home:
- Ensure adequate fluid intake: Give your child adequate fluids that contain water and electrolytes. Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), which have a specific mixture of salt and sugar, are widely available over-the-counter and are the best first-line treatment.1 ORS is able to replenish the fluid and electrolytes lost during diarrhea and helps with rehydration.
- Maintain adequate nutritional intake: Feeding your child adequate nutrition is important. Food like potatoes, crackers, bananas, noodles, rice, wheat, and oats with salt is recommended.1
- Avoid certain food: Avoid feeding your child foods that are high in fat, sugary drinks or sports drinks as these food and drinks may worsen diarrhea.1
- Avoid giving your child too much plain water6: Plain water is insufficient to replenish the electrolytes lost and excessive intake of plain water may be dangerous.
- Use probiotics: Clinical studies show that probiotics like BioDrop, which contains Bifidobacterium BB-12® may reduce duration of diarrhea and prevents risk of diarrhea in infants by 2 times. Probiotics are good bacteria which can help with digestive issues like diarrhea.1,7
Other precautions that can be taken to prevent diarrhea from contaminated foods include:4
- Do not consume unpasteurised milk or raw foods
- Store raw foods separately from others
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consumption
- Wash hands and kitchen tools after handling uncooked food
- Cook eggs until yolk is firm
- Thoroughly cook meat to a safe internal temperature: ground beef (71°C); chicken (77°C); pork (63°C) with a 3-minutes rest time
- Avoid leaving cooked foods at room temperature for more than 2 hours
As part of the collaboration between BYKidO & Miraco Nutripharm, we are currently giving away 3 sets of probiotics free each week – 1 full size bottle of BioDrop plus 1 full box of Pro-Gut™, worth $89.90, starting from 25th January 2022 (Tues).
Simply register via the link below! Winners will be contacted via email or phone.
BYKidO x Miraco Giveaway | Miraco Nutripharm
This is the last session of our collaboration between BYKidO and Miraco Nutripharm on the ABCDs of children’s gut health. We would like to thank you for your support over the past 4 weeks!
Week 1 – Abdominal pain
Week 2 – Bloating
Week 3 – Constipation
References
- Patient education: Acute diarrhea in children (Beyond the Basics). In: UpToDate, Post, TW (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA, 2021
- LaRocque R, et al. Approach to the adult with acute diarrhea in resource-rich settings. In: UpToDate, Post, TW (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA, 2021
- Fleisher GR. Approach to diarrhea in children in resource-rich countries. In: UpToDate, Post, TW (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA, 2021
- LaRocque R et al. Patient education: Acute diarrhea in adults (Beyond the Basics). In: UpToDate, Post, TW (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA, 2021
- Patient education: Diarrhea in children (The Basics). In: UpToDate, Post, TW (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA, 2021
- org. 2022. Diarrhea in Children. [online] Available at: <https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/diarrhea-in-children> [Accessed 18 January 2022].
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not provide or constitute any medical advice. You should not use the information for diagnosing or treating a health problem. All information stated in this article is accurate at time of publication and is subjected to change without notice. Miraco Nutripharm Pte Ltd will not be held accountable for the management of patients, including but not limited to their health outcomes.
