How to Treat Children's Diarrhea in the Wilderness

Diarrhea drains your body of precious water and nutrients. When you're in the wilderness, the danger is multiplied by remoteness from medical facilities.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Oral Rehydration Solution
• Wilderness First Aid Classes
• First Aid Kits

1. Look for the following signs and symptoms: frequent watery bowel movements, cramps in the abdomen, headache, nausea, vomiting.

2. Rehydrate the sick child with oral rehydration solution (ORS).

3. Encourage the child to eat the following foods: bananas, applesauce, cereal. Older children should eat bland, starchy foods such as dry crackers, plain oatmeal or plain bread.

4. Avoid the following foods and drinks: dairy products, fats, alcohol, caffeine.

5. Don't use salt tablets for treatment of diarrhea or dehydration in children.

Tips & Warnings

• Diarrhea is defined as a bowel movement that conforms to the shape of the vessel in which it's contained. This distinguishes diarrhea from a mere "soft stool."
• If you don't have commercial ORS, use a sports drink or improvise by dissolving 1 teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of salt into 1 liter of water.
• Unless diarrhea is of the more serious kind and evacuation is days away, avoid administering anti-motility medications such as loperamide that stop up the gastrointestinal tract.
• Children get dehydrated faster than adults: monitor them closely for dehydration and treat it aggressively.
• Blood or mucous in the stool, as well as fever, are signs of a more severe form of diarrhea. Evacuate immediately.
• Dehydration is the primary danger with diarrhea. Make sure you are giving enough fluids that the sick child's urine is clear and copious, rather than yellow or orange.
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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