Diarrhoea and constipation Dr Trisha Macnair
People experience diarrhoea at some point in their lives. This guide explains some of the causes, symptoms and treatment of diarrhoea in children. In this article What is it? What causes it? Who's affected? What are the symptoms? How's it diagnosed and treated? * What is it? Diarrhoea and constipation are both changes in the normal toilet/bowel habit. In diarrhoea, faeces are more liquid and may be passed more frequently than normal. In constipation, the opposite occurs - faeces may be abnormally hard or passed less often than normal, sometimes not for several days. It's difficult to be specific as to what is a normal toilet habit - many people think that once or possibly twice a day is normal but there's a wide range. It's important to take not of a change in habit from what's normal for the individual child. * What causes it? There are many causes for diarrhoea or constipation. Breast- fed babies may not pass faeces for several days but be quite healthy. Other causes include dehydration (for example, following a feverish illness), a small tear or fissure in the anal canal (commonly, fear of pain inhibits the child from opening their bowels), psychological stresses (unfamiliar surroundings, emotional traumas) and, rarely, a medical condition. Diarrhoea may be caused by infection (for example, gastroenteritis), or malabsorption problems where food isn't taken in through the gut properly (such as food intolerance, coeliac disease, cystic fibrosis). * Who's affected? All children occasionally suffer from diarrhoea or constipation. * What are the symptoms? In diarrhoea, the child may open their bowels several times a day, passing watery or runny faeces. There may be a lot of wind and the diarrhoea may be 'explosive' or particularly foul smelling. Depending on the cause, the child may also experience abdominal pain, nausea and fever. In constipation, the faeces may be hard and painful to pass. It can cause a tear in the delicate lining of the anal canal, which may lead to streaks of blood on the faeces. Because the bowel becomes overloaded with faeces, the sensation of needing to open the bowels may be lost and the child may unintentionally soil themselves as the full bowel overflows. This can cause both diarrhoea and constipation at the same time. * How's it diagnosed and treated? In diarrhoea, give a rehydrating solution until it settles, especially if your child is not drinking or eating, or is becoming dehydrated. In mild constipation, increasing the intake of fluid and fibre (for example, stewed apples and root vegetables) may be enough. If this isn't effective, talk to your doctor who may suggest lactulose (to soften the faeces) or other treatments. Always get medical advice for small babies. If the problems persist, or your child seems unwell, see your doctor. Occasionally persistent diarrhoea or constipation are a sign of more serious illness that needs to be investigated. bbc.co.uk > Health > Conditions http://tinyurl.com/4rane --------------------------------------------------------------------- DUKUNG situs Balita-Anda.Com sebagai Situs Terbaik Wanita & Anak 2004-2005 versi Majalah Komputer Aktif, dengan ketik: POLL ST WAN 2 ke nomor 8811, selama 16 Okt sd. 30 Nov. 2004. Raih sebuah ponsel SonyEricsson K500i, dua buah ponsel Nokia 3100 dan 10 paket merchandise komputerakt!f bagi para peserta polling yang beruntung. Satu nomor ponsel hanya berhak memberikan satu suara dukungan untuk tiap kategorinya. Polling ini berlaku untuk pelanggan Telkomsel, Indosat maupun Excelcom dengan tarif Rp 1.500. --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> Kirim bunga, buket balon atau cake, klik,http://www.indokado.com/ >> Info balita, http://www.balita-anda.com >> Stop berlangganan, e-mail ke: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
