Stop Diarrhea: What To Eat And What Food To Avoid

Diarrhea is the passage of loose or watery stools, making you dehydrated. The common cause is a stomach flu. So, to stop diarrhea, you may wonder what is the right thing to do and what food is the right thing to eat to soothe your digestive system that is in chaos.

If you're thinking how to stop diarrhea of your child, then this article is for you.

Drinking Fluids

A child with diarrhea can easily lose too much fluid, causing him or her dehydration. Because lost fluids need to be replaced, children should drink fluids that they would normally have.

Electrolyte solutions are products that can be bought at your nearest supermarket or pharmacy to keep your child well-hydrated. Watered-down fruit juice or broth can also be a good thing to give to your child. Moreover, popsicles and gelatin, especially if your child is vomiting, are great sources of fluids for these two can offer hydration and nutrients to children.

Always remember to never use medicines to slow down the diarrhea of your child without talking to a doctor first because this may complicate things up.

Diet for Children With Diarrhea

In some cases, diarrhea will usually go away in time without any changes or treatment and you can still feed your child as usual. However, while they have diarrhea, they should do the following:

• Eat some salty foods, such as pretzels and soup
• Eat small meals throughout the day instead of three big meals

Changes in the diet may help, however, no specific diet is recommended. Your child may do better with plain foods such as:

• Cooked eggs
• Baked or broiled beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey
• Applesauce
• Bananas and other fresh fruits
• Pasta or white rice
• Bread products made from refined, white flour
• Pancakes and waffles made with white flour
• Cereals such as cream of wheat, farina, oatmeal, and cornflakes
• Cooked vegetables, such as carrots, green beans, mushrooms, beets, asparagus tips, acorn squash, and peeled zucchini
• Cornbread, prepared or served with very little honey or syrup
• Baked potatoes
• Some desserts and snacks, such as Jell-O, popsicles, cakes, cookies, or sherbet

It is best if you remove seeds and skin from these foods.

Use only low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese. You may need to stop eating or drinking dairy for a few days if dairy products make diarrhea much worse.

The child may take some time returning to his or her normal eating habits. Somehow in some children, when returning to their regular diet, diarrhea may also return because of some mild problems the gut may have.

Things Your Child Should Avoid Eating or Drinking

When your child has diarrhea, he or she should avoid certain kind of foods such as:

• donuts
• greasy foods
• fried foods
• sausages
• processed or fast foods
• pastries

Apple juice and full-strength fruit juices can loosen the stool so avoid giving your child these kinds of juices. He or she should also avoid drinks with caffeine and carbonated drinks.  Milk and other dairy products make diarrhea worse or can cause gas and bloating so it is better to limit giving them to your child or remove them in the list.

Fruits and vegetables that can cause gas should also be avoided by your child. These include:

• beans
• broccoli
• berries
• peppers
• chickpeas
• corn
• peas
• prunes
• green leafy vegetables

When your child is ready again for regular foods, you should try to give him or her:

• Crackers
• Bananas
• Rice cereal
• Pasta
• Chicken

When To Call A Doctor

If your child has any of the following symptoms, you may call a doctor:

• Blood or mucus in the stool
• No tears when crying
• Not urinated for 6 hours
• Dry and sticky mouth
• Much less activity than normal (not sitting up at all or not looking around)
• Stomach pain
• Sunken eyes
• Fever that does not go away