Allergic enteritis is a common issue in infants under one year old, manifesting as either acute or chronic diarrhea.Acute diarrhea commonly occurs during the introduction of solid foods or formula changes. It is often triggered by insufficient breast milk or the introduction of infant formula when mothers work and cannot breastfeed during the day. The most common solid foods introduced are strawberries, tomatoes, mangoes, kiwis, pumpkins, cantaloupes, and honeydew melons.Chronic diarrhea persists after dietary adjustments for acute cases, characterized by frequent bowel movements with loose or watery stools. Children with allergic enteritis may exhibit certain reactions. First, itching: - Eye itching: rubbing eyes, tearing in wind - Nose itching: rubbing nose - Ear itching: scratching or pulling ears - Scalp itching: scratching head, rubbing head against parents.Second, crying. Crying is the most common issue. If an infant also has colic, they typically cry at regular intervals, more than three times a week, each episode lasting 2-3 hours. Acute diarrhea may sometimes involve mucus-containing bloody stools. Stool tests reveal large numbers of white blood cells and red blood cells. This is often misdiagnosed as bacterial dysentery and treated with antibiotics.Nationwide, hundreds of people are misdiagnosed daily, receiving various antibiotics or even intravenous treatments. The earlier antibiotics are administered to children, the higher their risk of developing allergic diseases and other related conditions. How to distinguish dysentery from allergic colitis: 1. Dysentery always involves a contagious source, such as an adult's diarrhea infecting a child.Infants have a very limited diet, primarily breast milk or formula, making transmission of dysentery highly unlikely. Triggers for allergic enteritis include introducing solid foods or changing milk products. 2. Dysentery is an infectious disease. Severe infection of the intestinal mucosa causes symptoms like fever or elevated white blood cell counts. Allergic enteritis, being an allergic condition, typically presents with elevated eosinophils.
3. Dysentery is caused by Shigella infection. Cultures will show Shigella growth, and stool smears reveal the bacteria, whereas allergic enteritis does not.
4. Dysentery involves persistent inflammation, causing children to feel like they can't stop having bowel movements and leading to significant crying and fussiness.Children with allergic enteritis primarily experience diarrhea after eating, cry before defecation, and feel relieved afterward, rarely exhibiting persistent crying.
5. As a bacterial infection, dysentery responds well to antibiotics. Allergic enteritis, being an allergic condition, typically improves significantly within 3 days after switching to a hypoallergenic formula.