Patient's question:
My daughter is a little over 5 months old and has had diarrhea for a month. The doctor diagnosed it as gastroenteritis, but her bowel movements have never returned to the original creamy consistency. What should I do? First follow-up question: She has been exclusively breastfed, and now she has 2-3 bowel movements a day, which are not considered loose.Doctor's answer:
Bacterial enteritis can be treated with antibiotics. Due to the gradual change in bacterial resistance, medication should be guided by a physician. Take the medication as prescribed by the doctor. Some patients stop taking the medication as soon as their symptoms improve. As a result, insufficient medication can lead to chronic colitis, which may not heal over time and affect a child's nutrition and health.Intravenous infusion: Diarrhea is most dangerous due to dehydration. Children are more prone to dehydration than adults. Severe cases can result in dehydration exceeding 10% of body weight. The mortality rate due to dehydration can reach 30%. However, replenishing fluids can reduce the mortality rate to below 5%. Therefore, intravenous infusion is the best treatment for diarrhea.