When should I go to the doctor? | Diarrhea in the baby

When should I go to the doctor?

Diarrhea in babies is usually self-limiting and requires no medical treatment other than symptomatic therapy. However, it may be useful to consult a pediatrician to determine the cause of the diarrhea and, if necessary, initiate appropriate therapy. This is the case, for example, if the diarrhea is accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting, fever, severe pain, a hard abdominal wall, bloody stools or seizures.Even if the affected baby seems apathetic and signs such as a dry mouth or pale skin indicate a lack of fluids, a visit to a doctor is recommended.

Prognosis

A diarrhea disease in babies can be very different from one person to another, even if the pathogen is the same. The average duration of diarrhea in babies is between two and seven days. Particularly when food intolerance is present, diarrhoea can occur only sporadically or last for a very long time.

In any case, a clarification by a doctor is recommended. The younger the baby is, the faster the diarrhoea should be over. It is possible that the stools only slowly improve during the course of treatment.

A gentle dietary regimen can help to reduce the duration of soft stools. Depending on the underlying cause, the stool as well as the baby’s saliva may be contagious to other people. Therefore, adequate hygiene should be ensured after changing the diaper so that other persons do not also become infected with the infectious disease.

Persons with a particularly weak immune system should be warned and avoid contact with the sick baby if necessary. The duration of the infection usually lasts until stool frequency and consistency normalizes.