What should children with diarrhea not eat?

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on August 31, 2024
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Children's diarrhea can be classified into infectious and non-infectious types. Generally, if it is infectious diarrhea, it is crucial to provide a light and easily digestible diet. If the infant is breastfed, continue breastfeeding, but the mother's diet should also be light and easily digestible. If the child is formula-fed, you can feed them diarrhea-specific formula and gradually add some supplementary foods such as thin porridge, noodles, and fruit juice. However, greasy and hard-to-digest foods should be avoided as much as possible, and this applies to older children as well; they also should not consume fatty and spicy foods. Additionally, foods that are hard to digest should be avoided to aid in the recovery of the condition. If it is non-infectious diarrhea, for example, caused by allergies to milk or eggs, avoid consuming these allergenic foods. In cases of lactose intolerance causing diarrhea, avoid lactose-containing milk powder; switch to diarrhea-specific formula instead.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Moderate dehydration manifestations in children with diarrhea

In cases of moderate dehydration due to diarrhea in children, some common clinical manifestations include sunken eye sockets. If the anterior fontanelle has not closed in infants under one year old, it may appear sunken, and there can be a decrease in skin elasticity, dry lips and mucous membranes, and a reduction in urine output. Some may also experience increased heart rate, dry mouth, and a preference for drinking. In this situation, it is crucial to promptly rehydrate, primarily through oral rehydration. If oral rehydration is difficult, intravenous rehydration should be administered, while also maintaining the balance of water and electrolytes.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Treatment methods for childhood diarrhea

Firstly, it is important to pay attention to the baby’s response and the condition of their urination. If the baby shows poor spirit response and less urination, it often indicates dehydration, which can be mild, moderate, or severe. Generally, mild to moderate dehydration can be treated with oral rehydration solutions, which include electrolytes replenishment. However, in cases of severe dehydration, which may suggest hypovolemic shock, emergency intravenous fluids are necessary to expand blood volume, and it is crucial to go to the hospital promptly. Additionally, oral probiotics like bifidobacteria can be administered to regulate the intestinal flora. Montmorillonite powder can also be given to protect the gastrointestinal mucosa and stop diarrhea. If bacterial infection is suspected to be the cause of diarrhea, appropriate antibiotics should be used to treat the infection, which can be administered orally or intravenously depending on the severity of the infection. Meanwhile, the baby's urination, spirit response, skin elasticity, and symptoms of dry mouth should be closely monitored to comprehensively evaluate the treatment effectiveness.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration in children

Children with symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration are categorized into mild, moderate, and severe dehydration. Generally speaking, with mild dehydration, there is slight dryness of the mouth, not very severe. With moderate dehydration, the dryness of the mouth becomes quite noticeable, and with severe dehydration, there is extreme dryness of the mouth. In terms of mental state, those with mild dehydration generally feel okay, while those with moderate dehydration have poorer spirits, and those with severe dehydration appear very listless. Regarding urination, those with mild dehydration experience a slight decrease in urine output, those with moderate dehydration have a reduced urine output, and those with severe dehydration show a significant reduction in urine output, or even no urine at all. Another symptom to consider is skin turgor; in mild dehydration, skin elasticity is still acceptable, in moderate dehydration skin elasticity worsens, and in severe dehydration, skin elasticity is significantly impaired. For instance, the dryness of mucous membranes, including the oral mucosa, shows slight dryness in mild dehydration, dryness in moderate dehydration, and obvious dryness in severe dehydration. Therefore, dehydration should be assessed from multiple aspects.

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Where to massage for children's diarrhea

If a child's diarrhea is not severe, it can be alleviated by massage to ease this clinical symptom. Where do we usually massage? First, local abdominal massage can be performed using kneading and rolling techniques, commonly targeting acupoints like Zhongwan, Xiawan, Jianli, and Tianshu. These are some of the acupoints on the abdomen. On the distal parts of the limbs, we can also select some acupoints for massage, especially Liangqiu, Zusanli, Shangjuxu, and Xiajuxu, which are excellent for regulating childhood diarrhea. Additionally, massaging the child's Yongquan acupoint can also relieve symptoms of diarrhea. During the massage, it's essential to combine it with a diet that is bland and easy to digest to enhance the effectiveness.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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Can children with diarrhea eat potatoes?

Pediatric diarrhea is caused by various factors leading to gastrointestinal dysfunction, resulting in malabsorption of nutrients, characterized by increased frequency and changed nature of stools. Potatoes contain a rich amount of starch and a large amount of dietary fiber. A large amount of dietary fiber can enhance gastrointestinal motility and has a laxative effect; therefore, it is advisable for children with diarrhea to eat fewer potatoes or avoid them altogether.