NEWBORN DIARRHEA: HERE'S WHAT TO DO WHEN IT OCCURS

Diarrhea in the newborn can have several causes, so one of the first things to do is to warn the pediatrician to investigate further. If you notice that your child has repeated episodes of liquid stools throughout the day, he definitely has diarrhea. Let's try together to understand what this disorder consists of and how to recognize it. Before proceeding further, we remind you that the intestine has always been considered a sort of second brain, as we explain in the following video.

Diarrhea in the newborn: acute or chronic?

Before going into everything that concerns the theme of diarrhea in the newborn, we want to make a clarification. Diarrhea is a disease that can be acute or chronic. Let's see the differences.

Acute diarrhea - These are episodes that last a few days and are due to external causes such as viruses, bacteria, infections or food poisoning. Stools are watery, discharges frequent, and other symptoms such as high fever, repeated vomiting, rapid weight loss, and dehydration may occur.

Diarrhea, on the other hand, can only be considered chronic when it is a condition that lasts for more than 15 days and in most cases does not affect very young babies. It can be due to specific food intolerances or alterations in intestinal motility. In the rare cases of chronic diarrhea in newborns the reasons are due to diseases such as Crohn's disease or the Ulcerative colitis. Cystic fibrosis or some congenital intestinal malformations can also cause diarrhea in very young children.

The causes of diarrhea in the newborn

In newborn babies it can happen that often the stools appear very soft, this is due to the totally liquid feeding, based on mother's milk, that the baby follows in the first months. With the transition to a more solid feeding after 6 months of age, poop will also become less and less soft and constipation may occur.
If as a parent you observe changes in both the frequency of discharges and in their color and consistency, it is good to consult your pediatrician immediately because it could be diarrhea.
But what are the main causes that lead to diarrhea in the newborn?

Virus

Viruses are a major cause of diarrhea. The most common virus in these cases is Rotavirus, which causes a high number of discharges, intense stomach ache and high fever. Babies under 6 months are the most at risk. Other types of viruses cause what is called intestinal flu or viral gastroenteritis, a disease that lasts a few days, but is extremely contagious and spreads easily, especially in closed environments such as nurseries or schools.

Bacteria and parasites

Even the Salmonella bacterium or Escherichia Coli can cause diarrhea in the newborn. However, this is very difficult to happen, especially if the child lives in good sanitary conditions.

Otitis and ear infections

Otitis is an infection that affects the auditory system and which, among other symptoms, can also lead to diarrhea in the newborn.

Food causes

In adults, discharges of diarrhea are a clear sign of intolerance. Together with abdominal pain, irritability and vomiting, they can be a wake-up call for food allergies, which occur in children especially during weaning with the introduction of new foods. It is always advisable to introduce food a little at a time to observe any reactions and understand immediately the triggering cause.

Antibiotic therapy

Diarrhea in the newborn can also occur following an antibiotic treatment, which determines an imbalance of the intestinal flora. In this case the pediatrician can prescribe the intake of lactic ferments for children.

Immaturity of the intestinal system

The child has frequent episodes of weak stools but is fine and gains weight normally. It is possible that you have diarrhea due to the immaturity of your intestinal system. In this case, if you already eat solid foods, you often find traces of what you eat in the stool. Generally, things improve over time.

Gastroenteritis and diarrhea in the newborn: treatment and remedies

Gastroenteritis is a highly contagious digestive system virus. Vomiting is associated with liquid stools, usually green in color and foul-smelling. How to behave?

Continue to breastfeed your baby, if you are breastfeeding him, and after consulting your doctor, give him an oral rehydrating solution without exceeding 200 ml / kg / 24 hours, up to a maximum of 2 liters.
If, on the other hand, your baby is on formula milk, stop milk, vegetables and dairy products and give him a rehydrating solution for 24 hours, making him drink small sips every 2 or 3 minutes, to avoid vomiting. At the pharmacy, ask for a special milk for diarrhea, which feeds the baby without making the situation worse.
If the child already eats solid food, do not give him more milk, green vegetables or dairy products, make him drink a rehydrating solution and make him eat rice, cooked carrots, pasta and cooked fruit (banana, quince, apple).

How to prevent diarrhea in the newborn

Regardless of the cause of the diarrhea, it is important to try to prevent the episodes as much as possible. Follow these tips:

pay particular attention to hygiene, especially hand washing
apply an emollient product on the baby's buttocks, which are often irritated by stools

When to see a doctor?

Regardless of the cause of the diarrhea, it is important to see a doctor when:

The child has a fever
She is less than 6 months old
Has signs of dehydration (loss of appetite, weight loss, dark urine, dry mouth, thirst, sunken eyes, tearless crying)
You have been vomiting for more than 8 hours or with a lot of effort
He has blood in his stool and vomit
It's swollen
He is out of energy and sleeps too much
She has had abdominal pain for over 2 hours
He has had more than 8 episodes of diarrhea in the past 8 hours

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