Patient's question:
About a month, exactly two days, then cough for a couple of days, then fever at night, runny nose, diarrhea. The treatment and effectiveness in the past two days: Went to Beijing Children's Hospital, they said it was due to improper diet, prescribed Beano Yeast Powder, Montmorillonite Powder, Digestive Health Syrup...Doctor's answer:
Five Types of Diarrhea1. Spleen Deficiency Diarrhea: Weakness of the spleen and stomach leads to diarrhea after eating, with undigested food, curdled milk, etc., in the stool but no foul odor. The baby may have a yellow complexion and appear less energetic.
2. Food Intolerance Diarrhea: Excessive eating causes abdominal pain, with foul-smelling, acidic stools. Overeating damages the spleen and stomach, making the baby uninterested in dinner.
3. Wind-Cold Diarrhea: External factors like playing outdoors without adequate clothing, taking baths without care, or sudden cold weather can cause the baby’s abdomen to feel cold. The stool may be watery, foamy, or green, and some babies may have a fever.
4. Spleen-Kidney Yang Deficiency Diarrhea: Also known as "morning diarrhea," it occurs around 4–5 a.m. and persists for a long time. The baby may have a pale complexion, fear of cold, cold hands and feet, and lack of energy.
5. Damp-Heat Diarrhea: Urgent and foul-smelling stools, with occasional mucus. The anal area may be red and swollen. The baby may have poor appetite, dry lips, and sometimes a fever.
Correct Care for Nausea and Vomiting in Babies
1. During diarrhea, adjust the baby’s diet slightly. Breastfed babies should increase milk intake, while formula-fed babies should focus on consuming porridge, rice water, or rice powder. Here are two dietary remedies:
- First, lightly toast flour, then mix it with finely chopped ginger to make porridge. Remove the ginger before feeding the baby. Roasted flour is easier to digest, which is commonly referred to as "replenishing the stomach." (Note: Babies with damp-heat diarrhea should absolutely avoid ginger).
- Second, drink apple water or steam apples, both of which help stop diarrhea. Avoid high-protein, high-fat, and high-sugar foods like eggs, fish, meat, fried, greasy foods, cream, and sugary drinks, as well as cakes. Vegetables should also be consumed in moderation or avoided temporarily, as their rough fiber can worsen nausea and vomiting. Mothers should also avoid spicy and greasy foods. For formula-fed babies, replace regular milk with lactose-free soy milk.
2. Here are a few home remedies:
- For wind-cold and spleen-kidney yang deficiency diarrhea, heat salt in a pan or microwave, wrap it in a cloth, and place it on the baby’s navel for cold compress. Do this for 10–15 minutes, 2–3 times a day. Ensure the temperature is even and never burn the baby’s delicate skin.
- For babies with food intolerance diarrhea caused by excessive meat consumption, in addition to moderate dietary restrictions, cook hawthorn, drink hawthorn water, or eat hawthorn.
3. If the baby has severe diarrhea with frequent bowel movements and increased urination, to prevent dehydration, give oral rehydration solutions. Add enough sugar and salt to hot water to make a light saltwater solution for the baby. When feeding porridge or rice water, add salt but no sugar. After rehydration, parents should carefully monitor the baby’s urine output to ensure it is similar to normal levels.
4. Pay attention to keeping the baby’s abdomen, back, and feet warm. Avoid letting the baby walk barefoot.
5. Some parents rush to give their recovering babies nutritious food, believing this will help them recover faster. This is a misconception. A newly recovered baby’s digestive system has not fully returned to normal, so the diet should remain light and sufficient. Rushing to supplement nutrition can easily lead to recurring nausea and vomiting, causing more harm than good. Give the baby’s digestive system time to recover.