1. The Right Diet for Diarrhea
If your child seems basically well and is not vomiting or dehydrated, you can continue feeding him as usual. Eliminate any food that may be responsible for the diarrhea. If your child has recently added a new food to her diet, the diarrhea may signal an intolerance. Your child also may be reacting to too much juice in her diet.
Besides eliminating any irritating foods, make sure your child drinks enough fluids. The main concern with diarrhea is dehydration, so your goal should be to give your child more liquids than are being lost. You can give your child water, clear soda, soup and juice other than apple or pear juice, which can make diarrhea worse. If you breastfeed an infant with diarrhea, nurse more than usual to prevent dehydration.
2. Target Dehydration
If there is any sign of dehydration, your doctor may recommend giving your child an oral-rehydration solution. You can find these in your pharmacy or supermarket in the form of drinks or popsicles. They contain the right balance of sugar and salts needed to restore the electrolytes your child may have lost. If your child suffers from severe dehydration, you may have to take him to the hospital for IV fluids.
3. Probiotics for a Healthy Gut
Probiotics are the good bacteria found in your digestive tract. Sometimes, the normal balance of bacteria is disturbed, and you may be left with too much harmful bacteria and not enough helpful bacteria. If this is the case, probiotics can restore balance. This is particularly beneficial when your child is suffering from rotavirus or antibiotic-associated diarrhea. You can find special formulations of probiotics made for children. For acute diarrhea, give your child 1/8 tsp. of acidophilus culture every hour until the diarrhea improves.
