Loose, watery stools several times a day make any parent anxious, because young children can lose fluid and become dehydrated quickly. Most diarrhoea in children is caused by a viral or bacterial infection and settles in a few days, but the danger lies in dehydration, which is easy to prevent and treat with the right fluids. This guide explains what to do, the danger signs that need a doctor at once, and the homeopathic medicines traditionally considered as supportive care.
Diarrhoea in children: quick answers
- What is it? Three or more loose or watery stools in a day, usually from an intestinal infection, often with vomiting and fever.
- Most important: Prevent dehydration with oral rehydration solution (ORS) after each loose stool and keep feeding the child.
- Zinc: The WHO recommends zinc for 10 to 14 days in children with diarrhoea; ask your doctor for the dose.
- Antibiotics: Usually not needed; they are for specific infections such as dysentery with blood in the stool and are given by a doctor.
- Go to a doctor now if: There is blood in the stool, signs of dehydration, repeated vomiting, a high fever, severe abdominal pain, drowsiness or if the baby is under six months.
About diarrhoea in children
Diarrhoea is the passage of loose or watery stools three or more times in a day. In children it is most often caused by viruses such as rotavirus, but also by bacteria such as E. coli, Shigella and Salmonella, and by parasites such as Giardia. It spreads through contaminated food and water, unwashed hands and dirty surfaces, which is why it is common in the monsoon. Rotavirus vaccination has reduced severe diarrhoea in infants.
The real danger of diarrhoea is the loss of water and salts, which can make a child dehydrated within hours, especially a baby. Most deaths from diarrhoea are due to dehydration, which is preventable. The cornerstone of treatment is oral rehydration solution (ORS), continued feeding, and zinc supplementation. Medicines to stop diarrhoea are not advised in children.
Persistent diarrhoea for more than 14 days, diarrhoea with blood, and diarrhoea with a high fever need a doctor’s assessment and tests. Diarrhoea can also be the first sign of lactose intolerance, food allergy, coeliac disease, or a reaction to antibiotics.
Common symptoms of diarrhoea in children
Symptoms vary from person to person. Common ones include:
- Loose or watery stools, three or more times in a day
- Vomiting, fever, stomach cramps and loss of appetite
- Thirst, a dry mouth and fewer wet nappies or less urine than usual
- Irritability, tiredness and weakness
- In dehydration: sunken eyes, no tears when crying, a sunken soft spot in infants, dry lips and skin that stays pinched when gently squeezed
- In severe dehydration: drowsiness, floppiness, cold hands and feet, and very little urine
Causes and risk factors of diarrhoea in children
There is rarely a single cause. Factors that may contribute include:
- Viral infection, especially rotavirus and norovirus
- Bacterial infection from contaminated food or water, such as E. coli, Salmonella and Shigella
- Parasites such as Giardia and amoebae
- Unwashed hands, flies, unsafe water, stale food and unclean bottles
- Antibiotics, food intolerance, food allergy and overfeeding
- Teething and weaning, which are often blamed but not proven causes
- Not being vaccinated against rotavirus
When to see a doctor
Most diarrhoea can be managed at home with ORS and feeding. Take your child to a doctor or hospital urgently if there is:
- Blood or mucus in the stool, or black stools
- Signs of dehydration: sunken eyes, no tears, a dry mouth, very few wet nappies, drowsiness or excessive thirst
- Vomiting that prevents your child from keeping down fluids, or green vomit
- A high fever, or a baby under six months with diarrhoea
- Severe abdominal pain, a swollen belly, or a child who looks very ill
- Diarrhoea lasting more than a few days, or more than 14 days, or in a child with malnutrition or other illness
Wondering which of these medicines is right for you?
Every person with diarrhoea in children is different, and so is the medicine that works best for them. To discover the best-suited homeopathic medicines for diarrhoea in children for you, consult our experts. They will study your symptoms, your past treatment history and your personality, and then find the homeopathy medicines that suit you best.
Call +91 8080 850 950 for a 1:1 personal consultation with our experts today.
Homeopathic medicines for diarrhoea in children
The medicines below are commonly considered in homeopathy for diarrhoea in children, with the symptom picture traditionally associated with each. They are listed for general information, not as a prescription.
(1) Arsenicum album: Watery, burning, offensive diarrhoea with great weakness, restlessness, anxiety and thirst for small sips of water, after stale food or at night.
(2) Podophyllum peltatum: Profuse, gushing, offensive, watery diarrhoea that is worse in the early morning and after eating or drinking, with gurgling in the abdomen and teething.
(3) Chamomilla: Green, hot, watery, offensive stool like chopped spinach, in an irritable child who wants to be carried, with colic during teething.
(4) Aloe socotrina: Diarrhoea with a lot of wind and a sense of insecurity of the rectum, with the stool passing involuntarily with flatus and urgency after eating or drinking.
(5) Veratrum album: Profuse watery diarrhoea with violent vomiting, cold sweat, collapse and great thirst for cold water; considered with caution because it can indicate dehydration needing urgent care.
(6) Mercurius solubilis: Slimy, bloody, green stools with straining and a feeling of never finishing, worse at night, with profuse sweat and salivation.
(7) China officinalis: Painless, watery, undigested diarrhoea after fruit or in hot weather, with weakness and bloating, worse at night and after eating.
(8) Calcarea carbonica: Chalky, sour-smelling diarrhoea in chubby, chilly children who sweat on the head, are slow to teethe and tire easily.
(9) Sulphur: Early morning urgent diarrhoea that drives the child out of bed, with burning of the anus and a tendency to skin eruptions.
(10) Pulsatilla nigricans: Changeable, mucousy diarrhoea after fatty food or ice-cream, in tearful, clingy, thirstless children, worse at night.
Homeopathic treatment of diarrhoea in children at Welling Homeopathy
These are only basic indications – many more homeopathic medicines are used for diarrhoea in children, and the right one is chosen after detailed case-taking by an experienced doctor.
Homeopathy is offered as supportive care. Reliable scientific evidence that homeopathic medicines treat diarrhoea in children is limited, and ORS, zinc and continued feeding remain the essential treatment. Never give homeopathic medicines in place of ORS, and take a child with warning signs to a doctor without delay.
To find out about our care for this condition, see homeopathic care for children, contact a Welling clinic or call +91 80 80 850 950 for a consultation in person or online.
Self-care and lifestyle tips
These measures support general health and may ease symptoms, but they do not replace treatment when it is needed.
- Give ORS after every loose stool: about 50 to 100 ml for children under two and 100 to 200 ml for older children, in small, frequent sips; make it up exactly as the packet directs.
- Continue breastfeeding and usual feeds, and give soft foods such as rice, banana, curd, dal water and khichdi once the child can eat.
- Give zinc for 10 to 14 days as advised by your doctor, even after the diarrhoea stops.
- Avoid fruit juices, fizzy drinks, very sugary drinks and commercially bought anti-diarrhoea medicines.
- Wash hands with soap after nappy changes and toilet use and before preparing or giving food.
- Boil or filter drinking water, keep food covered and avoid street food and stale food.
- Keep your child at home until the diarrhoea settles, and watch urine output and alertness closely.
Frequently asked questions about diarrhoea in children
1. How can I tell if my child is dehydrated?
Look for a dry mouth, no tears when crying, sunken eyes or soft spot, fewer wet nappies or very little urine, unusual sleepiness or irritability. Take your child to a doctor at once if you see these signs.
2. How much ORS should I give?
After every loose stool, give about 50 to 100 ml to children under two and 100 to 200 ml to older children, in small, frequent sips. Follow the packet and your doctor’s advice.
3. Should I stop feeding my child with diarrhoea?
No. Continue breastfeeding and normal feeds, and offer soft, easily digested foods. Feeding helps the gut recover.
4. Does my child need antibiotics?
Usually not, because most diarrhoea is viral. Antibiotics are used for dysentery with blood or specific infections, and only on a doctor’s prescription.
5. Can homeopathy treat diarrhoea in children?
Homeopathic medicines are used as supportive care, but reliable scientific evidence is limited. ORS, zinc and a doctor’s review for warning signs are the priority.
6. Why is zinc given for diarrhoea?
Zinc shortens the illness and reduces the chance of another episode over the next two to three months. The WHO recommends it for 10 to 14 days.
7. How can I prevent diarrhoea in my child?
Hand-washing with soap, safe drinking water, hygienic food preparation, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and the rotavirus vaccine all help.
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To consult Welling Homeopathy experts, call +91 80 80 850 950.
Disclaimer: this page is for information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Results vary from person to person.
