This symptom, like a stool disorder, is common for babies. The main reasons for its appearance are functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract due to the fact that the digestive system has not yet fully formed and any food or microbial irritation can cause copious liquid bowel movements, which appear for the most part in the morning. But it also happens that there can be diarrhea in a child at night. The cause of such diarrhea in children is usually organic disorders, congenital or acquired. A liquid stool at night may indicate ileitis or ulcerative colitis, diabetes, increased pancreatic function.
Of the great variety of organic diseases that appear in the digestive organs, chronic gastroduodenitis is most often noted in young children. Diarrhea is caused by a dystrophic lesion, which is inflammatory in nature, in the intestinal mucosa and stomach. The most common cause of organic pathology of the gastrointestinal tract is the infection of Helicobacter pylori.
Night diarrhea in children caused by serious diseases of the digestive system, usually accompanied by dyspepsia, which is characterized by a combination of symptoms, always arising from a violation of the digestive process. And with its organic form they have a more vivid expression and do not pass a long time. In addition to the fact that the child experiences nocturnal diarrhea, expressed in abundant watery diarrhea, the following symptoms are noted:
- Loss of appetite and early satiety, which can cause significant weight loss and lag in physical development;
- Discomfort and pain in the abdomen;
- Belching and nausea, resulting in vomiting.
Diarrhea at night, what's the danger?
Night diarrhea, even if it occurs in a child once, requires increased attention and urgent consultation with a specialist. No self-treatment and withdrawal of severe symptoms in this case is unacceptable. Diarrhea itself is not an independent disease. It is only a sign of a developing ailment in the body. Therefore, if you silenced such a symptom as diarrhea, which appeared day or night, before revealing the true cause, watery stools will not remove toxins from the digestive system. And this is fraught with the development of severe complications associated with intoxication of the child's body.
Many young parents may have a question about what to do in this case and how to help the baby before the arrival of the doctor, because watery night diarrhea, regardless of the pathology that caused it, very quickly can lead to dehydration of the body crumbs? It is necessary to take emergency measures to prevent this pathology. The best option is to solder the baby. Only it should be borne in mind that in the event that diarrhea that occurs in a child at night, accompanied by vomiting, the fluid should be given very often and in microscopic amounts, so as not to cause additional urges to emptying the stomach. The best drinks in this situation will be the following:
- Unsweetened broth of wild rose or compote of dried fruits;Rice broth. With nocturnal diarrhea, it is useful in that, in addition to replenishing fluid lost due to diarrhea, binds toxins and removes them from the body with a stool;
- Boiled, purified or bottled water, in which a preparation of the rehydron type is added, which contributes to the restoration of the water-salt balance.
It is also not advisable to give the child any food prior to the examination of the doctor and the necessary studies.
Treatment of nocturnal diarrhea
Due to the fact that diseases that can cause a child to have a loose stool are quite dangerous, the therapy in this case presents a complex problem. Schemes used to treat symptoms such as diarrhea that occur at night in adult patients are in most cases completely unsuitable for children of younger age groups. The main directions used by a gastroenterologist are:
- Diet;
- Mode;
- Medication;
- Surgical intervention if necessary.
Diet in cases of baby diarrhea at night should be chemically and mechanically sparing. The content of proteins and vitamins in it should be increased, and cellulose, ballast substances and milk completely eliminated. Vegetables and fruits are not recommended in fresh form. Drugs used to treat night diarrhea will be antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. It is also necessary to take biologics, immunomodulators and antidiarrheals. But it should be remembered that any therapy in children can be started only after carrying out the necessary diagnostic studies.