Question
My baby is 50 days old and has been on a mixed feeding regimen. Normally, she has had 2-3 bowel movements a day. She started with diarrhea around 40 days old, having 7-8 bowel movements a day, sometimes loose and sometimes paste-like, with the color still mostly yellow. After a stool test at the hospital, what should we do?
Answer
Proper diet and appropriate medication after childhood diarrhea can shorten the course of the illness and promote quick recovery. However, it has little impact on a child’s health. Improper handling often leads to dehydration, acidosis, and electrolyte imbalance. It can severely harm a child’s life or lead to delayed diseases. It can cause malnutrition in children, affecting their growth and development. Therefore, parents need to understand and master some home treatment and care methods for pediatric diarrhea. The principles of treating diarrhea are: (1) prevent dehydration; (2) correct dehydration; (3) continue eating; (4) use medication appropriately. According to these principles, for children with mild symptoms and no obvious dehydration, the following measures can be taken at home for treatment. Severe cases require hospitalization.