Every baby's conception is not easy, and there are no parents who don't love their children (except for a few individuals with the wrong mindset). Parents always want to give the best to their child. A child is the apple of their parents' eyes. Once the baby gets sick, the family will be worried all the time, and neonatal infectious diarrhea is a disease that makes parents anxious. How should new parents deal with this phenomenon? Do parents know the causes of infectious diarrhea in newborns? What should be done for neonatal infectious diarrhea? How to take care of a baby with diarrhea? Today, let's talk about the causes of infectious diarrhea, how to deal with neonatal infectious diarrhea, and how to take care of a baby with diarrhea.
Causes of Neonatal Infectious Diarrhea
1. The causes of infectious diarrhea mainly fall into two categories: secretory diarrhea and inflammatory diarrhea. They can affect the secretion function of intestinal cells or cause inflammation of the intestinal epithelium. Increased osmotic pressure in the intestine can lead to increased fluid secretion or impaired absorption function, which can cause infectious diarrhea.
2. Genetic metabolic endocrine diseases and digestive tract malformations. Certain genetic metabolic endocrine diseases (such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia) and certain intestinal malformations (such as congenital megacolon) can both present with diarrhea.
3. Common pathogens causing infectious diarrhea are mainly bacteria and viruses. Bacterial diarrhea pathogens and viral diarrhea account for a significant proportion of infectious diarrhea. The occurrence of infectious diarrhea is still a viral infection problem. Therefore, from the causes, it can be seen that infectious diarrhea can be relatively more severe.
4. Infectious diarrhea is mainly transmitted through the fecal-oral route, usually through water and vectors such as flies. Various foods such as water, melons, fruits, and vegetables can be contaminated. When consumed by the population, it can cause infection. Group dining can easily cause outbreaks.
5. Extra-intestinal infection factors. Children with otitis media, upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, skin infections, or acute infectious diseases can have symptoms of diarrhea.
6. Intestinal infectious factors. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites invading the gastrointestinal tract can also cause diarrhea, known as infectious diarrhea. The most common pathogens of infectious diarrhea are viruses and bacteria.
7. Climate factors. Large temperature changes can cause abdominal cooling and increased intestinal peristalsis. Excessive heat can reduce the secretion of digestive fluids and increase the burden on the digestive tract, leading to functional indigestion and diarrhea.
What to Do for Infectious Diarrhea?
1. First, oral rehydration therapy should be administered to prevent and treat mild to moderate dehydration.
2. Breastfed babies need to add lactase, while formula-fed babies need to switch to lactose-free formula.
3. Probiotics should be used for adjuvant therapy.
4. When there are symptoms such as fever, symptomatic treatment for fever can be used.
Bacterial infectious diarrhea does not require the use of antibiotics, but bacterial infections do require them, and antibiotics should be used continuously for at least 5-7 days after starting treatment. Do not stop using them prematurely, and continue until the stool test results are normal.
Antibiotics can kill pathogenic bacteria in the intestines and also kill beneficial intestinal bacteria. Therefore, when bacterial enteritis occurs, in addition to taking antibiotics, probiotics should also be taken. However, the intake of antibiotics and probiotics should be spaced at least two hours apart to avoid mutual cancellation.
The best way to use antibiotics is orally, as they will enter the intestines faster and take effect in a timely manner. Parents should not blindly trust intravenous administration of antibiotics. Also, do not use antidiarrheal drugs! To recover faster, it is important to expel bacteria and toxins from the body as soon as possible.
Of course, whether antibiotics are needed or not depends on the baby's condition. If the symptoms of diarrhea are mild, treatment with probiotics alone may be sufficient, but it is still necessary to follow the doctor's advice.
How to Take Care of a Baby with Diarrhea
1. Timely fluid supplementation: When taking care of a baby with diarrhea, it is important to pay attention to timely fluid supplementation to prevent excessive loss of water from the stool and dehydration. Water, rice soup, fruit juice can be given at any time, and it is best to give oral rehydration solution. Oral rehydration solution contains glucose, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium citrate, and other ingredients, which can replenish electrolytes and body fluids lost due to diarrhea and vomiting, and regulate water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance in the body. The method is to mix one small bag of oral rehydration solution purchased from a pharmacy with the required concentration in liquid form and take it multiple times within a day. The amount taken should follow the principle of "replace what is lost". Carrot juice can also be given. Wash 250 grams of fresh carrots, cut them into small pieces, add 3 grams of salt, boil them in water, remove the residue to obtain the juice, and take it 2-3 times a day. Carrots contain tannic acid, which has the effect of stopping diarrhea.
2. Adjust the diet in a timely manner: The principle of dietary treatment for a baby with diarrhea is to adjust the diet and continue feeding. Breastfed babies should continue to be breastfed, and if the baby is not breastfed, the milk or dairy products they usually consume can be continued. Babies over 6 months old can continue to eat their usual diet, such as apple puree, 2-3 times a day, 30-60 grams each time; apple soup, wash and chop 1 apple, add 0.8-0.9 grams of salt, 5 grams of sugar, and 250 milliliters of water, boil the mixture and divide it into 2-3 times for consumption. Apples contain tannic acid, which has the effect of stopping diarrhea. Other foods such as porridge, noodles, eggs, and vegetables can also be given. However, the processing should be fine to make it easily digestible. Avoid changing the variety of food or giving hard-to-digest food during diarrhea.
3. Practice good hygiene and disinfection: When taking care of a baby with infectious diarrhea, good hygiene and disinfection should be practiced. Utensils, cups, and bottles should be regularly disinfected. Clothes should be washed and sun-dried frequently. After taking care of the baby, hands should be washed repeatedly before doing other things.
4. Protect the baby's buttocks: Due to the increased frequency of bowel movements, the baby's buttocks will be constantly soiled. Moreover, the stool discharged during diarrhea can irritate the skin. Therefore, after each bowel movement, the mother should wash the baby's buttocks with warm water (try to avoid using soap or disinfectant), preferably with a soft and clean cotton diaper, and change it frequently to prevent diaper rash and urinary tract infections. If the buttocks become red, expose them to the air to dry naturally, and then apply diaper rash cream.
5. Observe and record: During the care process, it is important to observe and record changes in the frequency, characteristics, color, and volume of bowel movements as a basis for the doctor to develop a treatment plan. Also, pay attention to observe the condition of the baby. If the baby's condition does not improve during home care treatment, and symptoms such as frequent watery stools, obvious thirst, sunken eyes, significantly reduced urine output, and high fever occur, the baby should be taken to the hospital for further treatment.
6. Keep the abdomen warm: Babies with diarrhea often experience abdominal pain due to intestinal spasms. Keeping the abdomen warm can alleviate intestinal spasms and reduce pain. When the baby sleeps, the abdomen should be covered to prevent it from getting cold. When the ambient temperature is too low, a hot water bag can be used for hot compress, but the temperature should be controlled to avoid scalding the baby. Drinking hot beverages or gently massaging the baby's abdomen with warm hands are also helpful. Please pay attention to whether the baby develops specific diarrhea after consuming certain foods. If so, seek medical attention to rule out food-borne or allergic diseases.
Neonatal infectious diarrhea requires parents to pay attention to their child's diet and hygiene measures in their daily lives in order to effectively prevent the baby from getting infectious diarrhea. Hopefully, the suggestions provided by the author can be a great help to mothers and fathers.
