Many parents panic when their baby or toddler comes down with their first case of diarrhea. However, nearly all cases of diarrhea are not serious as long as you treat your child correctly and take the necessary precautions afterward. Before we get into treating your baby or toddler’s diarrhea, there are a few instances of diarrhea symptoms which signal that you should bring your child to a doctor immediately.
If your infants diarrhea has traces of blood, lasts for more than three days, if your child seems to be violently ill along with the diarrhea, or is less than five months old, you should not attempt home treatment and should instead bring your baby or toddler to the doctor. These symptoms often signal a more serious condition.
Diarrhea is caused in most instances by a virus. The viruses that cause diarrhea in young children are often not very dangerous, so the primary risk that your child faces when stricken with diarrhea is dehydration. What this means for you is that you must be extremely vigilant in treating your baby or toddler.
If your child has diarrhea, the first thing you need to do is ensure that he or she gets a lot of liquids. Your child may resist the unusual influx of liquids, so it’s up to you to make sure they are drinking enough water and juice. As the parent, it is your responsibility more than your child’s to entice them to drink. It may be necessary to dilute their favourite juice or even adding brown sugar to their water to make it more attractive. In some instances Pedialyte Oral Electrolyte Solution may assist as it replaces lost electrolyes and glucose. Most doctors recommend that you watch your young child for most of the day if he comes down with diarrhea.
Some more recommendations:
- If you are still nursing your baby or toddler, you should continue to do so. On top of nursing your child, you should also have them drink plenty of water and juice.
- Watch out for signs of dehydration. Even if you are vigilant in ensuring your child gets enough liquids, they can still become dehydrated. You can tell if your child is becoming dehydrated if he or she has a dry mouth, urinates infrequently, appears tired or lethargic, cries with very few tears, or has dry skin that feels inelastic. If your child begins showing these symptoms along with her diarrhea, you should bring her in to a doctor immediately. Dehydration is the single most dangerous outcome of diarrhea, and is extremely serious. Once the diarrhea begins dehydrating your child, it can be difficult to reverse the process or prevent permanent damage unless professional medical help is sought.
- Do not change your baby or toddler’s standard diet. While your child may attempt to refuse food, it is important that he continues consuming his normal diet due to nutrient loss resulting from the diarrhea. You may even wish to increase your child’s food intake. Try to add yogurt, jello, and rehydrating solutions (these are often sold in your local supermarket) to your child’s diet. These things may relieve the symptoms or even relieve the diarrhea entirely.
- Maintain strict hygeine practices. This means dipsosing of used diapers appropriately and washing hands thoroughly after each nappy change. Disinfect the change mat after each use with a disinfectant wipe and change the baby’s clothes if they become soiled. This will not only protect yourself from contracting the diarrhea but also other children you may have.
