Diarrhea in Babies: Why It Happens, How Does It Go?

Diarrhea in infants is a problem that needs to be taken seriously. So you are wondering what to do in this situation.

What causes diarrhea in babies, what are the symptoms? What is good for diarrhea in babies, we told them all.

What causes diarrhea in babies?

Diarrhea is a problem that occurs when the number of daily stools increases, its consistency is watery, too soft, and problems such as abdominal pain are added to it. Here we need to make the following distinction; It is considered normal to defecate 4-5 times a day unless the consistency is watery.

Let’s see why babies have diarrhea.

• Influenza or other similar illness
• Drooling in babies during teething,
• Sensitivity to certain foods (food allergy)
• The baby consumes more fibrous fruit and fruit juices (especially apples and grapes),
• Intestinal infections (virus, bacterial or parasitic origin),
• Antibiotic treatment or side effects of other drugs,
• Conditions such as food poisoning are among the causes of diarrhea in infants.

coli, also known as “tourist’s diarrhea”, causes diarrhea in infants. It is transmitted by consuming food contaminated by sewage waters or by infants contacting these waters.

Diarrhea is less common in breastfed babies. Because the substances in breast milk prevent the formation of microorganisms that cause diarrhea to a large extent.

What causes green diarrhea in babies?

Diarrhea color is very important in babies. That’s why green diarrhea in babies can be frightening to the eye. But there are several reasons for this, both dangerous and harmless. Among them;

• If the baby is breastfed, the mother’s consumption of green vegetables,
• If the baby has switched to supplementary food, excessive consumption of green-colored foods,
• The use of iron medication by the baby or nursing mother,
• The use of antibiotics by the baby or nursing mother,
• The baby has lactose intolerance
• Intestinal and stomach inflammations,
• Bacterial diseases are among the causes of green diarrhea.

Especially in babies, if diarrhea and fever and green diarrhea are seen together, you may think that it is a bacterial problem.

What causes bloody diarrhea in babies?

• food allergies ,
• Dysentery,
• Conditions such as increased amount of defecation due to vein damage in the rectum may cause bloody diarrhea. Bloody diarrhea in babies can have very dangerous consequences. Therefore, if you see diarrhea in your baby’s stool, you should definitely consult your doctor.

What are the symptoms of diarrhea in babies?

How is diarrhea diagnosed in babies? Can we call every watery poop diarrhea? Let’s take a look at the symptoms.

• If your baby has frequent watery poop (more than 3 watery poops a day),
• If the frequency and amount of defecation has increased,
• If his stool is slimy,
• If you have abdominal pain
• If you have a decrease in appetite,
• If he is also vomiting and has a fever, it is most likely diarrhea. Babies with diarrhea may also have a stomach rumbling.

Sometimes diarrhea without fever is also seen. These diarrheas may not be a serious problem.

How is diarrhea in babies?

First of all, you need to know this. It is not right to reduce water consumption if the baby has diarrhea. Because the baby will already lose water with diarrhea. Therefore, if 6 months have passed, they should continue to drink water and breast milk should never be stopped.

• If the baby does not have a fever and vomiting, diarrhea can be prevented by feeding solid foods such as bananas, potatoes and rice.
• An antipyretic can be used if she has a mild fever.
• However, if the diarrhea lasts longer, changes color, has a high fever, vomiting and abdominal pain, you can consult a doctor. You should not use diarrhea medicine in babies without consulting your doctor.
• If the baby has lost a lot of water and electrolytes due to diarrhea, fluid supplementation can be done in the hospital. After these problems are resolved, treatment for the underlying problem of diarrhea can be started.

Why is diarrhea an important disease in infants?

Vomiting and diarrhea cause rapid loss of minerals and fluids. The younger the baby, the faster the fluid loss. Babies cannot tolerate this loss as quickly as adults. This causes dehydration in the body. This loss of water can cause serious problems later on.

How long does diarrhea last in babies?

It may take a few days or a week. “How many days is it dangerous for babies to have diarrhea?” Let’s answer the question as follows. It is considered dangerous if diarrhea persists after 7-10 days even though you have changed your diet to prevent water and salt loss.

In which cases should you go to the doctor?

• If there is severe abdominal pain lasting for several hours and vomiting that prevents oral fluid intake,
• If your baby has been refusing to drink fluids for six hours
• If his eyes are sunken, if he is distracted,
• Has not urinated for more than 6 hours in a day,
• If diarrhea has lasted more than 10 days,
• If you saw blood in your poop,
• If diarrhea recurs frequently,
• No tears for 8 hours (due to fluid loss),
• If diarrhea is accompanied by a high fever of 38.5 and above, you should take your baby to the doctor.