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Nutrition For Children With Diarrhea. Why is diarrhea a concern for parents?. Dehydration, poor nutrition, and poor health 200,000 hospitalizations per year in U.S. 300 deaths per year in U.S. How can I tell if my child has diarrhea?.
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Why is diarrhea a concernfor parents? • Dehydration, poor nutrition, and poor health • 200,000 hospitalizations per year in U.S. • 300 deaths per year in U.S.
How can I tell if my childhas diarrhea? • Change in the normal frequency and looseness of the stools (poop) • ↑ frequency • ↑ looseness • Color change • Bad odor • Mucus • Blood
What are some causes ofdiarrhea in children? • Germs • Food allergy or food intolerance • Medications • Too much juice, fruit, or sugar • Too much fluid • Very low-fat diets
How long does diarrhea last? • Acute diarrhea • 1 to several days • Chronic diarrhea • More than 2 weeks • Both can be dangerous if fluid loss is large • We will talk about acute diarrhea
Children with diarrhea should drink an oral rehydration solution like Pedialyte Replaces lost water and minerals like sodium and potassium
What should I do if my childhas acute diarrhea? • Immediately give your child Pedialyte • Watch for signs of dehydration • Contact your doctor if your child is dehydrated • Talk to your doctor if you have any other question or concern • If your child is not dehydrated, continue to give your child Pedialyte, other fluids, and food
1. Immediately give your child Pedialyte to drink • Always have a supply of Pedialyte in the home • When diarrhea begins • Offer Pedialyte immediately • For children < 22 pounds • ¼ cup to ½ cup (2-4 ounces) per diarrhea stool • For children > 22 pounds • ½ cup to 1 cup (4-8 ounces) per diarrhea stool
How can we offer Pedialyteto our children? • Offer Pedialyte by • Bottle • Cup • Teaspoon • Syringe • Medicine dropper • Freezer pops • Smaller amounts at first usually work best • Larger amounts may increase vomiting
2. Watch for signs of dehydration • Contact your doctor if your child shows any signs of dehydration. • What are some signs of dehydration?
Signs of dehydration • Increased thirst • ↓ urine • Weight loss • Dry mouth and tongue • ↓ tears or no tears when crying • Sunken eyes • Sunken soft spot on infant’s head • Tired, restless, or irritable • Rapid and deep breathing • Pinched skin stays folded
4. Talk to your doctor if you have any other question or concern. • Young infant • Blood in stool (poop) • Persistent vomiting • Fever
5. If your child is not dehydrated, continue to give him/her Pedialyte, other fluids, and food. • Give Pedialyte • Offer usual fluids and foods • Breast milk, formula, water, milk • Usual foods • Avoid sugary fluids and foods • Soda pop, Kool-Aid, juice, Jello-water, or Gatorade • Pre-sweetened cereals, popsicles, or other sugary foods
What is the BRAT diet? • Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast • All four foods are okay • Too restrictive
Summary • What do you do if your child has diarrhea? • Immediately give your child Pedialyte • Watch for signs of dehydration • Contact your doctor if your child is dehydrated • Talk to your doctor if you have any other question or concern • If your child is not dehydrated, continue to give your child Pedialyte, other fluids, and food