Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Information About Diarrhea In Toddlers

By Cory Brown


Diarrhea in toddlers may be the cause of food intolerances, infections and also other medical conditions. This could be a particularly serious condition in children as they may be prone to dehydration. Dehydration can be dangerous in children and immediate steps must be taken to avoid it.

If your toddler is passing loose, unformed, watery stools more than three times in the period of a day, then you can confirm that he/she is suffering from diarrhea. If they are passing frequent normally formed stools or a loose stool on occasion, then they are not suffering from diarrhea.

There could be several reasons why this condition is present. If your child is suffering from a viral, bacterial or parasitic infection, they may be prone to this condition. Food intolerances and some illnesses could also cause the condition. Viral gastroenteritis, or stomach flu as it is also known, can cause this condition.

There are foods like milk and dairy products that could be the cause of the problem. A child who is lactose intolerant and who eats these foods may get diarrhea. Sorbitol, a difficult to digest complex sugar which is found in pear, cherry and apple juice could cause this condition. It is advisable to offer your child grape juice instead.

The most important thing to do during this period is to prevent dehydration. Lost electrolytes and fluids have to be replaced. You can give your toddler special fluids in order to achieve this. These special solutions are obtainable at your pharmacy and do not need a prescription. This method of rehydration will not put a stop to the diarrhea.

If the diarrhea in toddlers has continued beyond 24 hours, you should seek medical advice. It is also important to take your toddler to your doctor if there has been repeated vomiting as well as watery stools. If their stools contain blood, pus or mucus, you should immediately take your child to his/her health-care provider. Children with temperatures that are above 101.4 degrees F should see a doctor. In the case that there are signs of dehydration like dry tongue or mouth, listlessness, irritability, or frequent crying, you should visit your medical practitioner.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment