Question
My daughter has been suffering from diarrhea for three days. It wasn’t that watery on the first day, but it started getting really loose from the second day and is still like that today. I went to the health center yesterday and the doctor said she has intestinal inflammation and prescribed Montmorillonite powder and Rifaximin suspension. Even after taking them, there’s been no improvement. The baby’s stools seem greasy. Doctor, can you tell me what I should do? I’m so scared something might happen to her. I can’t lose her. She’s my heart and soul! Thank you. The help I’m seeking: Please tell the doctor that I’m so scared something might happen to my baby. I can’t lose her. She’s my heart and soul!
Answer
There are many causes of infantile diarrhea, generally categorized into two types: non-infectious factors, such as improper feeding or changes in weather, which can lead to diarrhea. Dietary-related diarrhea includes overeating or under-eating; changes in food composition, such as too much sugar (or conversely, insufficient sugar intake can lead to constipation); introducing complementary foods too quickly, causing discomfort; or weaning the baby during hot weather. Changes in weather, such as a child catching a cold, can disrupt intestinal function; hot weather can reduce the secretion of gastric acid and digestive enzymes, leading to indigestion. The other type is caused by infectious factors, such as unclean feeding utensils or food allowing bacteria into the body and causing diarrhea; long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics leading to intestinal flora imbalance and diarrhea; and acute upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, otitis media, urinary tract infections, pharyngitis, etc., in children can also cause diarrhea due to fever and the effects of pathogen toxins.