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Having Constant Diarrhea. Introduced Solids. Refuses To Drink Water. On Zerolac. What Can Be Done?
Question: Hi Doc,
i had earlier written to you about my son's constant diarrea( stomach infection and teething) and that he is on soymilk Zerolac. he is 6 months+ and i have started introducing him to solid foods like XXXXXXX puree, carrots, bananas, white rice, oats and prunes. but now his stool has become very hard. he doesnt cry yet but has to grunt a lot to pass his stools which are hard and round balls. i am giving him sips of water 20-30ml in between and after solid feeds(like you suggested last time). he refuses water more than this.i am worried he will get constipation if his BM is like this. Earlier he used to pass stools 3-4 times and now it has come down to 1 BM a day that too hard and very less in quantity.
I have heard XXXXXXX rice, banana,cooked carrots all cause constipation. Please tell me some food items which would help in softening his stools. Can i give him mango at 6.5months?The below foods are in my mind
1. Barley
2. Oats
3. brown rice
4. pears
5. XXXXXXX juice
6. Green peas
kindly let me know if they are ok to give,also suggest me some other foods to try for him. my son is still on zerolac and drinks around 800ml of formula a day with 2 servings of solid food.
Also since his diarrhea has stopped can i switch him back to Lactogen?
Appreciate your help.
Thanks,
XXXXX
i had earlier written to you about my son's constant diarrea( stomach infection and teething) and that he is on soymilk Zerolac. he is 6 months+ and i have started introducing him to solid foods like XXXXXXX puree, carrots, bananas, white rice, oats and prunes. but now his stool has become very hard. he doesnt cry yet but has to grunt a lot to pass his stools which are hard and round balls. i am giving him sips of water 20-30ml in between and after solid feeds(like you suggested last time). he refuses water more than this.i am worried he will get constipation if his BM is like this. Earlier he used to pass stools 3-4 times and now it has come down to 1 BM a day that too hard and very less in quantity.
I have heard XXXXXXX rice, banana,cooked carrots all cause constipation. Please tell me some food items which would help in softening his stools. Can i give him mango at 6.5months?The below foods are in my mind
1. Barley
2. Oats
3. brown rice
4. pears
5. XXXXXXX juice
6. Green peas
kindly let me know if they are ok to give,also suggest me some other foods to try for him. my son is still on zerolac and drinks around 800ml of formula a day with 2 servings of solid food.
Also since his diarrhea has stopped can i switch him back to Lactogen?
Appreciate your help.
Thanks,
XXXXX
Hi XXXXX,
Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic.
Some times constipation occurs after treating the child for previous diarrhea especially if antibiotics are given.
Constipation may be due to lack of sufficient water intake or dietary fiber in diet.
Try to give water as you are giving now and you can offer fruit juices.
XXXXXXX banana, cooked carrots wont cause constipation and you can continue to give them.
You can give mashed rice with pulses, mashed tubers and vegetables, soups, mashed fruits as these will contain dietary fiber which will help him to pass soft stools.
You can give mango juice or softened mango without the outer layer.
But don't be hurry in introducing too many foods at a time.
Introduce one by one over 1 week to 2 weeks gradually, but with a small quantity.
Before introducing barley and oats, introduce in very small quantity to observe for any allergic reactions like rash or loose stools as they contain gluten which is intolerant in some kids.
You can give cooked and mashed brown rice, XXXXXXX juice and mashed pears.
Green peas can be given in mashed form, but look for any allergy as they also associated with allergy in some kids.
You can continue zerolac feeds for 8 weeks and after 8 weeks you can try lactogen feeds but give small feeds and observe.
If he is passing hard stools with difficulty and crying, he needs medication like oral lactulose or milk of magnesia in prescribed dose to make his stool soft.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please you can contact me with follow up queries.
And once again thank you very much for contacting me on Healthcare Magic.
Regards.
Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic.
Some times constipation occurs after treating the child for previous diarrhea especially if antibiotics are given.
Constipation may be due to lack of sufficient water intake or dietary fiber in diet.
Try to give water as you are giving now and you can offer fruit juices.
XXXXXXX banana, cooked carrots wont cause constipation and you can continue to give them.
You can give mashed rice with pulses, mashed tubers and vegetables, soups, mashed fruits as these will contain dietary fiber which will help him to pass soft stools.
You can give mango juice or softened mango without the outer layer.
But don't be hurry in introducing too many foods at a time.
Introduce one by one over 1 week to 2 weeks gradually, but with a small quantity.
Before introducing barley and oats, introduce in very small quantity to observe for any allergic reactions like rash or loose stools as they contain gluten which is intolerant in some kids.
You can give cooked and mashed brown rice, XXXXXXX juice and mashed pears.
Green peas can be given in mashed form, but look for any allergy as they also associated with allergy in some kids.
You can continue zerolac feeds for 8 weeks and after 8 weeks you can try lactogen feeds but give small feeds and observe.
If he is passing hard stools with difficulty and crying, he needs medication like oral lactulose or milk of magnesia in prescribed dose to make his stool soft.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please you can contact me with follow up queries.
And once again thank you very much for contacting me on Healthcare Magic.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
thanks for the detail info. just want to ask can I give my son cerelac rice since it is fortified with milk? also cerelac wheat? both of them are fortified with milk and since he is on zerolac I m a bit scared. I have given him oats and he loves it. would it be safe to assume that he wont be allergic to gluten and I can give him cerelac wheat and barley?
Hi XXXXX,
Thank you for getting back.
Cerelac rice and cerelac wheat are fortified with milk, so they may cause loose stools in the child during secondary lactose intolerant period.
But you can start these later once the child is recovered from lactose intolerance.
Instead you can go for rice preparations like Nestum rice or Easum as they don't contain milk.
And home made infant weaning food preparations are best as you can do some changes to increase the palatability.
Once the child is comfortable with rice preparations, you can gradually introduce wheat preparations gradually in aforementioned manner.
As the child is loving oats and there are no problems with them, you can continue to give oats.
Gluten intolerance is uncommon in India, but rice is suggested as starting weaning food as it is easily digestible, easily available, and no allergic reactions with it.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please let me know.
Regards.
Thank you for getting back.
Cerelac rice and cerelac wheat are fortified with milk, so they may cause loose stools in the child during secondary lactose intolerant period.
But you can start these later once the child is recovered from lactose intolerance.
Instead you can go for rice preparations like Nestum rice or Easum as they don't contain milk.
And home made infant weaning food preparations are best as you can do some changes to increase the palatability.
Once the child is comfortable with rice preparations, you can gradually introduce wheat preparations gradually in aforementioned manner.
As the child is loving oats and there are no problems with them, you can continue to give oats.
Gluten intolerance is uncommon in India, but rice is suggested as starting weaning food as it is easily digestible, easily available, and no allergic reactions with it.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please let me know.
Regards.
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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