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Most kids battle diarrhea from time to time, but the good news is that it is often caused by infections that are not long and more disturbing than usually dangerous. Nevertheless, it is important to know what to do to alleviate and even prevent diarrhea.
Causes of diarrhea
Diarrhea - frequent runny nose or watery stools (faeces) - is caused usually on gastrointestinal (GI) infections caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites.
Can cause the specific bacteria that causes diarrhea among geographic regions vary depending on the degree of sanitation, economic development and health. For example, developing countries with poor sanitation or where human waste used as fertilizer often have outbreaks of diarrhea when intestinal bacteria or parasites contaminate crops or drinking water.
In developed countries, including the United States, diarrhea outbreaks person-to-person contact in places such as day care centers, or "food poisoning" are often delivered to contaminated water (connected when people processed by improperly or preserved ill food with bacteria contaminated) .
In general, infections that cause diarrhea highly contagious. In most cases, to others, as long as someone has diarrhea are distributed, and some infections can be contagious even longer.
Diarrheal infections can be spread through:
dirty hands
contaminated food or water
some pets
direct contact with feces (ie from dirty diapers or toilet)
All that may come into contact, the infectious germs are contaminated. This includes toys, changing tables, surfaces in restrooms, even the hands of someone preparing food. Children can be infected by a contaminated surface, such as a toilet or toy, and then put their fingers in their mouths.
A common cause of diarrhea is viral gastroenteritis (often called the "stomach flu," it can also cause nausea and vomiting.) Many different viruses, viral gastroenteritis, which pass through a home, school or daycare fast because it is highly contagious. Although the symptoms usually last only a few days, children can suffer dehydration (especially infants) who are unable to get a sufficient fluid intake.
Rotavirus infection is a common cause of viral gastroenteritis in children. Rotavirus usually causes explosive, watery diarrhea, although not show any symptoms. Rotavirus has often caused outbreaks of diarrhea in the winter and spring months, especially in daycare centers and children's hospitals, but a vaccine is now recommended for infants, it was found that about 75% of cases of rotavirus infection and 98% prevent the serious cases, the require a hospital stay.
Another group of viruses that can cause diarrhea in children, especially during the summer months are enteroviruses, especially coxsackievirus.
Bacteria and parasites
Many different types of bacteria and parasites can GI and diarrhea. Here are a few that have heard you:
E. coli bacteria: Most E. coli infections are spread through contaminated food or water, such as undercooked hamburger or unwashed fruit that came in contact with manure. E. coli infections, which are usually to children during their first years of life, can also be spread through contaminated water and swimming petting zoos.
Salmonella enteritidis bacteria: In the United States these bacteria (found in contaminated raw or undercooked chicken and eggs) is a major cause of food poisoning, especially in the summer.
Campylobacter bacteria: Children and young adults are most commonly affected by this infection, especially during the summer months. The bacteria are often found in raw and cooked chicken.
Shigella bacteria: Shigella infection (called shigellosis) spreads easily in families, hospitals and daycare centers. Children 2-4 years old are most likely to be infected.
Giardia parasite: Infection with Giardia (called giardiasis) is easily spread settings childcare and supplies contaminated water, especially water parks and pools (the bacteria are resistant to chlorine treatment), contaminated children "touch tanks" in aquariums and museums, and streams or lakes.
Cryptosporidium parasite: Found mainly in drinking and bathing water, this parasite is often the culprit behind diarrhea epidemics in daycare centers and other public places. Cryptosporidiosis often causes watery diarrhea that can last for 2 weeks or longer.
Diarrheal infections are a normal part of childhood for many kids, but diarrhea can be a symptom of a number of non-infectious diseases and conditions, especially if it takes several weeks or longer. It can be a food allergy, lactose intolerance, or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
Signs and symptoms
Not more than a few days, symptoms begin usually with crampy abdominal pain, diarrhea that lasts usually followed. Infection of many viruses, bacteria and parasites which may cause diarrhea and other symptoms to bring such as:
Fever
Loss of appetite
Morning sickness
Throw up
Weight loss
Dehydration
In cases of viral gastroenteritis, kids often develop fever and vomiting, followed by diarrhea.
Prevention
Although it is almost impossible to prevent children from infections, ever cause diarrhea, here are some things to help reduce the likelihood:
Make sure children wash their hands thoroughly and often, especially after using the toilet and before eating. Hand washing is the most effective way to prevent diarrheal infections that are passed from person to person. Dirty hands carry infectious germs in the body when children bite their nails, suck their thumbs, eat with your fingers, or put a part of their hands in their mouths.
Keep bathroom surfaces clean to help prevent the spread of infectious germs.
Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating, since food and water can also carry infectious germs.
Wash kitchen countertops and utensils thoroughly after they have been in contact with raw meat, especially poultry.
Cool meat they bring home as quickly as possible from the supermarket, and cook until they are no longer pink. After dinner, all the cool remnants as soon as possible.
Never heard of streams, springs, lakes or drink unless local health authorities have certified that the water is drinkable. In some developing countries, it may be safer only bottled water and other beverages instead of drinking water from a faucet. Also, exercise caution when purchasing prepared food from street vendors, if no local health agency monitors their activities mainly.
Do not wash pet cages or bowls in the same pan that you use to prepare family meals.
Keep pets' feeding areas (especially reptiles) separate from family eating areas.
When to call the doctor
Call your doctor if your child has diarrhea and is younger than 6 months old or has:
severe or prolonged episode of diarrhea
Fever of 102 ° C or higher
to drink repeated vomiting, or refusal
severe abdominal pain
Including diarrhea, blood or mucus
Call the doctor immediately if your child appears to be dehydrated. Signs of dehydration include:
dry or sticky mouth
few or no tears when crying
Eyes that look sunken into the head
Soft spot (fontanelle) on top of the head that looks sunken
Lack of urine or wet diapers for 6 to 8 hours in an infant (or only a very small amount of dark yellow urine)
Lack of urine for 12 hours in an older child (or only a very small amount of dark yellow urine)
dry, cool skin
Lethargy or irritability
Tiredness or dizziness in an older child
Caring for your child
Mild diarrhea is usually no cause for concern as long as your child is acting normally and drink and enough to eat. Mild diarrhea usually goes in a few days and children recover completely with home care, rest and plenty of fluids.
A child with mild diarrhea who is not dehydrated or vomiting may continue to eat and drink the usual food and fluids, including breast milk or formula milk for infants and for children over 1 year old. In fact, the continuation of a normal diet may even reduce the duration of the diarrhea episode, but also provides the proper nutrition. Of course you can give a child smaller portions of food until the diarrhea ends.
Antibiotics or antiviral drugs are not for cases of diarrhea caused by bacteria and viruses, because most children recover on their own. But antibiotics are sometimes very young children or people with weakened immune system to bacterial infection (eg salmonellosis) to prevent spread through the body is given.
If the disease is caused by a parasite, it can be treated with parasites, cure or shorten the course of disease. The doctor can test a chair in which a stool specimen in the laboratory to see which specific germ causes diarrhea (bacteria, viruses, or parasites) are investigated.
Although you may be tempted to give your child an over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medications are not to do so, unless your doctor gives the OK.
The main concern in the treatment of diarrhea is lost from the body of diarrhea, vomiting and fever of replacement of fluid and electrolytes (salts and minerals). Depending on the amount of fluid loss and the severity of vomiting and diarrhea, your doctor will instruct you probably:
Continue your child's regular diet and give more fluids to those lost, the diarrhea persists, if it is to replace while no signs of dehydration.
Provide additional breast milk or formula for infants.
Use an oral rehydration solution (ORS) to replace lost fluids in non-dehydrated children.
Many of the "clear liquids" used or recommended by doctors in the past of the parents are no longer considered appropriate for children with diarrhea. They do not offer: pure water, soda, ginger ale, tea, fruit juice, gelatin desserts, chicken broth or sports drinks. These do not have the right mixture of sugar and salts and can even diarrhea worse. Infants and young children should never be rehydrated with water alone because they do not contain sufficient amounts of sodium, potassium and other important minerals and nutrients.
Doctors often recommend that children who show signs of mild dehydration are given oral rehydration solutions to replace body fluids quickly. These are available in most grocery stores and pharmacies without a prescription. Brand name solutions often "lyte." In the end Your doctor will tell you to give what kind, how much and for how long. Never try to make your own ORS at home, unless your doctor says it's OK, and gives you an exact recipe.
In some cases, children with severe diarrhea infusions must be given in the hospital for a few hours to help combat dehydration.
The best way to manage your child's diarrhea depends on how hard it is causing germ, and your child's age, weight and symptoms. So be sure to ask your doctor for recommendations about treatment.