Since sunshine is abundant in summer, various viruses and bacteria are also more active. The incidence of infectious diarrhea has increased obviously especially in children. How should we deal with it? Infectious diarrhea, also known as acute gastroenteritis, is often manifested as diarrhea caused by intestinal infection of various pathogens. According to the duration, it can be classified as acute (<14 days), persistent (14-29 days) or chronic (≥30 days) diarrhea. Warmer temperatures make it easier for bacteria to grow. The pathogens of infectious diarrhea mainly include bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. The main route of infection is eating, and a few infectious diarrheas are caused by individual contact and respiratory droplets. Children could be treated at home firstly. The three principles of family treatment are as follows.

1. The children should drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration. Rice soup with salt solution, sugar brine or oral rehydration salts could be used. For children younger than 2 years old or children aged between 2 to 10 years old, it is suggested to take 50 to 100 ml or 100 to 200 ml respectively after each diarrhea.

2. The children should eat enough food to prevent malnutrition. Breastfeeding or diluted milk feeding should be continued for 2-3 days, and then the children could return to normal diet. Children over 6 months old should be given the usual diet that they are accustomed to. The patients are encouraged to eat more and it is necessary to add meals once a day until two weeks after the diarrhea stops.

3. If there is no improvement in three days, the family treatment should be stopped and the child should be taken to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment.

Prevention is the main priority. In summer, parents should pay attention to children's personal hygiene and dietary hygiene. It is necessary to choose fresh food. Raw vegetables and fruits should be washed under running water. Raw and cooked food should be separate in preparation and storage. Wash hands frequently is necessary before eating. Citizens should try not to eat the leftovers, and do not eat too much cold food to prevent "getting disease from the mouth".