White diarrhea in children: causes, treatment, first aid

One of the common problems in Pediatrics is a diarrhoea (diarrhea). Most of the children faced with the frustration of a chair every 4-6 months. In pediatric practice it is quite natural, since the digestive organs adapt to a wide range of nutrition, and the immune system learns to fight against the infection. Diarrhoea may be different, and some of its manifestations may be very puzzling parents. One such example is white diarrhea in baby.

The probable reasons

White diarrhea in a child can cause the following causes:

1. Hepatitis. If parents notice not only white diarrhea, but also the urine becomes dark in color, the child is fretful, complains of pain in the tummy and head, the body temperature rises, and the skin appear pale pink rash, it is a serious occasion to sound the alarm. And, most likely, the child is diagnosed with jaundice.
2. Diseases of the pancreas, gallbladder and its ducts. As a rule, the chair has a yellowish tint due to the bile, but if it is the outflow, the stool is white. You can suspect problems with the pancreas can if the diarrhea happens against the background of nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper abdomen, palpitations, sweating and fever.
3. Rotavirus infection. Most often, this pathology the first day chair yellow liquid, in the second and third klinoobraznyj, gray-yellow color. But in some cases it is discoloured or sometimes white. This disease is also characterized by involuntary eruption of stomach contents through the mouth, the body temperature may rise up to 39.5 °C, there is acute rhinitis (runny nose), there is sore throat and pain in the head.
4. Intestinal dysbiosis. Often because of this pathological condition of the chair white or a light shade occurs in children who have not yet turned one year old. In addition to changing the color of the stool, parents can mark the content of food particles, which are not overcooked, and mucus. In addition, for these children, characterized by lack of appetite, weight loss, sleep disturbance and General restless behavior.
5. Whipple's (Multisystem disease of the small intestine infectious origin). In pediatric practice is extremely rare, but in rare cases it can be the explanation for the occurrence of white diarrhea in a child of 3 years. Accompanying symptoms in this case, the feeling of pain in the muscles, thirst, tachycardia, gingival inflammation and bleeding.
6. Drug therapy. Diarrhea white the child may appear on a background of reception of such drugs: Nurofen Augmentin, Panadol. Despite the fact that these drugs are approved for use in pediatric practice, however, there are marked changes in the liver function kids.
7. Artificial feeding, errors in diet, dominance in the diet of dairy products. Some mixtures for artificial feeding can give the chair a white color, and the child's body may react with diarrhea in white on a new product in the bait. Excessive carbohydrates in the diet may cause white diarrhea.
8. In the period of teething , the parents may notice various changes in the body of the child, including may produce diarrhea. The stools in this case may be whitish with cereal.

In addition to the serious conditions associated with the health of the baby, white diarrhea can be caused by basic reasons: neglect of health and hygiene standards, the use of poorly purified drinking water, deficiencies in nutrition or a sharp change of climatic zones. This is especially true in the case when the child is older than 2 years.

First aid

Very responsible parents, as soon as you notice white diarrhea in a child be called to the house of a pediatrician or family doctor. Other some time observing your baby and the nature of the diarrhoea, and attempt to identify the cause.

Some parents consider it appropriate to provide first aid to act as follows:

1. Give the child smectite. This drug is approved to receive even infants. However, it should be combined with measures of degidratatsii (replenishment of fluid in the body).
2. Infants fed in the usual way. And the kids older limits in food. Excluded from their diet juices, raw fruits and vegetables.
3. Give the child to drink more pure water without gases, as well as chamomile tea or Finchley.
4. Some resort to traditional methods – every 2 hours given to drink baby rice water.

Such measures may be appropriate if the child's condition is not complicated by other symptoms and no reason to suspect the presence of serious disease. Otherwise it is better not to risk it and call an ambulance. Especially this should be done if the child clearly present the signs of dehydration:

• urine darkens and it becomes very little;
• eyes look sunken;
• the skin becomes dry and rough, dryness of the mouth;
• the change in behavior of the baby – sleepiness, lethargy;
• when pressed on the area of the Fontanelle is almost no resistance;
• during crying very small tears or they are completely absent.

No matter how harmless it may seem white diarrhea, but if he appears systematically to ignore it notworth it. In this case, it is necessary to consult a specialist. The pediatrician will recommend special tests that will help identify the true cause of such symptoms and select appropriate treatment.

Treatment

Often diarrhea in children is, without special treatment, but in some cases can not do without professional assistance. If diarrhea occurs with complications, to determine the cause and prescribe an adequate treatment can only a doctor. If the presence of white diarrhea in a child over 1 year is no positive dynamics during the day, and especially if this pattern is observed in infants, then be sure to seek medical help.

Whatever the reason may behind the appearance of diarrhea in children in the treatment process, it would be good to follow the rules:

1. A proper balanced diet. In some cases, of course, appropriate hunger, but in General, with severe diarrhea, which lasts more than one day, the child's diet must be such as to maintain vitality. The diet should be mild and can include lean meat, natural yoghurt, cereals, baked or stewed vegetables and fruits. It is important to exclude products, which themselves can have a laxative effect or be considered rude.
2. The correct drinking regime. In any case it is impossible to fill the shortage of liquid at frequent defecation of sweet beverages (juices, soft drinks, sweet tea). Carbohydrates, which are rich in these drinks will only aggravate the child's condition, promoting the exit of fluid from the intestine. To avoid dehydration, you need in large quantities to drink clean water without gas, and saline solutions.
3. To maintain hygiene on high level. If the kid still wears diapers, they should be changed after each act of defecation, including those cases when the discharge was negligible. If the child is emptied very often, in this period, it is necessary to abandon toilet paper and resort to washing away a children's or tar soap. If the perianal region is already irritated, you can use sea buckthorn oil or cream with panthenol for healing and protecting the skin.

If during the examination of the baby diarrhea white will be diagnosed with a serious disease (hepatitis, bile stasis, bacterial overgrowth or rotavirus infection), it will be assigned a complex treatment, aimed at eliminating the underlying disease.

Cessation of diarrhea in the case of serious pathology does not speak about the full recovery. Besides survived the disease organism requires special care. To unpleasant symptoms did not return with a new force, you need some time to adhere to diet – fatty, spicy, fried foods unacceptable. Feeding should be frequent, but fractional.

If the child appeared diarrhea white or a light shade, you should not immediately panic and sound the alarm. However, negligence in this case is inappropriate. Self-medication, especially when it comes to very young children, can lead to tragic consequences. But if parents have a well-established contact with the district pediatrician is unlikely to be missing serious pathology.