1 Diarrhea

What are the causes of diarrhea? Diarrhea or diarrhea is a quickened liquid bowel movement. A similar condition can be caused by pathogenic microorganisms.

Specific microbes that cause diarrhea vary from country to country. It depends on the sanitary condition, economic development and household hygiene. For example, in third world countries, drinking water is often contaminated with bacteria due to a poor cleaning system. Human waste is used as fertilizer in the fields. All this leads to frequent epidemics of diarrhea.

In developed countries, including Russia, outbreaks of diarrhea are more often associated with stale food contaminated with beverages.

Bacteria can be transmitted from adults to children and from child to child in kindergartens.

In general, infections that cause diarrhea are very contagious. A person is a carrier while suffering from this disorder, and sometimes longer. Gastrointestinal infections can spread in the following ways:

• contact through the hands;
• food and drink;
• pets;
• dirty diapers and used toilet paper.

Infectious microbes remain on all surfaces. It can be toys, furniture, toilet, hands of an adult, preparing food. Children of small age often pick up the infection, because they pull into their mouths any objects and their own hands.

Other causes of diarrhea can be:

• improper nutrition( new dishes, poorly cooked food);
• allergy;
• change of residence;
• reception of antibiotics;
• intolerance to certain foods( glucose, milk sugar, etc.).

Viruses. Diarrhea in a child 1-1,5 years can be caused by viral gastroenteritis. Viral gastroenteritis provokes several groups of viruses. Infection comes through children's institutions, shops. The symptoms are only a few days, but the short vomiting and diarrhea in a one-year-old child is a serious situation. The body is too quickly and strongly dehydrated.

Viral gastroenteritis often causes rotavirus infection. Rotavirus leads to severe diarrhea. In the cold season, this version of the virus provokes epidemics in children's hospitals. There is a vaccine against rotavirus infection. It is able to prevent 75% of cases of infection and 98% of severe conditions requiring hospitalization.

Bacteria and parasites. Diarrhea in a child of one year is often caused by microbes and parasites. The main types of pathogens:

1. E. coli. Most often this pathogen reproduces in dirty water and poor-quality food - undercooked cutlets, dirty fruits. A child can become infected when his parents bathe him in a natural body of water.
2. Salmonella. These microorganisms multiply in chicken and eggs. Children 1-1,5 years old are infected through undercooked chicken or soft-boiled eggs.
3. Campylobacteria. Children and young adults are often infected by these bacteria through insufficiently boiled chicken.
4. Shigella. Shigellosis is quickly transmitted to children's institutions or families. Especially often Shigella attack children from 2 to 4 years. But there are cases when children less than this age are infected.
5. Lamblion. This is a helminth that children get infected from polluted creeks and lakes, in recreational water centers.
6. Cryptosporidium. The parasite reproduces in an aquatic environment. Often causes outbreaks of diarrhea in children's institutions. The diarrhea caused by it lasts more than 2 weeks.

2 Symptoms of

Diarrhea in a 1-year-old child is first manifested by sharp pains in the intestines. As a rule, a child reacts with loud crying, refuses to eat. Diarrhea starts fast enough. Diarrhea lasts 3-4 days. Symptoms of intestinal infection:

• fever;
• vomiting;
• weight loss;
• dehydration.

Viral gastroenteritis is expressed first by fever and nausea, then diarrhea begins.

3 When to call a doctor

The first symptoms of the disease cause panic in inexperienced parents and the question is - how to treat diarrhea in a child? When diarrhea in a child aged 1 year, you need to call a pediatrician at home. In a similar condition, it is impossible to take a baby to the clinic and is dangerous for other small patients. Parents should call an ambulance if the child:

• has severe diarrhea;
• increase in temperature above 38 ° C;
• repeated vomiting;
• reluctance to drink liquid;
• spastic abdominal pain;
• mucous or blood impurities in the bowel movement.

The doctor should be called when the child has symptoms of dehydration:

• the oral cavity of the baby is dry;
• the child cries, but he has no tears;
• for 8-12 hours the child does not urinate;
• baby's skin became dry, cold;
• the baby is irritable, constantly crying.

First aid before the arrival of a doctor assumes frequent drinking. It is better to give the child a rehydrating solution, but if it is not at home, you can give slightly salted water.

4 Childcare

Children with a mild form of diarrhea, without vomiting and high fever can eat and drink normally. If mom continues to feed a one-year-old baby, and she feels healthy, you can continue breastfeeding. Children older than 1 year can be given cow's milk and the usual mixture. Sometimes the appetite of a child during a diarrhea is reduced, in this case, you need to cut portions.

For a baby at the age of 1 year, treatment usually does without antibiotics and antiviral drugs. In most cases, recovery occurs by itself. In the case of salmonellosis, doctors prescribe antibiotics so that the infection does not spread throughout the body.

Infection with lamblia or cryptosporidia is treated with antiparasitic drugs. With diarrhea, it is important to do a stool test to see the specific cause of diarrhea. You can not independently treat a child by medical means, you need to follow the recommendations of a doctor.

The main task in the treatment of diarrhea is the restoration of the water-salt balance, as the body loses moisture with feces and perspiration from high temperature. The pediatrician can advise:

• to give more water to the baby with the usual diet;
• more often offer breasts or infant formulas;
• give a rehydrating solution.

Modern doctors refuse from what the medicine offered in the past. It is believed that children with diarrhea are poorly perceived:

• plain water;
• lemonade;
• tea;
• fruit juices;
• broths.

Modern medicine claims that salt and sugar can worsen the condition. Therefore, doctors insist on mineral water or rehydration solution.

5 Prevention

It is unrealistic to predict the onset of diarrhea and prevent the disease. But you can reduce the likelihood of this disease with a few simple steps:

1. One year is the age at which the kid still does not know how to comply with hygiene rules. Adults should follow this. It is necessary to wash the child's handles after walking, playing with other children, visiting places of congestion and public transport.
2. The bathroom must always be clean.
3. Toys should be periodically poured hot water. Soft toys to wash in the washing machine, to give in chemical cleaning.
4. Fruits, berries, vegetables must be washed.
5. Treat kitchen furniture with detergents after cooking.
6. Bring products from the store, you need to put them in the refrigerator as soon as possible.
7. You can not give your child water from springs, no matter how clean it might seem.
8. Do not give children food bought on the street.
9. Housewares should be handled separately from the family.
10. A one-year-old can not eat unpasteurized dairy products, soft-boiled eggs.

Weak diarrhea is not a cause for concern if the baby eats and drinks normally. A mild diarrhea will take place in a few days. In cases of severe diarrhea with a high degree of dehydration, the baby must be hospitalized for setting up a dropper for several hours.