Causes of diarrhea in children

Causes of diarrhea in children

Children suffer from many diseases, including diarrhea. Learn about the causes of diarrhea in children in the following:

Causes of diarrhea in children

Diarrhea is one of the most prominent diseases that may affect young children because it is associated with many other health problems that cause its occurrence, and then diarrhea is a symptom of these diseases and not a separate disease.

Learn about the causes of diarrhea in children in the following:

Causes of diarrhea in children

Children can have diarrhea for several reasons that the mother should pay attention to, including the following:

  1. Rotavirus infection

Rotavirus is one of the main causes of diarrhea in children, as it:

A child can be infected up to 5 years old, and this virus leads to some infections in the intestines and stomach.

These infections result in damage to the inner wall of the intestine, at which time it is difficult to absorb any nutrients that the child eats, and cause diarrhea in the child.

The treatment is by taking medicines to treat infections as well as medicine for diarrhea, but the dose prescribed by the doctor must be adhered to because diarrhea medicines are dangerous to the child’s health.

Rotavirus can be prevented by keeping the food that the child eats clean and sterilized, as well as the bottles he uses or any food or drink utensils.

The child should be vaccinated against rotavirus, which reduces the chances of infection.

  1. Eating formula

The chances of children suffering from diarrhea are less in the case of breastfeeding because breast milk contains elements that prevent the growth of germs and the occurrence of many health problems in the stomach.

As for the formula, it may cause diarrhea or constipation in the child, depending on its type and the degree of sensitivity of the child’s stomach to it.

The failure to sterilize and disinfect the bottles that the child uses to drink milk increases the chances of bacteria and germs transferring to the child’s stomach, which is one of the causes of diarrhea in children.

  1. Eating foods that cause diarrhea

At the beginning of the stage of introducing different foods and drinks to the child’s meals, the infant may develop diarrhea because he is allergic to some foods, and this can be noticed after eating certain foods.

There are also foods that cause diarrhea because of their components, such as some fruits, whether eaten fresh or juices, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and dried fruits, and of course, a lot of milk after introducing foods helps in the occurrence of diarrhea.

It is advised to avoid fatty foods and heavy on the stomach for children during the first years of their life because this increases stomach problems and pain, such as fried foods, or whole grains.

In case the child has diarrhea, there are some foods that the mother is advised to give him, such as: mashed bananas, mashed potatoes, as well as warm herbs such as anise and chamomile because they help improve digestion and cleanse the stomach.

  1. Getting a cold

The common cold is one of the common causes of diarrhea in children, which is accompanied by vomiting and nausea, especially when taking antibiotics that help treat colds, as the chances of diarrhea may increase.

The stomach is affected by the common cold and suffers from some cramps, in addition to indigestion and problems in the body’s absorption of food.

It is normal for a child to catch a cold, but he needs treatment quickly so that the problem does not worsen and cause many complications, most notably diarrhea.

Cold accompanied by cough and phlegm also affects the stomach, so the child needs light and healthy food, preferably fruits, lightly boiled vegetables, in addition to warm fluids.

Tips if a child has diarrhea

After identifying the causes of diarrhea in children, there are some things that should be focused on if a child has diarrhea, which are:

You should not wait long if the child has diarrhea because frequent diarrhea leads to dehydration, which is dangerous to the child’s health.

The diaper must be changed frequently. If your child is still wearing a diaper, you must always monitor him to make sure that there is no diarrhea in him and change it immediately when there is diarrhea in order to avoid the child getting infections.

Do not give your child anti-diarrhea medicine as it causes side effects on the child, and the treatment for diarrhea should be according to the doctor’s instructions.

It is preferable for the child to stay at home when he has diarrhea to avoid problems with frequent diarrhea, and also because the child needs rest in order to recover quickly.

It is necessary to maintain the cleanliness of feeding bottles and any items used by the child that increase stomach problems because the main causes of diarrhea in children are bacteria and germs that are transmitted to the child’s stomach.

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