My Child Has Diarrhoea: What Should I Do?

Introduction

As a mother, seeing your child sick with diarrhoea can be very frightening. Diarrhoea is very common among Nigerian children, but the good news is that it can be treated at home in most cases. The most important thing is knowing what to do and when to take your child to the clinic or hospital. With the right care, your child will usually get better quickly. This article will guide you on how to care for your child when they have diarrhoea.

What is diarrhoea? Your child has diarrhoea when they pass loose or watery stool three or more times in one day. It's important to know that if your child is passing normal, formed stool many times a day, this is not diarrhoea. Also, if you are breastfeeding your baby, it's normal for them to pass soft, pasty stool frequently - this is not diarrhoea. Diarrhoea means the stool is loose and watery, not just soft.

3 Important Facts About Childhood Diarrhoea

1. The main danger is not the diarrhoea itself, but losing too much water from the body. When your child passes watery stool many times, their body loses water and important salts. This is called dehydration, and it is what makes children very sick or even die from diarrhoea. That's why giving your child plenty of fluids is the most important treatment.

2. Zinc tablets can help your child recover faster. If you give your child zinc tablets for 10-14 days along with plenty of fluids, the diarrhoea will stop sooner. Zinc also helps protect your child from getting diarrhoea again for up to three months. You can buy zinc tablets at most pharmacies and health centers. The correct dose is: for babies under 6 months old, give 10 mg once daily; for children 6 months to 5 years old, give 20 mg once daily. Give this dose every day for 10-14 days, even after the diarrhoea stops.

3. Don't stop feeding your child. Many mothers believe they should stop giving food when their child has diarrhoea, but this is not true. If you are breastfeeding, continue to breastfeed. For older children, keep giving them food. This helps your child stay strong, heal faster, and prevents them from becoming malnourished.

What Mothers Need to Know

Know the warning signs that your child is losing too much water: Look out for these signs: dry mouth and tongue, no tears when crying, eyes that look sunken (inside the head), the soft spot on baby's head looks sunken, very few wet nappies (less than three in one day), and your child is very sleepy or difficult to wake up. If you see any of these signs, take your child to the hospital or clinic immediately.

Give your child ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution): ORS is a special drink that replaces the water and salts your child is losing. You can buy ORS packets at chemists, patent medicine stores, and health centers across Nigeria. Follow the instructions on the packet: mix one packet with 1L of clean water (bottled or filtered water, or water that has been boiled for 3-5 minutes and then covered and allowed to cool) in a clean, dry bottle. Give your child small sips every few minutes. Even if your child vomits, keep giving small amounts. Never try to force feed as this can lead to children inhaling food or fluids into their lungs and can be very dangerous. For babies under six months, continue breastfeeding as much as possible and also give ORS.

If you cannot get ORS packets, you can make a similar drink at home: Take 1 liter of clean water (water that has been boiled and allowed to cool), add 6 level teaspoons of sugar and half a level teaspoon of salt. Stir very well until everything dissolves. Be very careful with the measurements - too much salt can harm your child. Use this homemade drink within 24 hours and keep it covered. Remember, this homemade solution is for emergencies only. Try to get proper ORS packets from the chemist as soon as you can because they have the correct balance of everything your child needs.

Know when to take your child to the hospital or clinic: You must seek medical help if: your baby is less than six months old, you see blood in the stool, your child has high fever (very hot body), you notice any of the dehydration signs mentioned above, your child refuses to drink anything, your child has been vomiting for several hours, or the diarrhoea continues for more than two weeks.

What Your Doctor Looks For: Understanding Red and Yellow Flags

When you take your child to the hospital or clinic, the doctor or nurse will check certain things to see how serious the diarrhoea is. Understanding what they look for can help you know when to seek help urgently and also help you explain your child's condition clearly to the healthcare workers.

RED FLAGS - Go to the hospital immediately if you see any of these:

• Apathy or extreme weakness: This is one of the most serious signs. If your child is not interested in anything around them, doesn't want to play, doesn't respond when you call their name, or seems too weak to cry properly, this is very dangerous. A child who just lies there without moving or showing interest in anything needs urgent medical care.

• Very difficult to wake up: If your child is sleeping deeply and you cannot wake them up easily, or if they wake up but immediately fall back to sleep, this is an emergency.

• Not passing urine: If your child has not wet their nappy or passed urine for 8 hours or more, this means severe dehydration.

• Very sunken eyes or soft spot: If the eyes look very deep inside the head or the soft spot on baby's head is very sunken, this is severe dehydration.

• Breathing very fast or having difficulty breathing: This can be a sign of serious illness.

• Blue or very pale lips and skin: This means your child is not getting enough oxygen.

• Blood or mucus (slime) in the stool: This can mean a serious infection that needs antibiotics.

• Severe abdominal pain: If your child is crying hard and holding their belly, or if the belly is very swollen and hard.

• Fever in a baby under 3 months: Any fever in a very young baby needs urgent medical attention.

YELLOW FLAGS - See a doctor or health worker soon (within 24 hours) if you notice:

• Mild to moderate apathy/ weakness: Your child is quieter than usual, less playful, or not as active as normal. Even if this seems mild, it's important to get checked because it can get worse quickly.

• Persistent vomiting: If your child vomits every time they drink, or has been vomiting for more than a few hours.

• Decreasing urine: Fewer wet nappies than usual, or dark yellow urine with a strong smell.

• Dry mouth and no tears: When crying, your child has no tears, or their mouth and tongue look dry.

• High fever: Temperature above 38°C (100.4°F), especially if it doesn't come down with paracetamol.

• Refusing to drink: If your child pushes away fluids or refuses to breastfeed.

• More than 10 watery stools in 24 hours: This is severe diarrhoea that can quickly lead to dehydration.

• Diarrhoea lasting more than 5 days: Even if your child seems okay, prolonged diarrhoea needs medical review.

How to advocate for yourself at the clinic or hospital:

Sometimes health facilities are very busy, and you may feel your concerns are not being taken seriously. Here's how to make sure your child gets the care they need:

• Be clear and specific: Instead of saying "my child is not well," say "my child has had 8 watery stools today and has not passed urine for 9 hours."

• Mention the red flags: If you see any red flag signs, say clearly "my child is very weak and not responding normally" or "my child's eyes are very sunken." These words help health workers understand the urgency.

• Trust your instincts: You know your child best. If something feels very wrong, even if you can't explain exactly what, insist on being seen. Say "I know my child, and this is not normal. Something is seriously wrong."

• Don't leave without understanding: Before you leave the clinic, make sure you understand what to do at home, when to come back, and what warning signs to watch for.

• If your child has apathy (weakness and lack of interest), mention this specifically: Some healthcare workers may overlook this sign if they're busy. Say "my child is not behaving normally, just lying down with no energy and not interested in anything." This is a serious sign that should not be ignored.

Remember, healthcare workers are there to help you, but they see many children every day. Your clear description of your child's symptoms, especially mentioning specific red or yellow flags, helps them understand how urgent your child's situation is.

How to prevent diarrhoea: Most diarrhoea happens because of dirty water and poor hygiene. Always wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food, before eating, and after using the toilet. Make sure your child's drinking water is clean - boil water or treat it with water guard. Cover food to protect it from flies. Cook meat and fish well. Wash fruits and vegetables with clean salt water and rinse well before eating. Keep your compound clean.

Don't give anti-diarrhoea drugs like loperamide (Imodium) to your child: Many mothers think these medicines will stop the diarrhoea quickly, but they are dangerous for children. International health experts say you should never give these drugs to children because they can cause serious problems like severe constipation, swelling of the belly, and make your child very drowsy. These drugs can also hide serious infections that need proper treatment. Remember, the diarrhoea is your child's body trying to flush out the germs. Your job is to prevent dehydration by giving plenty of fluids, not to stop the diarrhoea itself.

One Message for All Nigerian Mothers

If I could tell every mother in Nigeria just one thing, it would be this: Keep giving your child ORS or fluids and continue feeding them - this simple action can save your child's life. Don't wait until your child becomes very weak before you act. Start giving ORS as soon as the diarrhoea begins, keep breastfeeding or giving food, and watch carefully for the warning signs. You can protect your child at home with these simple steps, but don't be afraid to go to the clinic or hospital when you need help. Most children who die from diarrhoea could have been saved with the right care. Trust yourself - you know your child better than anyone. When something doesn't feel right, seek help immediately.