If the baby has diarrhea what to do. What does diarrhea look like in a baby? When breastfeeding

A child is always a big responsibility. And it's not about the upbringing or financial well-being of the family. Children are the most susceptible to disease.

It can be difficult for inexperienced moms to recognize and deal with problems. What is normal for an adult is a serious illness for a child.

Diarrhea in infants is common. Almost all children are exposed to a similar disease during the first year of life.

A small organism is sensitive to any changes, both external and internal. Many parents, because of their inexperience, are afraid of these changes and call an ambulance almost every day.

Diarrhea: true or not?

To understand what it is, you need to know what diarrhea looks like in a newborn. Up to 6 months, the baby has an unformed stool.

It can be liquid, mushy, light or yellow. Also, white patches, the presence of mucus and green masses are quite natural for this age.

It should be understood that if there really is a problem, then the behavior of the newborn will “talk” about it. It will definitely change, the child will become more nervous and capricious.

Since the baby cannot tell about the problem, his crying is the main indicator. In this case, crying can be accompanied without the release of tears.

What does breast diarrhea look like?

The main signs of diarrhea in a child:

Change in color and consistency of stool.
Constant whims for no reason.
In children, the smell of stool becomes sharp, possibly putrid. Whereas breastfeeding feces smell has a sour, milky smell. On artificial feeding, he is more unpleasant.
The process of defecation is abundant and frequent.
Allocations are mucous in nature and in large quantities. In the intestines, this mucus performs a protective function for the walls. When it all comes out with diarrhea, the intestines become more susceptible to infectious lesions.

In infants, the daily defecation rate varies. In principle, only a pediatrician can distinguish real diarrhea from a normal physiological process.

Some babies poop 1 time in 2-3 days, others may empty after each feeding or 5-6 times a day.

The main positive indicators if a mother suspects diarrhea in a child:

Body weight is normal and weight is not reduced.
The child eats with great appetite.
Doesn't refuse water.
Plays, sleeps and does not suit whims.

These signs suggest that diarrhea does not really exist and no treatment or intervention is required.

Moms need to know that their nutrition is very important. Any changes in food will affect the condition of the child and his feces.

What could be the reasons

Why does diarrhea appear? The condition of the stool in a newborn is influenced by various factors. They are not always considered dangerous, it is possible that these are just physiological changes in newborns.

Up to 3-4 months, a child can defecate up to 10 times a day and this is quite normal.

Another thing is when the baby has already begun to receive complementary foods. The stool becomes thinner and thicker. On artificial feeding, a one-time defecation process per day will be considered the norm.

In this case, no treatment is required. Just a child and his body is adapting to the environment.

If the child began to defecate watery stools without accompanying factors, then you can think about the problem. It is likely that this is really a "call" of the onset of diarrhea.

Diarrhea in infants is a dangerous phenomenon that requires an immediate solution. Even in an adult with prolonged diarrhea, dehydration can begin, and in a newborn, the water-salt balance is disturbed in a matter of days.

Loose stools lead to the loss of beneficial trace elements, electrolyte levels, which will cause cramps in the baby.

If diarrhea began in a newborn, what should I do and give in this case? First of all, there is no need to panic. The first step is to identify the causes of diarrhea.

This is an important condition that will help the pediatrician to further establish the diagnosis.

A variety of factors influence intestinal disorders in children: teething, nervous shocks, the introduction of complementary foods, a decrease in immune defenses, and much more.

Any changes associated with both the child and the mother affect the well-being of the child's body.

When diarrhea occurs, it is imperative to replenish the water-salt balance. To do this, as much fluid as possible should enter the body.

After all, with diarrhea, beneficial bacteria are excreted and the body ceases to absorb the necessary substances. The result is dehydration.

Whatever factors affect the presence of diarrhea in children, it is necessary to seek help from a pediatrician in a timely manner and begin treatment.

Causes of diarrhea: teething

Sometimes parents begin to panic about diarrhea in infants, although it was teething that affected the change in stool. At this point, the baby's body is under stress and immunity is sharply reduced.

The disease process also causes other accompanying symptoms:

The baby is constantly naughty, sleeps poorly and cries even at night.
The baby must have a fever. This is the main symptom that accompanies diarrhea throughout the entire time.
Due to such changes and severe pain, children may even have a fever.
Parents should observe the anxiety of the newborn. Whenever possible, he pulls various objects into his mouth. If you scratch his gums with a clean little finger, he will calm down and feel relieved.
Profuse salivation in infants.
The place where the tooth erupts swells.

How can diarrhea be treated? Teething is a natural phenomenon and no parent can avoid it.

All children experience this time in their own way. Diarrhea does not require specific treatment, but symptomatic relief is required.

At this point, you should not visit crowded places. Since the immunity during this period in infants is significantly reduced, any infection can instantly join and worsen the condition of the infant.
A newborn needs to relieve inflammation of the gums with the help of special gels. The tool has a cooling effect and alleviates the condition of the child.
Due to the fact that saliva flows abundantly in children and liquid feces come out, dehydration occurs as a result. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to replenish the level of water and electrolytes in the body.

It is worth understanding that the duration of diarrhea in a child should not exceed a few days. Usually 3 days is enough. Maximum - 5 days for the body to adapt to the onset state.

There may be times when it is impossible to cope with the disease at home. Then you should contact your pediatrician. It is likely that the child will have to be transferred to inpatient treatment.

In any case, one should be more attentive to the condition and behavior of the baby. Do not ignore serious symptoms. You can play it safe and seek expert advice.

Food intolerance in a child

The newborn has a deficiency of enzymes responsible for the digestion of food. In this regard, the child has a long adaptation to any innovations in complementary foods.

The digestive system is underdeveloped and the stomach does not absorb nutrients. Enzyme deficiency has a medical name - malabsorption.

This type of congenital pathology has its own classification:

Lactose intolerance. The gastrointestinal tract of a child is not able to absorb dairy products, due to a lack of the lactase enzyme.
celiac disease This is intolerance to cereal products. Gluten, when ingested, destroys the intestinal wall.
Cystic fibrosis. This is a serious and dangerous disease. You need to know that such an ailment is not treatable, which means that if it is detected, immediate help from specialists is required.

Throughout the time, the baby is under the close supervision of a doctor. Changes in diet will not change symptoms in any way.

Most often in infants from this group of causes, lactose intolerance is observed. In this case, the mother needs to remove all dairy products from the diet.

If the diagnosis showed gluten intolerance, then up to a year it is impossible to give the child products made from wheat flour, cereal, soy and other components that contain gluten.

What can be done and how to treat diarrhea with intestinal infections?

Common diseases include: salmonellosis, typhoid fever, dysentery, E. coli. All these problems are associated with the ingestion of harmful microbes into the body.

Most often, children under the age of one year are affected. It is worth knowing that any disease can play a negative role in the development of the child.

Symptoms of intestinal infections:

Strong diarrhea.
Vomit.
Heat.
Lack of appetite.
Pallor.
Increased gas formation, bloating and colic.

If these reasons are suspected, then you should immediately seek the help of a pediatrician. In most cases, the child is assigned to a hospital for further observation, accurate diagnosis and treatment.

What to do and how can diarrhea be treated? At home, self-medication is not allowed. This will only aggravate the situation and lead to complications. But you can give first aid to the baby.

It is necessary to replenish the water-salt balance and increase resistance to harmful bacteria. In this case, the child must be given a medicine such as Regidron.

Conclusion

Children under one year old do not have stable immunity, so a variety of reasons affect the appearance of diarrhea. Any changes affect the state of feces: bronchitis, otitis media, nervous shock, overheating, hypothermia.

The exact causes can only be identified by a specialist after diagnosis. What can parents do in this case? Without establishing a diagnosis, it is impossible to start treatment.

But parents should not allow dehydration. In this case, the infant should consume more liquids with the addition of electrolytes. A remedy that relieves concomitant symptoms is allowed.

Useful video

A change in the stool of an infant is always alarming for his parents. One of the most common violations of this kind is

Diarrhea in a child: norm and pathology

Child's diarrhea or diarrhea(from the Greek diarrheo - “expiring”), is a rapid and profuse bowel movement with liquid fecal masses.

To understand if there really is diarrhea in a child, it is necessary to know some physiological features characteristic of infants.

First of all, we emphasize that the frequency of stool and its nature in children under 1 year of age differ from those in the older age group and, in addition to everything, change during the first year of life.

Newborn chair a child in the first 1-2 days after birth has a special name - meconium. This term refers to the entire contents of the baby's intestines, accumulated before childbirth, before the first application of the baby to the breast. Meconium is a thick, viscous mass of dark olive color, odorless. Normally, it departs within 12-48 hours after the birth of the child. Then there is a transitional stool of a slightly more liquid greenish-yellow consistency, and from the 5th day of life - ordinary stools.

Type and quantity bowel movements in children the first year of life significantly depend on the nature of nutrition. When breastfeeding, the stool looks like liquid sour cream, golden yellow in color with a sour smell. With artificial feeding, feces are usually thicker, putty-like, light yellow in color, often with an unpleasant odor. The number of bowel movements during the first six months of life in children who are breastfed reaches 7 times a day, while in "artists" - 3-4 times a day. In the second half of life, the number of bowel movements gradually decreases to 3-4 with natural feeding and to 1-2 with formula feeding. At the same time, the consistency of feces becomes more and more thick, and the color and smell largely depend on the nature of the complementary foods received.

It should be noted that during the first year of life, especially in the first few months after birth, a child's stool can occur reflexively during suckling, which is an absolute norm.

Pathological loose stools in an infant can be suspected with an increase in the frequency of bowel movements above the physiological norm, a change in the normal consistency and color of feces, the appearance of pathological impurities in the stool, such as mucus, pus, blood.

Diarrhea in a child is considered acute if it occurs suddenly and stops within 1–2 weeks. Chronic diarrhea lasts more than 2 weeks.

Development mechanisms diarrhea in children some. In some cases, food passes through the intestines too quickly due to an increase in its peristalsis - a wave-like contraction of the walls. In others, there is an increase in the volume of feces due to malabsorption in the large intestine of water and electrolytes - substances that in solution partially or completely consist of charged particles - ions. Diarrhea in a child can also begin due to pathologically increased secretion of fluid into the intestinal lumen.

Frequent occurrence of digestive disorders, including diarrhea in a child infancy due to:

immaturity of the digestive system, which is manifested by insufficient production and low activity of digestive enzymes;
low compensatory capabilities of the electrolyte transport system through the intestinal wall;
immaturity of mucosal immunity;
a weak barrier function of the intestine, which consists in preventing the penetration of harmful substances, allergens, pathogens, etc. through the intestinal wall into the internal environment of the body.

Diarrhea in a child: causes

Peculiarities baby food. Alimentary, or food, factor is a common cause of d diarrhea in children infancy. Diarrhea occurs when the child's immature digestive system is overloaded with an increased amount of food, an excess amount of incoming nutrients, or their disproportionate ratio in the crumbs' diet.

In breastfed babies, intestinal disorders, including diarrhea, are often caused by the following foods consumed by a nursing mother:

smoked meats, sausages, sausages;
ketchup, mayonnaise;
carbonated sweet drinks;
products containing preservatives;
rich meat or fish broths;
refined carbohydrates - cakes, chocolate, semolina;
whole cow's milk, especially when consumed in excess of 500 ml per day;
some vegetables (cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, legumes) and fruits, such as grapes;
highly allergenic foods: strawberries, raspberries, citrus fruits, chocolate, caviar, red fish, seafood.

Another reason is that the child receives too large, age-inappropriate amounts of food. A gross violation is the feeding of an infant with milk of domestic animals, which differs greatly in its composition from mother's milk and is the cause of a disproportionate intake of many nutritional components into the child's body. Disproportion also occurs when the rules for diluting the milk formula are violated, when the baby is fed with a mixture that does not correspond to him in age and health.

Cause diarrhea in a child even minimal changes in nutrition can become: switching to a new milk formula, drinking a different composition of water - for example, when changing the region of residence. Another common reason is complementary foods that are not appropriate for the age of the child and a violation of the basic rules for their introduction - gradualness, sequence, etc. It should be remembered that diarrhea in a child may be the equivalent of an allergic reaction to foods such as fish, eggs, etc., and indicate a food intolerance.

Usually diarrhea in a child with a short-term violation of feeding the baby does not lead to serious consequences and, if the causes are eliminated, it is quickly cured.

lactase deficiency. This condition develops as a result of a decrease or complete absence of the lactase enzyme in the small intestine. There are primary lactase deficiency associated with congenital enzymatic deficiency, and secondary, which develops as a result of damage to the cells of the intestinal mucosa against the background of infectious and allergic inflammation, atrophy, or thinning, of the mucous membrane.

Clinical symptoms of primary lactase deficiency - flatulence, colic, diarrhea, anxiety of the baby during feeding and immediately after it. They usually appear in a child at the 3-6th week of life, which, apparently, is associated with an increase in the amount of milk or milk formula consumed. Stool with lactase deficiency is watery, frothy, may have a greenish tint, with a sour smell. An important symptom is low weight gain or even weight loss.

In secondary lactase deficiency, stools are often green, mucus, and undigested.

You can confirm lactase deficiency by passing tests. In any case, having discovered the above symptoms, it is necessary to contact a pediatrician who, after examination, will prescribe adequate therapy. It is important to understand that lactase deficiency is not a reason to refuse breastfeeding or switch to mixed feeding. Moreover, with age, as the digestive system matures, the manifestations of lactase deficiency often disappear. For children who are bottle-fed, there are special therapeutic milk mixtures.

Infections. Acute intestinal infection is provoked by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoa. Food poisoning differs from acute intestinal infection in that the disease is caused not by the bacteria themselves, but by their toxins. The entry of pathogens and their metabolic products into the child's body occurs when the rules of hygiene and care for the baby are not observed, when the elementary rules of hygiene of the mother and other persons in contact with the child are violated, when eating poor-quality products, such as baby food with an expired shelf life or for a long time. stored after opening the package. Also a common cause diarrhea in children Infancy and early childhood becomes a viral infection - rotavirus, adenovirus, etc., which is transmitted by airborne droplets when visiting crowded places, as well as when someone from the household falls ill.

The main manifestations of intestinal infections are vomiting, Rebecca has diarrhea, fever (this does not always happen), abdominal pain. Weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite may be noted, in some cases a rash appears on the body. The most serious complication of intestinal infections is dehydration due to loss of fluid and electrolytes.

Character diarrhea in children with intestinal infections may be different. Watery diarrhea, which is also called secretory, is caused by pathogens such as rotavirus, salmonella, enteropathogenic E. coli, vibrio cholerae, etc. It is characterized by damage to the water and electrolyte transport system in the intestinal wall, as a result of which the liquid is not only not absorbed into the blood, but, on the contrary, it is released, or secreted, into the intestinal lumen. Watery diarrhea is characterized by frequent, copious, watery stools, often with greenery.

In invasive, “bloody” diarrhea, pathogens invade the intestinal mucosa and destroy the cells lining it. At the same time, there are frequent and painful urges to defecate, the stool often leaves in a small volume and contains mucus, blood. causative agents with such diarrhea in children there may be shigella, causing dysentery, salmonella, enteroinvasive E. coli, etc.

Intestinal dysbacteriosis. In its extreme manifestations, this condition is also accompanied by diarrhea. Of particular note here is diarrhea that occurs while taking broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs, when not only pathogens are destroyed, but also a significant part of the normal intestinal microflora and its replacement with anaerobic bacteria. Wherein diarrhea in a child manifested by frequent and copious watery stools with the development of dehydration and intoxication of the body - a painful condition caused by exposure to the body of microbial poisons - toxins. In this case, immediate withdrawal of the causative drug and the appointment of appropriate treatment are required. To prevent intestinal dysbacteriosis while taking antibiotics, drugs are used to normalize the intestinal microflora (pre- and probiotics) in parallel with and after antibiotic therapy.

Diarrhea in a child May be a side effect of certain medications. Here is a far from complete list of drugs, the appointment of which can cause stool thinning: antibiotics, choleretic, antacid drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, etc. The occurrence of loose stools while taking medications should be a reason for consulting a doctor with the possible cancellation of the causative drug.

Diarrhea in a child. How to treat

emergence diarrhea in children infancy requires immediate medical advice.

In cases where, in addition to diarrhea in a child there is an increase in body temperature over 38 ° C, severe weakness, drowsiness; if the phenomena of dehydration of the body are observed - dryness of the lips and tongue, pointed facial features, "sunken" eyeballs, flabbiness of the skin; if the child has stopped urinating, the immediate hospitalization of the baby to the hospital is indicated, where an ambulance will take you.

If it is impossible to quickly get qualified medical care - in the country, on the road, etc. - first of all, it is necessary to take measures to prevent dehydration of the body, which in infancy with diarrhea can develop very quickly and cause a state of shock and death of the child. Rehydration, or fluid replenishment, is best done with standard saline solutions GASTROLIT, ORALIT, REGIDRON, which it is advisable to always have in your first-aid kit. In the absence of ready-made preparations, the rehydration solution can be prepared independently. To do this, dissolve 1-2 tbsp in 1 liter of drinking water. spoons of sugar, 1?/?2 teaspoons of salt and 1?/?2 teaspoons of baking soda.

If diarrhea in a child began recently and signs of dehydration did not have time to develop, saline solutions are given to the child at the rate of 10 ml? /? kg of body weight after each episode of loose stools or vomiting. If symptoms of dehydration are already present, the amount of fluid administered is increased to 50-100 ml? /? kg for 6 hours, followed by fluid replacement at the rate of 10 ml? /? kg of body weight after each episode of loose stools or vomiting. It should be remembered that the feeding of crumbs should be carried out with minimal portions of solutions (1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon every 10-15 minutes), since a larger volume of fluid injected at once can provoke vomiting.

When the body temperature rises above 38.5 ° C, the child must be given an antipyretic agent based on PARACETAMOL - PANADOL, KALPOL, EFFERALGAN - by mouth. The use of suppositories is not advisable, given the frequent loose stools. If the child has had convulsions in the past, if he suffers from chronic or congenital diseases of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, or if the baby is under 3 months old, an antipyretic should be given already at a temperature of 38 ° C.

To remove toxins from the gastrointestinal tract and fix the stool, the baby is given sorbents - SMECTU, NEOSMEKTIN, DIOSMEKTID. One sachet of the drug (3 g) is dissolved in 50 ml of drinking water and the crumbs are drunk in small portions throughout the day.

It should also be noted that child with diarrhea must be washed after each stool to avoid skin irritation.

- what to do? After all, indigestion, intestinal infections and, as a result, diarrhea in a child are very dangerous for a small child. What is rotavirus infection? What should parents know to improve their child's health?

Consulting pediatrician Olga Yartseva.

What kind of jokes are not released among the people about what doctors call diarrhea. But the parents of children suffering from diarrhea are sometimes not at all in the mood for jokes. Along with a runny nose and cough, diarrhea in a child is the most common reason forcing them to visit a pediatrician.
Alarming sign: the consistency of the stool has changed

Frequent loose stools- this is not only unpleasant and troublesome (at least), but also causes concern about the health of the little sufferer. And this is a good enough reason to thoroughly address this issue. How many times a day the diaper is “loaded” most likely plays a secondary role, since individual differences are very large: a healthy baby has hard stools once every two or three days, others give it out in small portions five or more times a day. day. In relation to infants, even ten bowel movements per day are considered the norm - as well as stool retention, too, does not immediately mean a serious illness.
Diarrhea symptoms:
the baby suddenly begins to defecate more often,
the consistency of the stool changes: it becomes liquid and watery, often turns greenish and, as it were, “squirts” out.
Cause of discomfort: usually infection, less often food

When a child suddenly develops diarrhea, adults, first of all, think that there was some kind of nutritional error. Sometimes that's how it is. If the baby receives unchildish or improperly prepared food, with which his stomach is not yet able to cope, it passes into the intestines undigested. There, bacteria break it down, carbohydrates begin to ferment, and protein rots. This leads to diarrhea. Some babies react with diarrhea to bottle replacement or new foods.

Sometimes it starts slow the child loses his appetite, he becomes restless, whimpering. His weight no longer increases, and may even decrease. The skin, muscles and whole body are flabby to the touch. In other cases, the disease lives up to its name - the child is carried. Suddenly, the amount of secretion increases dramatically, the abdomen swells, the temperature rises, the weight suddenly decreases. The stool becomes more and more sour, diaper rash occurs.
Main Threat: Dangerous Fluid Loss

Babies and young children are much more bothered by diarrhea than teenagers and adults. With watery stools, vital minerals - electrolytes - are washed out of the body. The causative agents of diarrhea damage the sensitive mucous membranes of the small intestine: the "hairy" surface of the intestine is smoothed out and absorbs less and less nutrients and fluids. The child is literally dehydrated! For this reason, children under two years of age who develop suspicious symptoms should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.
First steps: compensate for fluid deficiency

Children's doctors recommend quickly restoring the loss of water by the body. Doctors call this rehydration. The pharmacy sells ready-made mixtures of electrolyte solution, designed for the needs of the child's body. With their help, the intestinal mucosa is restored and begins to absorb fluid and nutrients, which stops dangerous weight loss. As a rule, other medicines are not needed in addition to rehydration solutions. Remedies for diarrhea for adults are not suitable for children. Antibiotics only make sense for some infections caused by bacteria.
The second measure of help: restore normal nutrition

Today experts recommend:
Breastfeeding infants continue to breastfeed as needed and replenish lost fluids at the same time. In the intervals between breastfeedings in small single doses, give a special rehydration solution to drink.
Bottle-fed infants should be fed their usual formula as soon as about six hours after the first electrolyte dose. However, for babies under the age of six months, the mixture must be diluted - first in a ratio of 1: 2 (1 part milk nutrition, diluted as indicated on the box, plus 2 parts of water), then in a ratio of 1: 1. Then for two to three days to increase the concentration to the usual norm.
Older infants with mild diarrhea after rehydration should continue to be fed their normal diet in full and at a normal concentration. With severe diarrhea, gradual re-nutrition is required. Even if the treatment has worked, the infant's diarrhea may persist for several days. But now it is not so much the quality of the stool that is important, but the fact that the child feels good and gains weight.

The baby has an allergy: you need to watch out for special risks

A very important issue is the nutrition of infants with an increased risk of allergies who received hypoallergenic food. During the period of indisposition, it is not necessary to replace it with other medical nutrition - it may contain traces of cow's milk protein and is not suitable for babies: the body will receive an additional burden in the form of a foreign protein. By the way, soy food can contribute to allergies.
What's on the children's table: grated apple is still relevant

For older children (from two years old), the same rule applies: first of all, compensate for the loss of water and minerals with an electrolyte solution.
So: drink, drink, drink! If the child has an appetite, he can eat a little.
To begin with, salty sticks, dry rye bread and salty meat broth are recommended (traces of fat must be removed from the chilled broth).
Starting from the second day, the usual food is partially allowed, for example, potatoes with carrots, mashed potatoes, porridge - "slurry" on a slimy rice broth, pasta from durum wheat flour (without eggs).
One of the best home remedies for diarrhea is a grated apple. Let the baby eat it with a spoon straight from the grater. Good apple mousse.
You can also recommend a banana - in the form of mashed potatoes or slices.
Apple compote is useful for drinking. There are too few salts in cola, but too much sugar, so it should be diluted with mineral water.
Much better are carrot soup, tomato juice, or anticonvulsant teas (such as chamomile, fennel, anise, or mint).

On vacation: an emergency measure of assistance

If the child has diarrhea during the holidays, and there is no rehydration drug at hand, you can use the following recipe: dilute 1 teaspoon of sugar or glucose and a pinch of salt in 100 ml of boiled water. The taste of the solution should not be saltier than tears. A small amount of orange juice will improve the taste of the liquid; in addition, the child will receive additional potassium.

Prevention: on the issue of hygiene in the kitchen

Virus infection cannot be prevented. However, the spread of a bacterial intestinal infection (such as salmonella) can be prevented by observing strict kitchen hygiene and food preparation rules.
For this you need:
always wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food and after each work operation;
defrost frozen poultry from the refrigerator in a separate container; drain the melted water; objects in contact with defrosted poultry (boards, etc.) should be washed with hot water;
minced meat should be cooked on the day of its preparation;
soft-boiled eggs should not be dipped in cold water so that the heat inside the egg is preserved and continues to act longer;
fry the meat until the red juice stops coming out of it.

Kindergarten: how long does the ban last

As long as the child excretes diarrhea pathogens through the intestines, he can infect other children. If the causative agents are bacteria, this can continue for a very long time. For example, 8-12 weeks after the disease, older children or adults are no longer found to have salmonella, while in young children they can stubbornly persist for a year. According to the rules, children can be sent to kindergarten or school only if pathogens are not detected in three consecutive stool samples.

This is hard for both children and parents: a long-recovered child is forced to stay at home.

Quick Pass: Irritable Bowel Matter

It is not uncommon for children aged 8 months to 3 years to be brought to the doctor who have mushy or loose stools two or three times a day. At the same time, children do not feel sick, they develop well. The only deviation is that certain foods are quickly excreted - partly in an undigested form. In most cases, there is little cause for concern: the child has a harmless "irritable bowel syndrome." This disorder is caused by the fact that food passes through the gastrointestinal tract not within about 27 hours, which is the norm for the body, but almost twice as fast - in just 14 hours. The intestines simply do not have enough time for the feces to thicken.

Sometimes diarrhea is caused by large amounts of cold drinks: apple and pear juices contain a lot of fructose, which some children only partially digest, which leads to diarrhea.

By about three years of age, such ailments disappear, and the tendency to diarrhea stops by itself.

All parents are very attentive to the health of their crumbs. Therefore, the occurrence of diarrhea in an infant can cause them to feel anxious. If there is nothing else besides this symptom, then you should not worry. But if there are other signs, such as, for example, an admixture of blood, a pungent odor in the stool, you should contact your pediatrician. This indicates the pathological processes occurring in the body of the baby. So, what does diarrhea look like in a baby? And how to understand that a newborn has diarrhea?

Diarrhea in infants during breastfeeding occurs as a result of imperfect work of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, it can be provoked by any disease, whether it is a simple cold, bronchitis or flu. The main reasons may be:

diarrhea in a newborn during breastfeeding may occur due to lactose deficiency, when the child's body is not able to digest lactose, which is part of milk;
non-compliance with the rules for the introduction of complementary foods can provoke diarrhea;
may occur at elevated body temperature;
diarrhea in infants may be due to impaired metabolism with improper or incomplete absorption in the intestine;
with mixed feeding;
when teething;
when low-quality products enter the diet of the mother or crumbs;
diarrhea in infants can be triggered by E. coli;
lamblia can cause diarrhea in infants;
provocateurs of pathology can be side effects when taking antibiotics (dysbacteriosis) by mother or baby.

This is only a small part of the reasons why there may be a disorder in the gastrointestinal tract in infants.

Clinical signs

The clinical manifestation of this pathology depends on etiological factors. Most of the symptoms of diarrhea are an increase in the frequency of bowel movements in newborns.

How to distinguish diarrhea from normal stool? The liquid stool of a newborn is more of a norm than a pathology, and this is due to the fact that the baby receives only liquid food. This type of stool does not require medical treatment. With artificial feeding, the baby's stool has a denser consistency. Color and smell depend on the mixture used.

Often parents do not know how to identify diarrhea, because loose stools for babies are considered the norm. Before you can distinguish the norm from the pathology, it is necessary to accurately recognize deviations from the norm in the child. In a child with diarrhea, the following clinical picture is observed:

increased frequency of bowel movements;
to determine that diarrhea in a baby is helped by its consistency - it becomes watery, sometimes with inclusions;
the child will be disturbed by the tummy. This will be expressed in rumbling, pain, tension on palpation of the abdominal muscles;
change in color and smell of feces;
manifestation of a variety of symptoms characteristic of infectious and inflammatory processes.

In newborns with this pathology, there is nervousness, poor appetite, and sometimes the baby refuses to eat at all. The baby becomes more capricious. With diarrhea, the baby may show signs of dehydration. Such symptoms are characteristic of the advanced variant of the course of the disease. Or with a large loss of water, such as with rotavirus infection

Change in stool color

Green diarrhea in infants may appear as a result of several factors that are divided into normal and pathological. The first type includes:

If during feeding the newborn eats only foremilk. This is because foremilk is thinner and leaner. So, it will be absorbed faster, and the baby remains hungry. This type of diarrhea is called "hungry diarrhea".
Diarrhea of dark green color will indicate a large amount of bilirubin. The green color of the stool can be the result of an improper diet in the mother, when the nursing mother includes a large amount of plant foods in her diet.
On artificial feeding, a change from yellow to green feces indicates an excess of iron in the milk mixture. Or such changes are the result of a sharp change in the mixture.

An artificial child should be fed with a mixture of one company. Uncontrolled change of finished products will lead to a disorder in the digestive tract.

Green tint to feces gives complementary foods. The baby begins to try all possible new dishes and foods that cause a change in the color of the feces. Normally, the baby has yellow feces. Only a pediatrician will tell you in more detail how to feed a child during this period.

What pathologies can cause diarrhea with a greenish color? The cause of diarrhea in an infant can be. In this case, the crumbs' stool will become liquid and acquire a greenish color. This is due to insufficient production of enzymes in the body of the baby, in this case, lactase. This enzyme helps break down the carbohydrates found in breast milk.

Pathologies causing diarrhea:

rotavirus infection;
accompanied by: diarrhea, colic, bloating, pain, skin rashes, irritation on the pope;
viruses;
allergy;
yellow stools.

Yellow diarrhea does not pose a great danger to the health of the child. In artificial children, such a chair is considered the norm and depends on the type of mixture. This color of diarrhea indicates the absence of infectious and pathological processes.

Mucus in stool

Diarrhea with mucus occurs as a result of:

enterocolitis;
gastroenteritis;
teething;
lactase deficiency;
allergies to cow's milk;
improper or early introduction of complementary foods to the child.

Blood in feces

Diarrhea with blood in the baby is a dangerous symptom. This indicates the presence of a serious infection and disease in the newborn. Such ailments include salmonellosis or dysentery. Harmful microflora affects the mucous walls of the intestines, thereby disrupting the normal activity of the intestines. In this case, the feces can be not only streaked with blood, but also interspersed with white mucus, green streaks, orange flakes. In this case, the temperature rises. This type of disease can cause dehydration in the baby.

Temperature with diarrhea

Diarrhea and fever in infants are caused by inflammatory and infectious processes. This condition occurs as a result of non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene by parents. Often, fever and diarrhea occur with rotavirus infection. In this case, you should not stop diarrhea in a baby on your own. Rotavirus infection is a rather insidious and sticky disease. It cannot be cured on its own.

Treatment

What to do with diarrhea in the baby? Before starting therapy, it is necessary to determine the causes of loose stools. Treatment should be not only complex, but also aimed at eliminating the etiological factor. Only a specialist will tell you how to treat diarrhea. Dr. Komarovsky is sure that physiological liquid stool is not a pathology, and therefore does not require therapy. Treatment of diarrhea should begin with plenty of fluids, Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky is sure.

It is necessary to treat diarrhea in a newborn only under the supervision of specialists. A child under one year old is assigned:

Regulators. These include the following solutions: Oralit, Pedilight, Hydrovit and others. These drugs are suitable for combating diarrhea and dehydration. They give medicine not less than 100 ml of the drug per kilogram of crumbs weight. It is necessary to give the remedy after each bowel movement. You can prepare at home analogues of rehydrants. Three teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt are added to one liter of water, mixed. The solution can also be given with vomiting.

For children, Regidron is not used. This is due to the fact that it contains a lot of sodium salts. They are considered dangerous for babies. If this solution is prescribed by a pediatrician, then it is diluted with water twice as much.

Sorbents. Most often, doctors prescribe Smecta, Polysorb.

Smecta for rotavirus infection is not used

Diet. With HS, the diet should be followed by a nursing mother. If the baby has already tried "food from a common boiler", then it is necessary to exclude all fruits, juices, raw vegetables, sour-milk products. Instead of a cookie, give a cracker, replace the fried meat with boiled meat or fish.

In no case should you stop therapy on your own. It is not enough just to stop diarrhea, you need to identify and treat the cause.

Folk remedies

Is it possible to treat a child with folk remedies? Such treatment is carried out only with the consent of a specialist. There are many tools that help in solving this problem. But, one must understand that traditional medicine should in no case replace medication. What remedies will help relieve diarrhea and irritation caused by it, diaper rash.

Lime decoction. Dry flowers are brewed in boiling water, insist. Then they give the baby. Diarrhea may pass in a day.
Aspen buds. 1 tablespoon of green aspen buds is brewed over low heat for half an hour. Then the broth is filtered and fed to the children three times a day for a teaspoon.
Mint decoction. Brewed in the same way. Give before feeding in the morning and in the evening.
Rice water. A decoction of round rice is boiled, drained and watered. Before that, it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 3.
Rosehip decoction.

Can small children take potassium permanganate? There is no specific data that would prohibit this tool. The agent is dissolved in one liter of water no more than two crystals. Take before bed.

Tablets are not prescribed for small children under one year old.

Prevention

Preventive methods are:

observance of hygiene not only for the baby, but also for both parents;
rational and balanced nutrition of the mother;
quality food;
timely detection and treatment of diseases;
strengthening immunity.

All this will make it possible to minimize the risk of diarrhea in infants.

Diarrhea is a rather unpleasant disease, especially if it occurs in babies. Do not self-medicate and try to stop it with the help of various drugs. Each of them has its own indications and contraindications that must be taken into account. Since the health of a small person is more important than the rapid effect of therapy.

Diarrhea in the baby can be the result of various reasons. It is important to install and eliminate them. This is the "treatment" of diarrhea. It is impossible to leave this symptom without attention, especially in infants. For any complications and doubts, you should immediately consult a doctor.

If the baby has diarrhea, but the baby eats and sleeps well, is not naughty, has no fever and vomiting, you should not worry too much about this. In medicine, there is such a thing as "physiological diarrhea." This may be a reaction to a new product, teething, climate change, etc. Usually, such diarrhea in infants ends quickly, happens once and does not require special treatment, except for dietary restrictions.

How does diarrhea occur?

The intestines contain cells that produce mucus, which protects the intestinal wall from pathogens. When viruses and bacteria enter the body, they begin to destroy “defender” cells. Mucus is produced less and less, some parts of the intestine remain uncovered with a protective shell. Viruses release toxins, which in turn attack the intestinal wall. What does the body do in response to the “attack” of toxins? It begins to release a lot of fluid, as a result of which toxins are washed out. This is the defense mechanism of diarrhea.

Loose stools or diarrhea: how to distinguish

Loose stools in infants up to a year old are a variant of the norm, because the child receives predominantly liquid, milky food. What is called diarrhea in older children and adults is often characterized in infants as loose stools that do not require any intervention. What does breast diarrhea look like? It can be identified by a number of characteristic features:

the frequency of bowel movements increases significantly;
the stool becomes even more liquid, watery;
sudden release of bowel movements;
the smell is more pronounced, sour, sharp;
the color may be pronounced green or yellow;
streaks of blood, mucus, foam are found;
additional symptoms may appear: fever, vomiting, lethargy.

It is necessary to monitor the general condition of the baby. If he has poor sleep and appetite, colic, gaziki, capriciousness, fever, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Causes

Some causes of diarrhea in an infant can be treated quickly at home with dietary modifications. Others, on the contrary, require a medical examination.

In rare cases, congenital bowel pathologies can be the cause of diarrhea. Acute surgical pathology includes such diseases: appendicitis, peritonitis (inflammation in the abdominal cavity), intussusception (intestinal obstruction). They are accompanied by acute pain in the abdomen, bloating, high fever, vomiting. The condition of the baby can be critical. It is imperative that you seek emergency medical attention.

How to treat diarrhea

What to do with diarrhea in the baby? There are several important principles in the treatment of diarrhea.

The smaller the child, the more closely monitoring of his condition should be. Acute and prolonged diarrhea in a child at 3 months and, say, at 3 years old can have different consequences. In infants, the process of dehydration and weight loss is much faster.

What is the danger of chronic or acute diarrhea

The main complication of diarrhea in a child under one year old is severe dehydration. By what signs can it be identified?

rapid weight loss;
dry diaper for 4-6 hours;
crying without tears;
insufficient salivation, dry mucous in the mouth;
prolonged and frequent vomiting;
dry, tight skin;
sunken fontanel and eyes;
lethargy.

If these symptoms are observed, you should immediately seek medical help.

Diarrhea in an infant is dangerous for its consequences if it has an acute or chronic form. The smaller the child, the greater the risk of dehydration and weight loss, which can be life threatening. It is important for parents to know about this.