Dealing with diarrhoea is tough, especially when it comes to kids. Their lifestyle habits keep them in constant touch with bacteria more than adults. Diarrhoea usually lasts for a couple of days, but a bout lasting more than a couple of days can be a cause of a different problem. Known as chronic diarrhoea, this can be a symptom of an underlying chronic disease or condition. Although a bacterial infection only lasts over a couple of days, tackling the symptoms of diarrhoea is also important. Let’s take a look at the most prominent diarrhoea symptoms.
One of the main symptoms of diarrhoea is loose, watery bowel motions/stools that occur three or more times a day. This is accompanied by a few other symptoms, such as:
Frequent need for going to the toilet
Abdominal pain and cramping
Irregular stools/ change in colour of stools
Vomiting
Weakness
Tiredness
There are also a few other symptoms that you can suffer from if you have a chronic diarrhoea condition. These include:
Blood, mucus or pus in your stool
Weight loss
Fever
The best way to deal with diarrhoea is prevention. But how do you do that? How can you keep your kids away from any infection? Here’s how:
Personal hygiene is one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of viruses and bacteria that can cause diarrhoea. Always ensure your kids wash their hands thoroughly and frequently. Not only this but we’ve put down a few points for you to keep the viruses at bay.
Use the refrigerator to store food that can be spoiled
Ensure you cook any raw meat properly
Avoid eating raw meats, fish, and shellfish unless you are sure that they are fresh and are from a reliable source. Never store cooked meat and raw meat together to avoid cross-contamination
Disinfect benchtops, stovetops, and chopping boards with a diluted bleach solution
As we’ve mentioned earlier, the lifestyle and habits of kids keep them in constant danger of getting infections. Rotavirus is one of the most common causes of diarrhoea in infants and kids. It’s tough to keep an eye on children at all times, so it’s best to give them the necessary vaccines to keep them away from any infection.
Cleaning and washing can only help in diarrhoea prevention to some extent, it’s not certain that your kids might be safe from the virus. Today, diarrhoea medicines are available in the market but usually, the body fights it off within a day or two. However, there are some techniques/medications that can help ease the symptoms.
Avoid caffeine, dairy products and greasy, high fibre or sugary foods
Avoid dehydration, drink as much water as you can during the day. Other than water, clear thin broths or soups, diluted non-caffeinated sports drinks and rehydration formulations also help.
Enterogermina is the world’s number 1 probiotic, trusted by pediatricians that helps build a healthy gut. It’s colorless, odorless and tasteless making it easier for the kids to consume.
Diarrhoea is one of the most common conditions. Although, a range of home remedies and diarrhoea medicines help, please make sure you visit a doctor/medical professional if the condition persists more than 2-3 days.