Question
My child has had diarrhea for 5 days now, showing no appetite, only drinking breast milk, with foul-smelling stools and a high fever. After enema, the fever subsided, but soon nausea and vomiting occurred. After taking Montmorillonite powder and Lactobacillus capsules, there has been no improvement. White blood cell count is elevated. Parents are asking what they should do.
Answer
Firstly, the child’s diet should be adjusted to reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. Some parents try to compensate for the nutritional loss caused by vomiting by giving their children high-fat, high-protein foods like chocolate, milk, and eggs, but this may actually worsen the condition. At this time, it is better to feed the child easily digestible foods such as rice porridge and sugar-salt water, or even temporarily fasting to allow the gastrointestinal function to rest sufficiently and speed up recovery from the disease. Secondly, attention should be paid to keeping the child’s abdomen warm. The bowel movements of children with diarrhea are usually rapid, and if the abdomen is cooled, bowel movements will become even faster, thereby aggravating the condition. Thirdly, special attention should be given to the child’s buttock care. Due to increased frequency of defecation, the skin and mucous membranes around the anus may be damaged to varying degrees. When caring for the child, parents should use soft toilet paper to gently wipe or use a cloth dipped in water to gently wash. After washing, apply an ointment containing oil to prevent red buttocks, and change diapers in a timely manner to avoid feces and urine from contaminating diapers and skin friction leading to breakdown. For items used by the child such as potties, diapers, and soiled clothing or bedding, they should be cleaned and disinfected promptly to prevent cross-infection or transmission to others. The key to preventing diarrhea is to do a good job of preventing “disease from entering through the mouth.” Educate children to develop good habits of washing hands before meals and after using the toilet, not drinking unboiled water, not eating street-side unclean food, and taking children outdoors more often to enhance their ability to adapt to weather changes and improve their resistance. For infants, attention should be paid to breastfeeding hygiene; milk utensils should be disinfected, preferably boiled and disinfected once a day. Foods should be prepared fresh for consumption; do not seek convenience by eating leftover food or food from the refrigerator.