Diarrhea in Children: What Parents Need To Know About Causes and Symptoms?

diarrhea Acute Diarrhea BRAT Diet Rotavirus

By Camille Hutchison , Parent Herald Sep 21, 06:33 am

Diarrhea is the loose, watery, and more frequent bowel movements. It may be present alone or be linked with other symptoms, such as vomiting, abdominal pain, or weight loss. Fortunately, it usually lasts no more than a few days, per Mayo Clinic.

In the United States, kids have an average of two episodes of diarrhea annually. On average, adults have acute diarrhea once a year. Sadly, people visiting other developing countries are at risk for traveler diarrhea. Usually, the consumption of contaminated food or water is one of the reasons for this bowel movement.

Globally, there are almost 1.7 billion cases of childhood diarrhoeal disease annually. Diarrhea became the leading cause of malnutrition in children below five years old. Usually, diarrhea lasts from three to six days in children. Sometimes, they can have loose stools for several more days. Data suggests parents do not worry as long as the child drinks and eats enough.

Children usually develop diarrhea due to the small intestine's inability to absorb nutrients from poorly-digested food. Children in the 6-11 months group are ranked as the most prone to this disease. Diarrhea can be preventable and treatable. However, diarrhea kills approximately 525,000 children below five annually.

What are the possible causes of Diarrhea?

Viruses cause most diarrhea in children. It can be caused by bacteria, parasites, changes in diet, excessive fruit juice consumption, problems with the intestines, allergies to foods, and taking certain medicines children are not used to.

Rotavirus is the main lead cause of acute diarrhea and causes more than 40 percent of hospitalizations for diarrhea in kids below five. Usually, diarrheal germs can be spread from one person's stool to another's mouth. Germs are also spread through contaminated water, food, and even objects.

Acute Diarrhea is three or more loose or watery stools per day. It is typically caused by an infection that begins around 12 hours to four days after exposure and vanishes within three to seven days. Parents would know that their child is infected with rotavirus after two days of exposure to the virus, followed by three to seven days of watery diarrhea.

Many cases of acute diarrhea got resolved without any treatment. Nevertheless, severe diarrhea can cause dehydration which can be life-threatening if left untreated. Watery poop can also happen due to the consumption of undercooked meat or rotten food, according to Buoy Health.

What are the symptoms and treatments for diarrhea?

One of the most common symptoms of diarrhea in children is the urgent and frequent need to use the bathroom. Excessive swelling and severe abdominal pain also signify diarrhea in young ones. To keep the child hydrated, offer them plenty of fluids such as water, broth, or soup.

To get rid of diarrhea, Healthline suggests a BRAT diet. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This diet is considered effective because of the bland nature of these foods. Also, they are starchy and low-fiber foods. These foods also have a binding effect in the digestive tract to make the stools bulkier, and since BRAT are bland, they are less likely to irritate the stomach or worsen diarrhea.