Improperly Preserved Foods Cause Diseases

With the increase in temperature during the summer, food can spoil more easily. Food and beverages that are not preserved carefully can be a threat, especially for children. The incidence of diarrhea and vomiting increases with the consumption of spoiled or contaminated foods. Child Health and Diseases Specialist Dr. İbrahim Çelik points out that vomiting and diarrhea are common childhood diseases, especially in our country.

Food poisoning caused by drinking spoiled or infected food or water often starts with vomiting and continues with diarrhea. Dr. Çelik states: “The most important cause of diarrhea and vomiting other than food poisoning is intestinal infection due to viruses. Sometimes special bacteria can also cause this disease. The disease will usually go away on its own within a week. Diarrhea caused by amoebic and bacillus dysentery does not improve spontaneously, although they decrease, they recur until the agent is fully eliminated.”

Fluid Needs Must Be Met

Dr. Çelik, underlining that the most important issue in diarrhea and vomiting is to meet the fluid needs of the child and further adds, “There will be no life-threatening situation except for fluid loss. Immediately after the onset of the disease, that is, the first vomiting, it will be appropriate to start preparing and giving sugary and salty water without forcing your child to eat. In addition, buttermilk and yoghurt, linden, apple juice, and tea can also be used to compensate for lost liquid.” Çelik also states that diarrhea with the parasite called Giardia can last for a very long time, and strongly recommends consulting a doctor if there is a slimy structure and blood is seen with diarrhea.

Symptoms

Dr. Çelik says, “Even if children lose a little fluid, they will feel weakness. If your child cannot get the fluid need orally, it can reach very serious levels, so little fluid should be given. If oral fluid loss cannot be compensated, and if symptoms such as dehydration, increased heart rate, tightness of breath, drop of blood pressure due to fluid loss, dryness in the skin, dry tongue and mouth, your child may need to be hospitalized or given intravenous fluids in a clinic.”

Medication Should Not Be Taken Randomly

Emphasizing that it is absolutely wrong to give antibiotics and anti-diarrhea medication without a stool analysis, Çelik warns the families: "This approach will cause your child to have frequent diarrhea in the future or the intestinal system to become irregular".

Watch out for Rotavirus!

Rota virus infections are important among acute gastroenteritis factors in childhood. Rotavirus is a virus that affects millions of people every year around the world. It is considered as the most common cause of gastroenteritis, especially in childhood. Child Health and Diseases Specialist Dr. Dicle İnanç says: “It causes serious fluid loss from the body by affecting the small intestine and disrupting fluid and electrolyte absorption. Therefore, it takes the first place in hospitalizations due to diarrhea. Although it can be seen at any age, it most commonly affects children between 4 and 24 months. While rotavirus is transmitted through the feces of the carrier; food, hands, door handles, telephones, sockets and toys may also play a role in the spread of the infection.”

Symptoms and Treatment

The incubation period of the disease is 1-3 days. Regarding the symptoms and methods of diagnosis, Dr. İnanç says, “At the end of this period, there will be mild fever, with or without vomiting. Subsequently, abdominal pain and diarrhea begin. It causes severe and persistent loss of appetite in children. This can prevent the child from getting enough fluids. Diarrhea is so common that the child may soon become dehydrated. Fever and vomiting usually pass in 2 days, while diarrhea may last 5-8 days. Mild signs of upper respiratory tract infection (cough, runny nose) may be observed during diarrhea. Diagnosis is made in a short time with the rotavirus antigen test. There is no specific treatment for rotavirus infection. Using antibiotics will not help. The most important treatment is to replace the lost fluid. If breast milk is taken, it should definitely be continued. Depending on the severity of diarrhea, administration of sugar-salt solutions (ORS) in accordance with the doctor's recommendation helps to balance the dehydration. A low-fat diarrhea diet can be applied. Yoghurt, potatoes, banana, rice porridge (if the age of the child is appropriate) can be given. Little and frequent feeding will increase the absorption of food from the intestines. The most important method of protection is to wash hands frequently, pay attention to clean environment, especially in kindergartens, and to prevent sick children from coming into contact with other children. There is no vaccine for the disease.