Diarrhea in Children (Part 3): Simple Management which can be done at home
April 4th 2011 03:58
Of course there is no better way to handle diarrhea than to consult your physician. Detecting what's wrong in the child can become complicated especially if we see blood, mucus, or others in the stool. And so expert opinions should not be delayed.
Last time, we categorized children with diarrhea into A, B, and C. Classifying them into such is very essential since it dictates our management.
For type A the 3 F's apply. Give the child more FLUID than usual to prevent dehydration. Give the child plenty of FOOD to prevent undernutrition. Any food or drinks can help except those high in salt, sugar, and fibers, as these can lead to osmotic type of diarrhea. The third F pertains to FOLLOW-UP. Observe other problems and be quick enough to consult these to experts.
A maintenance rehydrating solution can be given to a child instead of ORS. Compared to ORS maintenance solutions have less concentration of electrolytes, which makes it perfect for Type A patients. This includes Gastrolyte, Glucolyte, and others.
If a child ages less than 2 years, we can administer 50-100 mL of the solution every after stool evacuation. For children 2 to 10 years of age, we can give 100-200 mL after evacuation. And for more than 10 years of age we can give as much as wanted.
Type B and C managements are more complicated. It entails specific amount of ORS for specific body weight. Again consultation with a physician is adviced.
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