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 Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
1min 11sec home-news-image

What medicine should a child take for vomiting and diarrhea?

In cases where children experience vomiting and diarrhea, it is generally considered that the child may have acute gastroenteritis. For particularly severe diarrhea, where the stool is watery, it is advisable to give the child montmorillonite powder to protect the intestinal mucosa, along with probiotics, and oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration. Because severe vomiting can also be a concern, treatments to stop vomiting can be implemented, such as administering Vitamin B6 via injection, or by administering oral aluminum phosphate gel. With the above treatments, vomiting and diarrhea can generally be well controlled. If the child has already developed moderate or more severe dehydration due to the vomiting and diarrhea, accompanied by varying degrees of electrolyte disorder, hospitalization for intravenous fluid therapy is then necessary. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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What does pediatric diarrhea mean?

Pediatric diarrhea mainly refers to an increase in the frequency of bowel movements in children caused by various pathogens and factors, as well as changes in the characteristics of the stool, which is a group of diseases caused by various reasons. It can be infectious or non-infectious. When children experience diarrhea, it is most often caused by bacterial or viral infections, which require active treatment. If the diarrhea is caused by non-infectious factors such as indigestion, symptomatic treatment is generally sufficient. Once pediatric diarrhea occurs, in addition to symptomatic treatment, it is essential to administer oral rehydration salts to the child. Oral rehydration salts can prevent dehydration in the child, reduce the frequency of bowel movements, and minimize the need for intravenous fluids. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor)

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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How should pediatric diarrhea be treated?

For childhood diarrhea, initially probiotics can be administered to adjust the intestinal flora, commonly used probiotics include Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillus acidophilus. Next, it's important to protect the gastrointestinal mucosa, for which oral smectite powder can be given. Additionally, diarrhea can easily damage the gastrointestinal mucosa, so it's appropriate to supplement with zinc or folic acid to promote the repair of the gastrointestinal mucosa. It is also important to ensure fluid replenishment to maintain hydroelectrolytic balance, commonly using oral rehydration salts which can replenish both fluids and electrolytes. Attention should also be paid to the child’s mental response and urinary output.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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Why should zinc be supplemented for children with diarrhea?

Childhood diarrhea is a common gastrointestinal disease. After controlling the diarrhea in children, it is generally necessary to supplement with zinc for about ten days. During the diarrhea, the intestinal mucosa is damaged by pathogens. Zinc can promote the repair of the intestinal mucosa, while preventing the child from experiencing diarrhea again in the short term. Therefore, it is very important to supplement with zinc after childhood diarrhea. Additionally, while supplementing zinc, it is also very necessary to supplement other trace elements.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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What formula should a child with diarrhea eat?

When a child experiences diarrhea, it indicates that there is an abnormality in their gastrointestinal function, and their ability to absorb nutrients is significantly weakened. If the child is fed ordinary formula, it might overburden their stomach and intestines, making digestion difficult and possibly exacerbating the diarrhea symptoms. Therefore, when a child has diarrhea, it is advisable to choose foods or formulas that are easy to digest. During periods of diarrhea, it is generally recommended for children to consume a special formula designed for infants with diarrhea. This formula is easier to absorb and helps in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, making it suitable for children with diarrhea.