Diarrhea in Infants Causes and Home Remedies

Causes of Diarrhea in Infants

Diarrhea in infants can be treated easily at home, however, if your child has severe and frequent diarrhea, it may by symptoms of a more serious ailment and you may need to consult a doctor immediately. Moreover, your child may be at risk from dehydration which is also potentially dangerous. Diarrhea may be on account of a virus or sometimes, because of an allergy to a particular kind of food. An excess of fruit and fiber or a new kind of food in your child’s diet may also cause diarrhea. In such cases, if you have observed the onset of diarrhea after your child has consumed a certain kind of food, make sure to avoid it.

Home Remedies For Diarrhea in Infants

It is important to give your child lots of liquids to prevent dehydration. Give your child oral rehydration solutions, available in drugstores or prepare the same at home with a quart of water, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Milk and milk products should be avoided, along with other foods that worsen diarrhea. Artificial sweetener can also cause/accelerate diarrhea so check the products you buy to make sure they don’t contain ingredients like sorbitol or saccharin. It is important to keep feeding your child to maintain his/her energy levels, but make sure that the food is easily digested and cooked with minimal oil and spice. It is possible that your child has diarrhea because of an incorrect mix of baby formula. Be careful about measurements while preparing baby formula and pay close attention to the instructions on the label.

Reduce your child’s intake of fruit juice as excessive amounts of fruit juice may cause diarrhea. Serve two or three small portions of fruit juice a day and no more. Diarrhea is also aggravated by an excessive amount of fruit so don’t give your child more than a quarter cup of fruit three times a day. Sometimes your child may experience diarrhea on account of an insufficient intake of essential fats. Serving moderately fatty foods like fish, margarine, meats and poultry can help curb diarrhea.

Buttermilk is an effective remedy for diarrhea and helps hydrate the body. Make a mixture of honey and dried ginger powder and feed it to your child every few hours to curb diarrhea. Alternatively, you can powder dried aniseed and sugar (equal quantities of both) and place some of this powder on your child’s tongue every one hour. Give your child some pomegranate juice at frequent intervals and this will help the child retain water in his/her body. This is an important as it reduces the likelihood of dehydration. If your child is not responding to care at home and if diarrhea persists, it is crucial to get immediate medical attention.