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How Can Severe Diarrhea In A Child Be Treated?
Question: Hi doctor my baby is 4 and half months old, hes been getting diahrrea hes not breastfed. He has stArted to have farleys and aptamil porridge. I give him water too. He poos like 2-3 times a day and its watery. Would i need to test him if he has an infection?
Brief Answer:
Get his stool tested.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. For a baby of this age, it is normal to pass stool several times a day or even after each feed. Alternatively the child may pass stool once in 10 days and that is normal too. But the watery nature concerns me. I would insist you to get his stool tested (routine microscopy). I am looking to see whether the pus cell count is raised (which would indicate a bacterial infection). Unless that is the case you need not worry.
Let me emphasize on the fact that breast milk is the best possible milk for a baby and there can be no alternatives for the same. Most formula milks are cow milk based and hence difficult to digest. Moreover they make the child more prone to complications and infections. Mother's breast milk is produced on the demand of the baby. Hungrier the baby, more vigorous is the suck. More is the suck, more is the amount of breast milk produced. Giving formula automatically reduces the demand of the baby and thereby the production of breast milk. All you need to do is to switch back to exclusive breast feeding and the production will increase automatically. All you need to do is to monitor the urine output. If the frequency is more than 6 times in 24 hours, you would know that the amount of feeding is adequate. If the amount of passage of urine is less or if the child is lethargic you would need to take the child to a doctor without delay.
Regards
Get his stool tested.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. For a baby of this age, it is normal to pass stool several times a day or even after each feed. Alternatively the child may pass stool once in 10 days and that is normal too. But the watery nature concerns me. I would insist you to get his stool tested (routine microscopy). I am looking to see whether the pus cell count is raised (which would indicate a bacterial infection). Unless that is the case you need not worry.
Let me emphasize on the fact that breast milk is the best possible milk for a baby and there can be no alternatives for the same. Most formula milks are cow milk based and hence difficult to digest. Moreover they make the child more prone to complications and infections. Mother's breast milk is produced on the demand of the baby. Hungrier the baby, more vigorous is the suck. More is the suck, more is the amount of breast milk produced. Giving formula automatically reduces the demand of the baby and thereby the production of breast milk. All you need to do is to switch back to exclusive breast feeding and the production will increase automatically. All you need to do is to monitor the urine output. If the frequency is more than 6 times in 24 hours, you would know that the amount of feeding is adequate. If the amount of passage of urine is less or if the child is lethargic you would need to take the child to a doctor without delay.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Answered by
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