Patient's question:
My son is six months old and formula-fed. About half a month ago, he had a high fever and received IV fluids for several days, after which he has been experiencing diarrhea for nearly two weeks without any improvement. However, even after taking medication, he only has normal bowel movements a few times, while at other times they are abnormal. I don’t know what’s going on and would appreciate any help!Doctor's answer:
Diarrhea is a common condition in infants. The digestive system of infants is immature, and they grow rapidly, requiring a large amount of heat and nutrients. Once feeding is improper, diarrhea can easily occur. Common causes of diarrhea include: excessive intake or frequency of food, which increases the burden on the gastrointestinal tract; adding complementary foods too quickly or introducing too many types of food; and consuming too much greasy, fibrous food, which cannot be fully digested. Additionally, irregular feeding schedules prevent the gastrointestinal tract from forming a conditioned reflex for timed secretion of digestive fluids, leading to reduced digestive function in infants.