Toddlers may suffer from diarrhea caused by a number of factors. Diarrhea may be caused by a simple viral infection. These infections are usually accompanied by other symptoms that may be associated with a common cold.
Bacterial infections are usually the prime suspect in the case of diarrhea both in adults as well as in toddlers. This is usually caused by some impurity in the food or an environmental condition. In any case, a bacterial infection should be properly diagnosed to be treated. Some conditions disappear quickly and are naturally taken care of. However, if diarrhea persists, visit your doctor for testing.
Other known causes for a toddler suffering diarrhea may be parasitic or diet based. In case of a parasitic infection, the doctor will prescribe medication to clear up the condition. Diet causes for diarrhea include a sudden change in diet for your infant or feeding your too much. A common mistake amongst parents is to give the toddler too much juice.
Another common cause for diarrhea is known as ‘i
nfant diarrhea’ which is a condition where your infant has no underlying cause but suffers from diarrhea. This is a condition which your infant should grow out of. It may be caused when there isn’t sufficient bacteria in the stomach to digest foods or as the diet becomes more complicated. Your baby should continue to grow and be otherwise healthy while suffering from this form of diarrhea.
In many cases a toddler suffering from diarrhea may develop a rash around the area covered by the diaper. Many doctors understand this to be caused because of a general lack of immunity when the body is fighting a stomach infection. There are a few simple remedies that one can follow to alleviate the symptoms.
The first is to wash the baby more regularly than normal. Wash the affected area with a mild soap mixed with water and mop it or dab it dry without causing too much discomfort to your infant. Allow the area to dry properly before putting the infant in a diaper. During the course of the rash one may also change the diaper more regularly than normal. There are a variety of baby creams on the market. Try using these. There are also some creams that have natural ingredients. These should always be preferred over creams that are synthetic.
If the rash persists for many days, visit your doctor for a consultation. There may be some other infection which is causing the rash.
Submitted by P T on March 17, 2010 at 05:42
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