4 Ways to Treat Diarrhea in Babies

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Diarrhea in infants can be of great concern to parents. Often, depending on the underlying cause, it can be easily treated with proper care at home. It is important to know what to do when the child has an episode of diarrhea and to understand when it is appropriate to contact the pediatrician, in order to reassure himself, especially if you are a new parent. By following a few simple steps and learning more about infant diarrhea, you can feel reassured that you know how to help your baby should the problem arise.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Seek Help

Step 1. Call the pediatrician

You must contact your doctor if you have any doubts, if you want to have clarifications about the health of your baby and you do not know which ailment is afflicting him.

• Babies are very delicate and can get dehydrated easily. If you are concerned that your baby may be under-hydrated or if you have any of the following symptoms, call your pediatrician immediately:

  • Fever. Contact your doctor if the temperature exceeds 38 ° C, if the baby is less than 2 months old, or when it is over 38.6 ° C and the baby is more than 2 months of age.
  • He retched. Although vomiting and diarrhea often occur jointly during a viral or bacterial illness, remember that the baby is already naturally prone to dehydration and the risk is greatly increased when both symptoms are present.
  • Symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth, fewer than 6 wet diapers per day, lethargy, sunken eyes, sunken fontanel (the soft spot above the head), lack of tears when crying, and dry skin.
  • Diarrhea lasting at least 24 hours or more, or blood in vomit or stool.
  • The child refuses to eat, is very irritable, very lethargic or has difficulty waking up.

  

  Step 2. Make an appointment to examine the sores

  Take your baby to the pediatrician if you notice any open sores on the buttocks that have not healed despite all your attempts to soothe them or if the irritation does not improve.

  Buttock sores as a result of diarrhea are very common in newborns, but open sores can become infected if not treated properly. Your pediatrician may prescribe an ointment to provide your baby with relief from discomfort and avoid the risk of infection, as well as find ways to reduce diarrhea to prevent the sores from getting worse

  

  Step 3. Make an appointment to discuss persistent problems with your doctor

  If your baby is suffering from recurring episodes of diarrhea, even if it is not serious or is not accompanied by other health problems, it is still a good idea to go to the pediatrician to check his condition. This way the doctor can better identify the underlying cause and find a treatment to avoid future problems.

  • Repeated episodes of diarrhea could indicate intestinal diseases, food intolerances or allergies (infants may be intolerant to some foods that the mother eats, if they are breastfed, or they may have allergies to some ingredients present in formula milk).
  • Your pediatrician can also help you determine, if in doubt, if it is actually diarrhea. Feel free to take a dirty nappy, well wrapped in an airtight bag, and take it to the next visit to the pediatrician. He will be able to tell you if the baby is really suffering from diarrhea.

  Method 2 of 4: Determine if it's Diarrhea

  

  Step 1. Try to understand what normality is

  Newborn stools may appear to be of different consistency based on age and diet; when they are soft or watery it does not necessarily mean that the baby is suffering from diarrhea.

  • Since stool consistency is slightly different for each child, it is important to monitor your child's typical consistency so you can quickly identify if anything is wrong. Most hospitals provide a chart so you can record and check your baby's feeding, urination, and stools, but if you don't have one, be sure to make notes in a journal or notebook anyway. Just write the date and list for each day when each feed begins and ends, when you change diapers that are only wet and when you change them because the baby has defecated.
  • During the first few days of life, a newborn's stool is called meconium, a sticky substance that is black or green and has a tar-like consistency. Basically, the baby expels the material it ingested when it was in the womb and the amniotic fluid containing the body's cells.
  • As the meconium is excreted from the baby's body, it is replaced by the first stools that come from food. The stools are different, both in consistency and in the frequency of expulsion, depending on whether the baby is breastfed or with artificial milk.

  

  Step 2. Do not think that the baby's stool is similar to that of an adult

  You'd probably be amazed if you saw yours looking mustard yellow, grainy and mushy, but they're actually absolutely normal in newborns.

  • If the baby is breastfed, the stools are usually bright yellow and grainy in appearance, similar to Dijon mustard or yellow in color like small curd cheese. The digestive system is different for each baby (depending on the maternal nutrition and the baby's muscle tone), so some breastfed babies may defecate immediately after feeding, while others only every two or three days or more rarely, even one. only once a week! This is because breast milk is absorbed very effectively by the baby's body and does not produce much waste.
  • Stool from formula feeding usually has a yellowish or brown color and is firmer than that of a breastfed baby. They typically have the texture of soft peanut butter and tend to smell more. The baby fed in this way can defecate several times a day up to several times a week.

  

  Step 3. Recognize diarrhea in infants

  If you are familiar with the normal appearance and consistency of your child's stool, you should have no problem recognizing any abnormalities. Generally speaking, diarrhea in a newborn shows these characteristics:

  • Increased frequency of defecation (usually more than one expulsion per feed)
  • Increased amount of fluid or mucus in the stool. Take your baby to the emergency room right away if you notice any traces of blood;
  • Increased volume of stools.

  Method 3 of 4: Know the Possible Causes

  

  Step 1. Consider the mother's diet

  Although rare, what the mother eats can affect the breastfed baby and cause a momentary bout of diarrhea.

  Pay attention to the foods the mother ate the day before when the baby had dysentery. If the episode recurs on another occasion in which the woman has eaten the same food, it is necessary to eliminate the food from the feeding as long as the newborn is breastfed. Wait to see if the situation resolves. Generally the foods that trigger these reactions are dairy products, soy, wheat or peanuts

  

  Step 2. Take into account any recent changes in the baby's nutrition

  Remember that switching from breast milk to formula causes the development of diarrhea. The baby's digestive system is still immature and very sensitive to the introduction of new foods.

  • If the baby has been drinking infant formula for a short time and is showing signs of diarrhea as a result of this change, you can assume that it is a reaction of his digestive system to this sudden change. Then:

    • You can stop taking formula milk. Wait for the baby's intestines to develop a little longer before repeating the attempt and continue feeding the baby with breast milk in the meantime.
    • You can introduce formula milk at a slower pace. Gradually increase the dosage of infant formula and decrease the dosage of breast milk until the baby is able to digest and tolerate the former.

    

    Step 3. Evaluate all other additions to your diet

    Although a newborn does not have to eat solid foods until he is six months of age, any changes in his diet can upset the intestinal balance for a short time.

    • Pay particular attention to how your child reacts to new foods and always introduce only one food at a time. Offer it to him for at least three to four days before moving on to the next. This may be the only way to tell if the baby shows adverse reactions to a particular food.
    • Remember to consult with your pediatrician before supplementing your baby's diet with anything new or offering him foods other than breast milk and formula before he is six months old.

    

    Step 4. Look for symptoms of illness

    Monitor the baby closely for any signs that may indicate a medical condition.

    • Fever accompanied by runny nose or vomiting usually indicates that the diarrhea is caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Infants less than two months old should be referred for the attention of a pediatrician at the first hint of a fever. When this symptom occurs at the same time as diarrhea, it becomes particularly dangerous because the little one becomes dehydrated quickly.
    • Also, if another member of the family exhibits the same gastrointestinal upset, it is very likely that there is an infection or, more rarely, food poisoning.

    

    Step 5. Know the other factors that cause stool changes

    If the frequency with which the child defecates is altered and the stool is abnormal in consistency, it is very likely that it is diarrhea; however, there may be other causes.

    • If the baby takes medications, including vitamins or supplements, stool and bowel movements can change in consistency and frequency. Antibiotics are known to cause diarrhea; however, if this condition worsens or continues, you should stop taking it and switch to another medicine.
    • You should never give water or juice to a baby under six months old, as it gets all the hydration it needs from breast milk or formula. Excess water can dilute the blood and damage the kidneys, leading to serious complications and even death. However, it is known that offering babies water and juices can cause impaired bowel movements.
    • Teething is another factor responsible for diarrhea which is believed to be triggered by the excess saliva production that accompanies this stage. Although not a common occurrence, newborns can have early teething which leads to bowel problems.

    Method 4 of 4: Deciding how to act

    

    Step 1. Change the milk you feed your baby with

    If your baby is formula-fed and suffers from diarrhea, talk to your pediatrician to find an alternative product. Maybe all you need is a different milk.

    • Parents often have to try different brands of formula before finding the right one for their baby. Although many babies can be fed dairy products, others need special formulas, such as lactose-free or soy-based. Generally speaking, if a newborn has a sensitivity to formula milk, he or she produces a lot of gas and is very irritable.
    • Babies with a weak, incompletely formed digestive system, and babies allergic to milk need special products for delicate intestines. These include formulas made up of pre-digested proteins and those made up of single amino acids. Ask your pediatrician to recommend the right product and remember that in some cases a prescription is necessary.
    • Before changing the type of formula, talk to your pediatrician.

    

    Step 2. Keep the baby well hydrated

    Regardless of whether he is breast-fed or formula-fed, you need to increase the amount of milk you give him when he is suffering from diarrhea or vomiting, because such a small organism could become dehydrated quickly.

    • If you typically feed him (breast or bottle) every three hours, try to feed him every two or even every hour. A newborn is unable to drink too much milk, especially when he is sick.
    • If she vomits, give small amounts of milk, but with more frequent feedings.
    • Never give him pure water or diluted infant formula. This behavior would put his health and even his life at risk, as an excess of water dilutes the blood and causes kidney failure. To increase the level of hydration, you need to increase the daily amount of milk (formula or breast).

    

    Step 3. Monitor the baby carefully

    Diarrhea can cause sudden dehydration. Any bout of dysentery in infants that lasts more than 24 hours requires immediate medical attention. Whenever the baby does not wet the diaper for more than six hours or cries without tears, it means that he is dehydrated and needs urgent medical attention.

    • Discuss with your pediatrician the possibility of giving your baby an electrolyte solution to rehydrate him, based on his age. These are specific oral rehydrating solutions for early childhood and are very useful in case the child vomits.
    • The pediatrician may also suggest that you give your baby probiotics to replenish the natural bacterial flora of his gut.

    

    Step 4. Remember that your baby's butt could be very sore and sore

    It is not uncommon for a newborn to have his buttocks literally flayed with open wounds during bouts of dysentery. You have to pay attention so that this does not happen.

    • Protect your butt and genitals with a thick layer of diaper cream or petroleum jelly products to prevent further irritation.
    • Regularly clean and dry your baby's buttocks. Sometimes, regardless of how often you change the diaper, a severe, red, sore rash develops. Diarrhea is very aggressive on the delicate skin of newborns. Quickly remove the diaper and gently clean the skin of fecal residues. The shorter the time the skin is exposed to this irritant, the more likely you are to avoid rashes.
    • Remove the baby's nappy, wipe his bottom and leave him for a while without a nappy on the blanket. Fresh air helps rid it of irritation. Do not rub his skin too hard, as it is very sensitive and could become sore if subjected to constant friction.
    • Call your pediatrician if you notice that the rash also affects the genitals, skin folds, and thigh area. if so, you may be facing a fungal nappy infection. When this happens, the epidermis is very red with red bumps spread throughout the area; Prescription medicine is required to resolve the infection.
    • Avoid using unnecessary cleansers on your baby's bottom. Buy only specific products to soothe sensitive skin. Choose organic soaps, even if you don't usually use them, it's worth a try to give your child relief.
    • Switch to extremely soft, chemical-free wet wipes for the period when diarrhea is present. You can also try soaking the ones you usually use in water, to eliminate some of the irritating ingredients before passing them on the baby's skin; alternatively, use squares of soft flannel after soaking them in a mixture of water and a tablespoon of coconut oil. To clean the baby, you can also use a clean towel dipped in warm water.