Diarrhoeal: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

About Diarrhoeal diseases

Diarrhoeal diseases, as the name suggests are diseases from the root of diarrhea, which is an illness depriving the body of water and salt, leading to extreme dehydration.

To date, diarrhoeal diseases are the second most common reason for the deaths of a large number of children under the age of five. Coming to the fundamental cause of it, diarrhoeal diseases are mainly caused by unfit drinking water as well as poor sanitation.

According to statistic reports, approximately 7,60,000 kids under the age of five die every year due to diarrhoeal diseases.

On the brighter side, this illness can both be prevented and treated. When a person gets infected by diarrhoeal diseases, their body is bereft of fluids and becomes dehydrated, since hydration is extremely vital for survival.

The individuals who die of this illness mainly suffer from dehydration with their bodies devoid of fluids and hence the body functions give up.

Diarrhoeal diseases can be specifically life-threatening in those kids who are either malnourished or have been infected with HIV, since their immunity is poorer than other kids, making them more vulnerable to the impact of diarrhoeal diseases.

The main symptom here is the passing of over three-four stools that are liquid or pasty, and diarrhea itself is a symptom of an infection.

Other signs include ample thirst, paleness of skin, fatigue, decreasing skin elasticity. While the root cause of getting it transmitted is through improper food and water, it can also be transmitted from person to person, if poor hygiene is involved.

On the other hand, there are three kinds of diarrhea- The first is Acute Watery Diarrhea, which lasts for some days or some hours, and also includes cholera.

The second is Acute Bloody Diarrhea, also known as dysentery, wherein alongside stool, there is a bloody discharge from the body. And lastly, Persistent Diarrhea, which is a more serious form of the disease and lasts for around 14 days or more.

Diarrhea can be prevented by simply adhering to proper sanitation and hygiene, hand washing before and after eating, rotavirus vaccination, as well as good knowledge over how one can prevent the infection. Coming to the treatment, diarrhoeal diseases are treated via ORS, which is Oral Rehydration Salts.

They restore the lost water and salt balance in the body. Next is zinc supplements, healthy food rich in nutrients to make up for the lost appetite, and other antibiotics suggested by health professionals.