The health of the smallest citizens of the country is strongly influenced by poor environmental conditions, various chemical additives in food, electromagnetic radiation, mutating viruses. Often the child’s immune system is weakened and unable to cope with pathogens, and he is sick. And for treatment, antibiotics are often prescribed. Strong drugs kill not only pathogenic microbes, but also all the beneficial intestinal microflora. A child develops: diarrhea, intestinal colic, vomiting, flatulence. There was diarrhea on antibiotics in a child, what should I do? This question is often asked by parents. Let's try to answer it.
The effect of antibiotics on the baby's body
Disruption of the digestive tract in a child does not begin immediately, but after the accumulation of an antibiotic in the body. For example, in the case when the baby is often sick and every time he is prescribed antibacterial drugs for treatment. Or parents are self-medicating and, without the knowledge of the doctor, give the baby powerful drugs. The fact is that antibiotics cannot distinguish harmful microorganisms from beneficial ones and kill both of them at once.
The small and large intestines, left without useful microflora, can not cope with the digestion of food. As a result, a child develops diarrhea while taking antibiotics. He has an appetite, pains, flatulence and bloating.
Causes of Diarrhea
When taking antibiotics, the occurrence of diarrhea may be due to the following factors:
- Strong intestinal motility prevents the absorption of nutrients. Diarrhea occurs due to the high activity of the intestinal muscles. Such diarrhea is asymptomatic. It will stop within 24 hours after drug withdrawal. If this does not happen, then the cause of diarrhea is completely different; consultation with a doctor is necessary.
- The death of beneficial intestinal microflora. Diarrhea in a child on the background of antibiotics will stop if you cancel the drug and start taking probiotics: Bifidumbacterin, Bifiform, Lactobacterin, Linex.
- Intestinal infection. It can begin against a background of reduced immunity and the death of beneficial bacteria.
- Individual intolerance to the individual components of the drug. In this case, in addition to diarrhea, the child develops a rash, itching, and possibly a slight increase in temperature.
Symptoms of diarrhea from antibacterial agents
The following symptoms are associated with loose stools when taking antibiotics:
- stomach ache;
- a feeling of bloating;
- vomiting reflex;
- worsening overall burping;
- flatulence;
- characteristic changes in fecal matter: foamy with an unpleasant odor;
- with diarrhea from antibiotics in a child, intestines can be released up to eight times a day or more.
Forms of diarrhea
When taking antibiotics, there may be several forms of diarrhea:
- Light - loose stools are observed no more than five times a day, with slight painful sensations occurring after defecation. Fecal masses do not contain any impurities and pungent odor, have a watery consistency.
- Medium - loose stools occur up to fifteen times a day, body temperature rises, there is an increase in pain, vomiting. In the feces there is mucus, streaks of blood are possible.
- Severe - severe diarrhea in a child after antibiotics, the intestines empty up to thirty times a day. To a forty-degree mark, the body temperature rises, vomiting appears, and rapid dehydration occurs. The skin takes a bluish appearance, dry mouth, cracks appear on the surface of the tongue and lips, urination stops.
- Lightning fast - the development of all symptoms occurs rapidly. The child is tormented by severe abdominal pain, the frequency of bowel movements increases. In the feces, mucus and blood appear, vomiting begins. There is rapid dehydration, urgent medical attention is needed.
Diagnosis of diarrhea in children
To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to identify the cause of diarrhea. For this, the doctor:
- conducts a conversation with the parents of the child, learning what preceded the deterioration of the patient’s condition, what is the duration of diarrhea in a child against antibiotics, the frequency of bowel movements, the presence of mucus and blood in the stool;
- examines the baby, palpates the abdominal cavity;
- appoints an analysis of feces for the presence of worm eggs;
- conducts a study of the biochemistry of feces and bile.
And:
- sowing on the microflora of the intestinal contents;
- a blood test is taken for biochemistry;
- ultrasound indication of the abdominal cavity;
- CT scan;
- endoscopy of the stomach and intestines;
- with functional diarrhea, a study of intestinal motility is prescribed. For this, peripheral electrogastroenterography and manometry are used;
- radiography.
If necessary, other types of studies are prescribed. It all depends on the severity and duration of diarrhea. In addition, specialist consultations are appointed. If dysbiosis is detected, treatment is prescribed depending on the severity of the disease.
Recovery of water-salt balance
With vomiting and diarrhea while taking antibiotics, the child has a large loss of fluid, and it requires heavy drinking to restore it. To do this, first use simple drinking water, then you can give tea, for example, herbal based on the fees of chamomile or sage, various jellies, dried fruit compotes. In no case should you use sparkling water, juices and milk. Pharmaceutical powders for the preparation of registration solutions are useful:
- "Regidron" - restores the balance of salts and fluids in the body of the child, removes toxins. One sachet of the product is dissolved in a liter of cold boiled water.
Store the composition in the refrigerator for no more than a day. Give drink often, but in small doses, so as not to cause vomiting. With diarrhea in a child, antibiotics begin to use the solution from the beginning of the appearance of loose stools and end after its recovery.
- "Humana Electrolyte" - a bag of the mixture is diluted in a glass of boiled water. The solution is taken in cold and warm form. Kids under three years old use powder with fennel, older than three years old - with banana flavor. The solution has a pleasant taste and does not cause problems with its use. The required amount that you need to drink per day is calculated according to the instructions per kilogram of weight and is drunk in small portions.
How to stop diarrhea from antibiotics in a child?
Fastening the stool is the main stage of treatment. It begins simultaneously with the restoration of the water-salt balance. The most popular and optimal antidiarrheal drugs for children are:
- Smecta is a powder for the preparation of a suspension at home. It has a vanilla or orange flavor.
For babies up to a year, the first three days are drunk in two sachets daily, then the dosage is reduced to one. Children a year and older use four packets for the first three days, then the dosage is reduced to two.
- "Enterosgel" - a fixing agent used for diarrhea from antibiotics in a child. It not only possesses antidiarrheal property, but also binds and removes toxic substances from the body. This helps to improve the functioning of the intestines, kidneys and liver, restores the immune system. Release form: paste for oral administration and gel for solution preparation. Instructions for use are attached.
Before using these drugs, you should consult your doctor, failure to follow the dosage can harm the child. It should be noted that medications should not be used for stomach ulcers and blood discharge from the anus.
Normalization of microflora
What to give the child after antibiotics for diarrhea? Using special preparations, beneficial microorganisms that have been destroyed by antibiotics are artificially introduced into the baby’s intestines. The drugs are prescribed by the attending physician. Often used are:
- "Bifidumbacterin" is a probiotic that contains live, active bifidobacteria. Available in the form of tablets, dry powder and rectal suppositories. The dosage and form are prescribed by the doctor depending on the age of the child.
- "Hilak Forte" - contains substrates of metabolic products. Release form - oral drops.
They are dissolved in a small amount of water and drunk before or during meals. The drug is recommended for children from the age of two.
- "Bifiform" - contains lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and B vitamins. It is produced in the form of chewable tablets, which the child uses as a candy, oil solution for the preparation of suspensions, capsules and sachets. The duration of treatment and dosage are determined by the doctor.
- “Rotabiotic” - restores the intestinal microflora and improves the digestion of food, promotes the absorption of nutrients. Capsule release form.
Restoring intestinal microflora after diarrhea from antibiotics in a child requires a long period, up to several months.
Diet
A diet for diarrhea is important. It is necessary to feed the child in small portions, but often. It is advisable to exclude all products that injure and irritate the intestines: fresh vegetables and fruits, canned foods, convenience foods, sodas, fruit drinks, freshly squeezed juices, sweets and pastries. From meat you can eat low-fat chicken. Porridge cooked on water are suitable: oat, rice, wheat, boiled or baked fish, steamed cutlets. You can eat light soups, white dried bread, biscuits, crackers, baked potatoes, apples, bananas.
Of drinks, it is better to use jelly, dried fruit compotes, teas, infusions from herbs.
Alternative methods of treating diarrhea
Diarrhea from antibiotics in a child, how to treat? In addition to medications, you can take the advice of traditional medicine. The following recipes are suitable for treating diarrhea:
- Blueberries Two tablespoons of dried berries pour a glass of boiling water, insist. Drink a tablespoon every hour.
- St. John's wort Pour 10 g of dry raw materials with a liter of boiling water, insist, strain and give children 50 ml three times a day.
- Chamomile flowers. Prepare an infusion of 20 g of dry raw materials per glass of water. Give the child a teaspoon four times a day.
- Mint and chamomile. Pour a teaspoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water, insist and drink in small sips throughout the day.
Before applying these recipes, you should consult your doctor.
The main antibacterial drugs that provoke diarrhea
It should be noted several groups of antibiotics, after which diarrhea most often occurs:
- Penicillin preparations: Flemoklav, Amoxicillin, Flemoxin. These drugs cause not only loose stools, but also an allergic reaction.
- Antibacterial drugs of tetracyclines: "Doxycycline", "Metacyclin", "Tetracycline". Diarrhea is often observed in a child when taking antibiotics of this series.
- Macrolides - “Erythromycin”, “Azithromycin”, “Sumamed”. These drugs are more gentle, but diarrhea can also occur.
To minimize the side effects of antibiotics in children, doctors prescribe them in combination with pre- and probiotics.
Prevention of diarrhea from antibiotics
In order for the child to not have diarrhea when taking antibiotics, you must:
- do not give medicine on an empty stomach;
- for the duration of treatment in the diet include products that have a binding effect;
- discuss with the doctor the appointment of probiotics simultaneously with antibacterial agents.
No need to resist the use of antibiotics as intramuscular injections. They have a more effective effect on pathogens than suspensions and tablets. In addition, with this method of administration, the antibiotic bypasses the digestive tract and saves the child from unpleasant consequences.