Diarrhoea is the body’s way of ridding itself of germs, and most episodes last a few days to a week. Diarrhoea often occurs with fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, and dehydration.
Diarrhoea could be persistent in young children. It mainly affects children between the ages of 1 and 5 years and is more common in boys.
Causes of Toddler’s diarrhoea
Infections from viruses, bacteria and, rarely, parasites are the major causes of diarrhoea.
How can I treat my toddler’s diarrhoea?
When the symptoms are mild there is usually no treatments needed. However, there are some things to watch out for.
Fat
Toddler’s who eat a low-fat diet are more prone to diarrhoea. Although a low-fat diet is good for adults to help prevent heart disease, it is not good for young children. The diet of preschool children should have about 35-40% fat. In general, this means drinking whole milk, having yoghurts, milk puddings, cheeses and dairy products.
Fluid and fruit juice
Children should not have too much fruit juice, it is best to give water to children for most drinks and keep fruit juice as a treat.
Fibre
Changing the fibre content of the diet may be helpful, as very low- or high-fibre intakes may make symptoms worse in some children. Fibre (roughage) is the part of plant food that is not digested. It stays in the gut and is passed in the stools (faeces). Fibre is present in many foods, in particular in fruit, wholemeal bread and vegetables. Fibre has an action a bit like blotting paper and absorbs water in the bowel. So, if your child has a low-fibre diet, it may help to increase the fibre in the diet to normal levels. This is simply achieved by eating a healthy balanced diet that includes some fruit and vegetables. However, a high-fibre diet may make things worse, as too much fibre can cause loose stools.
References
- Patients. Diarrhoea. Accessed on 12th September 2018.
- WebMD. Diarrhoea treatments. Accessed on 12th September 2018.