COUNSELING

Diarrhea is defined as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day (or more
frequent passage than is normal for the individual). Frequent passing of formed stools is not
diarrhea, nor is the passing of loose, "pasty" stools by breastfed babies.

Diarrhea is usually a symptom of an infection in the intestinal tract, which can be caused by a
variety of bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms. Infection is spread through contaminated food
or drinking-water, or from person-to-person as a result of poor hygiene.

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old and is responsible
for killing around 525, 000 children every year. Globally, there are nearly 1.7 billion cases of
childhood diarrhea yearly. Children who are malnourished or have impaired immunity as well as
people living with HIV are most at risk of life-threatening diarrhea.

Diarrhea can last several days and can leave the body without the water and salts that are
necessary for survival. Severe dehydration and fluid loss were the main causes of diarrhea
deaths. A significant proportion of diarrhea can be prevented through safe drinking-water and
adequate sanitation and hygiene.

3 clinical types of diarrhea: (define) pakidagdagan hehe

 Acute watery diarrhea 

– lasts several hours or days, and includes cholera;

-In infants and young children, acute watery diarrhea is most often due to rotavirus

 Acute bloody diarrhea 

– also called dysentery

-medical emergency, because it often signifies disorders that are life threatening

-Shigellosis is the most common etiology of invasive, or bloody, diarrhea among children

 Persistent diarrhea 

– lasts 14 days or longer.

-indicates that there is another problem such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS, persistent
infection, celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease IBD

-For someone who has a weakened immune system, chronic diarrhea may
represent a life-threatening illness.

-diarrhea may be continual, or it may come and go. Chronic diarrhea can affect
children of any age.
Causes of diarrhea:
The most common cause of diarrhea is a virus that infects your bowel which is the viral
gastroenteritis and usually lasts a couple of days and is sometimes called intestinal flu. 
Antibiotics can also cause diarrhea such as: clindamycin, erythromycins and broad spectrum
antibiotics. 

Other possible causes of diarrhea can include:

 Bacterial infection and viral infection

 Infections by other organisms and preformed toxins
 Eating foods that upset the digestive system.
 An immune system response to certain foods (food allergy)
 Parasites that enter the body through food or water
 Intestinal disease such as inflammatory bowel disease and functional bowel disorder
 Trouble digesting certain things (food intolerance)
 Allergies and intolerances to certain foods
 Lactose intolerance- people who have difficulty digesting lactose
 Surgery on the stomach or gallbladder

For children: 

 Children who visit some foreign countries are at risk for traveler's diarrhea. This is
caused by having food or water that is not safe because of bacteria, viruses, or
parasites.
 Food poisoning can cause diarrhea in kids. May include vomiting and go away within 24
hrs

Symptoms:

When you have diarrhea, you may experience all of these symptoms or only a few. The main
symptom of diarrhea is loose or watery stool.
Other symptoms of mild diarrhea can include:

 Bloating or cramps in the abdomen.

 A strong and urgent need to have a bowel movement.
 Nausea (upset stomach).

If you have severe diarrhea, you may experience symptoms like:

 Fever.
 Weight loss.
 Dehydration.
 Severe pain.
 Vomiting.
 Blood.

Severe diarrhea can lead to significant complications. If you have these symptoms, call your
healthcare provider and seek medical attention.
Is there a color of diarrhea that I should be worried about?
The color of your poop (stool) can vary. Stool color can be influenced by the color of the food
you eat. Usually, this isn’t something you need to worry about. But if you ever see red (blood) in
your stool or have a bowel movement that is black, that could be something more serious. Keep
a record of any bowel movements that:

 Are black and tarry.

 Have blood or pus in them.
 Are consistently greasy or oily despite non-fatty meals.
 Are very foul-smelling.

Treatment: (sali niyo narin dito yung mga foods na pwede maghelp para mawala diarrhea and
yung breast milk, formula, and electrolytes) 

*treatment is based pa din sa child’s symptoms, age, general health and depend on how severe

 Replace lost fluids

 Avoid juice or soda, it can make diarrhoea worse.
 Do not give too much plain water to kids of any age, it can be dangerous
 Keep breastfeeding, if still breastfeeding. Breastfed babies often have less diarrhoea
 Nutrient-rich foods: the vicious circle of malnutrition and diarrhea can be broken
by continuing to give nutrient-rich foods (rice, bananas)
 zinc supplements reduce the duration of a diarrhoea episode by 25% and are
associated with a 30% reduction in stool volume


How can I relieve discomfort in the rectal area caused by diarrhea?

Diarrhea can cause discomforts like:

 Itching.
 Burning.
 Pain during bowel movements.

 
 
If you’re experiencing any of these discomforts, there are a few things you can do to help,
including:

 Sitting in a few inches of lukewarm water in a bathtub.

 Patting your rectal area dry with a clean soft towel after getting out of the tub or shower.
Don’t rub the area dry because that will only make the irritation worse.
 Applying petroleum jelly or a hemorrhoid cream to your anus.

Prevention:

 Proper hand washing can reduce spread of bacteria that may cause diarrhea
 Rotavirus vaccine can prevent diarrhea caused by rotaroviruses
 When you travel, make sure anything your child eats and drinks is safe
 Use of improved sanitation
 Health education about how infections spread