A child has had diarrhea for a week, Komarovsky, what to do?

Features of intestinal disorders in children

As Komarovsky notes, in children, diarrhea is loose stool, the control of which becomes literally impossible. Not only does the consistency of stool change, but also its frequency. So, defecation can be carried out from 5 to 10 times a day. In this case, stool can have a different shade, thickness and smell, which directly depends on the cause of the disorder, as well as on the age of the child and his daily diet.

In some cases, the disorder may be a one-time phenomenon, which could well be provoked by the use of a new type of food, a change of environment, or overheating. However, do not assume that this problem is not serious and can be easily fixed at home. Often, due to their negligence, parents make many mistakes that lead to serious complications such as fever, severe dehydration, and weight loss.

Diarrhea most often occurs in young children. This occurs due to the weakness of their immune system and due to the restructuring of the body in a new way. In infants, diarrhea can occur due to a change in the diet of the mother who is breastfeeding, as well as during teething.

It should be remembered that in extremely rare cases, intestinal upset may be the norm. In this case, it is necessary to pay attention to the child’s condition. If he is calm, does not cry, does not tuck his legs in, then his condition can be called satisfactory.

Causes of diarrhea in older children

Diarrhea in older children can be caused by:

low-quality or prohibited products;
infectious lesions and acute inflammation;
lack of food enzymes;
inflammatory processes;
helminthic infestations;
poisoning;
chronic diseases of the digestive system;
acute leukemia;
the use of antibiotics that cause intestinal upset and dysbacteriosis;
stress;
strong emotional stress.

What should a mother do if her child has diarrhea without fever for some time? In this regard, Komarovsky says that, most likely, there is a dysfunction of the digestive system, and this may be associated with both physiological and psychological factors. A change in the consistency and color of stool, its becoming watery, and the presence of impurities with a sour odor can be observed as the baby’s menu expands.

Parents are often concerned about the question: “If a child has diarrhea, how to treat it?” Komarovsky advises giving a sick child a medicine that slows down intestinal motility (Loperamide, approved for use from 6 years of age) and supports his microflora (Linex). Before taking medications, you should always consult your doctor. In simple cases, a medical specialist will recommend drinking plenty of fluids instead of anti-diarrhea medications.

Potential danger of diarrhea

The younger the child, the greater the danger diarrhea poses to him. The thing is that diarrhea that does not go away within a week can cause total dehydration. In the presence of prolonged diarrhea, uncontrolled release of fluid into the intestinal lumen occurs. Thus, the process of absorption of liquid and salts is disrupted.

With strong and frequent stools, the child loses a large amount of fluid. At the same time, the tissues lose their tone, and the blood begins to thicken. Komarovsky identifies three main degrees of dehydration in children with diarrhea:

The first is that the child begins to urinate less frequently and a characteristic dry mouth occurs. When a child cries, the tears stop appearing.
Second, the child becomes less active, his behavior is characterized by lethargy, apathy, and drowsiness. The skin dries out significantly and becomes flabby. The active retraction of the eyeballs begins.
Third, the child may experience significant swelling of the extremities, he refuses to drink and becomes moody and restless. The skin becomes marble-colored. Muscle spasms and cramps may be present.

In infants, diarrhea may occur due to the consumption of formula feeding. It has been scientifically proven that children who feed on mother's milk are much less likely to suffer from both allergies and intestinal disorders.

Treatment of diarrhea should not be delayed, as this can significantly harm the child. Self-medication in this case is not appropriate, since it does not justify the possible risks.

Maybe the cause of diarrhea is in baby formula?

How else does Dr. Komarovsky explain the reasons for the deterioration of well-being in children? Diarrhea in children can be caused by individual intolerance to foods received both through breast milk and during complementary feeding. It has been noticed that infants fed on mother's milk suffer from stomach upsets less often than children growing up on artificial feeding. After all, loose stools are often provoked by feeding mixtures with which the mother tries to diversify the baby’s diet. If a child has diarrhea, what to do? Komarovsky advises, at the first signs of its manifestation, to abandon the mixtures that provoked intestinal upset and return to a more adapted diet.

The main causes of diarrhea in children

The causes of watery stool in children are varied. It is almost impossible to personally establish and identify the cause of poor health. Thus, the necessary therapy and preventive measures can only be prescribed by the attending doctor after an examination and medical history.

The main causes of intestinal disorders in children include:

intestinal infection;
ARVI;
food poisoning;
allergic reaction;
dysbacteriosis;
stress;
helminthic infestation;
teething;
lactose intolerance;
lactose deficiency;
deficiency of certain types of enzymes;
irritable bowel syndrome.

Particular attention should be paid to the child’s nutrition during this period. The parent must monitor whether he or she consumes enough water daily, whether there are additional feedings in the diet, and whether the child has complementary foods. The most common cause of loose stools is also teething in a child. It may additionally be accompanied by vomiting and fever.

Types of diarrhea

In some cases, diarrhea can actually look harmless. Sometimes parents don’t even pay attention to the fact that their child has had bowel movements several times. However, diarrhea can be accompanied by quite aggressive symptoms, namely:

temperature;
bloating;
nausea;
vomit;
lethargy;
drowsiness;
fever;
stomach ache;
flatulence;
regurgitation;
weight loss;
pale skin;
dry skin.

Depending on the type of diarrhea and the symptoms that accompany it, the necessary treatment is prescribed. So, in medicine, the following main types of diarrhea are distinguished:

Diarrhea without fever

Diarrhea, which is not accompanied by an increase in temperature, almost always indicates the presence of disorders in the digestive system. The problem may be associated not only with physiological, but also with psychological factors. As a child grows older, physiological changes occur in the body, this occurs due to maturation and due to changes in diet.

When is diarrhea harmless?

Komarovsky considers diarrhea in a child to be a normal phenomenon if frequent loose stools are associated with a change in diet, physical processes occurring in the body (for example, teething), as well as the baby’s experiences.

In very young children, loose stools can be observed about 20 times during the day, which is considered quite acceptable. After reaching 3 years of age, stool is usually characterized by a mushy consistency, yellow or brown color, and a bowel movement frequency of 1 to 3 times per day.

If a child’s loose stools have not stopped by the age of 3 and bother him with the same intensity, he should urgently contact a pediatrician, who will try to identify the causes of the disease as accurately as possible to make a correct diagnosis.

The doctor will be interested in the duration of the intestinal disorder, the frequency of bowel movements and urination, the consistency of stool, weight loss, tears during bowel movements, blood and mucus in the stool, as well as associated symptoms: vomiting, rash, fever, abdominal pain. Information about the child’s visits to childcare facilities, illnesses among family members at the time of the examination, sources of drinking water, etc. is also important.

Advice from Dr. Komarovsky: how to provide first aid and how to treat

Parents can provide some first aid to their child themselves. Their implementation is indicated if the doctor cannot visit you within several hours.

The main goal of parents is to stop the incessant diarrhea and stop the process of dehydration as much as possible.

So, if we are talking about an infant, then the following measures can be taken:

offer the child breast milk or formula as often as possible (if the child does not refuse food);
try to feed the child with special solutions to restore water balance (they can be purchased at any pharmacy) 60 or 120 ml. after each feeding;
The child must be given water until he has completely quenched his thirst.

If we are talking about a child who is over 1 year old:

diversify your diet with dietary meat, vegetables, and dairy products;
Give the child a special solution, 120 ml. after each attack of diarrhea or vomiting;
provide plenty of fluids.

Additional and key treatment prescribed by the doctor most often includes taking a number of medications. However, medications can only be prescribed if the child has an intestinal infection.

With adequate treatment, unpleasant symptoms disappear within 3-4 days. It must be remembered that thoughtless use of antibiotics can be unsafe. They can easily provoke deterioration and aggravate vomiting and diarrhea.

Diarrhea in a child is a common phenomenon, indicating a disease of the gastrointestinal tract or indicating infectious or viral pathologies. Sometimes a similar reaction occurs after taking antibiotics or taking other medications. The main symptom of diarrhea is frequent, loose stools. Measures to restore the functioning of the digestive tract depend on the causes of diarrhea.

Other causes of mucus

There are other reasons for mucus in a baby’s stool:

bacterial and viral intestinal infections (dysentery, salmonellosis, rotavirus);
intussusception (a type of obstruction);
errors in complementary feeding (too early and/or intense);
allergy;
runny nose;
medications for colic (Bebikalm, Bobotik, Espumisan, etc.);
taking certain medications by the mother;

Remember, any intestinal disease occurs with additional symptoms:

Vomit;
Diarrhea;
Heat;
Weakness of the body;
Paleness of the skin;
Signs of dehydration;
Constant crying, etc.

The signs may not appear all at once, but 1–2. In this case, do not hesitate, but call an ambulance or a pediatrician at home.

Important! The danger is that in babies in their first year of life the disease develops rapidly and you need to act quickly.

Causes of diarrhea in a child

Before taking measures to eliminate diarrhea, you need to identify the cause of the disease. Diarrhea is caused by various factors. The consumption of foods and liquids unfamiliar to the body can provoke loose stools. In the latter case, you will need to adjust your diet, the symptoms will disappear.

Sometimes serious illnesses can be the cause of frequent loose stools. Salmonellosis, dysentery, and viral infection are accompanied by diarrhea. Doctors often diagnose viral diarrhea, which is caused by rotavirus.

Causes of loose stools:

Reaction to drugs;
Lactose intolerance in a newborn;
Food poisoning;
Such a reaction of the body develops from emotional overstrain.

Children under two years of age experience discomfort during teething. When taking antibiotics, a side effect is severe diarrhea.

Types of diarrhea in a child

Doctors say that diarrhea in children is provoked by infectious and non-infectious factors.

Diarrhea is divided into functional and organic. A functional disorder is characterized by the absence of disturbances in the structure of the digestive organs. With organic diarrhea, changes occur in the structure of the digestive organs.

Depending on the severity of the course, diarrhea is classified into acute and chronic types.

Acute

Most often, acute diarrhea occurs in children whose age is too young, due to the lack of basic sanitary and hygienic skills in the baby, due to weak defense mechanisms. Often, a child acquires symptoms of the disease through dirty hands, contact with contaminated toys, or pets.

If a little one is one and a half years old, it is impossible to explain the rules of personal hygiene to him. But a three-year-old child should be taught basic hygiene skills, including washing hands before eating and after using the toilet.

The acute form of the disease is accompanied by fever and abdominal pain. This diarrhea goes away after 3 days with adequate treatment.

Chronic

The disease is characterized by frequent bowel movements and loose stools lasting more than four weeks. The baby complains of abdominal pain. No appetite. Diarrhea is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Chronic stomach upset is a reason to consult a doctor. Prolonged diarrhea causes dehydration of the child’s body, which can lead to dire consequences, including death.

Treatment of diarrhea

Diarrhea in children is a dangerous symptom, as the body loses a lot of fluid and salt necessary for proper functioning. First of all, the parent must restore the water and electrolyte balance through rehydration. You can then try to stop the diarrhea. Do not forget that only a doctor can prescribe adequate treatment. Certain drugs are not recommended for children under 1 year of age. Parents have the right to provide first aid and alleviate the patient’s condition until the doctor arrives. The doctor will tell you what to do to cure the little patient.

Medication

If you have diarrhea, the patient should be given a saline solution. It is acceptable to use a drug purchased at a pharmacy: Regidron, Oralit, Enterodes.

If diarrhea is accompanied by fever, it is necessary to take antipyretic drugs containing paracetamol. A one-year-old baby has a fever - it is better to use rectal suppositories. Older children take suspensions. You can take children's paracetamol. The patient is allowed to take Nurofen as an antipyretic per year.

You can treat diarrhea by taking sorbents that help remove toxins from the body. For example, activated carbon, Smecta, Polysorb, Neosmectin. Smecta is recommended for children from birth; one diluted packet is enough for 3 doses. A two-year-old child is offered 1 sachet twice a day.

Dysbacteriosis will be the reason for the prescription of bacteriophages and probiotics: Acipol, Linex, Enterol, Bifidumbacterin.

For intestinal infections, the doctor prescribes a course of antibiotics: Meronem, Kanamycin, Ciprofloxacin. Parents should not make an independent decision to give their baby an antibiotic. This appointment is made by the doctor.

When breastfeeding, it is acceptable to give the baby an infant electrolyte solution to replenish fluid reserves.

Dr. Komarovsky believes that medications are not the first aid in treating diarrhea. The most important thing is the conditions and environment in which the immune system begins to cope with the pathogen. It is necessary to provide the baby with peace, protect him from emotional stress, and give him more fluids. If a small child under one year old has diarrhea, the famous pediatrician recommends calling a doctor.

Diet for diarrhea

If symptoms occur, parents need to pay close attention to the diet and quality of food consumed. Small, frequent meals would be appropriate. The child should chew food with special care. If this does not work, the food must be ground to a puree using a blender. It is better to exclude animal fats from the diet and limit the consumption of carbohydrates. You need to give more clean water, weak tea or weakly concentrated compote to drink.

Steamed fish of low-fat varieties;
Porridge on the water;
Veal, chicken;
Steam cutlets and veal, turkey;
Fruit and berry compotes, with the exception of plum, grape, apricot.

Products prohibited for consumption:

Uncooked vegetables and fruits;
Dairy products;
Soups with fatty broth;
Carbonated drinks;
Pickled and salted vegetables.

In infants and newborns on artificial feeding, the situation in case of illness is more severe. If a child has an intestinal disorder, it is important to restore the lack of useful and vital substances. Therefore, it is recommended to put the baby to the breast more often, but reduce the time of eating.

Formula-fed babies are prescribed to be fed every 2 hours. The baby should eat 50 ml of the mixture per feeding.

For children from 6-8 months who have already been introduced to complementary foods, it is better to temporarily refuse additional food, limiting themselves only to breast milk or formula.

After the diarrhea stops, a gentle diet should be followed for at least a week to consolidate the result. A one and a half year old child is allowed porridge and vegetable soups in his diet. For a two-year-old child, cottage cheese is allowed on the menu, without dyes or preservatives. During this period, intestinal function normalizes.

What to do - Dr. Komarovsky about mucus in a child’s stool

A well-known specialist in the field of pediatrics advises not to rush to conclusions if mucus impurities suddenly appear in the feces of a newborn. It is recommended to wait 2-3 days, observe the work of the baby’s digestive system, take note of which food products provoke such a reaction of the gastrointestinal tract, and only then raise the alarm. Komarovsky explains the mucus in the stool of an infant by the fact that the child’s intestines have not yet fully adapted to independent life.

In some newborns, the tissues of this digestive organ are immature to foods with a rough consistency, which are included in the diet of the first complementary foods. Therefore, Komarovsky’s opinion is that if the intestinal function of a small child does not stabilize during the first 2 days, parents need to make an appointment with a pediatrician and also get tested.

Only after this, having received the conclusions of specialists, can you find out the cause of the disease, and, if necessary, select the appropriate therapy. Self-treatment is strictly prohibited and can cause a deterioration in the baby’s well-being, even leading to even greater upset of the digestive system with the appearance of signs of diarrhea.

Prevention of intestinal disorders in children

To avoid intestinal difficulties, it is important to follow simple rules. First of all, you need to teach children to wash their hands after walking and before eating. Adults should thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits and cook meat and fish.

Babies under one year old explore the world around them with great interest, while tasting rattles, toys and everything that comes to hand. Parents should regularly wash toys and carry out wet cleaning in places where the baby plays. It is necessary to exercise constant control over the little one.

Children aged 6 are already old enough to understand what adults say. It is worth explaining that you cannot drink water from reservoirs while swimming during the summer holidays, as well as tap water.

If diarrhea occurs frequently for no apparent reason and does not go away for a long time, and you cannot cure it on your own, you should consult a doctor and inform him about the diarrhea. The doctor may prescribe an examination of the gastrointestinal tract, identifying pathologies accompanied by an unpleasant symptom.

Mucus and lactase deficiency (LD)

There are four types of LN:

Congenital.

Very rare. Only 40 similar cases have been described in the world medical literature. Such children do not gain weight, but, on the contrary, lose it from constant diarrhea. If you do not switch your child to a lactose-free formula, he will die.

Primary.

As a rule, it appears after stopping breastfeeding, up to 6 years. Symptoms are flatulence, belching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

Secondary.

Occurs as a result of exposure to the intestinal walls of gastroenteritis or an allergy to cow's milk protein. Depending on the severity of the condition, partial breastfeeding is possible.