.Diarrhea is defined as a change in consistency and frequency
of stools, i.e. liquid or watery stools, that occur >3 times a
day.However Consistency of stool is more important than
frequency.
Or an increase in daily stool weight more than 10gm/kg/
day for children upto 3 years of age and more than 200gm in
older children,along with abnormal increase in stool
frequency & consistency.
Persistent Diarrhea:An episode of diarrhea with acute onset,
prolong duration of 14 days or longer and presumed to have an
infectious etiology.
DANGER SIGNS- Malnutrition,severe non intestinal
infection, dehydration.
Chronic Diarrhea: Diarrhea that has an Insidious onset
prolong duration of more than two weeks with an obvious
malabsorptive disorder like Kwashioskar & Marasmus disease.
DANGER SIGNS- Severe systemic infection,
dehydration,Vitamins and minerals deficiency,heart faliure.
Etiology:
Rotavirus &E coli are the main cause of diarrhea among children.
Cholera-5% _ 10% Cases of diarrhea.
A.Enteric infection:
Bacteria: Ecoli,Salmonella,Staphylococcus etc.
Viruses : Rotavirus,norwalk,influenzae virus
Parasites: Enteric histolytica,Giardia lambia,malaria
Fungi :Candida albicans
Parentral :URTI,tonsilitis,Pneumonia, UTI
B.Dietetic:Overfeeding,starvation,allergy,food poisoning
C.Drugs:Antibiotic
D.Non-specific
Pathogenesis :
The Pathogenic organism produce diarrhea by one or more
followings mechanism:
1. Adhesion to intestinal mucosal wall
2. Elaboration of exotoxin (secretory diarrhea)
3. Mucosal invasion (exudative diarrhea)
Physiological changes in Diarrhea:
1.Feeble pulse,cold extremities,Irritable or lethargy.
2.Gastrointestinal manifestation like-
loose watery stool,anorexia,vomiting,abdominal
discomfort.
3.Fluids and Electrolyte balance disturbance:
a. Hyponatremic dehydration
b. Hypernatremic dehydration
c. Hypookalemia
●60% of body fluid divided into 2 compartment ie. ECF (Extracellular fluid) and
ICF ( Intracellular fluid)
●Extracellular compartment has blood vessels,intestinal fluids & secretions.
●Diarrheal losses come from ECF, which is relatively rich in sodium and has low
potassium.
●During each diarrheal episode large amount of water & water soluble
nutrients such as electrolytes,metabolites and vitamins & minerals are lost
from the body.
●Excessive loss of water cause reduction or shrinkage in the Volume of
extracellular compartment.
Hyponatremic dehydration: ( most common)
Excessive Sodium loss during diarrhea
Relative decline of Na+ level in ECF
osmolarity of ECF fall causing movement of water from ECF to ICF
further shrinkage in already reduced ECFcompartment Volume
In hyponatremic dehydration Skin appears wrinkled like old man,On pinching it takes few
seconds to return to normal position.
Hypernatremic dehydration:
In about 5% Of diarrheal Cases ( if child has taken fluid with more amount of
salt,Na+ level may be elevated in ECF Compartment. (>150meq/I).
Then osmotic pressure in ECF is relatively higher than ICF.
fluid moves from ICF to ECF and partially mask the loss of Skin turgor.
Skin appears soggy, doughy and lethargy
Fluids move from ICF to ECF Compartment in hypernatremic dehydration thus
partially compensating the fluid depletion of ECF compartment.
Hypokalemia:
low level of K+ in case of severe malnutrition.
Diarrheal stooI contains large amount of k+ if diarrhea Persist for few days.
fall in serum k+ level develops hypokalaemia
clinical features of hypokalemia:
●Abdominal distension
●Hypotonia of abdominal muscle
●Paralytic ileus.
●ECG Shows depression of ST segment and flat T Wave.
Clinical manifestation of Acute diarrhea
Features Viral Bacterial: invasiveBacterial:
non-invasive
Stool
characteristics
Watery
Watery/ Semi-solid
(mucus but
no blood)
Frequent, Semisolid,
small in amount with
mucus and blood
Assessment of Diarrheal dehydration (as per WHO)
Parameters No Dehydration Some dehydration Severe dehydration
Condition Well alert Restless,irritable Lethargic, Unconscious
Eyes Normal Sunken Sunken
Tears Present Absent Absent
Mouth and tongue Moist Dry very dry
Thirst Normal Thirsty unable to drink
Skin turgidity Skin pinch goes back
quickly
Skin pinch goes back
slowly
Skin pinch goes back
very slowly
Treatment plan PLAN “A “ Weigh the Patient and
use PLAN"B“
Weigh the Patient and
use PLAN "C” Urgently
Treatment
Principles of management of acute diarrhea:
1.REHYDRATION THERAPY
2.ANTI-MICROBIAL THERAPY
3.SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT
4.MAINTAIN ANCE OF HYDRATION AND NUTRITION
5.MANAGEMENT OF COMPLICATION
6.ORAL SUPPLEMENTATION OF Zinc ,PRE & PRO- BIOTICS
etc.
REHYDRATION THERAPY :
Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is ideal for mild dehydration and a majority of
children with moderate dehydration.
Each motion must be followed by replacement with equal amount of ORS . Breast
feeding must not be discontinued.It Potentiates the usefulness of ORT.
Oral rehydration means drinking solution of clean water , sugar and mineral salt to
replace the water and salt from the body during diarrhea especially when
accompanied by vomiting ,gastroenteritis.
Standard formulation :
The Standard formulation recommended by WHO until recently has an
OSmolarity of 311 mmol/l
Low Osmolarity ORS:
1.WHO has done Well to introduce a lower Osmolarity ORS to cut down the risk of
hypernateremia, which earlier restricted its wide usage in neonates.
2.This formulation provides a total osmolarity of 245mmol/L compared to
Standard WHO formulation with 311 mmol/L.
3. It is supposed to lower stool output,shorten diarrheal duration and reduce
vomiting.It maybe given at all ages.
Treatment plan"A” for No dehydration:
Such children can be treated at home by advising ORS and explanation of
adequate feeding and the danger signs to the mother.
Danger signs :continuing diarrhea for more than 3 days,increased volume and
frequency of stools, repeated vomiting,increased thirst, refusal to feed,or blood in
stool.
Age
ORS or other rehydration fluid
after each loose stool.
<2 yrs
50-100ml
2-10 yrs
100-200 ml
>10 yrs
according to thirst
Treatment Plan"B” for some dehydration -
1.All cases with obvious signs of dehydration need to be treated in a health center or
hospital.
Fluid therapy for dehydration has 3 components:
1. REHYDRATION therapy/DEFICIT REPLACEMENT
It is the correction of existing water and electrolyte deficit.
Give 75ml/kg of ORS in 1st four hours
If the child Continue to have some dehydration after 1st 4 hours of rehydration therapy then
repeat another four hour treatment of ORS solution and start to give milk or breast feed
frequently followed by semi solid food.
2. REPLACEMENT of ONGOING FLUID LOSSES
This begins when sign of dehydration disappears.
ORS should be administered in volume equal to diarrheal fluid loses. Approximate 10-20ml
for each watery stool and 3-5ml for each vomiting,
3. NORMAL DAILY FLUID REQUIREMENT
Upto 2 yrs → 500 ml/day ; 2 to 10 years → 1000ml/day ; > 10 years 2000ml/day
General fluid calculation in dehydration:
fluid in dehydration has 3 components :
1.DEFICIT FLUID
quantity of deficit fluid depends on degree of dehydration.
2.On going fluid loss:
for each watery stool→ 10-20ml
for each vomiting →3-5ml
Degree of Dehydration Acute weight loss Assesment of fluid loss
mild dehydration upto 5% 50ml/kg
Moderate dehydration 5 % to 10% 100ml/kg
Severe Dehydration >10% 150ml/kg
3. MAINTAINANCE FLUID
Amount of maintainance fluid depends on weight of the child
Weight of chid fluid required
upto 10 kg → 100 ml /kg/day
10 - 20 kg → 1000 +50ml/kg/day
> 20 kg → 1500 +20 ml/ kg / day
Total fluid = deficit fluid + ongoing fluid + Maintanance fluid
= 50×10 + 2 x 10 + 100 X 10 [ for 10 kg Weight ]
= 1520 ml/day
20 ml is given in first hour → if urine is not passed → Again 20ml/kg fluid given
followed furasamide 1mg /kg if Urinary
bladder gets empty
i if urine passes
Rest fluid given in 7hour
Half of the total fluid given in first 8
hours
Rest half given in 16 hours
Treatment Plan "C” for severe dehydration
1.Parentral route is assessed to administer intravenous fluids.
2.Ringer lactatewith 5% dextrose,normal saline of ringer lactate is
administered.
3.If Parenteal route cannot be assessed and intravenous fluids cannot be
given,nasogastric feeding should be administered at 20 ml/kg/hours for 6
hours (total 120 ml/kg).
If the child is improving but still showing some signs of dehydration then
discontinue IV fluid & start treatment plan B.
Observe the child atleast for 6 hours before discharging.
Age 30ml/kg 70ml/kg Total (100
ml/kg)
less then 12months 1hour 5 hour over 6 hours
More that 12 months 30min 2.5 hr over3 hours
Antimicrobial therapy :
1.Ampicillin- 100mg/ kg/ day
2. Cotrimoxazole- 4-12mg/kg/day
3. Furazolidine- 8mg/kg/day,
4. Metronidazole
5. NorfIoxacin- 4-12mg/kg/day
Symptomatic treatment :
Ondansetron 0.1-0.2mg/kg /dose in severe of reccurrent
vomiting.
Dietary management of acute diarrhea:
1.Breastfeeding to be continued In exclusively breastfed infants.
2. Fibre rich food to be avoided for eg. coarse fruit and vegetables.
3. undiluted cow or buffalo milk can be given in non-breastfed infants,along with
semisolid food like dalia.
Zinc Supplementation:
● It reduces severity duration of diarrhea and also the risk of Persistent
diarrhea.
●10 mg of elemental Zinc /day for children < 6 month
●20mg of elemental Zinc /day for children > 6 months for 14 days