Ways to Treat Dehydration And Diarrhoea In Infants

Diarrhoea is characterized by the appearance of watery and loose stools more than three times in 24 hours. In most cases, diarrhoea will go away on its own. However, it can lead to dehydration, which is a serious problem. An infant's poop is already soft. Babies who are breastfed typically have runnier poop than babies who are fed with formula. With that in mind, even an infant can get diarrhea. When this happens, the poop is even more loose and there may be more of it than a regular poopy diaper. When handling baby items, be careful to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Also wash your hands and your child's hands after being in public places and before eating. Some diarrhoea illnesses are spread by food, so always wash baby items thoroughly. Wash all cooking items, including meats and vegetables thoroughly as well.

When dealing with diarrhoea, the biggest concern is dehydration. The body loses more water, so it's important to look for signs of dehydration. Some of the signs to look out for include;

• Weight loss

• Dry or sticky mouth

• Lack of tears

• Fast heartbeat

• Poor skin turgor (when the skin on the back of the hand stays elevated after it is pulled up and released)

• Sunken eyes

• Lethargy

• Limpness etc.

Possible Causes of Infant Diarrhoea

1. Teething

2. Changes in the mother's diet, if the infant is being breastfed.

3. Infections such as norovirus (the flu).

4. Rotavirus (preventable with a vaccine). This virus spreads easily through hand contact with germs.

5. Bacterial infections from contaminated food and water. Common bacteria include Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Campylobacter.

6. Inflammation such as inflammatory bowel disease.

7. Celiac disease.

8. Milk or other protein intolerance.

9. Carbohydrate malabsorption (including lactose intolerance), or 'toddler’s

diarrhoea', a chronic diarrhoea where undigested food matter is seen in stool, are all causes of diarrhoea.

10. Parasites such as Giardia lamblia,Cryptosporidium, and Entamoeba histolytica.


11. Reaction to medicines: Antibiotics, blood pressure medications, antacids containing magnesium, and cancer drugs can cause infant diarrhoea.

Hygiene is key to prevent one member of a family from spreading diarrhoea to the rest. Hands should be washed with soap and warm water after handling dirty diapers or vomit.

The following diet plan can help your baby recover from dehydration;

Strict oral rehydration solution like Pedialyte every 4-6 hours: This is the most important step. Do not let your baby dehydrate. Continue breastfeeding or giving formula. Watch carefully how the baby reacts to milk and decide whether to temporarily stop feeding him/her milk. Sometimes, nothing can stay in the stomach. If your baby refuses milk, try Pedialyte.

Bland foods: If you have started giving solids to your baby, feed him/ her applesauce, strained banana, saltines, strained carrots, strained squash, mashed potatoes (no additives), rice cereal and oatmeal. You can also feed your baby toast, crackers, breads, pretzels, rice, noodles (no additives), bananas, carrots, squash, Rice Krispies, Cheerios, and yogurt with active cultures.

Milk products: Some babies may become lactose intolerant during this time, so consult your paediatrician.

No oils or butter.

No spicy foods or sauces until diarrhoea subsides.

You should always consult with your child's doctor before starting any kind of medication or if you have any doubts.

By Mercy Kukah