Dorothy FarrarDiarrhea in the child
Diarrhea in children means liquid stool. Diarrhea can be a one-off observation, and the disease can also last for days. Diarrhea in children is often just a symptom of an underlying disease and can become dangerous due to dehydration.
What is diarrhea in children?
Diarrhea in children does not differ in its manifestation from the form in adults. The stool becomes liquid, can smell foul, and cause abdominal pain . Diarrhea in children can occur once, last a few hours, but also days.
Since large amounts of fluid are unintentionally excreted with the stool during diarrhea, there is a risk of undersupply with fluid when this occurs. Children in particular are quickly dehydrated by diarrhea – while adults should only be closely observed, diarrhea in children is a case for the pediatrician.
Causes
Diarrhea in children is not uncommon as children still have a very sensitive digestive system. Food intolerances or first-time contact with new foods or overly seasoned foods can already trigger diarrhea in children. Infections of the gastro-intestinal system are also frequently a possibility, with frequent accompanying symptoms then being nausea , vomiting and general malaise with fever and exhaustion. In very rare cases, recurring diarrhea in the child indicates more serious illnesses. The differential diagnosis then ranges from congenital diseases such as Crohn’s disease to colon cancer. However, all these serious diseases are extremely rare.
Diseases
When to the doctor?
Persistent diarrhea causes children to lose an often underestimated amount of fluid. However, a lack of fluids can quickly become dangerous for the child, as serious impairments to the cardiovascular system can result. Accordingly, attention should be paid to symptoms of dehydration, as these necessitate immediate medical intervention.
Dehydration caused by diarrhea can be seen externally, for example, in skin folds that do not recede immediately. You can test this by pulling up the skin on the back of your hand, for example. If the resulting crease does not spring back immediately without a trace, this can already indicate a lack of liquid.
Although the child may still be in good spirits, you should consult a pediatrician as soon as possible if the diarrhea does not subside in the next few hours and the child can be encouraged to drink at the same time without any problems.
However, if the child appears confused and apathetic, appears disoriented and no longer really responsive, a children’s clinic should be consulted immediately. The child may need immediate infusions to stabilize the cardiovascular system. Acute loss of consciousness can also occur as a result of severe dehydration from diarrhea . Parents should call 911 immediately if this happens.
diagnosis and course
Diarrhea comes on very suddenly. In contrast to adults, children often have little time to make it to the toilet in time. The younger the affected child, the more likely it is that it will no longer be able to go to the toilet if it has diarrhea , but this improves with age. Diarrhea in children often occurs not only quickly, but also very severely. Accompanying abdominal pain is not uncommon.
Diarrhea in a child can be a one-off occurrence, after which the symptoms quickly get better on their own. Depending on the trigger, the child can also have repeated diarrhea that lasts for hours or days. Most diarrhea in children actually has harmless causes, the diarrhea would go away on its own. Pediatricians usually require a stool sample to diagnose the cause , especially if the diarrhea returns.
complications
Diarrhea is a cause for concern, even in an adult. The small intestine releases large amounts of fluid to allow for diarrhea in the first place. Of course, he does not have these in reserve, but withdraws them from the body, which needs them for other purposes. If it is not refilled, there is a risk of dehydration. Diarrhea in a child causes it much more quickly than in an adult whose body is already better able to cope with dehydration. The younger the child, the less it takes for dehydration to develop.
Many children with diarrhea do not want to eat or drink much because of the underlying disease, making it all the more difficult to replenish the fluid loss with water and other suitable beverages. For this reason, complications in children arise much faster. If the child’s diarrhea has subsided and the child is already on the mend, the intestinal flora can still be affected for a while.
The more severe the diarrhea, the greater the damage to the natural intestinal flora. With mild diarrhea, a child can recover without further help, with severe diarrhea, on the contrary, a suspension for drinking should be prescribed, which will restore them. Otherwise, digestion can suffer and lead to further digestive problems or poor absorption of nutrients in the intestine.
treatment and therapy
The most important treatment for diarrhea in children is preventive, sufficient fluid intake. Children dehydrate very quickly with diarrhea, even if the unpleasant phenomenon has only occurred once. The younger the child, the more important it is to ensure adequate fluid intake in the event of diarrhea. If the diarrhea is only mild, older children in particular can stay at home and wait with enough water until it passes by itself.
In addition to water or low-acid fruit tea without sugar , small children often need medication to help them restore their intestinal flora . This can be severely affected by diarrhea in children, especially in the case of long-lasting diarrhea associated with gastrointestinal infections. In order to stop diarrhea and vomiting in the case of an infection of the digestive tract, drugs are also most often injected directly into children, since otherwise there is a serious risk of dehydration.
In the healing phase of diarrhea in children, in addition to sufficient fluids and conscious intake of medication that promotes intestinal flora, nutrition must also be taken into account. Spicy or intensely spiced foods as well as greasy and very sweet foods are not suitable for children with diarrhea as they put too much strain on the digestive tract. Rice, semolina porridge, polenta, vegetables, mashed potatoes, bread and other easily digestible foods should be eaten at least until the diarrhea has improved significantly. For small children, the doctor treating them may also recommend a nutritious, gentle special diet.
outlook and prognosis
Diarrhea in children as part of a common gastrointestinal infection generally has a good prognosis. In the otherwise healthy child, such infections usually subside after a few days with a bland diet and sufficient fluid intake and do not require any special treatment. A rather unfavorable prognosis is diarrhea that does not stop on its own. In order to achieve improvement here, further examinations must be carried out promptly, which sometimes also require an inpatient stay in the hospital.
Diarrhea in children, based on an intolerance to certain foods, also has a good prognosis as soon as the cause has been found. If the food that causes the diarrhea is avoided, the symptoms usually subside quickly and leave no further consequences. Prolonged diarrhea in the context of serious diseases of the digestive tract is unfavorable in terms of prognosis, since constant diarrhea and the associated loss of fluids severely affect the circulatory system and, in the long term, can also damage organs such as the kidneys . In order to be able to achieve a good prognosis here, a thorough diagnosis of the diarrhea is required.
prevention
Diarrhea in children is common and, in many cases, difficult to prevent. Good hand hygiene and observing hygienic rules when going to the toilet are the best ways to prevent children from getting infections of the digestive tract. Washing hands is important, with small children and in high phases of stomach infections adults should strictly demand and monitor compliance with these rules. Diarrhea can be prevented with poorly tolerated foods.Over time, the parents know what their child tolerates – what is incompatible should be avoided. Spicy or too many spices are also not recommended for small children, and raw or undercooked food can also lead to diarrhea. In order to prevent dehydration, children with diarrhea should be presented to the doctor in any case – this short visit prevents worse.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.