ABSTRACT

Diarrhea is one of the major causes of infant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the United States, although it is not as frequent as it once was, diarrhea still remains a prevalent cause of morbidity among infants and children. The efficacy of dietary therapy for acute diarrhea should be considered to relate to several dietary factors, including timing to introduce feeding, the total amount of food given, food ingredient, nutrients, etc. Children who are on solid foods prior to onset of acute diarrhea should be given locally available foods with the highest amount of nutrients and calories relative to bulk, such as fish or meat and cereals. Chronic diarrhea with prolonged mucosal injury is always associated with malabsorption. The nutritional management of the child with chronic diarrhea includes specific consideration of nucleotides which play an important role in major cellular function, carnitine, vitamin and trace elements.