How to Treat Children's Diarrhea

Diarrhea is not an uncommon ailment in children. Though unpleasant, the loose stools and accompanying stomach cramps are usually caused by a virus or food sensitivity and, with proper treatment, is a time-limited illness. Most important to remember when treating children's diarrhea is to maintain hydration, as children can easily become dehydrated. Read on to learn how to treat children's diarrhea.

Instructions

1

Identify, if possible, the cause of your child's diarrhea, as this will help you narrow down how to treat it. Find out if any family members who ate the same meal as your child are also experiencing gastrointestinal distress, since this may be a sign of food poisoning. You may also want to call your child's school or daycare to see if the administration is aware of any "stomach bugs" that may be going around.

2

Call the pediatrician if you suspect your child may have food poisoning, as it can be a serious situation that needs to be treated as soon as possible. It's often distinguishable from normal bouts of childhood diarrhea by severe stomach cramps and blood in the stool. Rotavirus, which can be identified by a characteristic sickly-sweet smell of the feces, is another cause of diarrhea that warrants a call to the doctor, as it's associated with severe dehydration in young children.

3

Limit children's intake of fruit juices, as they can actually cause an increase in loose stools. Among fruit juices, apple juice is one of the worst culprits. Furthermore, the acidity of citrus juices, like orange juice, may cause further stomach upset.

4

Keep your child hydrated by other means. Offer sips of water, ice pops or a special re-hydration solution. If your child refuses to drink anything else, you can put a drop or two of juice in the water, just enough to flavor it a little, as it's more important to stave off dehydration than it is to take a stand on not offering juice.

5

Avoid foods like milk and yogurt until the consistency of your child's stools has returned to normal. Since diarrhea can flush the intestinal system of many of its natural bacteria, a lot of children will experience temporary, post-illness lactose intolerance.

6

Begin your child on the BRAT diet once he has been able to tolerate fluids. BRAT is an acronym for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. The diet isn't necessarily limited to those particular foods, rather it's a way of reminding you to begin with a bland and easy to digest diet.