Why might a child have gray diarrhea? Light diarrhea in an adult: what causes it, what diseases it indicates

A change in the color of stool to a lighter shade, in most cases, indicates the development of diseases of the digestive system. It is for this reason that you need to go thorough examination the entire body at once in order to promptly identify possible development life-threatening pathologies. Each patient should take into account that bile pigments can be susceptible to specific influence in the intestines, which has a huge impact on the processes of coloring stool too light.

Light-colored diarrhea in adults is quite common, because the final color of excreted feces depends on the food consumed. Lately food products. For example, light-colored products will tint the discharge in light shades. This can happen if you consume a lot of dairy products the day before. By the next act of defecation, provided adjustments are made to the diet, the problem will be solved on its own, and the feces will acquire its usual “brown” shade.

Causes of stool lightening

Often, the usual yellow-brown color of feces in adults is provided by a substance - bilirubin, which is a component of bile. But white stool is nothing more than a result of a disorder in the outflow of bile from the gallbladder. Doctors have been able to identify several specific ailments that can cause abnormal stool color.

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.
Cholecystitis is an inflammatory process in the gallbladder that occurs with acute attacks pain in the right hypochondrium, lack of appetite, hyperthermia and nausea. Feces have a watery consistency and an unusual, very light color.
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that occurs against the background of an incorrectly selected diet, abuse alcoholic drinks, infections of internal organs, as well as due to the use of certain drugs.
Crohn's disease is a pathology that manifests itself as inflammation of all organs digestive system.
Oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - the emergence of malignant neoplasms in many internal organs, causes virtually no symptoms. The first suspicious signals begin to appear as the tumor grows towards large sizes. Among the main symptoms, experts identify pain in the area abdominal cavity, constipation or diarrhea, vomiting, lack of appetite, significant loss of body weight in a short period of time.

Sometimes, light diarrhea occurs after taking certain medications, especially such as:

Antibacterial drugs.
Anti-inflammatory drugs.
Drugs used to treat gout.

In such situations, a one-time discharge of very light-colored feces should not cause any panic; the patient is simply advised to observe the nature of the discharge (color, consistency, frequency, smell) for several days. Some experts say that white stools are associated with the abuse of foods with a high percentage of fat, especially meat and dairy products.

What does light brown poop mean?

Plant foods in large quantities, common reason lightening of feces. This condition is not considered pathological and does not pose any threat to human health. The rapid pace of movement of food masses through the intestines leads to incomplete digestion, and the stool ultimately turns out to be light brown in color. Normalizing the diet by adding proteins and fractional nutrition to it normalizes the functionality of the entire gastrointestinal tract.

Very light stool

If a person notices that the color of his discharge will be very lightened, almost white, this is one of the signs of impaired functioning of an important digestive organ - the pancreas. To exclude the possibility of developing diabetes mellitus, you need to consult with your local physician and undergo all the necessary tests.

Unfortunately, regular loose bowel movements with discolored feces may indicate the appearance of malignant neoplasms in organs digestive tract, so a visit to the doctor cannot be avoided.

Regular bowel movements of very light-colored stool, or their frequent repetition, should cause concern. Isolated cases are not perceived as a symptom of the disease, since this is probable cause improper diet.

Light yellow stool

As mentioned above, the color of feces is affected by the substance bilirubin, which is part of bile. Yellow chair healthy person, according to medicine, is not considered a pathology.

But, constant beige stools, which indicate impaired bilirubin production or narrowing, can pose a danger. bile duct. To determine the exact factor causing the problem, you need to consult with a specific specialist who will collect anamnesis, prescribe examinations and a treatment plan.

Clinical picture

Immediate medical assistance required in cases where lightened and loose stools are accompanied by a number of additional symptoms:

IN mandatory You should consult a doctor if you have abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, or body hyperthermia. It is not recommended to practice self-treatment. It's better to go to the hospital, go through diagnostic examination and exclude possible dangerous illnesses.

Treatment

When diagnosing diseases of the liver, pancreas or other organs of the digestive tract that cause lightening of stool, doctors prescribe treatment in an inpatient department, under strict supervision medical personnel. From a variety of ailments that have been diagnosed on early stages development, you can easily get rid of it with a high probability by observing dietary food and following all recommendations of the attending physician.

If the main reasons for the change in the color of feces are very simple, and the problem is not accompanied by additional symptoms in the form of hyperthermia, pain, vomiting, etc., you can try to cure the disease yourself, at home.

Bile deficiency causes great harm to the entire body, based on which the patient should reconsider his diet. Eating large portions of fatty foods can have a negative impact on your general condition, so great emphasis is placed on balancing your diet. Products such as full-fat milk, cream or lard can cause great damage to the digestive system, and symptoms such as white feces, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The results can be quite disastrous: overweight (obesity), diabetes, pathologies of the cardiovascular system, liver and pancreas, which make it difficult for them to perform their physiological abilities.

If light-colored stools occur after taking medications that were prescribed to eliminate any diseases, you should consult with your doctor, who should tell you whether this applies to side effects, or the results of an overdose.

Many drugs have the ability to accumulate in body tissues, which provides temporary pain relief and mutes the signs of the disease. Because of this, complications of already present pathologies can occur in the body, up to the destruction of organs.

If light-colored stools occur due to the same type of diet, abuse of light-colored and fatty foods, you need to add variety to your daily diet. Experts advise eating cereals made from cereals such as pearl barley, buckwheat or lentils for breakfast.

If white feces appear after eating plant foods, doctors say there is nothing to worry about. This physiological process self-cleansing of the body, which goes away on its own.

Diet

A color change in stool is a direct reason to reconsider your diet. Patients should reduce or completely eliminate fatty foods, anything fried, salted, spicy or pickled. Mushrooms and a lot of chocolate are strictly contraindicated.

Special herbal mixtures, tinctures, herbal tea from sage, chamomile or drinks from sprouted oats help normalize the functioning of the liver, bile ducts and stabilize intestinal function.

The main task of the diet is the gentle effect of foods on the body without loss of saturation. You need to eat in small quantities, last appointment food should be 3 hours before bedtime. Products must be thoroughly crushed, preferably even ground. Food is cooked better by steaming.

At the first signs of the appearance of colorless feces, you need to seek help from specialists. Only they will help identify the exact reasons that caused these phenomena and select the ideal treatment plan to restore the functioning of the digestive system.

Diarrhea (diarrhea) is the frequent passage of loose (liquid) feces.
In diseases of the small intestine, stool occurs up to 5-6 times a day, is too abundant and contains remnants of undigested food, pain occurs aching character, shifting to the navel area. When the large intestine is affected, diarrhea reaches up to 10 times a day, colicky pain in the lower abdomen, and false urge to go to the toilet (tenesmus) occur.

Diarrhea may occur due to the rapid passage of contents through intestinal tract and decreased absorption of water (intestinal juices and electrolytes) in the intestines. In general, diarrhea is a response to any irritation of the gastrointestinal tract by pathological agents.

A distinction is made between acute (up to two weeks) and chronic diarrhea (lasting longer than 2-3 weeks with a recurrent course). Stool incontinence and sensation false urge to the toilet (tenesmus) indicate a severe course of the disease. Severe course Diarrhea leads to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which can lead to the death of the affected person. For example, this can happen with a particularly dangerous infection (cholera), which is characterized by severe dehydration of the body: stool occurs up to 20-25 times a day. IN in this case It is very important not only to stop diarrhea, but also to restore the loss of fluid and electrolytes in the body.

With diarrhea, putrefactive or fermentation processes occur in the intestines. As a result, the color and smell of stool changes: green color diarrhea means fermentation of carbohydrates, gray or white diarrhea indicates a violation of the digestion of fats (lipids).

The occurrence of diarrhea at night is more likely to indicate organic origin and the very severe nature of the disease, and morning diarrhea can be functional, i.e. reflex.

Causes of diarrhea

Infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria and protozoa (salmonella, lamblia, staphylococcus);
Gastrointestinal diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease). Diarrhea can also occur when oncological diseases intestines, liver diseases;
Diarrhea can also be caused by eating fruits and vegetables containing large amounts;
Overdose of laxatives;
Food poisoning;
Dysbacteriosis (for example, diarrhea occurs after antibiotics).

Diet for diarrhea

Include jelly, rice broth, jelly in the diet;
Take dry liquid (crackers from white bread soak in water, infuse the water, take this liquid along with crackers 3 times a day). Rusks in any form are simply irreplaceable for diarrhea, because... They absorb gases and toxins well and thereby inhibit increased bowel function. If there are no crackers, you can use activated carbon tablets;
Eat only during times of severe hunger.

IN summer time Many people are familiar with travel diarrhea. In this case, it is recommended to stock up on Tanalbin tablets and, on the eve of the trip, start taking 2 tablets per day as a preventive measure for diarrhea. If diarrhea has already occurred, the dose can be increased.

I would like to say a few words about such a well-known drug as Imodium (Loperamide). It's actually very effective drug, it reduces intestinal motility and irritability and diarrhea stops. But you need to take this drug if you are sure that the cause of diarrhea is non-infectious. The bottom line is that if the diarrhea is caused by an infection, then it will be good if it comes out along with liquid discharge, and if you take Imodium, then all microorganisms will remain in your body, which will prolong the period of intoxication and increase the severity of the disease.

At infectious diarrhea anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics are taken: Fthalazol, Sulgin, Intetrix, Enterosediv.

At severe pain take antispasmodics in the stomach (No-spa, Dicetel, Duspatalin)
If after using these remedies there is no improvement, you cannot do without calling a doctor, because diarrhea is often masked (inflammation of the appendix).

If there is diarrhea with blood, this is a sign of dysentery, nonspecific ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, when the secretory function of the intestine is disrupted and fluid is released into the intestinal lumen with various enzymes, which very strongly corrode the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, which leads to the appearance of ulcers and erosions, which actually bleed.

Black diarrhea and vomiting coffee grounds– erosive and ulcerative pathology of the gastric mucosa.

Watery stools that have no shape are a sign of cholera.

Oncological diseases can also occur with diarrhea, although most often this condition is accompanied by constipation. Therefore, in any case, you need to see a doctor who will determine accurate diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.

I would like to say a few words about chronic diarrhea(lasts more than 3 weeks). Sometimes, when the secretory function of the pancreas, stomach and intestines is impaired, stool occurs 2-3 times, but this condition is not diarrhea if the stool consistency is normal. This sometimes happens in babies with lactose intolerance, when the baby is unable to digest the milk sugar found in mother's milk. To eliminate diarrhea, you need to give up milk, which, oddly enough, relieves diarrhea syndrome and fermentation in the intestines.

Folk remedies for diarrhea

Kissels and decoctions from fresh berries blueberries, bird cherry;;
Oak bark (1 teaspoon per 1 cup of boiling water). Drink hot in one serving
White clay is very effective (part of the finished drug Smecta, which can be purchased at your nearest pharmacy);
This helps a lot with severe diarrhea effective remedy: Prepare a solution (1 liter of boiled water, 8 teaspoons of sugar, juice from 2 oranges and grapefruits, 1 teaspoon of salt). Drink the prepared solution every hour, a full glass;
If you are lactose intolerant, you can replace milk with this healing drink: a pinch of green, chopped dill is boiled in a glass of milk for 5-7 minutes and drunk warm after each episode of diarrhea;
Chicory helps better than any medicine. Brew 1 teaspoon in a glass of boiling water. Drink three glasses at one time. Diarrhea goes away right before our eyes. If diarrhea is a fairly common occurrence for you, it is recommended to have at least 1 pack at home in case of such a surprise;
Prepare a sugar solution: dissolve an unlimited amount of sugar in 0.5 cups of boiling water, cool and drink;
Infusion: take 1 tablespoon of crushed pomegranate peel, brew 1 glass of boiling water, leave until the infusion becomes dark in color;
Tea with starch: prepare strong tea, add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of starch, stir well and drink at one time;
Decoction of dried pears: pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of chopped fruit, simmer for 15 minutes over low heat, leave for 3 hours and take half a cup 4 times a day.

Diarrhea (diarrhea) is a syndrome in which bowel movements occur more than twice a day and are accompanied by the release of loose stools.

At its core, diarrhea most often has certain disturbances in the functioning of the digestive organs, but in some cases diarrhea occurs and is not associated with damage to the digestive tract.

Clinical forms:

acute diarrhea— its duration does not exceed 3 weeks;
chronic diarrhea - lasting longer than 20-21 days.

Basic mechanisms of development

increased secretion of salts and water into the intestinal lumen;
acceleration of intestinal motility;
disruption of food digestion;
impaired absorption of digested food.

Usually, in each individual case of diarrhea, several of the listed mechanisms are involved at once.

It is difficult to find a person who has never suffered from diarrhea in his life - such a problem happens to each of us more than once. Perhaps that is why they often treat it lightly, letting things take their course and not seeking medical help in a timely manner. Meanwhile, “banal diarrhea” can be a manifestation of very serious, sometimes life-threatening diseases. When diarrhea develops, you need to remember the basic alarming symptoms requiring immediate medical attention:

the appearance of mucus and blood in the stool;
stool has a tar-like color and consistency (sometimes accompanied by vomit that resembles coffee grounds);
copious discharge watery stools more often 15-20 times a day;
copious light-colored stools against the background of a drop in body temperature below normal;
combination of diarrhea and high temperature;
a combination of diarrhea, abdominal pain and severe vomiting;
diarrhea lasts more than three days, despite prescribed treatment;
diarrhea is accompanied by disturbances of consciousness;
diarrhea for more than 2 days in an elderly person or a child under one year old;
diarrhea appears periodically without visible reasons, accompanied by weight loss and weakness.

If you notice at least one of the listed symptoms, you can’t hesitate. But this does not mean that in other cases seeking medical help is not necessary. Particularly serious consequences diarrhea may have in the elderly and childhood, due especially rapid offensive dehydration of the body.

Diarrhea has a variety of not only causes, but also manifestations. First of all, this concerns appearance excreted feces: their consistency, color, visible impurities. For diagnostic purposes this is very great importance. Let's look at the most common options.

Watery diarrhea (“water diarrhea”)

Its causes can be both bacterial and viral infections. The most severe of them, of course, is cholera, but salmonellosis and acute intestinal infections are much more common viral etiology. Small intestine is affected by pathogen toxins, this is accompanied by the release large quantity water and salts dissolved in it into the intestinal lumen (stool may resemble “ congee"), without adequate electrolyte replenishment, fatal dehydration can occur. Requires hospitalization specialized hospital(department of intestinal infections).

Self-diagnosis and treatment are unacceptable. Diarrhea due to intestinal infections may not always be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever (in weakened patients, as well as in terminal stages cholera body temperature may drop below normal); treatment directly depends on the type of causative agent of the disease, which is impossible to determine at home.

Bloody diarrhea (with mucus and blood)

Liquid stool mixed with blood and mucus indicates damage to the intestinal mucosa and in any case is absolute indication to hospitalization. Most often this is caused by pathogenic microflora (Shigella, enteropathogenic intestinal bacteria and etc.). Also, bloody diarrhea with mucus can be a symptom of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Black diarrhea

The most serious reason that can cause black loose stools is esophageal, gastric or intestinal bleeding (for example, varicose veins of the esophagus, gastric or duodenal ulcers, tumors). When blood comes into contact with digestive enzymes, it turns black. A chair that looks like tar says enough heavy bleeding. If it is localized in the stomach, sometimes coffee-ground vomiting also occurs. Critical blood loss can occur quite quickly - the patient must be taken to a surgical hospital as soon as possible. Sometimes blackening of the stool is caused by taking certain medications ( Activated carbon, iron, bismuth preparations, vitamin-mineral complexes).

Yellow diarrhea

Often occurs in toddlers. The causes may be digestive disorders caused by infections (most often these are rotavirus infection, but viral hepatitis cannot be excluded), as well as other diseases of the digestive system that complicate the digestion of food and accelerate its passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Yellow stool may also be associated with certain medications.

White diarrhea

Often occurs in children under one year of age. In this case, it can be caused by feeding with certain artificial formulas, overfeeding with milk, introducing new foods into complementary foods, an excess of hard-to-digest carbohydrates, and is sometimes observed during teething.

More serious causes of white diarrhea, which can occur in both children and adults: disorders of the gallbladder (partial or complete obstruction of the biliary tract), hepatitis (jaundice).

Can cause whitening of stools medications that interfere with liver function (tetracycline, aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol, methotrexate, oral contraceptives, antituberculosis drugs).

Green diarrhea

Green, foul-smelling diarrhea in an adult is often associated with increased fermentation processes in the intestines, which can be caused by dysbacteriosis, dysentery and others. intestinal infections. A green color to stool can be caused by bile that is oversaturated with bilirubin due to increased breakdown of red blood cells or liver pathology.

Green feces can also be released when there is an excess of foods (drinks) with artificial colors in the diet.

Possible complications of diarrhea

dehydration (even death): this is indirectly evidenced by such signs as dry lips, tongue, decreased skin turgor and eyeballs, extreme thirst, rapid breathing, rare urination;
loss of salts by the body (occurs in combination with loss of fluid) can cause convulsions;
exhaustion of the body, hypovitaminosis (with chronic diarrhea);
intoxication (poisoning with bacterial or viral toxins);
hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, ulcerations and fissures.

Treatment

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For treatment of diarrhea, it is best to turn to professionals, since diarrhea can have many causes, and the approaches to treating each of them are fundamentally different.

If, due to special circumstances (for example, being in a hard-to-reach area), it is impossible to immediately receive medical help, the main treatment consists of replenishing fluid and salt losses, as well as reducing intoxication (if there is an infection). For this purpose, there are special salt mixtures (for example, rehydron, oralite), which are diluted with water according to the instructions and constantly taken orally in small portions, in small sips. To reduce intoxication, sorbents (activated carbon, etc.) are used, which do not allow microbial toxins to be absorbed.

You should be especially careful with drugs that slow down intestinal motility, since delayed excretion of infected stool leads to increased intoxication. It should also not be done without clarifying the reasons diarrhea take antibiotics.

All of the above measures can be regarded only as temporary, and at the first opportunity, in any case, it is necessary to seek medical help in order to clarify the diagnosis and adjust the treatment of diarrhea.

So, for example, if the cause lies in infection, the doctor, after conducting tests, will select a suitable antimicrobial agent. In case of dysbacteriosis, which can be both a cause and a consequence of diarrhea, it is advisable to take special medications that restore normal microflora. At enzyme deficiency You may need to take enzyme medications.

Diet for diarrhea

Diet is one of the components of treatment. Since with any diarrhea there is irritation (and often severe inflammation) of the intestinal mucosa, food should be as gentle and easily digestible as possible. For diarrhea it is recommended:

drink more (drinks) room temperature, warm), simple drinks are preferable drinking water, water-salt mixtures, warm tea, weak jelly, astringents and enveloping herbal teas and infusions. Alcohol, milk, fruit juices, carbonated drinks should be avoided;
do not eat if you have no appetite (this is a protective reaction of the body);
when you have an appetite, you can start with secondary broths, oatmeal or rice porridge(in water), dried white bread, mashed potatoes, boiled lean meat (a little, pureed). Then you can try boiled and baked vegetables and fruits. Food should be semi-liquid, homogeneous, it should be taken often and little by little;
Until stool is completely normalized (and preferably for some time after), fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as alcohol, fatty, spicy and fried foods should be avoided.

Prevention

Prevention of diarrhea primarily comes down to observing the rules of personal hygiene and sanitary standards cooking.

Feces are a product of our vital activity. By examining their smell, color and consistency, you can judge the health of the body. Normally, an adult's stool is dark brown or light brown in color, its consistency is shaped and soft. Let's look at the reasons why diarrhea occurs yellow color in an adult. We will also consider what to do in this situation?

Factors causing yellow diarrhea

The act of defecation should occur every day, once or twice. Any deviations require special attention, often even treatment. Bile secreted by the gallbladder is involved in the formation of excrement. It is this that gives the brown color to feces, more precisely the pigment bilirubin, which is one of the components of bile. When bile is not produced in sufficient quantities, the stool is not completely saturated with pigment, and as a result we have yellow excrement.

This also happens when stool is passed out of the intestines too quickly, without having time to color and thicken. As a result, it becomes liquid like water. Common causes of yellow diarrhea include:

infectious diseases;
dysbacteriosis;
intoxication;
gastrointestinal diseases;
taking antibacterial drugs long time;
stress;
menopause;
influence of alcohol;
hormonal disorders;
helminthiasis.

Diarrhea often occurs due to climate change, diet, and stress. This is a manifestation of the body’s adaptation to any changes; such conditions do not require special treatment. But don't forget about dangerous reasons the appearance of diarrhea. The main factors that provoke loose yellow stools are: inflammation in the intestines, dysbacteriosis, pancreatitis.

When yellow, loose stool appears in an adult, it is necessary to determine whether there are any other complaints or signs of disruption of the body. Diarrhea is not an independent disease; it is just one of the symptoms indicating problems in the body. Elimination of diarrhea should begin with the treatment of the disease that caused it.

Diseases associated with infection

Yellow diarrhea can occur with dysentery - this is infection caused by dysentery bacillus. Associated symptoms in an adult: sharp pains in the abdomen, body temperature rises, unformed stools, frequent watery diarrhea with mucus. With this disease, there is an increase in bowel movements up to ten times per day.

When the company viral infection Liquid yellow stools appear, mainly in the first days of the disease, then it becomes yellow-green, then gray-yellow.

Salmonellosis in adults is also characterized by the presence yellow chair, liquid like water, with mucus, foamy diarrhea is not excluded.

Staphylococcal infection: watery diarrhea is observed, foamy stool is yellow-green in color, and has an unpleasant odor.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Diseases of the stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines or gall bladder also cause yellow diarrhea. A clear sign Such diseases include a yellow coating on the tongue. The thinner and lighter it is, the earlier the disease is.

Pancreatitis is a disease of the pancreas. Characteristic symptoms: yellow mushy diarrhea, belching, constant nausea, vomiting after eating, weakness, weight loss. The pain syndrome is pronounced, patients complain that their stomach hurts after every meal, the pain sometimes takes on a girdling character. The act of defecation occurs three times a day or more. Undigested food remains are often observed in the stool.

Gastritis is inflammation of the gastric mucosa. With this disease in an adult there is yellow tongue, my stomach hurts a lot, I feel nauseous in the morning, sometimes it happens severe diarrhea.

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. A yellow coating also appears on the tongue. Characteristic changes in feces:

diarrhea with foam in an adult;
yellowish stool;

Among other diseases that can contribute to the appearance of yellow feces and diarrhea with mucus in an adult are: peptic ulcer, gallstone disease.

Effect of drugs on stool changes

Yellow diarrhea in adults often occurs when taking multivitamin complexes. Taking antibacterial drugs for a long time causes dysbiosis, which is also characterized by the appearance yellow plaque on the tongue, churning in the stomach.

Causes of diarrhea that do not require drug treatment: overeating, stress, climate change.

If diarrhea occurs under the influence of these factors, you should reduce the consumption of foods that increase intestinal motility and fermentation processes. These are cabbage, onions, radishes, milk, greens. You need to consume enough lean meat, fresh cottage cheese and cereals. When eliminating the cause of diarrhea and when proper nutrition bowel movements return to normal within a few days. Diarrhea may also occur after drinking alcohol. Alcohol thus removes fluid from the body.

Diagnostics

In order to determine the real reason the occurrence of yellow or green diarrhea in an adult, the following research methods should be used:

General analysis blood. Define high ESR level and leukocytosis, this indicates the presence inflammatory process in organism.
Blood chemistry. High level alpha-amylase indicates chronic pancreatitis.
– microscopic analysis feces Availability muscle fibers in feces also indicates chronic pancreatitis. Detection of a large number of leukocytes – inflammation in the intestines. Colitis may be the cause of the presence of red blood cells.
. Thanks to this research method, it is possible to detect the causative agent of an infectious disease.

After these tests, your doctor may need to additional methods studies such as: ultrasound of the abdominal organs, radiography, endoscopy.

Treatment

If an adult has yellow diarrhea, which is accompanied by bloating, burning pain in the stomach or other digestive organs, fever, vomiting, you should consult a doctor. Also, you should not miss such changes in stool: frequent foamy diarrhea, foul-smelling or sour-smelling stool. The main methods of combating diarrhea in adults are:

Proper nutrition. You need to eat in small portions, 4–6 times a day, the food should be warm. We exclude products that enhance intestinal motility and fermentation processes. These products include: cabbage, onions, greens, radishes, radishes, milk. We eat low-fat and non-spicy foods.
Taking medications. As prescribed by a doctor, Enterosgel, Smecta, and activated carbon are used, which are also taken after food poisoning. Bacterial infections should be treated with antibiotics.
Eliminate dehydration. We drink enough water and saline solutions.

Many people, having discovered they have diarrhea, begin to treat themselves. This can make their situation worse. After all, many diseases can be hidden under these symptoms. If water diarrhea in an adult is accompanied by other symptoms, you should immediately consult a specialist.

Diarrhea or diarrhea is characterized by liquid stool and frequent urge to have bowel movements (2 times a day or more). Diarrhea, like fever, is one of the most common painful conditions in children for which their parents seek medical help.

Often this condition confuses parents who do not know what to do if their child has diarrhea that does not stop on its own. To begin with, it’s worth understanding what possible reasons the occurrence of diarrhea in children.

Diarrhea in a child: causes, symptoms, first aid, medications and traditional methods of treatment, prevention

Causes

1. A fairly common cause of diarrhea in a child is the body’s reaction to the introduction of new foods into the diet, for example, complementary foods. The fact is that the intestinal microflora, as well as the immune system the baby is not fully formed. Although even at an older age, children often experience diarrhea.
2. Also, the cause of stomach upset in children is the use of certain medications, for example, erythromycin or those that contain iron. Diarrhea in these cases occurs if the normal state of the microflora is not supported by taking bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
3. Diarrhea can be triggered by the presence of an acute gastrointestinal infection, which, in turn, is a consequence of various viruses and bacteria entering the child’s body. The body begins to fight pathogenic microflora, resulting in the formation of toxic substances that cause diarrhea. In other words, diarrhea is the body's reaction to the presence of toxins in the intestines.
4. In some cases, diarrhea may be one of symptomatic manifestations any disease. Such diseases include:

otitis;
dysentery;
sore throat;
nasopharyngitis.

5. In some cases, the occurrence of diarrhea is associated with the child’s individual intolerance to certain foods. As a rule, such a reaction is innate.
6. Hitting children's body staphylococcus also leads to digestive system disorders. A child can become infected with staphylococcal infection under the following circumstances:

if you do not wash your hands before eating food;
comes into contact with people who have an acute intestinal infection;
if you do not wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly enough or do not wash them at all before eating;
eats foods that have expired.

7. Rotavirus infection is often the cause of diarrhea in children. This condition can occur as a disease such as gastroenteritis. It is worth noting that children under the age of 2 years are quite difficult to tolerate such conditions, in most cases turning into chronic gastroenteritis.

Causes of diarrhea in children depending on the color of stool

Red or black diarrhea may indicate the presence of stomach or intestinal bleeding. In this situation, you must immediately call a doctor.
Green stool mixed with mucus and in combination with elevated temperature bodies may indicate serious infectious processes occurring in the child’s body. If the bowel movements are Strong smell It is possible that the child fell ill with dysentery.

Discolored feces (gray, white) may be evidence of teething. If the baby is not showing signs of dehydration, the baby is not pale or lethargic, and the stool has sour smell Most likely, the diarrhea will stop on its own after the teeth erupt through the gum tissue. In this case, parents should not worry.

Repeated yellow diarrhea may indicate a viral infection. In this case, pain, bloating and seething in the tummy will be noted.
If you notice a change in the color of a child’s diarrhea, only a qualified specialist can tell you what to do in this case. Therefore, you should not self-medicate, which can aggravate the situation and lead to serious complications.

Symptoms that may accompany diarrhea

In addition to repeated loose stools, the child may have other symptoms:

nausea, vomiting;
bloating and pain in the abdomen;
chills, fever;
increased body temperature;
convulsions;
dehydration;
confusion and loss of consciousness;
the presence of mucus and blood in the stool;
change in the color of urine and feces;
red rash in the anus;
increased irritability or apathetic behavior;
loss of appetite;
aches throughout the body, general weakness;
frequent urination;
dry skin.

In what cases should you urgently call a doctor?

It will not be possible to do without emergency medical care if a child has diarrhea if:

diarrhea lasts 3 days or more;
body temperature reaches 38 C or more;
symptoms of dehydration on the face;
there is a paroxysmal sharp pain in a stomach;
there is repeated profuse vomiting;
there is mucus and blood in the stool.

First aid for a child with diarrhea

Don't panic if your child has diarrhea. What to do and how to provide it correctly first aid in such situation? First of all, give your child a glucose-saline solution to drink. For example, it could be Regidron, Glucosan, Citroglucosan or Oralit. These drugs are sold at any pharmacy. To prepare the solution, you need to dilute one sachet of medicine in 1 liter of water. Make sure your baby drinks the solution in small portions.

A good option for restoring a child’s electrolyte balance would be to drink dried fruit compote, rosehip decoction or weakly brewed tea. These drinks may well replace the corresponding medications.

If a child has severe diarrhea, it is not recommended to feed him until the doctor arrives. And if the baby has an appetite, you can feed him a small amount of easily digestible low-fat food. Under no circumstances should you feed your child in the following situations:

dairy products;
juices;
fresh vegetables and fruits;
rough (solid) food.

If your baby is breastfed, you cannot stop feeding him. After all, mother’s milk in this case is the only source of nutrients for the baby.

You should not self-diagnose your child and give him medications on the advice of relatives, friends and neighbors. After all, a baby’s body is unpredictable. The only medicine that can be given to the child before the doctors arrive is Enterosgel. This adsorbent will facilitate general state, will reduce the number of urges to empty the bowel, reduce the degree pain in the tummy.

What should not be done if a child has diarrhea?

You should not give your child spicy, salty, smoked or solid foods.
Also, you should not give your baby milk to drink, especially with added sugar.
Avoid drinking any juices. They contain sorbitol. This substance is a kind of “sponge” that absorbs all the liquid in the intestines. This provokes the occurrence of even looser (watery) stools.
Don't stop breastfeeding your baby. The baby's body perfectly digests mother's milk, which cannot harm his health.

Drug treatments for diarrhea in children

First of all, the doctor will restore electrolyte balance the child's body.

To neutralize the effects on the body of toxic compounds released during the interaction of bacteria and viruses with intestinal microflora, the doctor prescribes the use of adsorbents. For example, it could be Smecta or activated carbon.

To restore the physiological intestinal microflora after therapy, the child needs to take appropriate medications, for example, Bifiform or Linex.
If the cause of diarrhea in a baby is not an infection, the doctor, as a rule, prescribes him to take enzymatic medications, for example, digestal or enzistal.
If the urge to have a bowel movement is too frequent, the child is prescribed Imodium or Lapyramide. When a baby complains of unbearable paroxysmal pain in the tummy, the doctor prescribes him the painkiller No-shpa.

If, according to the diagnosis, the child has helminthic infestations, he is prescribed to take anthelmintic drugs.

For diarrhea, which has an infectious etiology, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drugs are prescribed.
When diarrhea in infants is accompanied by lactose deficiency, they need to take the enzyme Lactrase.

As for the child’s nutrition during treatment of diarrhea and for some time after that, experts advise excluding dairy products, fats and fiber from the diet. It would also be useful to provide fractional nutrition. At the same time, ask your child to chew the food thoroughly.

Traditional methods of treating diarrhea in children

It’s worth saying right away that the funds traditional medicine should be auxiliary and complement the therapy prescribed by the doctor. Before using them, be sure to consult with a specialist regarding the possibility and advisability of using such methods of treating diarrhea.

In the arsenal alternative medicine available great amount effective recipes, helping to quickly and painlessly eliminate diarrhea in a child. It is worth giving examples of the most popular recipes. So.

Recipe No. 1

A small amount of dried pomegranate partitions should be poured with boiling water and left for an hour. After this, the broth is filtered and given to the child throughout the day (1 tsp).

Recipe No. 2

A glass of rice cereal should be poured with 5 glasses of water and boiled over low heat until the rice is ready. Then you should cool and strain the broth. Take 50 ml every 3 hours.

Recipe No. 3

A decoction of sage, caraway fruits and sulfur alder helps a lot with diarrhea. These ingredients are mixed in equal proportions and boiled for about an hour. Take 50 ml three times a day.

Recipe No. 4

Prepare a decoction of the following herbs:

peppermint;
chamomile;
snake mountaineer.

To obtain maximum effect, you can add blueberry juice to the decoction. It is recommended to use the decoction three times a day, 2 tablespoons, and it should be warm.

Prevention of diarrhea in children

As is known, the best treatment any ailment is compliance preventive measures. To avoid diarrhea, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before giving them to your child;
With early years Instill in your child the habit of regular personal hygiene. This applies not only to washing your hands before eating, but also to caring for your entire body;
When preparing dishes, subject food to thorough heat treatment. This is especially true for milk, meat, fish, seafood and eggs;
do not feed your child food that has not been stored properly temperature regime, as well as in dishes, the hygienic cleanliness of which is questionable. Also, do not give your baby foods that have expired;
if the time of transfer of the child is from breastfeeding Regular eating begins in the summer; it is necessary to refrain from this until the onset of autumn.

Parents, take care of your children's health! First of all, pay attention to the child’s well-being, behavior and weight. If your baby has diarrhea too often and continues for a long period of time, be sure to visit a doctor. Your child may need a gastrointestinal examination.