Diarrhea in children

Children’s snack choices do not always get enough attention from parents. Some parents give money to the pupil to buy snacks at school. The conditions under which these products are stored, sold and consumed can affect their quality. Diarrhea can result from these consumption conditions. Mrs. Olive: Hi doctor, my son has a stomachache and diarrhea. Dr. Kelly: How long has he had it, Mrs. Olive? Mrs. Olive: For 4 days now. He has regular bowel movements. Junior: yes doctor, I can have more than 10 bowel movements a day. Every time I go to the potty, I have a watery stool coming out and my stomach hurts a lot. Dr. Kelly: Junior, in what class are you? Junior: Doctor, I’m in Class 3. At break, I buy “puff-puff” and beans, and drink “foléré”.  I also like to suck lollipops. Dr. Kelly: Junior, do you wash your hands before you eat your donuts at school? You should always wash your hands before you eat. Our hands usually carry germs from our environment (table, my classmate’s hand, the door, …). Always make sure you wash your hands before eating. Some germs can be found in undercooked or improperly reheated meals. Mrs. Olive, please also make sure that your son drinks clean water outside the home. Mrs. Olive: Thank you for this advice. We will be more careful in the future. Dr. Kelly: Prolonged diarrhea (more than 5 days) leads to severe dehydration in children. The consequences can be disastrous.