Many children battle diarrhoea from time to time, but the most important thing to note is that it’s often caused by infections that do not last long and usually are more disruptive than dangerous.

Diarrhoea is frequent runny or watery bowel movements. It’s usually brought on by gastrointestinal (GI) infections caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

The specific germs that cause diarrhoea can vary among geographic regions depending on their level of sanitation, economic development, and hygiene.

For example, developing countries with poor sanitation or where human waste is used as fertiliser often have outbreaks of diarrhoea when intestinal bacteria or parasites contaminate crops or drinking water.

This case is always different in developed countries where diarrhoea outbreaks are more often linked to contaminated water supplies, or food poisoning. Here people can also get sick from improperly processed or preserved foods contaminated with bacteria.

Doctor Richard Munyaneza working at Rwinkwavu district hospital says that infections that cause diarrhoea are highly contagious. He adds that in most cases, this can be spread to others for as long as someone has diarrhoea, and some infections can be contagious even longer.

The doctor further explains that diarrhoea infections can be spread through; dirty hands, contaminated food or water, some pets and direct contact with faecal matter from dirty diapers or the toilet.

Anything that the infectious germs come in contact with can become contaminated. This includes toys, changing tables, surfaces in restrooms, even the hands of someone preparing food. Kids can become infected by touching a contaminated surface such as a toilet or toy, and then putting their fingers in their mouths.

A common cause of diarrhoea is viral gastroenteritis. It can cause nausea and vomiting. Many different viruses can cause viral gastroenteritis, which can pass through a household, school, or day care centre quickly because it’s highly infectious.
Although the symptoms usually last just a few days, affected kids especially infants who are unable to get adequate fluid intake can become dehydrated.

Rotavirus infection is a frequent cause of viral gastroenteritis in kids.

Rotavirus, which usually causes explosive, watery diarrhoea, infects all children irrespective of the society they come from.

Rotavirus commonly causes outbreaks of diarrhoea during the winter and early spring months, especially in child care centres and children’s hospitals.

Munyaneza reveals that another group of viruses that can cause diarrhoea in children, especially during the summer months are enteroviruses and coxsackievirus.

Munyaneza further points out those diarrhoea infections are a normal part of childhood for many kids, but diarrhoea can be a symptom of a number of non-infectious diseases and conditions, especially when it lasts several weeks or longer.

It can indicate food allergies, lactose intolerance, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract such as inflammatory bowel disease.

The Doctor also says that symptoms typically start with crampy abdominal pain followed by diarrhoea that usually lasts no more than a few days.

Infections with many of the viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause diarrhoea can also bring on other symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting and weight loss. In cases of viral gastroenteritis, kids often develop fever and vomiting first, followed by diarrhoea.

Prevention

Munyaneza says that although it’s almost impossible to prevent children from ever getting infections that cause diarrhoea, here are some things to help reduce the likelihood.

Make sure children wash their hands well and often, especially after using the toilet and before eating. Hand washing is the most effective way to prevent diarrhoea infections that are passed from person to person.

Dirty hands carry infectious germs into the body when children bite their nails, suck their thumbs, eat with their fingers, or put any part of their hands into their mouths.

Keep bathroom surfaces clean to help prevent the spread of infectious germs. Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before eating, since food and water also can carry infectious germs.

Wash kitchen counters and cooking utensils thoroughly after they’ve been in contact with raw meat, especially poultry.

Refrigerate meats as soon as possible after bringing them home from the supermarket, and cook them until they’re no longer pink. After meals, refrigerate all leftovers as soon as possible.

Never drink from streams, springs, or lakes unless local health authorities have certified that the water is safe for drinking. In some developing countries, it may be safer to drink only bottled water and other drinks rather than water from a tap.

Also, exercise caution when buying prepared foods from street vendors, especially if no local health agency oversees their operations. Do not wash pet cages or bowls in the same sink that you use to prepare family meals.

Treatment

Mild diarrhoea is usually no cause for concern as long as the child is acting normally and drinking and eating enough. Mild diarrhoea usually passes within a few days and children recover completely with care at home, rest, and plenty of fluids.

A child with mild diarrhoea who is not dehydrated or vomiting can continue eating and drinking the usual foods and fluids including breast milk or formula for infants and milk for children over one year old.

In fact, continuing a regular diet may even reduce the duration of the diarrhoea episode, while also offering proper nutrition. Antibiotics or antiviral medications are not prescribed for cases of diarrhoea caused by bacteria and viruses because most children recover on their own.

But antibiotics are sometimes given to very young children or those with weak immune systems to prevent a bacterial infection such as salmonellosis from spreading through the body.

If the illness is caused by a parasite, it can be treated with antiparasitic medicines to cure or shorten the course of the illness. The doctor may order a stool test, in which a stool sample will be examined in the laboratory to see which specific germ is causing the diarrhoea; that is to say bacteria, virus, or parasite.

Physicians point out that the primary concern when treating diarrhoea is the replacement of fluids and electrolytes such as salts and minerals lost from the body from diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever.

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