What’s more painful than watching your child writhing in bed and making those non-stop trips to the bathroom in a span of just a few hours or minutes, shrieking out, “MAA!”?
Loose motions or diarrhea can be extremely draining (of course, pun intended!) not just for your kid, but also for a mom who is often frustrated and wondering if she could try any sensible home remedies for loose motions before taking him/her to the doctor.
As parents, we’ve all been there. Haven’t we?
Well, as a child, I did not have frequent loose motions, unlike my peers, except during the visits to my native for summer vacations. So, my mum didn’t bother much (beyond carrying a few packets of ORS along with her for me). But now as a mom to a little 5-year-old girl, I’ve amassed a few sure-fire home remedies for loose motions in children from my Mother-In-Law (MIL). And here’s what has worked for my kid…
1. Lemon-Ginger Juice:
This is an instant wonder!
Having lemon-ginger juice when a stomach upset triggers loose motions can be a huge relief! Squeezed ginger juice aids digestion, decreases food stagnation and strengthens the tummy. On adding lemon juice to it, the bowel movement adjusts itself immediately.
How to make it?
Crush about half an inch of peeled and washed ginger in a mortar and pestle with a few drops of filtered water. Keep crushing till a chalky color starts releasing. Add the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt. Mix well and stir while adding warm water.
What’s all about it?
Lemon juice is anti-inflammatory and can also help replenish lost nutrients by rehydrating the body immediately. While lemon juice does its bit, ginger has strong antibacterial properties that can potentially kill the germs in the ruffled digestive system. It’s also said to relieve the stressed intestine muscles during diarrhea.
2. Curd Rice:
Curd Rice is one of the simplest meal recipes one can even think of. Curd (Yogurt) is all about probiotics, which essentially maintains our gut health. And for kids with the relatively more sensitive digestive system, having curd rice as a daily (one-time) meal while having loose motions (or even otherwise) can work very well.
How to make it?
Mix cooked rice with enough curd to render a batter-like consistency. Temper this with mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and add salt. You can also add pomegranate seeds to curd rice to enhance the already delicious taste further.
What’s all about it?
It not only makes up for the lost appetite and lowered digestive capacity, which is common during loose motions, but the probiotic quality of yogurt helps in strengthening the weakened digestive system. It is, in fact, a wholesome meal when compared with the customized meals we try and feed our children when they are down with diarrhea.
3. Pomegranate:
According to several research studies, pomegranate is a well-known traditional remedy used to treat diarrhea, loose motions, and other stomach problems… Which is why it’s a go-to topping with curd rice mentioned above.
How to make it?
You can either encourage your kid to consume pomegranate seeds or mix the paste of its inner pulp made with water and serve it as a drink to him/her.
What’s about it?
All of it acts like a wonderful astringent and helps to rehydrate the body whose digestion has been disarrayed.
4. Cumin Water:
Here’s another soothing & mild drink that can be really useful in settling gassy loose motions due to severe indigestion, especially as a result of eating spicy or oily junk food outside.
How to make it?
You can either crush a teaspoon of cumin seeds into a coarse powder or have cumin seeds ground into a fine powder and stored beforehand. In both the former and latter case, all you have to do is boil this powder in drinking water and strain the drink to consume after cooling.
What’s about it?
Not only is the taste of this natural ORS very mild but is equally effective in eliminating flatulence accompanying diarrhea, thus steadily relieving the disconcerting state of children’s appetite and digestion.
5. Tender Coconut Water:
By-the-way, what’s as unbeatable as our very own coconut water (Naariyal Paani) when it comes to home remedies for loose motions?
We’ve all had tender coconut water during times of holiday tummy, haven’t we? Naariyal Paani is a natural electrolyte which balances and makes up for all the lost nutrients and minerals during a typical dysentery event.
An underrated yet powerful ORS that’s readily available for a few rupees has to be your No #1 natural remedy in your arsenal. For kids or not.
| Pro tip: Ragi can be given to children down with loose motions. You can prepare ragi porridge (in water) and serve at room-temperature for gradual relief.
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Disclaimer: The information presented is in no way intended as medical advice or a substitute for medical treatment. You should always consult with your pediatrician or other health care professional!
Are these remedies working well for your kids too? Or do you any equally fantastic natural solutions to treat loose motions in kids? If yes, do share with us in the comments. We’d all love to know.
About Ashvini Naik: Ashvini is a Content Writer/Manager & Social Media Influencer. A former corporate trainer, now a fitness junkie. When not writing, she’s busy concocting something healthy in her kitchen or orchestrating a free play or drama time with her 6-year-old kid, or binge-watching YouTube with her husband.
