As Chio told us a year ago at this point, we are in the epidemic era of acute gastroenteritis (GEA), a very contagious and very common pathology in children, especially among those who go to daycare, which causes vomiting, diarrhea and fever.
The truth is diarrhea is one of the highest incidence of childhood diseases in children under 2 years old. In developed countries, GEA is the second leading cause of hospital admission after respiratory disorders. It is very feared by parents and quite disconcerting, so we will indicate what we should do in case of acute diarrhea.
There is talk of acute diarrhea when its duration is less than 2 to 3 weeks. It is characterized by more frequent and less consistent stools than usual, liquid or pasty. In 90% of cases it is due to an infection of viral, bacterial or parasitic type.
Before a picture of acute diarrhea the main thing is:
● Ensure that the child is well hydrated. Signs of dehydration are: absence of urine, absence of tears, dry skin and mouth and sunken eyes.
● Control the child's mood: decay, tendency to sleep and high fever.
● Watch the poops for blood
If any of these signs occur we should see a doctor.
● You have to correct dehydration: diarrhea is characterized by an increase (more than 80%) in fecal water. A large amount of water and minerals such as partner and potassium are lost, which must be recovered in some way to avoid dehydration. The doctor usually recommends an Oral Rehydration Solution that is sold in pharmacies prepared with the amount of sodium and glucose needed to correct dehydration. They are prepared with good flavor so that children can tolerate it better, they are recommended to be prepared with fresh water and consumed within a maximum period of 24 hours after preparation.
The parents believe (at least I believed it until the pediatrician told me no) that the Aquarius or the Seven Up fulfill the same function but sports drinks do not help in cases of diarrhea.
● Once the dehydration is corrected, it is necessary to keep it to compensate for the deficit of water and salts that are still lost with diarrhea.
● Then we must gradually reintroduce the feeding. It is not necessary to force the child to eat or radically change the diet, but there are foods more recommended than others in case of diarrhea. In a separate post I will detail what is the recommended and not recommended diet for children with diarrhea.
