Question
A 4-year-old girl has been experiencing diarrhea symptoms since August 15th. After a brief treatment, her symptoms improved slightly, but the diarrhea persisted without a complete recovery. Her stools remain loose and watery, sometimes requiring two to three bowel movements a day. Stool examinations conducted on August 21st and 28th did not reveal any abnormalities, leading to a diagnosis of digestive system disorder. A follow-up stool examination on October 5th showed 0 to 2 red blood cells and a slight increase in white blood cells, with the doctor diagnosing chronic colitis. The parents are worried about the persistent diarrhea.
Answer
For pediatric diarrhea, a stool examination should be conducted first to determine whether it is caused by bacterial or viral infection. If it’s bacterial, antibiotic treatment is necessary; if it’s viral, antibiotics are not required, and oral probiotics should be taken along with symptomatic treatment for accompanying symptoms like fever. Additionally, it’s important to avoid eating cold and raw foods.