Diarrhea in Children: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Diarrhea in Children: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Diarrhea is a common health problem in children, especially those under 2 years old.

1. Causes and Symptoms:

• Leading cause of malnutrition: Diarrhea can be caused by many factors, the most common being:

• Rotavirus: This is the main cause of acute diarrhea in children.

• Bacteria: Shigella, Clostridium jejuni, ETEC invade the intestinal mucosa causing inflammation.

• Practices that increase risk:

• Weaning before 1 year old: Breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for infants, helping to boost the immune system and protect against disease.

• Bottle feeding: Using unclean bottles or improperly preparing formula can also cause diarrhea in children.

• Symptoms:

• Passing loose or watery stools more than 3 times in 24 hours.

• Three clinical syndromes:

• Acute diarrhea: Lasts less than 14 days, with loose or watery stools, no blood, causing dehydration.

• Dysentery syndrome: Blood in the stool, loss of appetite, rapid weight loss, mucosal damage.

• Persistent diarrhea: Lasts abnormally long (over 14 days).

• Mechanism of diarrhea:

• Secretory diarrhea: When the secretion of fluids (salts and water) into the intestinal lumen is abnormal.

• Osmotic diarrhea: The small intestinal mucosa is “leaky”, water and salts are transported back and forth uncontrollably.

2. Classification and Treatment:

• Acute diarrhea in children is divided into 3 degrees:

• Acute diarrhea without dehydration (regimen A): Treatment at home.

• Acute diarrhea with dehydration (regimen B): Drink oral rehydration solution (ORS).

• Acute diarrhea with severe dehydration (regimen C): Intravenous fluid administration.

• Recognizing signs:

• Acute diarrhea with dehydration: Restless, agitated, sunken eyes, thirsty, slow skin turgor.

• Acute diarrhea with severe dehydration: Lethargic, comatose, very sunken eyes, unable to drink water, very slow skin turgor.

• ORS Dosage:

• Children under 24 months: 50-100 ml after each bowel movement.

• Children 2-10 years old: 100-200 ml after each bowel movement.

• Children over 10 years old: Drink as desired.

• Intravenous fluid administration:

• Best solution: Ringer’s lactate.

• Acceptable fluids: Normal saline solution.

• Note: Antibiotics should not be routinely used for acute diarrhea.

• Medicines not to use:

• Anti-motility drugs such as immodium.

• Anti-emetics such as promethazine.

• Absorbents such as actapulgite, smecta, activated charcoal.

• -mycine lines.

3. When to see a doctor:

• Child does not improve after 3 days of home treatment.

• Child has any of the following symptoms:

• Frequent, watery stools.

• Poor eating or drinking.

• Fever.

• Excessive thirst.

• Continuous vomiting.

• Blood in the stool.

4. Prevention:

• Breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months of life.

• Wash hands thoroughly before preparing food for your child.

• Cook food thoroughly.

• Store food carefully.

• Vaccinate your child against Rotavirus.

Diarrhea can be dangerous for young children, especially infants and toddlers. Take your child to see a doctor if you suspect they have diarrhea.