Diarrhea can be caused by an infection, disease, food sensitivity, or certain medications. If your child has diarrhea, they are likely producing loose or watery stools for several hours or longer. During the acute phase, you need to make sure he does not become dehydrated or malnourished by providing him with plenty of fluids and giving him nutritious foods that make him feel better and healthy.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Changing the Baby's Food Plan
Step 1. Wait until the baby has more than one soft stool
Before setting up a specific diet plan, you need to make sure that you have multiple episodes of diarrhea within a limited time. A single discharge does not mean that the child suffers from this disorder. However, if it manifests several episodes in a short time, it is most likely affected and therefore will obtain benefits with a change in diet.
- To treat diarrhea at home, you need to offer the baby more fluids and make changes in his usual diet. This way, you make sure he stays well hydrated and eats nutritious foods while he is recovering.
- By making changes to your diet, you can also make food more palatable to your baby during illness.
Step 2. Have him eat small meals throughout the day
It is better to give it small portions to divide throughout the day, rather than the three largest traditional meals; in this way, the workload on the stomach is less and the baby maintains a healthy appetite. Prepare limited portions, put them on a saucer and give them to your child at different times of the day. Make sure he always has plenty of fluids to drink with each meal so he doesn't become dehydrated.
Some medical sources recommend giving liquids first and solid foods afterwards. You can try giving your baby a few glasses of water before and after small meals to ensure proper hydration
Step 3. Give him his favorite foods
He will probably not be very hungry during his illness; Therefore, if you present certain foods that he particularly loves, you will encourage him to eat more willingly.
For example, if he likes chicken, you can make it into a noodle soup. He should be able to eat it easily even with stomach problems; this dish also provides him with all the necessary substances to avoid suffering from nutritional deficiencies, despite diarrhea
Step 4. Let the baby gradually return to his normal diet
If the diarrhea goes away within two or three days, you need to make sure that he slowly gets back to his usual diet. This means going back to the two main meals of the day, plus another smaller meal or two small snacks. However, you shouldn't force him to start eating as usual as soon as he heals, as his body needs time to get back to many of the solid foods.
Some children may experience a bout of diarrhea when they resume their regular feeding. This is usually due to the intestine having to get used to solid foods again. This rash of diarrhea is not the same type as that found in illness or infection; after a day or so it should disappear, the baby should feel good and eat regularly
Part 2 of 3: Offer the Right Foods and Liquids
Step 1. Make sure your baby is getting enough fluids
Dehydration is a very common complication of diarrhea. To prevent your child from suffering from it, you need to provide him with an adequate amount of fluids. Give him plain water for the first hour or two after the loose stools begin and then start giving him fluids containing sodium and other nutrients, such as milk. It can be dangerous to just give it too much plain water, as it doesn't contain sugar or other electrolytes. Get him to drink at least eight to ten glasses of fluids a day to keep him well hydrated.
- Do not give him fruit juices, such as apple juices or others that contain 100% fruit, as they can aggravate the situation. However, if your child isn't particularly fond of plain water, you can add a sprinkle of juice to improve the flavor.
- Don't even give him sodas or caffeinated drinks, such as sugary sodas or caffeinated teas, as the diarrhea may worsen again.
- If the baby has a problem with dairy products or diarrhea seems to increase when he consumes them, do not give him milk. In this case, make drinks for him by mixing water with a rehydrating solution such as Pedialyte or the one recommended by the WHO. These are products readily available in pharmacies or major supermarkets. If the child is a little older, you can also give him some rehydrating sports drinks, such as Gatorade.
- If, on the other hand, he is less than a year old, always consult your doctor before giving him any electrolyte solution.
Step 2. Prepare light starchy meals
Most children with diarrhea respond well to this type of food. Whatever meal you cook for it, use light seasonings. You should prepare baked or broiled dishes so that they do not take too strong a flavor or taste that could harm the baby. Here are some examples:
- Grilled or baked meats, such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey
- Hard-boiled eggs;
- Slices of toasted white bread;
- White pasta or rice topped with cheese;
- Cereals such as cream of wheat flour, oats and corn flakes
- Pancakes and waffles made from white flour;
- Baked potatoes or mashed potatoes;
- Some vegetables steamed or sautéed in light oil, such as carrots, mushrooms, courgettes, and green beans. Avoid squash, broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, plums, green leafy vegetables and corn, as they have a laxative effect, can cause gas and bloating.
- Bananas and fresh fruit such as apples, pears and peaches.
Step 3. Remove the seeds and peel from food
To make food more palatable and easily digestible, you need to remove any seeds and peel from each product, such as vegetables and fruit; therefore you must also remove the skin from foods such as zucchini or peaches.
Step 4. Choose some salt-rich snacks
Salty snacks are great for children with diarrhea, as they may have lost a lot of sodium due to gastrointestinal upset. Then give him some salty crackers or other snacks like pretzels; you can also add more salt to cooked foods, such as baked or boiled chicken, as well as baked potatoes.
Leave bowls of savory snacks for the little patient to munch on throughout the day to encourage him to eat. Make sure she drinks water as she snackes to help balance sodium levels and prevent dehydration
Step 5. Give him some popsicles and jellies
They are pleasant treats for the baby, but at the same time an excellent source of clear liquids that help keep him hydrated. Make sure the popsicles contain very little fruit and lots of water; avoid products containing dairy products, as they can irritate the stomach. You can optionally make popsicles yourself with the Pedialyte solution.
Fruit jellies are also a great food, as they provide an adequate amount of fiber, which helps solidify the stool and absorb some of the fluids present in the digestive system
Step 6. Supplement your diet with low-fat yogurt
This food contains live and active cultures that can replenish the bacterial flora of the intestinal tract. You should give him yogurt every day to help him heal.
- Choose a lean and low-sugar one; if it is whole or sweetened it can aggravate diarrhea.
- You can mix yogurt with fruit to make smoothies. If the child does not like yogurt, this can be a perfect "trick" to make him eat it more pleasantly. Mix half a cup of yogurt with a banana and a handful of frozen berries; eventually add 120-240 ml of water, if you want to make him take more liquids.
Step 7. Avoid spicy or fatty foods
These foods can further irritate the digestive system and aggravate diarrhea. Therefore, do not give him spicy or spicy foods, such as curries, spicy soups or other foods with red pepper. You also need to avoid foods that are too fatty, such as fried foods or those that are too refined and packaged.
You need to stop them from eating hard-to-digest foods, such as sausages, sweets, donuts, and other processed foods that are high in sugar and fat
Part 3 of 3: Take the Child to the Pediatrician
Step 1. Take your baby to the pediatrician if you see any mucus or blood in his stool
These signs indicate that diarrhea could be a symptom of a more serious problem. It is important that you pay attention to any possible presence of blood or mucus; in this case, you must immediately take the child to the nearest hospital or medical center for examination.
You also need to be careful if the baby experiences symptoms other than diarrhea, such as vomiting, abdominal cramps, nausea, stomach pain or a high fever. If so, take him to the pediatrician
Step 2. See your doctor if your diarrhea lasts longer than two or three days
The disorder should almost always go away within a short time, although it sometimes takes a week or two for the baby to return to his normal eating habits. However, if it persists for more than two or three days, it does not seem to decrease and the baby does not seem to improve, you should call your pediatrician to assess the need for a visit to his or her clinic.
Generally, a medical examination is not necessary, unless there is severe blood in the baby's stool
Step 3. Take your baby to the doctor if he has severe signs of dehydration
Children with diarrhea are easily susceptible to dehydration, especially if they are not given adequate amounts of fluids. Among the symptoms you can note:
- Dry and sticky mouth
- Absence of urination for 6-8 hours or less than three times within 24 hours;
- Cry without tears;
- Sunken eyes
- Reduction of physical activity;
- Weight loss.
Step 4. Discuss different types of treatment with your doctor
The pediatrician may decide to take a stool sample to see if the cause of the diarrhea is an infection or may order other tests to try to determine the cause of the disorder. Once the child has undergone a medical examination, it is rare for them to be prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection or disease causing the diarrhea. These drugs are not often recommended and are only prescribed if the cause of the disease is known, as they are not effective and can have unpleasant side effects if taken improperly.
- Most antidiarrheals are not recommended for children. Doctors generally avoid prescribing them for small patients; rather, it suggests pediatric over-the-counter medications. For example, she may recommend probiotic treatments to treat your baby's diarrhea.
- If the diarrhea persists over time or is associated with other symptoms, the pediatrician may also consider referring the baby to a gastroenterologist, the specialist for stomach and bowel problems.
