Symptoms of diarrhea in children

Diarrhea is a very common disease. Although diarrhea is a minor illness, it can cause great harm to people over time. Nowadays, children are also prone to diarrhea. Parents need to take good care of their children because prolonged diarrhea may lead to malnutrition and affect the healthy growth of children.

Symptoms of diarrhea in children include:

1. Digestive tract symptoms When diarrhea occurs, the frequency and volume of bowel movements increase, and the nature of the bowel movements change. The bowel movements may occur more than 3 times a day, or even every 10 to 20 days. The stools may be loose, mushy, watery, or contain mucus, pus, or blood. The nature of the stool is more important than the frequency of bowel movements when diarrhea occurs. If the frequency of bowel movements increases and the stool is formed, it is not diarrhea. If a breast-fed baby has 2 to 4 mushy bowel movements a day, it is not diarrhea. Nausea and vomiting are common concomitant symptoms. In severe cases, coffee-like substances may be vomited. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and loss of appetite.

2. Systemic symptoms Severe cases have obvious systemic symptoms, most of which have fever, with body temperature of 38-40℃, and a few above 40℃. They may be pale, irritable, listless, drowsy, convulsive, and even coma. As systemic symptoms worsen, they may cause dysfunction of the nervous system, heart, liver, and kidneys.

3. Water, electrolyte and acid-base balance disorders mainly include dehydration and metabolic acidosis, and sometimes hypokalemia and hypocalcemia.

4. Dehydration. Due to diarrhea and vomiting, a large amount of water and electrolytes are lost, which reduces the body's ability to retain water. Severe vomiting, fasting, loss of appetite or refusal to eat reduce food and fluid intake. Children with fever, rapid breathing, and acidosis have deeper breathing, which increases insensible water loss. According to the amount and nature of water and electrolyte loss, it is divided into three types: isotonic dehydration (serum sodium concentration 130-150mmol/L) and hypotonic dehydration (serum sodium concentration <130mmol>150mmol/L). Most children with acute diarrhea are isotonic dehydrated. It is generally manifested as weight loss, thirst and restlessness, pale or gray skin, poor elasticity, sunken anterior fontanelle and eye sockets, dry mucous membranes, reduced tears, and reduced urine output. Severe cases can lead to circulatory disorders. According to the degree of dehydration, it is divided into mild, moderate and severe.

Parents need to create a healthy living environment for their children, prepare scientific nutrition packages for their children, keep them away from the harm of diseases, and care for pediatric diarrhea is even more important.