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Many parents, especially first-time mothers, are very concerned when their 1-year-old has frequent bowel movements in a day. Because a child's bowel movements can help parents assess the child's health. Therefore, they may need to adjust the child's diet or take other measures. So, how many times should a 1-year-old go to the bathroom in a day and what should be done?
To address the issue of a 1-year-old having frequent bowel movements, the first thing we need to know is how many times a day a child should go to the bathroom.
How Often Should a Healthy 1-Year-Old Have Bowel Movements?
A 1-year-old should typically have 1-2 bowel movements per day. So, if a 1-year-old has multiple bowel movements in a day, does it indicate diarrhea? If the child has frequent bowel movements but the stool remains normal, the child is likely healthy. Diarrhea is accurately diagnosed when a child has over 3 bowel movements in a day accompanied by loose stools. Stools may be watery, sour-smelling, or contain blood. In most cases, frequent bowel movements in a day in children are caused by acute diarrhea.
Causes of Frequent Daily Bowel Movements in 1-Year-Olds
There are numerous reasons behind the occurrence of frequent daily bowel movements in 1-year-olds:
- Is Your Child Teething?
Every child goes through the phase of teething. Many children experience symptoms such as fever and diarrhea during teething. Itching gums are why children often put their hands or objects into their mouths. And this creates opportunities for various viruses, bacteria to invade, causing gastrointestinal disorders and intestinal infections in children,... If your child suddenly has frequent bowel movements, try checking if they are teething!
Some Reasons Why 1-Year-Olds Have Frequent Bowel Movements
- Child Experiencing Digestive Disorders
The body's gut microbiota consists of 85% beneficial bacteria and 15% harmful bacteria. When this balance is disrupted, harmful bacteria thrive, causing digestive disorders that result in frequent bowel movements in 1-year-olds.
1-year-olds experiencing digestive disorders may be due to consuming inappropriate foods. For example, if a child drinks formula milk, the reason could be that the child is not compatible with the milk. If a child is eating solid foods, the reason could be using unsanitary food. Some children who take antibiotics for a long time are prone to disrupting the balance of gut microbiota, leading to frequent loose stools.
- Rotavirus-induced diarrhea in children
This is a condition that affects many children and can quickly lead to death if not promptly treated. Rotavirus can cause intestinal inflammation and damage the intestinal mucosa. Children may experience symptoms such as high fever, abdominal pain, nausea, and frequent bowel movements. If you notice your child having diarrhea accompanied by these symptoms, take them to see a doctor right away!
Some other reasons why 1-year-olds have frequent bowel movements in a day include:
- Lactose intolerance
- Deficiency of digestive enzymes
- Intestinal infection
Managing frequent bowel movements in 1-year-olds
To quickly address the issue of frequent bowel movements in 1-year-olds, mothers can apply some safe methods such as:
Hydrating and providing adequate nutrition for the child
Many parents mistakenly believe that they need to limit their child's water intake and solid food consumption because they're afraid their child will have frequent bowel movements. This viewpoint is incorrect, parents!
Ensure your child drinks enough water to prevent dehydration
Parents must understand that when a child's intestines contain harmful bacterial toxins, the intestines need to increase excretion. Even if a mother doesn't give her child water, the situation of a 1-year-old having frequent bowel movements still occurs. At the same time, the part of the intestines not affected by harmful bacteria remains active in absorbing water and nutrients effectively. For these reasons, mothers should supplement their child with adequate water and nutrients so the child doesn't suffer from dehydration and malnutrition due to diarrhea.
Parents shouldn't worry too much when their child has mild diarrhea. The best approach is to ensure the child eats and drinks healthily and gets enough rest. If treated correctly, the child can recover quickly without needing medication. If your child still breastfeeds, it's advisable to provide water to the child by breastfeeding more frequently.
If a child shows signs of severe dehydration, parents can give the child boiled then cooled water or Oresol solution to help the child replenish the lost water. Prepare the Oresol solution according to the doctor's or manufacturer's recommendations. If the prepared Oresol solution has been left for more than 2 hours, it shouldn't be used.
Give your child probiotics
For reasons such as intestinal infections, digestive disorders, enzyme deficiencies,... the safest approach is to supplement probiotics. Probiotic products will provide a large amount of beneficial bacteria with benefits such as:
It's advisable to give probiotics to a 1-year-old child with diarrhea
- Reestablishing the balance of the gut microbiota, inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria.
- Enhancing digestive enzymes, improving food digestion and nutrient absorption.
- Forming a protective mucosal layer in the intestinal lining, aiding in the quick recovery of injuries.
- Helping to control diarrhea promptly.
Take your child to see a doctor
Many parents, out of excessive worry when faced with a one-year-old having frequent bowel movements in a day, have bought medication for their child's use. But this is not advisable. Instead of using medication, mothers should apply safe methods. If a child's diarrhea does not improve but worsens, with symptoms such as increased irritability, watery stools, sometimes with blood, high fever, dry lips, listlessness, and tearless crying, then mothers should immediately take the child to the hospital for examination as soon as possible. In such cases, doctors often prescribe rehydration or intravenous fluids for the child to quickly replenish the lost water in the body.
Preventing a one-year-old from having frequent bowel movements in a day
To avoid dealing with the issue of a one-year-old having frequent bowel movements in a day, it's essential to prevent illness for the child from now on. Here are some preventive measures for diarrhea in children that parents can consider:
- Caring for the child's hygiene: Mothers should regularly wash their hands for the child before eating and after using the toilet, limit the child from sucking their thumb,... To prevent diarrhea for infants, mothers with young children should wash their hands before breastfeeding, wash feeding bottles and nipples.
Always keep baby bottles clean
- Regularly clean the child's play area, especially toys, utensils, and surfaces that the child frequently touches.
- Give the baby sterilized water to drink: Boiled water cooled to room temperature, water from a water purifier.
- Choose fresh food, ensure food safety. Before cooking, pay attention to thoroughly washing vegetables, meat, kitchen utensils, and storing food in the refrigerator.
- Give the child cooked food, boiled water to avoid bacterial infections.
- Avoid overusing antibiotics. Antibiotics and any medication should only be given to the baby when prescribed by a doctor.
In summary, the condition of a one-year-old having frequent bowel movements in a day is very common. Parents should carefully observe their child's stool to determine if the child has diarrhea. If the child has diarrhea, don't worry too much, stay calm and apply the above safe methods. And for safety and peace of mind, parents can take their child to see a doctor.
You might be interested in:
>> Treating diarrhea with traditional home remedies
>> How to manage diarrhea in one-year-old toddlers
>> What should a child eat when experiencing vomiting and diarrhea?
>> Does formula milk cause lactose intolerance in babies with diarrhea?
>> What to drink to stop diarrhea quickly?
