Dr Smriti Nath, Chief Consultant and HOD, Pediatrics, Tata Motors Hospital has said that it is not diarrhoea which is dangerous for a child but dehydration that alters the body’s natural balance of water and electrolytes.
Severe dehydration can cause seizures, organ failure, and brain damage. Children below two years are particularly vulnerable. They can die from dehydration within a couple of days or even earlier. Watery stools flush out several electrolytes and nutrients from the body, including potassium and sodium, without which organs cannot function properly.
The aim of diarrhoea treatment is to prevent dehydration by continuously replenishing the child’s body with water and electrolytes. Water is an important element in rehydrating the body, but it doesn’t have sufficient amounts of electrolytes which the child badly needs. The appropriate treatment for diarrhoea includes oral rehydration therapy, zinc, Vitamin A and Folate supplementation and continued feeding.