What should I do if my baby has diarrhea and a fever of 38 degrees?

As babies grow up, they will inevitably get sick. Therefore, parents must be very careful when taking care of their babies. Especially in winter or summer when there is a big temperature difference between morning and evening, parents must take good care of their babies. Once the baby catches a cold, it is easy to cause a cold, fever and diarrhea. This will not only make the baby uncomfortable, but the adults will also feel uncomfortable. What should I do if the baby has diarrhea and a fever of 38 degrees?

What to do if the baby has diarrhea and a fever of 38 degrees

Infant diarrhea is a common pediatric disease caused by multiple pathogens and factors, characterized by increased frequency of bowel movements and changes in stool characteristics. It is common in infants and young children aged 6 months to 2 years and may occur at any time of the year.

In recent years, the incidence of intestinal diseases has remained high, and acute gastroenteritis is a typical one of them. There are many symptoms of acute gastroenteritis, mainly including abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, high fever and even shock may occur.

When a baby has diarrhea and a fever, you should take these steps:

1. Replenish fluids. Patients lose too much water due to diarrhea and vomiting, so they should drink as much water as possible, with sugar and salt water being the best. Severe patients should supplement with fluids containing electrolytes, such as normal saline, sugar and salt water, potassium chloride, etc.

2. Use antibiotics. Patients can choose anti-infective drugs such as ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin for treatment. In the acute phase, intravenous rehydration should be given to avoid drug irritation to the gastrointestinal tract.

3. Eat a balanced diet. Avoid eating irritating foods and focus on easily digestible liquid or semi-liquid foods. Patients should master some basic coping measures in their daily lives and pay attention to dietary hygiene and regular life to alleviate their pain and recover soon.

4. Symptomatic treatment. Patients with acute gastroenteritis should choose appropriate treatment according to their own condition. Fever is mainly caused by the clinical symptoms of gastroenteritis, and the right medicine should be used for various serious symptoms of gastroenteritis. For abdominal pain symptoms, patients can take drugs such as belladonna tablets, Metoclopramide, and Starshu to relieve abdominal pain; patients can take intramuscular injection of metoclopramide or oral administration of morphine to relieve nausea and vomiting. Patients should choose medications carefully to avoid aggravating their condition.

What to do if your baby has diarrhea

1. Gastroenteritis: Gastroenteritis (also known as stomach flu) is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines that can cause diarrhea. The most common pathogen is rotavirus. If your baby has diarrhea accompanied by stomach cramps, vomiting, and a low-grade fever, it is likely gastroenteritis.

2. Bacterial infection: severe diarrhea (sometimes accompanied by vomiting), abdominal pain, bloody stools, and fever are often caused by viruses or bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella, etc.). Some of these infections are self-healing, but some can be very serious (such as infections caused by E. coli in undercooked meat). Therefore, if your baby has the above symptoms, you should take him to the doctor immediately for further examination.

3. Parasites: Parasitic infections may also cause diarrhea, such as giardiasis. The parasites are easily spread in common areas and require special medications to treat. Practicing good hygiene habits, such as washing hands after changing diapers, is a good way to stop the spread of parasitic infections.

4. Antibiotics: If your baby develops diarrhea during or after antibiotic treatment, it may be related to the medicine. Talk to your doctor to see if there are other medicines or treatments that might be helpful.

5. Food factors: Fruit juice (especially fruit juice containing sorbitol and high concentration of fructose) or drinks containing too much sugar may also cause diarrhea in babies. If you feed your baby less of these foods, the condition should improve in about a week. It is not recommended to give juice to babies under 6 months old. Improper preparation of formula milk may also cause diarrhea in babies, so add water in proportion when preparing the milk.