Although diseases of the digestive system are not lethal, they can cause suffering to children and their parents. The cause of these diseases is basically down to behavior. Children have a natural tendency to be adventurous. When they find something attractive, they put it in their mouths. This habit makes them vulnerable to gastro-oral route infections through their saliva.

A gastrointestinal virus makes children experience queasiness, diarrhea, low grade fever, dehydration, vomiting green stomach bile, lack of energy, and crying. Six-month old babies tend to be particularly exposed to this virus because, at this stage of their development, they regularly put their hands or contaminated toys into their mouths. Another environment where the virus is highly contagious and effectively circulates is in schools due to children sharing toys with their class mates. For example, after a child puts a toy into his/her mouth and then passes the toy to another child, a virus may spread through the saliva. Alternatively, saliva-soaked hands touching surfaces and toys can also cause the spread of the virus. Although a gastrointestinal virus is highly contagious, it is not dangerous as it can be prevented through good hygiene habits. In general, it is recommended that parents teach their children to wash their hands frequently. However, certain cases require more severe symptoms. For instance, if a child is vomiting 2-3 times per day, they run the risk of dehydration so a visit to the doctor is recommended.

Much of the food that we do not prepare ourselves these days tends to be presented in such a way as to be attractive to children. Whether on special occasions such as the National Children’s Day or on ordinary weekends, children enjoy the new experiences of participating in a variety of outdoors activities. One of the most enjoyable parts of these adventures is the food and drink. The very hot and humid climate in a country like Thailand naturally makes people sweaty and thirsty, but parents should not just allow their children to consume whatever they wish. Bad consumption habits can harm their children’s digestive systems.

Diarrhea is caused by a pathogen in unclean food or drink which germs can penetrate into the stomach and the large intestine. Symptoms include having 3 episodes of watery stool per day or 1 mucous bloody stool. Diarrhea can be caused by a virus or bacteria.

Children infected with virus-induced diarrhea experience a low grade fever and watery stools, although with minimal loss of energy. While it is not necessary to see a doctor in such cases, it is important to keep the ill child well-hydrated in order to alleviate the symptoms. Prepare a glass of Oral rehydration solution to be hand-fed to the child every 3-4 hours. Parents are advised avoid feeding the child from a milk bottle or through a tube as the intestine does not adjust to absorb fluids well in this way. As a result, the minerals would be excreted rapidly in the stool as can be seen from the color of the stool .The symptoms of rotavirus-induced diarrhea can be identified as 8-10 episodes of watery stool which make the child dehydrated and weakness. In these cases, a visit to the doctor is recommended and the child may need to be admitted into hospital to allow the doctor to observe developments.
Bacterial Diarrhea developed from dysentery and salmonella infection are very dangerous. Noticeable symptoms of bacterial diarrhea include high grade fever, mucous bloody stool and cramping abdominal pain. Children with bacterial diarrhea need to take antibiotics and should visit a doctor immediately.

To cure digestive tract infection in children, physicians provide symptomatic treatment. However, the most effective way to handle digestive tract is prevention. It has been found that school children have a high propensity to experience digestive tract infection, they spend a great deal of time engaged in communal activities and sharing objects together. Each child should have his or her own water bottle, and teachers should encourage children to wash their hands and shared objects frequently. These simple steps would cultivate good hygiene habits in children and keep them safe from many avoidable diseases.

Finally, I would like to share some advice for children and parents planning outdoors activities that involve food. “Food stand operators tend to decorate their products to attract buyers, so we should take the benefits, safety, and economy of the food into careful consideration. We should also be sure that we consume all 5 groups of food. (carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin, mineral) When failing to do so in one meal, we should make up for any shortfall in the next meal. Furthermore, we should select food with natural coloring, dine in restaurants free of flies, and avoid food created obviously to attract attention, such as giant meat balls and red velvet crushed ice (a type of cold dessert that is made from crushed ice and decorated with red syrup). These items may contain harmful substances to which some children may be allergic. I would advise that parents prepare simple food, such as fried egg sandwiches as we should always select the best ingredients and food for our children. By preparing our own food, we enjoy more beneficial, safe and economic meals. Additionally, always keep your children’s fingernails clipped and have them wash their hands before meals. To help rehydrate your children when necessary, always keep some oral rehydration solution at hand.

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Digestive Tract Infection In Children

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Patcharin Amornvipas, M.D.