Recognize diarrhea in children and how to prevent it

Recognize diarrhea in children and how to prevent it

Diarrhea is a condition when a person's bowel movements increase to several times a day and the stools that are passed are watery in texture. This condition is actually quite common in children.

In general, the spread of diarrhea usually occurs through infections (germs of disease) such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It is usually spread through contaminated food or drink or direct contact with infected feces. The spread can also occur due to decreased body resistance caused by lack of breast milk intake for infants up to 2 years or more. Breast milk contains antibodies that protect babies from germs. Malnutrition or malnutrition, especially children who are malnourished will easily get diarrhea.

How to deal with diarrhea in children:

1. Give breast milk more often and for longer than usual.

2. Giving ORS to prevent dehydration until diarrhea stops.

3. Provide zinc drugs which are available at pharmacies, health centers, and hospitals. Given

     once a day for 10 consecutive days even if the diarrhea has stopped. Zinc can reduce the

    severity of diarrhea, reduce the duration and prevent recurrence of diarrhea 2 to next  

    month.

4. Provide household fluids, such as vegetables, soup, and mineral water.

5. Immediately take toddlers with diarrhea to health facilities.

6. Age-appropriate feeding:

7. Infants aged 0-6 months: only given breast milk according to the child's wishes, at least 8

    times a day (morning, afternoon and evening). Do not give other food or drink other than  

    breast milk.

8. Infants aged 6-24 months: Continue breastfeeding, start feeding

     Companion ASI (MP ASI) which has a soft texture such as porridge, milk, and bananas.

9. Toddlers aged 9 to 12 months: Continue breastfeeding, give MP ASI more densely and

     rough like team rice, rice porridge, add eggs/chicken/fish/tempe/carrots/beans green.

10. Toddlers aged 12 to 24 months: continue breastfeeding, give family food gradually

       according to the child's ability

11. Toddlers aged 2 years and over: give family food 3 times a day, as much as 1/3-1/2

       portions eat adults. Also give nutrient-rich snacks 2x a day between times eat.

It should be noted that if the patient has diarrhea for less than 14 days, the patient has acute diarrhea, and if it is more than 14 days, it is certain that the patient has chronic/persistent diarrhea. In addition, there are 3 degrees of diarrheal dehydration that are no less important to know :

1. Diarrhea Without Dehydration, the characteristics are if the toddler remains active, has the desire to drink as usual, the eyes are not sunken, and the turgor returns immediately. However, toddlers will lose fluid <5% of body weight.

2. Mild or moderate dehydration diarrhea, toddlers usually experience restlessness or fussiness, sunken eyes, increased thirst, slow return of turgor, and fluid loss of 5-10% of body weight.

3. Severe Dehydration Diarrhea, characterized by lethargy or sluggishness, sunken eyes, lazy to drink, very slow return of turgor > 2 seconds, and fluid loss > 10% of body weight.

Food Suggestions for Persistent Diarrhea

1. If the child is still breastfed: give more often and longer, morning, noon and night

2. If the child is receiving milk other than breast milk, reduce the amount of milk given and increase the milk supply. Replace half of the milk with rice porridge plus tempeh, do not give sweetened condensed milk. For other foods, follow the feeding recommendations according to the age group.