Diarrhoea is the passage of watery and loose stools. It can be sudden onset and lasting for less than two weeks (acute) or persistent (chronic).
Causes of Diarrhoea
•Viral infection
• Trouble digesting certain things (food intolerance)
• An immune system response to certain foods (food allergy)
• Parasites that enter the body through food or water
• Reaction to medicines
• An intestinal disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease
• A problem with how the stomach and bowels work (functional bowel disorder), such as irritable bowel syndrome
• Surgery on the stomach or gallbladder
Symptoms of Diarrhoea
• Cramping
• Belly (abdominal) pain
• Swelling (bloating)
• Upset stomach (nausea)
• Urgent need to use the bathroom
• Fever
• Bloody stools
• Loss of body fluids (dehydration)
• Incontinence
Dehydration is the most serious complication of diarrhoea in young children and babies.
Signs that a child is dehydrated include:
• dry mouth, tongue and lips
• sunken eyes
• being listless or irritable
• shedding fewer tears when crying
• producing no urine or only a very reduced amount of urine
• fast breathing
• cold, pale or blotchy skin
Treatment
Treatment focuses in hydration
• Offer drinks called glucose-electrolyte solutions. These fluids have the right balance of water, sugar, and salts.
•Avoid juice or soda. They may make diarrhoea worse.
•Not give plain water to the baby
• Continue breastfeeding the child. Breastfed babies often have less diarrhoea.
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