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Diarrhoea

in children

INFOBLATT_DURCHFALL_KINDER (PDF, 182 KB)

Diarrhoea is a very common problem in children. In acute diarrhoea, stools suddenly become looser and are passed more frequently than usual (as a guide, more than three loose stools per day, or at least two more than the child would normally have). It is most commonly caused by viral or bacterial infections, as well as food intolerances. During diarrhoea, a child loses excessive amounts of water, valuable minerals and electrolytes. If these losses are not replaced by drinking enough fluids, there is a risk of dehydration. 

Infants and young children under the age of two are at the greatest risk of dehydration and therefore have higher fluid requirements.

What can you do to relieve your child’s diarrhoea?

  • Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids, preferably chamomile tea that has been allowed to cool to room temperature.
  • Ready-made oral rehydration solutions are available from pharmacies to help replace lost electrolytes (these should only be used for short periods).
  • Breastfed infants should continue to receive breast milk, and bottle-fed infants should continue with their usual formula at the normal strength.
  • If your child has an appetite, offer starchy, low-fat foods that are easy to digest, such as rusks, toast, rice or carrot purée, mashed potatoes, or mashed banana.
  • Do not give your child fatty, difficult-to-digest or gas-producing foods and meals.

When should you seek medical advice?



Please contact your GP or your child’s paediatrician in the following circumstances:

  • If your child is younger than 12 months of age.
  • If the diarrhoea lasts for more than two days.
  • If your child has more than six to eight episodes of diarrhoea per day.
  • If your child is vomiting in addition to having diarrhoea.
  • If your child refuses to drink fluids.


When should you seek immediate medical attention?

 

Seek immediate medical attention if your child shows any of the following warning signs:

  • Signs of dehydration, such as reduced urination, lethargy or unusual drowsiness, crying without tears, extreme thirst, dry mouth, or weight loss.
  • A high fever (above 39°C).
  • Blood in your child's stools.
  • Abdominal pain and marked tenderness when the abdomen is touched.




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