How to Care for a Child With Diarrhea
Check for symptoms of viral infection., Check the frequency of bowel movements., Look for signs of dehydration., Check the side effects of your child's medication.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check for symptoms of viral infection.
There are many causes for diarrhea in children, but the main cause is often a viral infection, such as rotavirus.
Viral infections are often accompanied by many other symptoms including headache, stomachache, vomiting, and fever.Diarrhea, especially caused by viral infection, often lasts between five and fourteen days.Check your child’s temperature with a medical thermometer to see if they have a raised body temperature, which is often another sign of viral infection. -
Step 2: Check the frequency of bowel movements.
Many treatments and indicators of severity are tied to how frequently your child has a bowel movement.
Once you begin treating your child’s diarrhea, bowel movements should become less frequent and stool should become less watery.The BRAT treatment is meant for those who are having watery bowel movements every four hours.
However, this dietary treatment is not ideal for young children. , Although not always a high risk in children with mild diarrhea, many children risk becoming dehydrated while having severe diarrhea due to the amount of fluids lost.
Identifying the signs of dehydration as soon as they begin to emerge will help you seek the best possible treatment as early as possible.Look for signs of dizziness, a dry or sticky mouth, dark yellow or little to no urine, and few to no tears when crying.Severe dehydration can cause serious health problems, like seizures and brain damage.
Seek immediate medical care if you notice signs of severe dehydration in your child.
These may include lethargy; dry, cool, pale or mottled skin; fainting or confusion; and rapid heart rate or rapid breathing., If your child regularly takes medication, or has been taking medication recently due to another illness or ailment, check the medications side-effects and see if they include diarrhea.
If so, consult your child's doctor for the best course of action. -
Step 3: Look for signs of dehydration.
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Step 4: Check the side effects of your child's medication.
Detailed Guide
There are many causes for diarrhea in children, but the main cause is often a viral infection, such as rotavirus.
Viral infections are often accompanied by many other symptoms including headache, stomachache, vomiting, and fever.Diarrhea, especially caused by viral infection, often lasts between five and fourteen days.Check your child’s temperature with a medical thermometer to see if they have a raised body temperature, which is often another sign of viral infection.
Many treatments and indicators of severity are tied to how frequently your child has a bowel movement.
Once you begin treating your child’s diarrhea, bowel movements should become less frequent and stool should become less watery.The BRAT treatment is meant for those who are having watery bowel movements every four hours.
However, this dietary treatment is not ideal for young children. , Although not always a high risk in children with mild diarrhea, many children risk becoming dehydrated while having severe diarrhea due to the amount of fluids lost.
Identifying the signs of dehydration as soon as they begin to emerge will help you seek the best possible treatment as early as possible.Look for signs of dizziness, a dry or sticky mouth, dark yellow or little to no urine, and few to no tears when crying.Severe dehydration can cause serious health problems, like seizures and brain damage.
Seek immediate medical care if you notice signs of severe dehydration in your child.
These may include lethargy; dry, cool, pale or mottled skin; fainting or confusion; and rapid heart rate or rapid breathing., If your child regularly takes medication, or has been taking medication recently due to another illness or ailment, check the medications side-effects and see if they include diarrhea.
If so, consult your child's doctor for the best course of action.
About the Author
Mark Freeman
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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