Diarrhea in toddlers treatment

Introduction to diarrhea in toddlers

Diarrhea is an unpleasant thing to experience for anyone, but it is especially unpleasant for small children.

The biggest problem with toddlers who have diarrhea is that there is really no medication that is available for treating it. Most of the over-the-counter remedies that are available at the pharmacy are not recommended for small children, because they are too powerful for the child’s delicate system and will dehydrate the toddler immediately.

Dehydration is already one of the main and most serious side effects of diarrhea in children. IN order to prevent this, it is important to encourage the child to drink as much water and fruit juice as possible. Soups and broths are also highly recommended.

It is important, however, to avoid the use of sugary drinks such as sodas

If the diarrhea does not go away in two or three days, then the best thing to do is contact the doctor.

The doctor will probably order an analysis of a fecal sample from the child and will look for possible bacterial infections that are causing the problem.

There might also be food allergies that are causing the diarrhea, so the doctor will be sure to check for that as well.

The best possible diet for a toddler to be on in order to get rid of the diarrhea is the so-called BRAT diet. This diet consists of bananas, rice, applesauce and plain, white toast.

These foods very rarely trigger allergic reactions in children, they are easily digested, they contain fiber and will bulk up the stool and they can also easy stomach cramping and pains that the child may be experiencing.

The child does not have to eat all four of these for every meal, but through the course of the day, an equal amount of each should be consumed.

If the child does not have teeth yet, the toast can be torn up into small pieces and put into the applesauce for consumption.

Foods that cause diarrhea in toddlers

It is very important to avoid dairy products when the child has diarrhea, however, yogurt is good to consume.

Lactose intolerance is fairly common in toddlers and dairy-related allergies are one of the most frequent allergies that a child experiences.

Even though applesauce is recommended, toddlers need to stay away from apple juice, but also pear and cherry juice as well, because they contain sorbitol, which is a complex sugar that can be hard to digest for young children.

Grape juice should be given to them instead.