Children Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is the frequnt and repeated of stool or liquid bowel movements, excessive watery evacuation of faecal material.
Causes
There are many causes which canbe divided into major categories,
Infectious and non infectious.
Infectious causes of diarrhoea are a result of abnormal microorganism invading the bowel. Non infectious causes of diarrhoea result from disturbance of the normal function of the bowel in absorbing fluids contained within it.
Infectious causes can be further sub divided as follows
Bacteria for e.g. clostridium difficile, E coli, salmonella ( agents of typhoid fever) Shigella ( cause of epidemic bacillary dysentery/ campylobactor (another food handler is contaminant) gastro enteritis and enteric fever from contaminated food products and vibrio cholerae ( agent of cholera )
Viruses. There are many kinds of viruses that are capable of causing diarrhoea in children and Infants. During the first five years of life Mostly all children acquire Rotavirus ( which causes inflammation of the stomach and bowels to cause diarrhoea.)
Parasites A number of parasites are also known to cause diarrhoea in children and adults like.
Cryptosporidium ( especially in immune deficient children.)
Entamoeba histolytica ( causing amoebic dysentery)
Giardia Lambila.
Non infectious causes of diarrhoea can be further divided as follows.
Anatomical defects of the bowel (insteinal tract)
Hormonal imbalances (endocrinopathies)
Feeding difficulties
Malabsorption
Tumor.
Miscellaneous causes.
Anatomic defects capable of causing diarrhoea include.
Malrotation of the bowel ( when twisted)
Duplications of a section of the intestine.
Hirschsprung disease is an abnormal condition present at birth which is due to the absence of normal nerves ( ganglia) in the bowel wale. This results in enlargement of the bowel above the point of missing nerves.
At times, new born babies and Infants suffer from physiological diarrhoea due to the gastrocolic reflux which is normal.Such conditions include passage of frequent formed stool or stools immediately after feeds. An exclusively breast fed baby often passes frequent watery stools which is golden yellow in colour and non offinsive, inspite of passing several stools he is happy, hungry and gains good weight. But if there is mucous or the stools are offinsive and the baby is not looking well then medical intervention is required.
Some Homoeopathic medicines
Podophyllum This is very well suited to Infants with a bilious tendency, it is indicated when stools are watery, yellowish, green profuse and with a jelly like substance in it . At times there is billous vomiting along with diarrhoea accompanied by a lot of rumbling and shifting pain in the stomach because of flatus, which makes the abdomen full like a balloon.( It is especially useful in teething diarrhoea of children)
Podophyllum 200 ,3 pills one hourly should be given for acute attacks till it settles the stomach. Then follow with Podophyllum 30 , five pills four times a day for a month to improve the infant's digestion.
Nat Sul This is indicated when a diarrhoea is due to eating fruits, vegetables, cold food and drinks in rainy season. Normally the Child suffers from morning diarrhoea that settles down by noon. The urge to pass a stool drives the Child out of bed initially there is rumbling and gurgling in the bowels with sudden noisy spluttering greenish stools.
Nat Sul 200 , 3 pills every three hours should be given. Once the attack settles down then Nat Sul 30 , five pills four times a day for a month is necessary to improve and help digestion.
Ars alb   Here the diarrhoea is accompanied by severe vomiting is due to food poisoning. There's great restlessness with intense thirst for water. But after drinking water it's again vomited out. The stool is blackish watery, very offinsive and worse at night to.
Ars alb 200 , five pills two hourly will bring the attack'under control. The greatest threat to the life of a child with severe diarrhoea comes from deydration. The loose watery stools drain out Water plus valuable chemicals and minerals from the body. Such substances as sodium, chloride and potassium are essential for the regulation of the body's fluid and acid base balances. If diarrhoea continues and is unchecked severe illness or even death will result from ensuring dehydration and the acidosis that accompanies it.
Signs of dehydration
Decrease in the amount of urine. The looks dark yellow or light brown.
Loss of usual elastic quality of the skin.
Sunken eye balls
Rapid breathing
Drowsiness or even unconsciousness.
To prevent dehydration continuously give sips of boiled water with a pinch of a salt sugar and lime 90 percent of dehydration is prevented by salt sugar lime Water.
Problems arise from contaminated water. Kindly consult your Homoeopath before self medication.