Question
A newborn baby, just 7 days old, has developed diarrhea symptoms since being discharged from the maternity ward. The baby has up to 8 to 9 bowel movements a day, with yellow stools. What could be the possible causes? How should it be properly handled?
Answer
Newborn diarrhea can be caused by various factors, including extraintestinal infections, intestinal infections, or inappropriate feeding methods. Extraintestinal infections usually result from toxins produced by pathogens or underdeveloped nervous systems, leading to digestive system dysfunction and increased intestinal peristalsis. Such diarrhea typically does not contain mucus, pus, or an unpleasant odor. When a newborn has pneumonia or sepsis, bacteria may penetrate the intestinal wall or enter the intestines through the bloodstream, causing enteritis and non-infectious diarrhea. In most cases, diarrhea is caused by malabsorption due to inappropriate feeding, manifested by increased bowel movements, poor digestion of milk clumps, or curd-like stools, which are usually free of mucus or an unpleasant odor. For such cases of diarrhea, it is recommended to seek further diagnosis at a regular hospital. The first two types of diarrhea should be treated in a hospital setting…