Loose motions in children can be dangerous because even a few loose motions can cause severe dehydration. This is because a child may lose as much water and electrolytes as an adult during an episode of diarrhea, since the length and surface area of the intestine from which fluid and electrolytes are lost are as large as in adults.
This is why you must reach out to your doctor in case of loose motions in kids.
However, even as you worry about curing the loose motions and preventing dehydration – you must at all times focus on the food and home remedies to cure loose motions in babies.
The foods that you offer during loose motions are crucial because they double up as home remedies for loose motion while also preventing undernutrition or malnutrition in your child.
Causes of Loose Motion in Babies
Loose motions that start suddenly and last for a few days are caused by infections
Infection
Children get infections that cause loose motions when hygenic conditions are not maintained while preparing and serving the food.
Infections that lead to loose motions in babies are caused by
- Viruses like Rotavirus
- Many bacteria like E.coli and other species
- In about 5% cases loose motions in kids are caused by a parasite E.histolytica
Due to Antibiotics
Sometimes loose motions may be due to the antibiotics that are given to treat other infections. Loose motions in this case are due to the loss of good bacteria from the gut as a result of antibiotic therapy
When loose motions in children are low grade and persist for many days they may be due to
- Food allergies – like allergy to milk or eggs
- Other serious diseases – celiac disease, IBD etc.
- High sugar diet
Best Home Remedies for Loose Lotion in Babies
The most effective home remedies for loose motions in babies who are older than 6 months and have been weaned to solids are the ones given below
#1. ORS as Home Remedy For Loose Motion in babies
ORS or Oral Rehydration Solution is the core of treatment of loose motions.
ORS is available in medical stores as powder in a sachet which can be dissolved in the quantity of water mentioned on the sachet and then given to the child with loose motions.
ORS is also now available in TetraPak packaging which can be directly consumed. ORS available in medical stores has several different substances in it but is essentially a mix of salt and sugar.
You can make ORS at home by dissolving 40g of sugar and 4g of salt in 1 liter of boiled and cooled water.
How to use ORS during loose motions in a baby
- If you are making ORS at home ensure that you follow the instructions on the sachet or use the composition of sugar and salt mentioned above
- Make sure your hands are clean
- Use boiled cooled water that is stored in a covered container
- It is best to give a child with loose motions ORS with a spoon in very small amounts. Gulping ORS may cause vomiting or more loose stools
- Make sure you give your child lots of water and breastmilk in addition to ORS. For every two parts of ORS that you give a child with loose motions – make sure you give one part of water or one breastfeed.
- Glucose water without salt is not ORS and must not be given to children with loose motions.
- Do not give ORS to your baby if they are vomiting as this may make the vomiting worse. Go to the doctor immediately
- Please check with your doctor before giving ORS to a baby less than 6 months of age as excess sodium can cause complications in very small babies.
#2. Banana to Cure Loose Motion in Babies
Banana is a natural unrefined food with simple sugars and the same minerals that your baby is losing in loose motions.
Banana is good both in ripe and raw form as a home remedy for loose motions in babies who are more than 6 months old
How to use banana
- Mash a ripe banana with a fork and mix it with a little bit of milk
- Alternatively mash a ripe banana and mix it with curd
- If you are using raw banana – boil it and mash it and turn it into small tikkis with a little bit of salt and fry both sides in ghee.
#3. Rice as Home Remedy
Rice is a wonderful home remedy for loose motions for babies who are more than 6 months in age.
Rice is a complex carbohydrate and a probiotic. It also has amino acids, vitamins and minerals and can nourish the child while curing the loose motions. It is also easy to digest.
How to use Rice in a child with loose motions
- You can take rice water dilute it with boiled cooled water and a little bit of salt. This can be given to babies over 6 months of age in place of ORS.
- You can also boil rice in milk and mix it with sugar and offer that to your baby.
- You can also mash rice with curd and sugar and give that to your baby
- For an older kid with loose motions, you can make khichdi using moong dal with a little bit of salt and ghee
Check out – Food for toodles during fever
Home Remedies for Loose Motion for 2 Year Old Baby
Home remedies for loose motions in a 2 year old baby must be tasty and easy to eat in addition to being curative and nourishing.
The foods listed below are the best home remedies for loose motion for a 2 year old baby.
#4. Potato as Home Remedy for Loose Motions in Kids
Potato is a wonderful natural, unrefined, complex carbohydrate that is loaded with vitamins and minerals.
It is one of the most easily digestible foods that you can give when you are faced with loose motion in babies.
How to use potato
- Boil the potato nicely. Mash it with a fork and add a little bit of salt and ghee
- You can also mix the boiled mashed potato with boiled moong dal ghee and salt
- Boiled mashed potato can also be given mixed with rice, ghee and salt during loose motions in babies.
#5. Puffed Rice
Puffed rice has all the nutrition that boiled rice offers – and in addition it is crunchy and fun to eat as a snack during loose motions in kids.
Because loose motions cause a complete loss of appetite – children may refuse to eat what you are feeding them.
They may however be OK with eating something snacky by themselves. And puffed rice in addition to being one of the home remedies for loose motions in babies – can also double up as a tasty snack that your child may be willing to eat
How to use puffed rice
- You can allow your child to munch on puffed rice that is salted. You can add some flavour to it and make it more appetizing by adding a tiny dash of mustard oil or a few drops of oil from any pickle.
- Puffed rice can also be added to milk like corn flakes
- A little puffed rice can also add crunch to a bowl of curd and make it more interesting to eat
#6. Use Curd to Cure Loose Motions in Baby
Curd is a probiotic and full of good bacteria that help the intestines to eliminate the germs causing loose motions and recover quickly.
Curd is a good source of easy to digest whey protein and may sometimes be tolerated by kids who are not able to digest milk.
How to use curd
- Curd can be eaten with over cooked rice
- You can give your baby curd mixed with banana
- You can also turn curd into buttermilk by diluting it water and beating it up with curd. This is called Lassi or Chaas in various parts of India.
#7. Tender Coconut water
Coconut is a natural fruit juice that is rich in the same minerals that are lost during loose motions in babies.
The advantage in drinking tender coconut water over any other fruit juice is that it has almost the same composition as ORS. And because of that it rehydrates the body unlike other juices that dehydrate the body.
In addition tender coconut water is sterile and can be given to your baby without you touching it in any way. So it is 100% germ free
How to use Tender coconut water
- Tender coconut water can be poured out of the coconut shell and given to your baby with a spoon in the mouth
- Older children can drink tender coconut water in small sips.
#8. Sago
Sago is good source of starchy carbohydrate. However, it is not very rich in proteins and good fats.
Since it is easy to digest – it is used in babies with loose motions.
How to use sago
- Boil sago in water for a long time. Drain the water and give it during loose motions in babies
- Boil sago in milk and give it to your baby when they are suffering from loose motions.
#9. Egg White
Egg white is a wonderfully nutritious protein and is easy to digest. It is a very valuable source of protein during loose motions in kids when they are unable to tolerate milk as a source of nutrition.
How to use egg white
- Boil an egg for 10 minutes until it is hard boiled and take the white portion of the egg and mash it with a fork. Then mix it with mashed boiled rice and a drop of ghee
- Take the egg white after boiling the egg and give with a piece of toast and some butter
#10. Chicken puree
The protein in chicken is easy to digest and is again very valuable as a source of protein during loose motions in children who are not able to tolerate milk.
If you are non-vegetarian you can consider boiled and pureed chicken from which the bones have been carefully removed
How to use chicken puree
- Remove bones and boil the chicken. Then put the boiled chicken into the blender or mixie and turn it into puree. Mix this with overcooked rice and mash the mixture well
- Mix the chicken puree with egg white from a boiled egg and overcooked rice and mash well before feeding your baby.
You would also like to read – How to plan a balanced diet for your child
Home Remedy for Loose Motion for 2 Month Old Baby
#11. Breastmilk
For babies less than 6 months of age – the best treatment for loose motions is breastmilk.
Loose motions in babies below 6 months are seen mostly in babies who are not exclusively breastfed. That means babies under 6 months of age who are given water, formula milk or other food in addition to or in place of breastmilk.
Exclusively breastfed babies are unlikely to have loose motions. However, it is normal for exclusively breastfed babies to have several mushy motions in a day. These should not be considered loose motions.
If you are not breastfeeding your baby who is less than 6 months of age – start breastfeeding immediately.
If your baby is older than 6 months and you are still breastfeeding – continue breastfeeding. Breastmilk is sterile and loaded with nutrients and immune substances and will cure loose motions in children rapidly.
Breastmilk must be continued even if your baby is on treatment with ORS or any other medicine.
Conclusion
In babies and young children the main reason for loose motions is Rotavirus infection.
Since this is a viral infection there is no point in giving antibiotics. And doctors mainly focus on ensuring that the child does not get dehydrated due to the loss of water and electrolytes from the body.
In addition they try to ensure that the child is fed nutritious food that is easy to digest so that the child does not lose nutrients and become malnourished due to loose motions.
Both dehydration and malnutrition can be prevented by you at home by using the above home remedies.
If you think your baby has loose motions – start the above home remedies based on the age of the baby and simultaneously be vigilant and reach out to your doctor for an expert assessment, diagnosis and treatment.
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