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Show ; plsrrhoa: Really A Complex Problem a ' I) D. RICHARD M. SAG n ,rrhea be con- - 0 L to be a frequent pas-V pas-V S(S with increased iSjSt in general, the - -er?ra" em with diarrhea failure of the S , es to absorb food, M'l ly combined w,th a in tlw normal secretion rption orwaterm the ;Sve process. ( rvc ARE several '! this failure of the NJsome of which are tSms than others. The ''common cause in in-if' in-if' Si children for a sud-iisode sud-iisode of diarrhea lies . k infection. This infection. H be aerial, viral f Ln causes an mflam- t-onof'he intestinal lining I',! causes a soreness and nubility of most of the intestinal tract or gas-vnteritis. gas-vnteritis. onetimes certain germs ; .row in the intestines kl cause disease by inter- ..-int ith tne normal Wiions of the intestines. ItLiglNG infection, the Ljjioms had while the Lsiinai' tract is sore and t uUlemay BKever pain, I rrhea-oj- vomiting. These . Idioms mayjast anywhere I - a few hours to several hje most common Implications result from ailed ai-led nutrition, and altera-Its altera-Its in the body's water and 'ilfitetal balance. Usually li'li a mild case, these Yirations are of little sig- i.'.cance. I SL'TRITIONAL problems I Lertlly come about after kt longed diarrhea, and in lw instances may become te severe. These problems tcir when the intestinal ICt-act takes a long time to "kit and during that time, rtre is a decrease in absorp-ei absorp-ei ol necessary nutrients, i Food digestion is a very implex process. Some of processes are very sen- J'ijttve to even slight injury, iiiniay take from weeks to ifstidis to regain full func- I ''DIFFERENT foods tax ir iJttent aspects of the food c tive process, so that by at i: jsting the diet after a bad a. uie of diarrhea, one can eienlly allow the more sen-i sen-i areas of the intestines . Forexample, one of the otost sensitive processes is tint which handles milk i ?.ar, or lactose. For infants ? ith active or resolving lijrrhea, it is best to avoid ; the normal ingestion of milk. ' it DISORDERS in the body's ji flier and mineral balance I case the greatest concern, j because in a rapidly changing - warn as is seen in a bad use ol gastroenteritis the ! child may become severely ' ttydrated with a real threat life. During severe I iiarrhea there are losses of My ol the body's minerals, ! "1 these must be replaced ' ft'er lime. Therapy 0f diarrhea wolves around several con-pis. con-pis. The first concern is lg the cause. As above, wily the cause relates to ctn. Most infections are Bsi8. If there has been ;Wiire to people with !'fta then this cause is ft likely. J Pi GENERAL if diarrhea is ccompanied with severe ", high fever, blood, swollen abdomen, refusal to eat, or just unusual symp-' toms, a physician should be notified. Specific treatment of diarrhea first must gear itself towards replacement of-minerals of-minerals and the prevention of dehydration. In a bad case of diarrhea one should make a balance sheet of fluids taken in and the number and size of stools coming out. THE TYPE of fluid used should be one to decrease the work of digestion and provide mineral replacement. One wants to avoid milk and the meat foods because a sick intestine will not absorb it and make the diarrhea worse. By analogy it would be like running a race with a broken' leg. What many people do not realize is that when food is taken in by the body a great deal of work needs to be done to digest it. Our bodies are usually very efficient in this regard, so that it is a hidden form of work. However, if you have ever felt sleepy after a big meal, you could probably appreciate the work of the intestines. THE BEST fluid replacement that I know of that is the most easily digested digest-ed with the least work is " Pedialyte. This is just water, glucose and minerals. As long as more pediolyte goes in than stool goes out, dehydra-. tion should be prevented. Try to control fever because high temperatures will use up a lot of water. As the infant improves the stools will become less frequent and more formed. Sometimes the first healthy looking stool is green and mucousy. Once the child and the stools are improved, one can start to eat regular food, but depending on the severity of the diarrhea, one may have to advance the diet slowly passing pass-ing through stages of: 1. CLEAR liquids; 2. bananas, rice, applesauce,' toast; 3. non-milk containing formulas, first diluted, then full strength; 4 finally milk. If the diarrhea becomes increasingly severe despite pediolyte, and a vomiting ensues, dehydration may be more of a problem. I do not recommend any medicines during the acute phase of " diarrhea that are aimed at " 'controlling stool frequency. This may be dangerous and prolong the recognition of dehydration. SIGNS OF dehydration are decreased moisture in the mouth, eyes that appear funny looking or sunken, rapid heart rate, decreased urine production that may have a strong odor. If these signs occur, notify your physician immediately. Remember that the smaller infants are more susceptible to dehydration than larger children, because of their increased water needs. IF YOU have any questions or comments about today's article please write to Richard M. Sag, M.D., North Davis Pediatrics, 2132 N. 1700 W., Suite C, Layton, Utah, 84041. |