Babies with diarrhea tend to be more at risk have complications compared toright adults with diarrhea. Babies with loose stools can become dehydrated quickly, even within two hours of diarrhea starting. This condition can be very dangerous, especially in newborns.
Newborn babies, especially those who consume breast milk, do pass stools that are more watery and foamy than babies who consume formula milk. This makes the mother sometimes confused to determine whether the stool she passes is normal or not.
Normal stools in breastfed babies are generally yellowish in color, soft in texture, and liquid. Although not always the case, breastfed newborns can have up to five bowel movements a day. Sometimes because the stomach is full, breast milk stimulates the digestive tract so that the baby will defecate immediately after feeding.
When the age of one month past, the baby can defecate as much as one to two times per day. Meanwhile, babies who consume formula milk only defecate once a day with stools that are harder and smellier.
Sometimes mothers find it difficult to tell whether the baby has diarrhea or just loose stools than usual. Suspect your baby has diarrhea if there is a change in the frequency of bowel movements, such as suddenly becoming much more frequent with large amounts, the baby seems limp, and the stools turn out to be much softer or more watery than usual.
Recognize the Causes of Diarrhea in Babies
Diarrhea is the main cause of malnutrition in children under five in developing countries due to water pollution and food pollution. Rotavirus as the cause of gastroenteritis is one of the main reasons babies have diarrhea. This infection causes disturbances in the baby's digestive tract, so that the nutrients in the food are not absorbed completely and excess fluid comes out.
In addition, the baby can also be infected by bacteria, parasites, or other viruses from dirty objects around him, and from the floor when he puts his dirty hands in his mouth. Baby diarrhea can also be caused by allergies, improperly processed formula milk, lactose intolerance, food poisoning, flu, taking antibiotics, and enzyme deficiencies.
Babies with diarrhea can lose a lot of water and electrolytes from the body. This can cause dehydration. Babies who are dehydrated can be recognized by the following signs:
- Sunken eyes.
- Looks weak.
- Dry and chapped lips.
- There are no tears when you cry.
- Infrequent urination.
- Urine is darker in color and smells better than usual.
- Doesn't want to eat or drink.
- Restless or cranky.
In severe dehydration, the baby may look sleepy due to decreased consciousness, cold hands and feet, and rapid breathing. If not treated immediately, dehydration can lead to kidney damage, convulsions, and even shock to death.
MencPrevent Dehydration in Baby Diarrhea
Recognize the main symptoms that indicate the baby has diarrhea, namely if the baby is constantly passing watery stools or stools, especially if the stools are accompanied by blood or mucus. Fever and vomiting may also accompany diarrhea.
Immediately do the following if your baby has one or more of the above symptoms:
- To prevent dehydration, make sure he gets adequate fluid intake
- In infants under 6 months of age, give breast milk as usual with additional breastfeeding every time he has diarrhea or vomiting. For children and infants older than 6 months, ORS solution can be given every time you have diarrhea or vomiting. Use clean water when making ORS solution.
- The dose of ORS is half a cup for children under 2 years old, and one cup for children over 2 years old, given every time you have diarrhea or vomiting.
- Avoid giving antidiarrheal drugs to babies, because these drugs can cause serious side effects. This type of drug can only be given if the child is 12 years old and over.
- Continue to give solid foods if your baby is six months and over. You can try giving rice, bananas, puree (porridge) apples, crusty bread, pasta, or mashed potatoes. However, avoid solid food if he vomits constantly. It's okay if the baby doesn't want to eat, but make sure to give him enough fluids so that doesn't happen
- Giving probiotics may be useful to help overcome diarrhea in infants. However, research shows that only two types of good bacteria are beneficial for diarrhea in children, namely: Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii.
- Give syrup or zinc tablets to the child for 10 consecutive days. The dose of zinc can follow a doctor's prescription.
Giving antibiotics is not always necessary in treating infant diarrhea. If it's caused by a virus, antibiotics won't work. Therefore, doctors will only give antibiotics if the diarrhea is caused by bacteria.
As a preventive measure, as much as possible give breast milk instead of formula milk. Babies who are breastfed tend to be less at risk of diarrhea, because certain ingredients in breast milk can actually inhibit the development of bacteria that cause diarrhea and strengthen their immune system.
In addition, cleanliness is the main key to prevent baby diarrhea. Always wash your hands before preparing food and before interacting with your baby, especially after you go to the bathroom. Also, wash your own hands after each diaper change to avoid spreading the bacteria to other family members.
Also make sure your baby has been vaccinated to prevent rotavirus infection that causes diarrhea. Rotavirus vaccination is generally given the first time when the baby is 6-14 weeks old, then the second after 4-8 weeks from the first administration, and finally when the baby is 8 months old.
Mothers don't need to panic, because generally the baby's diarrhea will subside on its own. But immediately consult a pediatrician if the diarrhea gets worse, especially if there are signs of dehydration. Also check with the doctor if your child has a fever and / or vomits for more than 24 hours, there is blood in the stool, and if his stomach looks or feels bloated.