For diarrhea in a child: diet, causes, medications and nutrition

Diarrhea is a common childhood illness. A fragile developing organism reacts sharply to various factors, the influence of which affects the digestive system. Before taking remedial measures for diarrhea in a child, it is necessary to identify the cause of the disease and adjust the diet. In this article, you will find out which diet is more effective for diarrhea in a child.

Causes of diarrhea in a child

In most cases, diarrhea in children occurs due to a direct negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract, but there are a number of other provocateurs.

The causes of childhood diarrhea can be divided into groups.

1. Change in nutrition. Consumption of new for the body, expired and "heavy" (fatty, saturated with harmful additives) foods contributes to indigestion. The digestive system can be badly affected by the joint consumption of poorly combined foods, as well as ignoring the washing of hands, fruits, berries and vegetables before meals.
2. Serious illnesses. Most diseases of the gastrointestinal tract make themselves felt with diarrhea. The symptom is especially pronounced with disorders of the functioning of the pancreas, stomach and intestines.
3. Infections and parasites. Rotavirus infection helminths and lamblia - common childhood illnesses, a symptom of which is diarrhea.
4. Allergic reaction. Substances that the body cannot tolerate cause malfunctions in the digestive organs.
5. Chemical effect on the body. Stool changes are possible after antibiotic therapy and other intensively acting medications.

Important! Often, diarrhea in children occurs against the background of negative emotions (fear, anger, etc.).

If the child is less than a year old, a number of other reasons can be added to the list.

1. Formation of the digestive system. During the period of active development of the body, malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract are possible even in the absence of the influence of negative factors.
2. The appearance of the first teeth. Their eruption often accompanies the deterioration of the stomach.
3. Enzyme deficiency. It can also be lactose.
4. Illiterate complementary foods. Coarse or hard-to-digest food used as the first "adult" meal creates a stressful situation for a weak digestive system.
5. Replacing breast milk with formula. The same reaction is not excluded when feeding with milk of animal origin.
6. Changes in the mother's diet. The consequence of non-compliance with the diet for nursing is a change in the quality of milk for the worse.

Diarrhea in infants also occurs when hygiene conditions are not observed. If the baby touched dirty objects with his hands and then touched his mouth, there is a high probability of the penetration of pathogenic microbes into the body.

Medications

It is recommended that you consult a doctor before using medicines for diarrhea suitable for children. Specialists prescribe several types of medications:

• enzymes ("Mezim Forte", "Festal");

• painkillers ("Drotaverin", "Spasmomen");

• symptomatic ("Diarol", "Imodium");

• sorbents (activated carbon, "Smecta");

• salt solutions ("Oralit", "Regidron").

Note! If diarrhea was provoked by diseases or there are symptoms of complications, additional therapy is required.

When the temperature rises, it is necessary to give an antipyretic medication ("Paracetamol"), in order to eliminate the causative agents of rotavirus infections are prescribed antibiotics ("Meronem", "Nergam"), and antihistamines are suitable for the treatment of an allergic reaction ("Suprastin").

Learn more about remedies for diarrhea in children in our article.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies are an appropriate therapy for treating diarrhea. These recipes are suitable for children:

• starch solution. Dissolve a small spoonful of starch in an incomplete glass of boiled water and add a little sugar. The frequency of use is once a day;
• decoction of pomegranate peel. Take the rind of one pomegranate and boil it in half a liter of water. Divide the broth into two parts and give to the child in the morning and in the evening;
• tea with mint and chamomile. Pour in a glass of half a spoonful of green tea, the same amount of dry chamomile and add a few mint leaves. this tea can be consumed several times a day.

Important! Avoid using a folk remedy if the child does not tolerate any of its ingredients. If the child's body is extremely sensitive and prone to allergic reactions, a specialist consultation before using decoctions of infusions and herbs as medicines is required.

Diet for diarrhea in a child

Foods prohibited for diarrhea in children

Some products are strictly prohibited for diarrhea, since the components of their composition will aggravate the situation if they enter the stomach.

With diarrhea, you can not use:

• mushrooms;
• legumes (peas, beans);
• fatty dairy products (cream, fatty milk);
• fatty meat (pork, lamb);
• offal (liver, hearts);
• fatty fish (halibut, mackerel);
• products made from premium flour (rolls, soft bread, sweet pastries);
• products made from culinary fats (cakes, biscuits);
• coffee;
• fast food (hamburgers, cheeseburgers, nuggets);
• salty snacks (chips, croutons);
• sour fruits and berries;
• vegetables that cause flatulence (cabbage, radish)
• pickles (pickled cucumbers, tomatoes);
• pickles (vegetable snacks, stews, lightly salted and salted vegetables);
• canned food (fish, meat, vegetables and fruit);
• smoked meats;
• spicy foods and additives (mustard, pepper);
• nuts;
• natural juices (fresh and packaged);
• carbonated drinks.

Important! When treating diarrhea, do not feed your child with foods with various spices.

Prunes and dried apricots are highly discouraged. These dried fruits help accelerate metabolism and have a laxative effect.

Featured Products List

Solid foods without additives harmful to the digestive system are a suitable type of food for various indigestion.

Foods such as:

• porridge (you need to cook in water);
• fermented milk products (cottage cheese, low-fat kefir);
• pasta;
• hard cheese without spices;
• boiled vegetables;
• non-exotic non-acidic solid fruits (bananas and apples);
• lean meat (beef, chicken, turkey);
• lean fish (sea and river);
• jelly;
• vegetable soups;
• wholemeal bread;
• crackers without additives.

Important! Products are best boiled or steamed.

Drinking plenty of fluids is the best method for normalizing the water-salt balance. It is recommended to use these liquids as drinks:

• tea without additives (black and green);
• decoction of chamomile;
• still mineral water;
• rosehip broth;
• boiled carrot juice;
• a decoction of raisins.

Attention! Plain water can be given to a child only after boiling.

Sample menu

The sample menu for 3 days shows the recommended meals for consumption. The diet can be adjusted, but taking into account the above recommendations.

Table 1. Sample menu for diarrhea in a child

1 day	2nd day	Day 3
First breakfast	Buckwheat	Oatmeal	Millet porridge
Lunch	Banana	Apple	Black bread sandwich with hard cheese
Dinner	Barley soup	Vegetable soup	Ear
Afternoon snack	Boiled carrots	Kissel	Banana
Dinner	Mashed potatoes	Rice and boiled chicken breast	Steamed beef with baked vegetables

Meals should be five times a day. This regime promotes good assimilation of foods.

Self-compilation of the menu is permissible, subject to several rules.

1. Breakfast is required. It is advisable to give the child hearty foods in the morning (cereals, pasta, black bread sandwiches).
2. Permitted drinks can be entered in the menu in unlimited quantities. The more the child consumes healthy fluids, the better.
3. Cook in a double boiler, oven, and saucepan. Frying food in a pan is not recommended.
4. Diversify your child's diet. First, diarrhea promotes the elimination of vitamins and minerals from the body, and this supply needs to be replenished. Secondly, various foods that suit your child's taste will reduce the risk of loss of appetite.

Attention! Do not include foods from the "prohibited" list in your diet, even in small quantities. During the period of rehabilitation of the digestive system after diarrhea, it is important to categorically reject foods that will aggravate the situation when they are consumed by a weakened body.

Features of the diet for children of different age categories

For each age group of children, there are a number of special diet recommendations.

Babies

Babies need to adjust their nutrition in favor of fractional nutrition. The mother should breastfeed her baby twice as often as usual, but for a maximum of 5 minutes. It is necessary to temporarily stop feeding only with profuse vomiting. In other cases, latching to the breast is beneficial, since breast milk contains many substances that normalize the functioning of the digestive system. When feeding with mixtures, you should do the same - give often, but in small portions. With a pronounced threat to the health of the baby, the doctor recommends specialized hydrolyzate or other adapted mixtures. If complementary foods have already been introduced, only formula or breast milk should be preferred during diarrhea treatment.

1-3 years old

Liquid, semi-liquid, and pureed foods are all good options. Feed your child puree of meat, fish and fruit, cereals and vegetable soups. Instead of pasta, it is better to cook soft noodles. Observance of the thermal regime is imperative - you cannot give the child hot and cold food. Dishes should only be warm.

From 3 years

The digestive system at this age is already adapted to different types of food, so you can safely feed your child with solid foods, which are very useful for diarrhea. Introduce side dishes (pasta, rice, buckwheat) with meat or fish, dried bread and any products from the recommended list into the diet.

Attention! Children from 1 to 3 years old can be transferred to a regular diet 1.5 weeks after the start of the diet, and children from 3 years old - after a week.

When is it necessary to see a doctor?

The cessation of diarrhea after 2 days of diet and proper treatment is the norm. If diarrhea continues to bother the child, qualified medical attention is required.

A number of concomitant symptoms indicate the need for urgent medical attention:

• a sharp increase in body temperature;
• profuse vomiting;
• pain in any location;
• discoloration of feces (bloody clots, blackening);
• a sharp deterioration in well-being due to dehydration (fainting, impaired coordination of movements, pallor of the skin).

Note! The sooner help is provided, the higher the likelihood of a favorable outcome of the situation.

Let's summarize

Avoiding indigestion-causing foods in favor of neutral foods fortified with vitamins and minerals is an important step towards recovery. Adjusting the diet will help speed up the elimination of toxins, as well as activate the body's natural forces and recovery processes.

Video - Useful information about prohibited and allowed foods for diarrhea