Patient's question:
When my son was about 4 and a half months old, he weighed around 20 pounds. Now he's almost 5 months old, but he's been having frequent diarrhea lately, and he's become much thinner overall. What should I do about my 5-month-old's frequent diarrhea?Doctor's answer:
The most common causes of diarrhea in children are indigestion and intestinal inflammation. Usually, the child's stool contains bubbles, which often indicate indigestion. Only when the child's digestion is poor and there are more food residues, do the bacteria in the intestines ferment and produce gas, resulting in stool with bubbles. The local doctor is correct that the child's diarrhea is likely caused by a virus. If the child exhibits symptoms such as sunken fontanelle, sunken eyes, poor skin elasticity, excessive thirst, and decreased urine output, it suggests dehydration. In such cases, intravenous fluids are needed to replenish body fluids.