Diarrhea, which is characterized by loose, watery and frequent stool, can be caused by an infection or a reaction to foods. If your baby drinks juice and experiences diarrhea, the sugar in juice may be the cause. It is important to understand how to help manage your baby's diarrhea and prevent it from occurring after he drinks juice.
Sorbitol
Sorbitol is a type of non-digestible sugar found in many types of juice, including pear, peach, apple and prune juice. If your baby drinks a lot of juice containing sorbitol, her body will try to dilute the sugar by pulling water from her bloodstream into her intestine, according to Babycenter. This will cause her stool to be loose and more frequent.
Treatment
Diarrhea can lead to dehydration. This is more likely to occur in babies due to their smalls size. Continue to offer breast milk or formula, and ask a pediatrician about an electrolyte solution that can replace lost nutrients. Only offer the electrolyte solution in the amount recommended by the doctor. Diarrhea caused by drinking too much juice will run its course within a day or two.
Safety
Call your baby's doctor if she has diarrhea and is younger than 6 months of age. FamilyDoctor.org also recommends calling a doctor if your baby has blood in her stool or shows signs of dehydration, such as irritability, dry mouth and less frequent urination.
Recommendations
Avoid giving your baby juice until he is 4- to 6-months-old and is eating solid foods. Do not give him more than 4 oz. of juice a day and dilute it with water. This will help keep him from getting too much juice, which can cause tooth decay in addition to diarrhea.
