🌿 Folk Prescriptions

With autumn approaching, the cooling weather makes pediatric autumn diarrhea a common seasonal illness. After autumn begins, especially in infants and young children (6 months to 2 years), the incidence of diarrhea starts rising. Young parents should therefore prepare carefully to prevent diarrhea in their babies.
Causes of Autumn Diarrhea
Diarrhea can occur year-round, but is most common in summer and autumn. Summer diarrhea is mostly due to bacterial gastrointestinal infections causing enteritis or dysentery. Autumn diarrhea, however, is primarily viral gastrointestinal infection, i.e., autumn diarrhea.
Internal causes: Infants’ and young children’s gastrointestinal systems are immature, with low enzyme activity, yet they have relatively high nutritional demands, placing heavy burdens on the gut. Additionally, their nervous, endocrine, circulatory systems, and liver/kidney functions, along with regulatory mechanisms, are still underdeveloped, making them prone to autumn diarrhea.
External causes: Primarily due to rotavirus infection. Pathogens enter the child’s digestive tract via contaminated food or water—common in artificially fed infants. If feeding utensils or food aren’t sterilized properly, infection is likely. Transmission may also occur through respiratory or waterborne routes. Autumn diarrhea peaks between August and December, with October and November being the highest incidence periods.
Autumn diarrhea manifests as: after viral infection, a latent period of 1–3 days. About 20%–30% of children first show upper respiratory symptoms. Onset is sudden, with most initially experiencing fever (temperature up to 38°C–40°C), runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, mild cough, sore throat, followed by severe watery diarrhea and vomiting. Nearly all patients vomit, often preceding diarrhea and lasting 2–3 days. Diarrhea lasts longer, up to 28 days. Within the first 1–2 days, watery stools appear—thin, pale, sometimes resembling white rice water or clear water, with little mucus and rarely foul odor. Severe thirst and noticeable irritability are common, usually with mild to moderate dehydration. Laboratory tests show few pus cells in stool.
Treatment and Care for Autumn Diarrhea
If a child develops autumn diarrhea, first allow the digestive tract to rest without compromising nutrition. While receiving medical treatment, temporarily withhold food for 8–12 hours, and administer oral rehydration salts (ORS, a WHO-recommended medication for pediatric diarrhea). ORS can substitute intravenous fluids. Gradually resume feeding as symptoms improve. Breastfed infants should shorten each feeding session; formula-fed infants can be given concentrated rice water mixed with milk to ensure adequate calories and nutrition. Western antibiotics are ineffective against autumn diarrhea; instead, TCM treatment is preferred.
Parents must also provide careful care. Record bowel movement frequency, volume, and daily intake, reporting to doctors promptly. Keep mouth and skin clean, change diapers promptly. After each bowel movement, rinse the buttocks with warm water to prevent diaper rash and secondary infection. For cold extremities, use a hot water bottle for warmth, but avoid burns. Ensure room ventilation. Isolate patients with respiratory infections to prevent cross-infection. During recovery, emphasize nutrition, gradually increasing easily digestible foods.
Attention to Daily Habits to Prevent Diarrhea
Experts advise young parents to take the following preventive measures:
1. Encourage breastfeeding, especially in the first few months and during the first summer-autumn season; avoid weaning during summer-autumn.
2. For artificial feeding, maintain strict dietary hygiene. Sterilize feeding utensils with boiling water before each use, ideally boiling daily.
3. Whether breastfed or formula-fed, introduce complementary foods on schedule, avoiding simultaneous introduction of multiple types.
4. Reduce milk and other foods during loss of appetite or early fever, replacing with water.
5. Avoid overeating or consuming fatty foods during summer-autumn seasons.
6. Promptly treat malnutrition, rickets, and extraintestinal infections to prevent diarrhea.
7. Infectious diarrhea (caused by bacteria or viruses) is highly contagious—strict isolation is essential.