Saving Baby from Infant diarrhea

Saving Baby from Infant diarrhea

Infant diarrhea tend to be more at risk for complications than the right of adults who are experiencing diarrhea. Diarrhea babies can get dehydrated quickly, even within two hours after diarrhea starts. This condition can be very dangerous, especially in newborns.

Newborns , especially those who consume breast milk, do produce feces that are more watery than babies who take formula milk . This makes the mother sometimes confused to determine whether the feces that are released are normal or not.

Normal stools in infants who consume breast milk are generally yellowish, soft, and liquid. Although not always the case, newborns who are breastfed can defecate up to five times a day. Sometimes because the stomach is full, breast milk stimulates the digestive tract so the baby will immediately defecate after breastfeeding.

When the age is over one month, babies can defecate one to two times per day. Meanwhile, infants who consume formula only defecate once a day with stools that are harder and more smelly.

Sometimes it is difficult for the mother to distinguish whether the baby has diarrhea or only defecates more softly than usual. Suspect your baby has diarrhea when there is a change in the frequency of bowel movements, such as suddenly becoming more frequent with large amounts, the baby appears weak, and the stool changes much softer or more fluid than usual.

Recognize the Causes of Diarrhea in Babies

Diarrhea is a major cause of malnutrition in children under five in developing countries due to water pollution and food pollution. Rotavirus as a cause of gastroenteritis is one of the main reasons for baby diarrhea. This infection causes interference with the baby's digestive tract , so that the nutrients in the food are not completely absorbed and excess fluid is released.

In addition, the baby can also be infected by bacteria, parasites, or other viruses from dirty objects around him, and from the floor when he puts his dirty hands into his mouth. Diarrhea babies can also be caused by allergies, improperly processed formula milk, lactose intolerance , food poisoning , flu, antibiotic consumption, and enzyme deficiency.

Diarrhea babies can lose a lot of water and electrolytes from the body. This is what can cause dehydration. Babies who are dehydrated can be identified by the following signs:

• Sunken eyes.
• Looks weak.
• Dry and cracked lips.
• No tears when crying.
• Rarely urinate.
• Urine is darker and smelly than usual.
• Do not want to eat or drink.
• Restless or fussy.

In severe dehydration, the baby can look drowsy because of decreased consciousness, cold hands and feet, and rapid breathing. If not treated immediately, dehydration can lead to kidney damage, convulsions, even shock to death.

Menc glorious Diarrhea Dehydration in Infants

Recognize the main symptoms that indicate baby diarrhea, that is if the baby is constantly removing liquid or fecal stool, especially if the fist is accompanied by blood or mucus. Fever and vomiting can also accompany diarrhea.

Immediately do the following if your baby has one or more of the above symptoms:

• To prevent dehydration, make sure he gets the fluid intake
• In infants under 6 months, give ASI as usual with additional breastfeeding every time he diarrhea or vomiting. For children and infants over 6 months old, ORS solutions can be given every time diarrhea or vomiting. Use clean water when making ORS solution.
• The dose of administration of ORS is half a cup for children under 2 years, and one cup for children over 2 years, give each time diarrhea or vomiting.
• Avoid giving antidiarrheal drugs to babies, because these drugs can cause serious side effects. This type of drug may only be given if the child is 12 years of age or older.
• Keep giving solid food if your baby is over six months old. You can try giving rice, bananas, apple puree , dry bread, pasta, or mashed potatoes. However, avoid solid foods if he vomits constantly. It doesn't matter if the baby doesn't want to eat, but make sure to give him enough fluids to prevent it from happening
• Probiotic administration may be useful to help overcome baby diarrhea. However, research shows only two types of good bacteria that are useful for diarrhea in children, namely Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii.
• Give syrup or zinc tablets to children for 10 consecutive days. The dosage of zinc can follow a doctor's prescription.

Giving antibiotics is not always needed in treating diarrhea babies. If caused by a virus, antibiotics will not benefit. Therefore, doctors will only give antibiotics if diarrhea is caused by bacteria.

As a precautionary measure, give ASI as much as possible than formula milk. Babies who are breastfed tend to be less at risk for diarrhea, because certain ingredients in breast milk can actually inhibit the development of bacteria that cause diarrhea and strengthen their immune systems.

In addition, cleanliness is the main key to preventing baby diarrhea. Always wash your hands before preparing food and before interacting with the baby, especially after you urinate. In addition, wash your own hands every time you change your diaper to avoid spreading bacteria to other family members.

Also make sure your baby has been vaccinated to prevent rotavirus infections that cause diarrhea. Rotavirus vaccination is generally given first when the baby is 6-14 weeks old, then the second after 4-8 weeks from the first administration, and finally when the baby is 8 months old.

Mother does not need to panic, because generally the condition of baby diarrhea can subside by itself. But immediately consult a pediatrician if diarrhea gets worse, especially if there are signs of dehydration. Also check with your doctor if your child has fever and / or vomiting for more than 24 hours, there is blood on his fist, and if his stomach is visible or palpable.