whole world Diarrhea is a major cause of death among children and the elderly. According to a study recently published in “Lancet”, diarrhea has for several decades been the leading cause of death among children under 5 and the elderly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
According to this study published in ‘Lancet’, 12 million people died due to diarrhea in 2021. However, these figures are lower than the 29 lakh deaths due to this disease in 1990. This means that there has been a 60% reduction in cases of death during these years. Despite this, the World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned about these figures.
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, every year in India, more than 1 lakh 58 thousand children aged 1 to 6 years die due to diarrhea.
That’s why today in “Sehatnama” we will talk about diarrhea. You will also learn that-
What do national and international statistics say about diarrhea? Why is it so dangerous for young children? Why does this happen and what are the preventive measures?
Diarrhea is the third leading cause of death in children According to the World Health Organization, diarrhea is the third leading cause of death in children under 5 years old. It causes the death of around 4 lakh 44 thousand children every year worldwide. The mortality rate from diarrhea in children under 5 years old can be as high as 9%.
This number of deaths from diarrhea is concerning because there is both treatment and prevention for this disease. See all the numbers related to this in the chart:
Children are at greater risk due to low immunity, Dr Pradeep Aggarwal, consultant pediatrician and neonatologist, says diarrhea can happen to anyone. However, the immunity of young children and the elderly is low. They are therefore at greater risk of infection. Additionally, diarrhea caused by rotavirus often proves fatal for children.
Why does diarrhea appear? Most people suffer from diarrhea caused by viruses. People call it a stomach flu or a stomach bug. It infects the intestines and causes stomach upset. Although diarrhea can occur for many reasons.
Due to infection: An infection caused by a virus, bacteria or parasite can cause diarrhea. Norovirus is usually the cause in older people. In young children, it is mainly caused by rotavirus.
Causes of Food Poisoning: Toxins and pathogens can enter our stomach through contaminated food or drinks. These can reach the intestine and cause diarrhea. In young children, cases of food poisoning are also common.
Because of medications: Sometimes certain medications can cause diarrhea. Consuming too many antibiotics kills healthy bacteria in our stomach. This creates dysbiosis and can cause stomach upset.
Due to intolerance: Some people may get diarrhea after eating certain things. If someone is lactose intolerant, eating milk products can hurt their stomach. This happens because their bodies have to work very hard to digest lactose, which is the sweetness found in any dairy product. This worsens digestion.
Causes of diseases: In certain diseases, inflammation of the intestines can cause diarrhea. Stomach upset can occur in conditions like irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease.
What are its symptoms? Its most common symptom is the passing of liquid stools. During this time, stomach cramps and cramps may occur. Sometimes vomiting may also occur.
If severe diarrhea occurs, it can be life-threatening, so seek medical attention immediately. See its symptoms in the graph:
Some common questions and answers related to diarrhea
Question: What complications can arise from diarrhea? Answer: The biggest complication of diarrhea is dehydration. Children under 5 and people over 65 are most at risk. Dehydration, if left unchecked, can lead to kidney failure, heart attack or death.
Question: What is the treatment for diarrhea? Answer: Diarrhea in adults is usually cured at home. However, during this period, they must ensure their hydration.
In the case of children and the elderly, do not try to treat them at home as it is difficult for them to recover from dehydration. If diarrhea occurs, take them to the hospital or doctor immediately.
Question: What is the treatment for dehydration? Answer: In case of dehydration, drinking water alone is not enough. Therefore, doctors may advise drinking ORS solution for this purpose. In cases of severe dehydration, an intravenous infusion may be necessary.
Question: What are the things that need to be taken care of before or after treatment? Answer: Diarrhea causes swelling of the intestines. Therefore, only a light diet should be taken during and for some time after the treatment.
If diarrhea occurs, it is important to stay hydrated throughout treatment. Due to diarrhea, the body becomes so weak that maximum rest is required to recover.
During this period, we should increase our fluid intake. Drinking vegetable soups prepared from seasonal vegetables proves beneficial. Pedialyte and other liquids can be consumed with very sugary or fatty foods and sweetened juices. Increasing sugar consumption can worsen the problem of diarrhea. During this period one should not eat BRAT diet i.e. bananas, rice, apple chutney, toast etc.
Question: What are the measures to prevent diarrhea? Answer: To avoid diarrhea, it is very important to maintain cleanliness. For this-
Continue to wash your hands frequently. Avoid eating street food. Keep food well covered. Do not eat stale or old foods. If you go out, drink only clean water. Do not drink fruit juices available on the side of the road. them with hot water.
…………………. from Sehatnama Sehatnama – Does itchy ears mean low estrogen? : What is this hormone, 13 signs of deficiency
Did you know that excessive itching in the ears can also be a sign of hormonal fluctuations? Especially if there is itching in the inner part of the ear, then this may be a signal from the body that the estrogen level has decreased. …