Treating diarrhea for kids

Diarrhea is on top causes of child death in developing countries including Vietnam. The main cause of death from diarrhea is dehydration. Besides, diarrhea is also the number 1 reason leading to malnutrition because kids with diarrhea often eat less and the absortion capacity of bowel decreases.

Fortunately, there are now effective treatment that most of diarrhea cases can be cured at home instead of going to the hospital.

In case the kids are treated at home, parents and other family members are very important for a successful treatment of diarrhea.

If children are being cared carefully, dangerous complication can be avoided and recovery will be faster.

Parents should be certain of these 3 rules:

3 RULES OF TREATING DIARRHEA FOR KIDS AT HOME

1. Feed them more water than usual to avoid dehydration

Kids with diarrhea need more water than usual to compensate the water loss through feces and vomit. If they are fed enough water right after being diarrhea, they can avoid dehydration.

Kids can drink mineral water, rice water, soup, coconut, Oresol,…

Avoid other too sweet beverage, coffee.

GENERAL RULES:

• Let them drink as much as they can
• Drink slowly
• Stop for 10 minutes if they are vomited, then feed them again but slower.

2. Feed them more nutritious food to avoid malnutrition

If kids are still breast-fed: continue to breast-feeding regularly.

If kids are not breast-fed:

• Feed them the kind of milk they have eaten before
• Feed them right after cooking. Food need to be cooked carefully
• Feed them fresh fruit juice or mashed bananas to provide more potassium

As regards of food: kids should be fed fully 4 groups: carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin and minerals.

Encourage them to have more meals per day: feed them at least 6 times a day. After diarrhea stop, parents should add at least a meal a day within 2 weeks for kids.

3. Take them to the hospital if they are not better after 3 days or having one of these symptoms:

• Refuse to eat
• Little or no urine
• Exhausted, cold hand and feet
• Continuous vomiting
• Very thirsty
• Convulsions
• Having blood in feces