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Softy
Corner - Food for Thought
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UPDATE - 5
DIARRHEA
If you go through the matter on the Healthybaccha.com - there is a
fair amount on Diarrhea.
However , there are some peculiar practice points I feel like sharing
with you.
There would perhaps not be a single family where the child would not
have suffered Diarrhea.
This is a condition that may pass off lightly or may get really nasty,
requiring admission to a Hospital for intravenous fluids.
Bacterial v/s Viral Diarrhea:
As a general thumb rule , almost all diarrheas are Viral and the
commonest is Rotavirus.
' Viral ' is a word we all hear so often and we also understand it is
almost always a self - limiting , time defined illness where it will
run its own natural course.The poor Doctor intervenes for two reasons
:
- You went to him , so he had to dole out some
prescription !
- He gives some medicines that help make the
discomfort less , like
control of fever, runny nose etc.
Similar is the case with viral
diarrheas - they SHALL run their usual courseof some 3-5 days and your
reaction to the problem would be individual. Thereare mothers who
understand the basic fundamental and are prepared to wait( in misery ,
no doubt). Then there are mothers who would call up thePediatrician at
almost every stool passed and, between ourselves - we tend( please
excuse the tongue in cheek expression ) a painful / hysterical
/fussy.. mother! These mothers suffer the risk of over-medication - a
case ofPediatrician under duress !
Diarrhea has only one problem that is of medical importance - and that
isthe body fluid loss
( known as dehydration) . Once dehydration gets significant
-hospitalization can not be avoided. But you play the key role in the
wholegame by ADHERING STRICTLY TO ORAL REHYDRATION SOLUTION ( ORS ).
Please keep giving as much ORS or other substitutes ( as below ) as
youcan - you yourself can prevent hospitalization :
- Skikanji = Neembu Paani ( a solution of some
sugar, some salt andsome lime ) - the essential components are sugar
and salt.
- Weak tea ( i.e. less milk )
- Plenty of curds or buttermilk
- Custard powder - sweetened less than
usual.You may add banana toit.The cornflour in the custard powder is
a good stool binding agent - banana further increases the binding
capacity
- Banana, preferably mashed in curd - or else
plain banana
- If you child is fussy about not accepting ORS
- try one of those lime flavoured aerated cold drinks ( like Limca ,
Sprite..) , pour the liquid from some height into tumbler so that
the fizz escapes - add a dash of salt.
Your child will love it , love your Pediatrician too !
Bacterial diarrheas have some specific features:
- Usually associated with fever
- There might be blood mixed with stools
- Usually very foul smelling
Here, there is no chance to be taken and your
Pediatrician will happily
prescribe an antibiotic.
Some More Practical Tips on Diarrhea :
-
Please use moistened cotton to
wipe his backside.Ideally , you maypour some water and then just dab
the area with moistened cotton.Wet wipesare commercially available
and are nice ( they burn a hole in your pocketthough )
The reason behind this is that with passage of several stools , the
areaaround the anus tends to get red. This causes two things. One,
it ispainful.Second, this sets up a local reflex reaction between
the inflammedskin and the intestine leading to small squirts of
stools.This develops intoa vicious cycle : inflammation - reflex
stooling - need to wipe - furtherinflammation.
You may be helped by keeping the anal area as undisturbed as
possible andNOT to use a nappy cloth to wipe the anus.
There are medicated creams available - your Pediatrician may
prescribe one
if he feels the need.
- Diarrhea commonly is associated with colicky
pain in the tummy -you may ask your Pediatrician for some anti-colic
medicine if you feel your child is extremely cranky.
- Please keep feeding the child solids / semi
solids.Try and avoid top milk.Breast milk is okay.
The reason is simple.If there is nothing but
water in the Intestines, thereis nothing but water that he shall
expel.Foods help provide a stool bindingmedium.
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