Diarrhea in a child 6 - 12 years old is much easier to detect than in infants, or preschool children, because their digestive processes are little different from those in the adult body. An alarming factor for parents should always be one when the frequency of acts of defecation in younger schoolchildren is increased to several times a day, and stool masses acquire a watery consistency or have pathological inclusions.
Children's diarrhea is commonly called "dirty hand disease": the smallest children grab and pull everything they see in their mouths, and school children often do not follow the rules of hygiene. Drinking dirty water, communicating with animals, unwashed fruits - all these factors contribute to the ingestion of pathogenic microorganisms in the digestive tract. Therefore, when a diarrhea occurs in a child of 6 years, the first thing to do is to exclude a possible intestinal infection.
The most common pathogens among the growing children 6-7 years old are the same as in infants - E. coli, Salmonella and the like bacteria. Infection occurs by direct contact with a sick person and fecal-oral route, through unwashed hands, insufficiently clean dishes or poor-quality products. Intestinal infections that can cause diarrhea in a child aged 6 to 7 are characterized by an acute stomach disorder with a loose stool and accompanying symptoms: fever, nausea, vomiting, and lack of appetite. Manifestations of food poisoning, which causes diarrhea in a child of 6 years, are similar. It causes spoiled food, used by children. With this form of pathology, acute diarrhea is accompanied by signs of intoxication: high fever, sweating, pallor and general weakness.
Causes of diarrhea in a child 8-9 years old
At the age of 8-9 years, the development of a liquid stool can be facilitated by the use of certain types of food in addition to the above factors, especially if they are eaten in large quantities. In this case, diarrhea is of a short duration. Provoke diarrhea in a child 8-9 years of age can indigestible products. Most often, children consume large amounts of raw vegetables and fruits, and fatty foods, especially fast food, especially if they are consumed with milk or sweet soda. Such a loose stool is usually accompanied by a bloating and pain in it. This is due to a reaction from the gallbladder and a strong stimulation of the intestinal receptors.
If a similar diarrhea in a child aged 8-9 years was a single occurrence, and its condition improved within a few hours, special therapeutic measures should not be taken. After the diarrhea has passed, the children can return to their usual diet, but they should not tolerate such overeating in the future. But if the parents began to notice that a child at the age of 9 had a frequent occurrence of diarrhea and, moreover, was accompanied by abdominal pain that occurred after taking the usual food, it is necessary to contact a specialist for appropriate diagnostic tests. Such symptomatology presumably indicates the appearance of serious disorders in the digestive system.
Diarrhea in a child 10, 11, 12 years old
Children who are 10, 11, 12 years old may have permanent watery bowel movements with more bowel movements, that is, a chronic course of diarrhea. The appearance of such a condition can contribute to the following reasons:
- The onset of oncological diseases of the digestive system;
- Peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum;
- Chronic inflammation in certain parts of the gastrointestinal tract due to previously untreated diseases.
In the event that a liquid stool appeared, and a child 10 years old, and watery stools acquired a black color, or parents began to notice red streaks in them, it is necessary to immediately show it to a specialist. This situation can arise not only due to the use of certain medicines or food products, but also due to the development of quite severe pathologies, the least dangerous of which are anal fissures.
Diarrhea in a child of 11 years has a total of the same causes as the rest. For the most part, they consist of non-compliance with personal hygiene rules and abuse of poor-quality or inappropriate products. But even more serious prerequisites for the emergence of such a state can not be ruled out. Therefore, in case of frequent occurrence of diarrhea in children, it is absolutely necessary to identify the root cause, which will allow taking the necessary measures and conducting timely adequate treatment.
To prevent the child from developing 12 years of diarrhea, it is necessary to take preventive measures. Children of this age are already old enough to consciously adhere to strict hygienic rules:
- Do not buy food in dubious tents or with hands, or do not eat food on the street;
- For drinking use bottled or purified water;
- Vegetables, fruits and berries before meals thoroughly wash.
These simple rules can prevent the emergence of loose stools in school-age children in the event that diarrhea is not caused by any serious illness.