The most common causes of diarrhea in young children and infants

Diarrhea aka diarrhea is a common digestive disorder in infants and young children with various causes. You as a parent must be worried to see your little one fussy because you keep on urinating. But before looking for ways to treat diarrhea for your little one, first understand what causes diarrhea.

Causes of diarrhea (loose stools) in infants and young children

Diarrhea makes babies and children have more frequent bowel movements than usual with liquid feces. Not only diarrhea, babies and children will also experience symptoms of diarrhea, such as nausea, vomiting, sometimes fever.

There are many causes of diarrhea, aka diarrhea. Every young child and baby may experience different things. So in order to deal with diarrhea, aka diarrhea, parents and doctors need to know what the underlying cause is.

In general, problems with bowel movements in young children tend to be influenced by their daily diet.

1. Changing diet

The most common cause of diarrhea in infants is a change in diet as they grow and develop.

Babies who have reached the age of 6 months are usually introduced to soft complementary foods with breast milk or formula milk. Some examples of common complementary foods include crushed bananas, milk biscuits that are turned into porridge, or rice porridge.

Now, a fairly drastic change in diet from what was previously only milk (liquid) to a rather solid food can cause children to have diarrhea. This generally indicates the unaccustomed reaction of the digestive system to the intake of new types of food.

2. Eat lots of high-fiber foods

Foods high in fiber such as peas, corn, and certain fruits that are too much can cause diarrhea in young children. Diarrhea can also occur if the child really likes to drink fruit juice.

The reason is, dietary fiber can soften the stool. Coupled with the intake of fluids from other foods or drinks, it can make the stool more tender or even runny.

3. Bacterial, viral and parasitic infections

Viral, bacterial and parasitic infections are the most common causes of diarrhea in humans.

These organisms can survive outside the human body for hours or days, sticking to the surfaces of objects around you. When it enters the body, both bacteria, viruses, and parasites can cause infections in the digestive tract.

The types of bacteria and viruses that cause diarrhea in infants and children are E. coli, Salmonella, Rotavirus, Giardia , and Cryptosporidium.

4. Children's activities

According to Stanford Children's Health, the germs that cause diarrhea can enter a child's body in a number of ways. However, the pathway of infection that causes diarrhea in children is generally through their daily activities, including:

Drinking water or eating contaminated food

Germs are very easy to infect the digestive tract of children through food or drink that has been contaminated.

Transfer of germs that cause diarrhea can occur in the production process, processing, even when served.

Eat raw food

The germs that cause diarrhea are often found in raw foods. Whether it's raw vegetables that are not washed properly, raw eggs, raw meat, or raw milk.

Raw or undercooked food should not be given to children, especially babies whose immune systems are not yet perfect. The reason is, raw food is likely to contain active bacteria which, if consumed, can cause diarrhea in children and babies.

Swimming

Germs that cause diarrhea can survive in water, such as swimming pools. If there are visitors who have diarrhea and then swim, children who swallow pool water while swimming are at great risk of contracting diarrhea after swimming.

The habit of putting your fingers in your mouth or biting your nails

Germs that cause diarrhea can stick to the surface of objects that are around, for example, toys. When a child touches a toy and then inserts his finger or bites his nails without washing his hands, the germs can enter the body and infect.

5. Certain health problems

Apart from dietary choices and infections, certain medical problems can cause diarrhea in children and babies. Launching the Mayo Clinic page, there are several conditions and diseases that cause diarrhea in children and babies, including:

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is a disease that can cause chronic diarrhea in children.

Symptoms will appear after a baby or child eats foods containing gluten. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein in wheat, which is also found in pasta and bread.

Certain food allergies or intolerances

Food allergies and intolerances are also the basic causes of diarrhea in children. Usually, diarrhea symptoms will appear after the child eats certain foods, most commonly nuts, eggs, and seafood.

Allergies indicate that the immune system overreacts to a food substance. While food intolerance indicates the inability of the digestive system to digest certain substances in food.

Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a cause of chronic diarrhea in both infants and children. This condition occurs due to inflammation of the digestive system which is closely related to the immune system and heredity.

Other diseases

Apart from the diseases above, there are also rare diseases that can cause diarrhea in children and babies, such as:

• Zinc deficiency can cause diarrhea in children so sometimes mothers need zinc supplements.
• Cystic fibrosis is a cause of diarrhea due to a buildup of mucus that interferes with the absorption of food nutrients in the intestine.
• Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital condition that causes the loss of cells in the muscles in the intestines, causing symptoms of diarrhea.

Knowing the causes of diarrhea (loose stools) in young children is important for both your doctor and you as a parent. The reason is, the treatment carried out will be adjusted to the cause of the diarrhea.

Treatment of diarrhea in general is adequate fluid intake by drinking water and ORS, continuing to provide breast milk, improving diet, and eating foods that are suitable for the condition.

In some cases, doctors will give diarrhea drugs, for example antibiotics to kill germs that cause diarrhea in children and babies.

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