EARLY REFEEDING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE DIARRHEA IN INFANTS OF 0-1-YEAR OF AGE

We compared early versus late re-feeding in the management of acute di arrhoea in the first year of life. In the study group (73 patients) br east feeding was resumed or early re-feeding was performed in nonbreas t-fed infants, so that the feeding regimen used prior to the onset of the disease was reached within 2-3 days. In the control group (49 pati ents) late re-feeding was performed so that the infants returned to th eir original feeding pattern after 4-6 days. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the number of stools and stool output per day, or in the duration of the disease. No weight gain or l oss during the diet was noted more frequently in the late re-feeding g roup (67.2% versus 23.4%). This study confirms the favourable effect o n body weight of early re-feeding in the manage ment of acute diarrhoe a.