Indeed, diarrhea is a form of digestive tract disorder that can be a nightmare for sufferers! Generally, diarrhea occurs due to an infection in the digestive tract; In most cases, people with diarrhea will be advised to rest at home to speed up the recovery process. However, if you can't stay home for long and have to go to school, try reading this article to find out how to treat diarrhea symptoms, take preventative measures, and have a better day at school!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Spending the Day at School
Step 1. Go to the bathroom during your break
Even if you feel you don't need to, still force yourself to go to the bathroom whenever possible (such as during breaks and class changes). Make sure your illness doesn't accumulate and recur at unwanted times! Spend as much time as possible in the bathroom. If you are forced to be late for class, explain the reason for your lateness to your teacher as honestly and clearly as possible.
- Tell the reason for your lateness to your class teacher. If you feel embarrassed, you can ask your teacher to talk outside the classroom. Remember, every teacher is there to help his students; By stating the reason for your delay, your teacher will know what to do to prevent an uncomfortable situation from occurring for you. For example, you could say, “Sir, can we talk outside for a moment? I have something important to say." After arriving outside the classroom, you can say, "Sorry sir, to be honest my stomach is really hurting today, so I might need to go to the bathroom several times during class."
- Prioritize your health. If you have trouble communicating with your teacher, or if you are not receiving the necessary help from those around you, don't hesitate to put your health first and take the initiative to take the necessary remedial action. Even though you need to maintain calm in the school environment, at least keep your health first in times of emergency.
Step 2. Sit by the door
If you have to go to the bathroom regularly, try sharing your condition with your teacher and asking permission to sit near the exit. That way, you can more easily get out of class without disturbing the concentration of your classmates and teachers.
- If necessary, ask permission to sit on the floor of the classroom. If someone asks, you can answer, "Today my back hurts a lot and it hurts even more when I sit on a chair."
- Don't attract other people's attention when you have to leave class. Stand up, open the door slowly, and leave the room in silence.
- Go to the bathroom during your break, even if you don't feel like having a bowel movement. This preventive method is effective in reducing your urge to go to the bathroom in the middle of a lesson.
Step 3. Wear protective underwear
If you have severe diarrhea, try wearing disposable underwear designed specifically for people with digestive disorders. If you have to drag in your pants, at least this type of underwear can protect you and prevent the smell from escaping in all directions. By wearing it, your mind will definitely be calmer; As a result, your digestive condition will definitely improve gradually.
You can also wear shorts with foam padding, disposable underwear, or diaper-like underwear. Choose underwear that you like the most, as well as comfortable and easy to wear
Step 4. Bring a change of clothes to school
Before leaving for school, prepare underwear and extra clothes just in case. Doing so is also effective in relieving your anxiety during the lesson. If your diarrhea recurs at school, try asking the UKS staff for spare clothes or contacting your parents so they can bring a clean change of clothes to your school.
- Cover your bottom with a book or T-shirt until you can go to the bathroom or the ICU to change.
- If possible, bring similar clothes. For example, if that day you are allowed to wear jeans to school, try bringing extra jeans of a similar style. If a friend of yours asks a question, give an answer like, "Oh, I ate so much lunch that my jinns were tight."
- You can also admit that you want to change your dress style.
Step 5. Believe in yourself
A person with diarrhea is very susceptible to embarrassment, especially if the disorder occurs in a public place such as a school. However, always remember that defecation is normal; In addition, everyone must have experienced diarrhea during his life. Understanding these facts can calm you down and make you more confident.
Go to the bathroom without feeling embarrassed. Remember, resisting the urge to defecate will only make your illness worse. If you're really embarrassed, get out of the bathroom when no one else is outside
Step 6. Wash your hands
After every bowel movement, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly to prevent you from transmitting the disease to others.
- Rinse your hands with warm water and soap your hands for at least 20 seconds (roughly as long as two “Happy Birthday” songs). After that, rinse your hands again until there is no soap left.
- Use a hand sanitizer that contains 60% alcohol or more if soap and water are not available. Apply rubbing alcohol all over your hands and rub for 20 seconds too.
Part 2 of 3: Taking Precautions
Step 1. Stay calm
If you feel panicked or anxious, your body will receive an emergency response to stretch bowel control. Therefore, try to calm yourself and change your perspective of the situation so that your mind and intestines remain calm.
- Avoid thoughts like “what if I can't go to the toilet” and “this situation sucks.” Instead, assume the situation is very rare and you've never experienced it before; Also understand that if your mind is calm, your intestines will also be calm.
- Do deep breathing exercises to calm your body, mind and intestines. Inhale deeply and exhale in a matter of 4-5 seconds.
Step 2. Don't bend your stomach or tense your muscles
It's natural for you to be tempted to strain the muscles in the anal area when you have diarrhea. Unfortunately, this action has the potential to make your muscles more tired, weak, sore, and even cramped. As much as possible, don't bend your stomach or strain your muscles!
Step 3. Meet the UKS staff
If diarrhea strikes you at school, one of the things you can do is convey your condition to the UKS staff. Trust me, the UKS staff can definitely help you get through the day more comfortably.
- Be honest with the UKS staff and there is no need to be afraid or embarrassed. Your school's UKS staff must have seen many similar cases! If you're having trouble saying, "I have diarrhea," try using alternative words like, "My stomach hurts so bad and I can't stop pooping." By hearing this, the UKS staff will immediately recognize your illness.
- Ask the UKS staff for help to ask your teacher for permission, provide a bed to lie down, or just give diarrhea medicine. Most likely, the UKS staff will also have clear fluids or other forms of treatment suitable for you.
Step 4. Distract the other person from the sound of your stomach
Most likely, your stomach will make a strange rumbling sound when you have diarrhea. If the noise comes out while you're in class, try the following tactics to distract your friends and teachers. In fact, you can honestly say something like, "Sorry, I'm sick, so my stomach keeps rumbling," or laugh at the situation and say, "Because I'm sick, my stomach took the initiative to answer your question." In addition to telling the truth, you can also use the methods below:
- Coughing
- Sneeze
- Keep moving on the chair
- Laugh at the right time
- Asking question
- Ignoring the voice completely
Part 3 of 3: Treating Diarrhea Symptoms
Step 1. Consume plenty of clear fluids
Most likely, your body is losing a lot of fluids and electrolytes due to diarrhea. Therefore, make sure you are diligent in consuming fluids to restore health and cleanse your digestive tract.
- Drink at least 1 cup (250 ml) of water every hour. Clear liquids such as water, broth, juice, and even carbonated drinks are effective in replacing the body's electrolytes. Try consuming broth, clear chicken soup, and real fruit juice as your lunch menu!
- Consider packing your drink in a bottle or thermos. Before bringing it into class, explain to your teacher that you are just in case you need it. For example, try saying, "I know I shouldn't be bringing drinks to class, but I'm really sick and need to drink a lot of water throughout the day." If necessary, ask your parents to make an official letter of permission addressed to the teacher or UKS officer at your school.
- Do not consume caffeinated beverages such as coffee or black tea. Don't drink alcohol either!
Step 2. Eat light and simple meals
The stomach of a person with diarrhea needs to rest. Therefore, try eating the BRAT diet menu, namely banana (bananas), rice (rice), applesauce (apple sauce), and toast (toast) to improve the condition of the stomach and digestive tract and replace the body's electrolyte fluids.
- Eat boiled potatoes, crackers, and gelatin at lunch if possible. Consider bringing lunch and snacks that can improve your stomach condition such as simple biscuits made only of flour, yeast, and baking soda. Other options you can consider are bananas, apricots, and energy drinks.
- If you bring perishable food to school, make sure you keep your lunch box in the cafeteria refrigerator until it's time to eat. If your canteen doesn't have a refrigerator, try packing your lunch box in a plastic bag filled with ice cubes.
- Eat nutritious foods such as soft-fleshed fruits, vegetables, and cereals if your stomach condition improves.
Step 3. Avoid foods that are too heavy or spicy
Don't make your stomach work worse when you have diarrhea; Avoid foods that are too spicy, fatty, fried, or contain dairy products. If you consume it, it is likely that your stomach will feel more sick and your condition will worsen.
- Don't add spices to your food or eat spicy food at lunch so that your stomach lining doesn't irritate it further.
- If your school canteen does not provide food suitable for people with diarrhea, try asking the canteen staff for safer food alternatives.
Step 4. Take diarrhea medicine
Consider taking diarrhea medications such as loperamide (Imodium A-D) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol). Both are able to reduce the frequency of bowel movements and relieve your worries while studying in class or walking down the school hallway.
- Be careful, not all diarrhea medications are suitable for your condition; In addition, not all diarrhea medications are suitable for consumption by children. Therefore, take diarrhea medication only if you are sure the diarrhea is not caused by bacteria or parasites, and/or if you are over 12 years old. If these two conditions are not met, make sure you go to a doctor to get the right treatment.
- Always follow the instructions on the diarrhea medicine box. Otherwise, these drugs can actually make your condition worse.
- Ask your doctor to prescribe medications that are suitable for people with severe diarrhea (such as codeine phosphate, diphenoxylate, or cholestyramine). These drugs must be taken under the advice and supervision of a doctor to avoid side effects that can endanger your life.
Step 5. Minimize your activities
Moving too much will only worsen your health and make you want to poop even more. Therefore, do not be too tired; Also consider skipping gym class or other tiring activities.
Give the sick letter your parents wrote to your teacher so they know that you are sick and shouldn't be too tired
Step 6. Bring wet wipes
Be careful, your butt area is prone to irritation if you wipe it too often with abrasive tissue (such as toilet paper available at school). Therefore, always carry wet wipes with a soft surface in your bag!
If you want, you can also bring baby wipes which are believed to not irritate the skin. However, make sure you don't throw it in the toilet hole so it doesn't clog your school's drain. Instead, always throw used wet wipes in the trash
Tips
- If possible, ask permission to skip school instead of worrying about your health while you're at school.
- Bring a small bag of wet wipes, new clothes and underwear, and toilet paper.
