Question
My baby has recently been experiencing diarrhea and has a slightly yellowish urine. What should I do?
Answer
Diarrhea is a common condition in infants. Due to their immature digestive systems and rapid growth, infants require a significant amount of calories and nutrients. Improper feeding can easily lead to diarrhea. Common causes of diarrhea include: overeating or eating too frequently, which increases the burden on the gastrointestinal tract; introducing complementary foods too quickly or with an excessive variety of food items, as well as consuming too much greasy and fibrous food, which cannot be fully digested; irregular feeding schedules, which prevent the gastrointestinal tract from forming a regular reflex of secreting digestive juices, thereby reducing the infant’s digestive function. Additionally, if food or utensils are contaminated, the infant may ingest bacteria-laden food, leading to gastrointestinal infections. Infants with diseases outside of the digestive system can also develop diarrhea due to disordered digestive function.