The cold is here but the sun is in our hearts.
With all my heart, I wish you a very good year and a solid health for you and your children. By the way, let's not fool ourselves, winter is also the season of viruses, sore throats, ear infections, pharyngitis and gastro-enteritis! Of course, if these infections allow our dear little ones to develop their immunity, they could do without them and so could you.
Be aware thatin the case of gastroenteritis, diarrhoea situations are potentially dangerous for very young children because of the dehydration they can cause. So, in the event of diarrhoea: one watchword, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Children can lose up to 2 litres of water per day. You should therefore give him the equivalent of a glass of water or a 200 ml bottle of water every hour. Always keep this bottle of water within reach and offer it to him regularly. He should not lose weight and if his behaviour seems unusual (unusual agitation or sleepiness, dry nappy, sunken eyes and fontanel) consult your doctor immediately.
As far as food is concerned, continue with breast or infant milk; your doctor may advise you to choose an anti-diarrhoea infant milk that is lactose-reduced and enriched with carob flour for the time being.
As far as food is concerned, give preference to pureed carrots and rice; leave out vegetables that are difficult to digest, such as peas, cabbage or lentils for example. If you have a lot of diarrhoea, your doctor may advise you to take what are known as ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) sachets, which can be bought in pharmacies. These are a mixture of minerals (including sodium) to be diluted in the bottle water to compensate for the loss of sodium in the stools.
In short, there are two key points to remember: never underestimate the seriousness of diarrhoea in children, as there is a very rapid risk of dehydration - react very quickly by consulting your doctor and regularly offering your child milk and water so that he or she has at least 1.5 or even 2 litres of water per day.
Dr Laurence PLUMEY
Nutritionist. Paris Hospitals IDF
Professor of Nutrition
Author of numerous books for the general public