Diarrhea needs to be tackled quickly in the young<\/p>\n
Maria Endah Hulupi, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Wiwied was overwhelmed by fear when her babysitter told her on
\nher return from work that her eight-month-old son had passed
\nwatery stools at least seven times during the day.<\/p>\n
\"I was panicking, upset and really worried. I rushed him to a
\nnearby hospital. My instinct told me it was diarrhea and the
\ndoctor confirmed it. I just did not know where he got it from,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Rani also panicked after her one-year-old boy defecated at
\nleast 15 times in one day. Advice from her neighbors to feed the
\nbaby with different concoctions added to her confusion.<\/p>\n
\"The whole situation was distressing. The baby was suffering
\nand his buttocks became sore. It took place in the morning but I
\nhad to wait until the pediatric clinic opened at 4 p.m.,\" said
\nthe mother of two.<\/p>\n
Like many parents, Wiwied and Rani feared they could not tell
\nthe difference between a simple upset stomach and a potentially
\nlife-threatening case of diarrhea.<\/p>\n
A pediatrician at Siloam Gleneagles hospital in Karawaci,
\nTangerang, Andreas Liando, explained that diarrhea in children is
\ndiagnosed when there was an increased frequency of passing
\nstools, more than three times a day, and the stools are watery in
\nconsistency.<\/p>\n
It can be dangerous when dehydration occurs and causes serious
\ncomplications. However, passing stools around 10 times each day
\nis normal for newborns.<\/p>\n
\"Newborn babies can pass stools 10 times each day but this
\ncannot be classified as diarrhea because they sleep soundly, are
\nbreast fed or bottle-fed normally, gain weight and grow normally.
\nThey are perfectly healthy,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
He added that children's diarrhea was often accompanied by
\nother symptoms like fever, vomiting, bloating and abdominal pain.<\/p>\n
Breast-fed children, he said, were less likely to contract
\ndiarrhea since they developed better resistance against
\ninfections than bottle-fed children.<\/p>\n
The disease can be caused by several factors, like lactose
\nintolerance (the inability to digest lactose, the sugar found in
\nmilk) and intestinal disorders.<\/p>\n
But the most common causes are infections caused by viruses
\n(the most common cause of acute diarrhea is the rotavirus),
\nbacteria (salmonella, E. coli) and parasites like Entamoeba
\nhistolytica.<\/p>\n
The diarrhea-causing infections can be obtained because of
\npoor personal and environmental hygiene as well as through
\ncontaminated food or drinks -- including ones sold at unhygienic
\neating spots -- or due to the failure to sterilize the children's
\nbottle and eating equipment.<\/p>\n
Examples of poor personal hygiene include failing to properly
\nwash hands after diaper changing, which allows the viruses and
\nbacteria in the stools to infect a healthy child.<\/p>\n
For these reasons, diarrhea prevalence is higher in
\nimpoverished areas or countries whose communities and citizens
\nhave little awareness of the importance of personal and
\nenvironmental hygiene. It is also rampant in refugee camps or
\nareas devastated by war or natural disaster where access to clean
\nwater and proper toilets is scarce.<\/p>\n
Andreas explained that children aged 12 months were especially
\nprone to contracting diarrhea since at this age they start
\nexploring their surroundings by touching and by putting objects
\ninto their mouth. This is the reason it is especially important
\nto keep the child's hands, toys and surroundings clean.<\/p>\n
Viral diarrhea, he said, exhibited certain characteristics,
\nnamely watery stools with flecks of mucus and\/or blood, while
\ndiarrhea caused by bacterial infections was often not very watery
\nand less frequent. But to establish the exact cause of diarrhea
\nand to determine the treatment, a laboratory test must be carried
\nout.<\/p>\n
In general, diarrhea can be effectively dealt with by timely
\ntreatment, for the onset of dehydration can be dangerous.<\/p>\n
Andreas said that to replace fluid and electrolyte loss,
\nimmediate treatment should be done with rehydration fluid because
\nwater alone is not enough. Doctors would prescribe special
\nrehydration fluid for children to restore their electrolyte
\nbalance.<\/p>\n
While diarrhea caused by lactose intolerance will stop when
\nthe baby is given lactose-free milk, doctors may prescribe
\nmedication, such as antibiotics, for children with bacterial
\ninfections. Those with viral infections will receive symptomatic
\ntreatment to ease the symptoms until the virus run its course,
\nusually in about seven days.<\/p>\n
During a bout of diarrhea, parents should continue giving the
\nchild food, in a softened or pureed form, and liquids as part of
\nmaintaining electrolyte balance.<\/p>\n
\"Soft food is given to help the absorption of nutrition in the
\nintestine. Very sweet drinks should be avoided because they can
\nworsen the diarrhea,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rehydration efforts become impossible when vomiting also
\noccurs, and parents should then immediately take the child to a
\ndoctor. Failure to do so may led to severe life-threatening
\ndehydration, with the likelihood of shock, unconsciousness and
\ncomplications affecting kidney and heart functioning.<\/p>\n
\"In serious diarrhea, dehydration can occur in a matter of
\nhours,\" Andreas warned.<\/p>\n
Some cases of diarrhea, especially occurring following surgery
\nto remove a tumor or mass in the intestine or involving
\nmalnourished children, need special medical attention.<\/p>\n
\"Malnutrition itself can lead to diarrhea and when a
\nmalnourished child gets diarrhea-causing infections, it can be
\nserious,\" Andreas said.<\/p>\n
Preventive measures against diarrhea include sterilizing
\nfeeding equipment, bottles, pacifiers, toys, maintaining personal
\nhygiene -- especially by properly washing the child's and your
\nhands before feeding or eating -- and by keeping the immediate
\nenvironment clean.<\/p>\n
Parents, adult family members and care givers should also be
\neducated about prevention of the disease, and what to do when it
\noccurs to avoid dehydration.<\/p>\n
It is also advisable to use clean cotton balls soaked in warm
\nwater to gently clean the baby's buttocks, and use cloth napkins
\ninstead of diapers to prevent skin irritation during the bout.<\/p>\n
Indications of dehydration in children<\/p>\n
* Reduced urine production<\/p>\n
* Fever<\/p>\n
* No tears when crying<\/p>\n
* Dry mouth<\/p>\n
* Lethargy<\/p>\n
Dehydration, without quickly replacing the fluid and
\nelectrolyte losses, can be fatal and when early signs of
\ndehydration show, consult a doctor immediately.<\/p>",
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