Treatment of the baby’s diarrhea, which corresponds to 3 or more soft or liquid stool evacuations, within 12 hours, consists mainly of preventing dehydration and malnutrition of the baby.
To do this, it is necessary to give the baby breast milk or bottle, as usual, and rehydrating serum in pharmacy or at home.To avoid dehydration, the serum should be administered at least 100 times the baby’s weight in kilograms.Thus, if the baby weighs 4 kg, he or she should drink 400 ml of serum throughout the day, in addition to milk.
Here’s how to make serum at home
However, it is not recommended to take medications such as antispasmodic drops for colic, as they interfere with the active movement of the intestines and prevent the elimination of viruses or bacteria that can cause diarrhea.
The amount of rehydrating serum to be given to the baby throughout the day varies by age:
Once opened, the rehydration serum should be refrigerated for up to 24 hours and therefore, if not fully used after this period, it should be thrown away.
In case of diarrhea, parents should watch for signs of dehydration, such as sunken eyes or tearless crying, decreased urine, dry skin, irritability or dry lips, and go immediately to the pediatrician or hospital if they occur.
When feeding the baby diarrhoea in addition to giving the bottle or breast milk, when the baby is already eating other foods, the baby may also be given:
However, it is normal for the baby to have a lack of appetite, especially in the first 2 days.
The main cause of diarrhea in infants are intestinal infections caused by viruses or bacteria, also known as gastroenteritis, due to babies’ habit of carrying anything in their mouths, such as toys or lollipops lying on the ground, for example.
In addition, other causes of diarrhea in infants may include worm infestations, side effects of another disease such as influenza or tonsillitis, ingestion of unhealthy food, food intolerance, or antibiotic use, for example.
You should see your doctor when diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, fever greater than 38.5 oC, or if blood or pus appears in your stool.See what bloody diarrhea can look like in babies.
In addition, it is also necessary to consult your doctor when episodes of diarrhea do not resolve spontaneously within about 5 days.
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