Maybe Mom and Dad have felt panicked because their child has diarrhea, which is a health problem that should not be underestimated. The reason is, diarrhea is the second most common cause of death in toddlers. Which can occur when a child experiences dehydration or severe fluid loss when he has diarrhea. Treatment for children's diarrhea is simple and inexpensive. Parents, a child is said to have diarrhea if there is a change in the frequency of defecation (defecation) more than 3 times in 24 hours, and a change in the consistency (shape) of the feces to become more liquid.
There are several factors that cause diarrhea in children that you need to know, including: Bacterial, viral or parasitic infections. The most common triggers for diarrhea are Rotavirus and Escherichia coli, consumption of contaminated water, contaminated clean water sources and other causes.
Diarrhea can also be caused by poor hygiene or children consuming food and drinks that are not stored and prepared hygienically. To be aware of this, we need to understand the symptoms that arise in children when they experience diarrhea, namely:
- Defecation or loose or soft stools, frequency 3 times a day or more
- Bloated
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stomach ache
- The body looks weak or the child is not as active as usual
- Sometimes accompanied by fever
Please remember, diarrhea that is not treated properly can lead to dehydration or lack of fluids. Children are a group that is vulnerable to experiencing a lack of fluids when they have diarrhea. Some signs of dehydration that can be easily recognized include: your little one's body is very weak or even very fussy, his face is pale, his eyes are sunken, he is crying with little or no tears coming out, his lips are dry, his hands and feet feel cold, there is little urine and the color is more intense yellow or brownish.
If there are signs of dehydration above, don't delay taking your child to the nearest health service. Severe dehydration can cause loss of consciousness or fainting, seizures, damage to the brain, and even death.
After knowing the causes and symptoms of health problems that are often worrying, it's time for you to look at how to treat diarrhea in children. The most common way to treat diarrhea is to provide fluids with electrolyte solutions such as ORS or coconut water to replace fluids lost when defecating. Giving this fluid helps replace lost body fluids. Giving large amounts of water alone is not recommended if the child is dehydrated because it can disrupt the body's electrolyte balance. If a child experiences dehydration, treatment that can be done is:
- Give ORS fluids
- Avoid juice or soda, acidic drinks, spicy and oily foods.
- Do not give water to babies under 6 months
- Continue to give breast milk to the baby. Babies who are frequently breastfed experience less diarrhea.
- Continue to give your baby formula milk, if you have already done so, or consult your pediatrician about formula milk when you have diarrhea.
Article written by dr. Satrio Bhuwono Prakoso M.Ked(Ped), Sp.A (Pediatrician, EMC Sentul Hospital).