Mothers are advised to wash their hands with soap after changing their babies’ diapers and to dispel the belief that babies’ feces are harmless.
Prof. Edamisan Temiye, a Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Oncologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, cautioned that improper disposal of babies’ stool can lead to infections.
Temiye highlighted that some mothers mistakenly perceive babies’ stool as harmless, leading to improper disposal practices and neglecting handwashing after diaper changes.
Wakadaily learnt that,The child health specialist emphasized that no stool, including that of a newborn, is without risk.
The paediatrician explained, “Babies’ stool is not harmless is a misconception. Every stool should be disposed of appropriately in the sewage system.
“The moment a baby is born, the baby starts interacting with all the microorganisms in the environment, including the ones from the mother and the mother’s stool, the father’s stool, and the community’s stool.
“In communities where babies’ stool is not disposed of appropriately, when adults use the toilet, they don’t wash their hands and when they touch and serve food, they spread the impact to children.
“That is one of the reasons diarrhoea disease is one of the most common causes of death in children under five because those germs come back and the child who has low immunity could have diarrhoea.”
The doctor cautioned that inadequate disposal of baby feces can put infants at risk of diarrhea, a potentially deadly condition due to their vulnerable immune systems.
Diarrhea is a significant contributor to childhood mortality, ranking among the top five causes of death, and according to UNICEF, it continues to claim the lives of many young children.
“Diarrhoea is a leading killer of children, accounting for approximately nine per cent of all deaths among children under age five worldwide in 2019. This translates to over 1,300 young children dying each day, or about 484,000 children a year, despite the availability of a simple treatment solution”, UNICEF mentioned.
Temiye further explained to our correspondent that improperly handled stool can also transmit other infections like typhoid fever.
He added that children are at risk of contracting hepatitis A due to poor stool disposal and inadequate handwashing by their parents before feeding them, highlighting the importance of proper hygiene practices.
“When anybody has hepatitis A, the risk involved is that it can cause the liver to shut down completely and the person can die from liver failure” he added.
He also revealed that improperly disposed of stool can lead to worm infestations in children, which can subsequently cause malnutrition, highlighting the potential long-term health consequences of poor sanitation and hygiene practices.
He stated, “The child will develop malnutrition because the worm, a parasite, is consuming the food that the child should be consuming. Children are not supposed to have worms in their intestines.”
The pediatrician emphasized the importance of good hygiene practices, urging all mothers to ensure proper disposal of stool, whether from babies or adults, to prevent the spread of infections and maintain a clean environment.
