Infant feeding practice during diarrhea in a rural community in Ismailia governorate

ABSTRACT

This household study was carried-out on 133 mothers having children less than 2 years of age, in a rural area in Ismailia Governorate for evaluating mothers knowledge and practice toward infant feeding during diarrhea. The methodology to collect information combines market, nutrition and anthropological research techniques to document and understand why practices related to feeding during and following child's episode of diarrhea, do occur, in addition to the attitudes associated with those practices. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized and organized in manner to yield an understanding of the multiple causes of improper feeding practices. Structured observation was used to confirm the presence of behaviors reported verbally. The study revealed that only 30.9 percent of mothers change the pattern of infants feeding during diarrhea. The commonest types of foods used during diarrhea were vegetable soup, rice and carrots. The less common were potatoes, beans and cooked squash. The commonest fluids used during diarrhea were caraway, starch water, rice water, tea, anise and cumin, whereas mint, salt and sugar solution were less frequently used