Motions/Diarrhea

Diarrhea is something which drains out all the energy from an individual and more so in an infant. If the kid is passing stool say about 10 times a day in normal regular consistency and color also it is not an issue if it is his/her routine but if suddenly out of the blue there is an increase in frequency, pain with stool, watery/liquidy stool, say around 20 or so at a stretch then it is the cause of concern and the kid needs to be taken to the doctor immediately. I have never had the problem with diarrhea until very recently. When the kiddo started with the problem, my initial reaction was ohh okay she is teething, the gums are hard and that is why.. but then when the frequency increased to alarming proportions to the point where just water was being forced out, I was panicky.

The first thing the hospital staff told me to do was
It is common to have diarrhea while teething dont rush to the hospital until and unless absolutely must.
**Stop giving milk, fruits, juice.
**make the kid drink ORS packs available specially for kids or give a pinch of salt and a palmful of sugar in a glass of boiled and cooled water over a period of time.
**To feed the kid rice, boiled vegetables, etc.
**To give saggubiyyam jaava (sago) prepared in water and sugar.
**To give annam ganji (water while cooking rice), pappu teta (water after boiling daal)
**To give diluted buttermilk in pinch of salt and sugar as mentioned above.
** To basically keep hydrating the kid before I take her to the hospital or before the diarrhea subsides.
**To start with Pedialyte. (my kid was totally adamant about drinking it, so I had to mix formula with that and feed her. :(.)

Hygiene
One very essential thing to keep in mind is hygiene and cleaning up the baby thoroughly and wiping clean and dry immediately. If we are using diapers, we need to keep changing them very often and also apply coconut oil or some cream to avoid rashes. It is very common to have rashes during that period as the skin becomes sensitive. Keep the area dry and the kid comfortable.

If in spite of all these precautions, the problem does not get subsided, only then did the doctor go ahead with medical intervention by prescribing some medicine. It is not advisable to go for medicine just like that for kids and we need to exercise caution before subjecting them to medicines.

The doctor further advised me to go easy on Farex supplement that I was feeding her and asked me to go for Easum which is easily digestible for the tummy.
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BRAT diet

B- Banana
R - Rice
A - Apple Sauce
T - Toast Bread

Home Remedies
***Nutmeg paste helps with diarrhea
***raw banana ..
just steam cooked raw banana with a pinch of salt is a very good stool binder
***one or two tea spoons of onion juice[ grated and pressed] works like magic....and avoid giving it to very sall babies...but on older kids and adults it works like magic.
***eat at least half cup of pomegranate seeds along with the white tails...if using for kids give them juice....if the child accepts give plain juice or else add a tsp of sugar. It not only controls motions but also regains taste(which is usually lost during dysentery).

Saggubiyyam jaava
Take sago and soak them for a while, then pour a tumbler full of water and boil them until the sago is totally mashed and in fact dissolves in the mix, add some sugar, cool it and keep giving it when the kid is hungry.

There will also be lack of appetite or maybe a lot of hunger whatever varying from kid to kid, if the kid is insisting on milk only and not eating/drinking any of the above, then instead of the regular milk/formula go for lactose-free stuff. Also, if breast-feeding, the mother should avoid dairy products.

In India, my doc prescribed NuSobee Casein instead of the routine formula.

Also of note, the problem with diarrhea is that it just not end immediately after it is cured, we need to bring back the kid to normal feeding routine and give back the essential nutrients to the tiny body again before they are absolutely fine and this does not mean that you overfeed them, moderate, clean, and timed nutrition intake is what is needed.

Some kids might not be able to take in normal milk even after they are done with the diarrhea because their body might not be producing enough stuff to absorb the lactose in the milk, so if the kid feels bloated, is gassy, and is fussy after starting back the normal milk, talk to your doctor and if possible stick on to lactose-free milk/formula for a little while after getting back to normal as their little tummies would still be lactose-intolerant.

Also, go a little easy on diary products immediately after the diarrhea bout.

The kid also might not be able to tolerate what she used to tolerate earlier like the same amount of feeds, so start back the normal feedings gradually and do not expect them to eat as they used to earlier to the diarrhea episode and go easy of strong and spicy foods if they are already introduced in the diet.