The B.R.A.T. Diet and Guidance for Kids After GI Illness
Dr. Byramji (Physician, WakeMed Children's - Pediatric Primary Care) talks about the B.R.A.T. Diet and Guidance for Kids After GI Illness. Dr. Byramji discusses how to help your kid recover from a GI illness, how long it takes to recover from this illness, and what is the BRAT diet.
Featured Speaker:
Learn more about Darius Byramji, MD
Darius Byramji, MD
Dr. Darius Byramji is a board-certified pediatric primary care physician with clinical interests in newborn care, sports medicine, adolescent health, medical education, and quality improvement. Dr. Byramji earned his medical degree from Texas A&M University College of Medicine in Bryan, Texas, and completed his pediatric residency at University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.Learn more about Darius Byramji, MD
Transcription:
The B.R.A.T. Diet and Guidance for Kids After GI Illness
Cheryl Martin (Host): If your child has been battling a stomach bug like diarrhea, stomach flu or nausea, how do you help your kid recover from a GI illness? Our expert today offers some key guidance on the latest recommendations.
This is WakeMed Voices, a podcast brought to you by WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm Cheryl Martin. Joining me is Dr. Darius Byramji, a physician from WakeMed Children's Pediatric Primary Care. Doctor, I mentioned diarrhea or nausea, are there other GI illnesses seen in children?
Dr Darius Byramji: There could be plenty. There are lots of viruses that can cause GI illness in general, even the flu itself. I know you mentioned stomach flu in particular, but a variety of illnesses can cause what we consider GI illness in children.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So what should parents be mindful of when their kids are recovering from a GI gastrointestinal illness?
Dr Darius Byramji: Yeah, that's a great question. So what we actually pay the most attention to is not necessarily the illness itself or even the fever that a child may have, but actually making sure that they stay hydrated even during the worst part of the illness and then into recovery. Along with hydration, of course, comes making sure that they start to eat a little bit more, so they can get the proper nutrients to recover from the illness itself.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So how long does it typically take to recover from a GI illness?
Dr Darius Byramji: So, GI illnesses or just viruses in general, I think an easy way to think about it, they usually last for about a week. The peak of the illness is in the middle of that day four or five. And then, recovery can be the few days thereafter. Everybody is different. Every child is different. But for the most part, our bodies are well equipped to clear out the viruses as we develop them. And then it's up to us to help ourselves and/or our children to recover.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Speaking of recovery, let's talk about the BRAT diet, because it was once recommended for people, particularly children with GI distress. What is the BRAT diet?
Dr Darius Byramji: BRAT diet is actually an acronym for bananas, rice, apple sauce, and toast. And it was previously recommended as soft food, bland food type of diet to help reintroduce foods when kids or even adults, when they are sick, they just really don't want anything to do with food or putting stuff in their stomach. But yes, that was what was previously recommended.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So I understand now that the American Academy of Pediatrics recently shifted its guidance away from this diet. Why did the recommendation change?
Dr Darius Byramji: There have actually been some position papers or case studies or essays, recommending not to do the BRAT diet. And I think as time has gone on, it coming into practice and recommendation, it's been more recently the main reason why is because it was found that that particular restriction of the diet, so only doing those four particular foods, was actually not helpful in recovery and found to not contain the necessary nutrients that a body typically needs or needs during recovery.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So what's the new guidance then?
Dr Darius Byramji: Simply put, the new guidance is actually to reintroduce whatever foods a family or a child would typically eat as tolerated. So, along with the guidance, actually starting off with the BRAT diet, so to speak, so those soft foods, the bananas, the rice, the toast is totally acceptable, but restricting to it specifically until symptoms totally go away or something like that, that's what's not recommended anymore.
Cheryl Martin (Host): What foods, if any, should you avoid when recovering from GI illness?
Dr Darius Byramji: The simple answer is try not to avoid anything as the new guidance would suggest. But I think, foods in general that the child would not typically eat or heavy greasy foods, spicy foods that may cause stomach upset just at baseline might be okay to avoid. But again, if those are part of your typical diet and the child is tolerating it, it's totally okay.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So it's really based a lot on the individuality of the person then, and knowing what works with your child.
Dr Darius Byramji: Yeah. And I think that's what it really comes back to. And the main messaging of don't be so restrictive.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Now, are there any superfoods or drinks to consider for assisting in recovery?
Dr Darius Byramji: There aren't any that are like formally recommended. I think the idea of superfoods also can sometimes be a misnomer or lead you down a path that you can't come back from, but nothing formally recommended that can be like a magic bullet, so to speak.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Well, okay. Any additional suggestions, doctor, for helping kids recover from a GI illness or anything else you want to add about the BRAT diet?
Dr Darius Byramji: So I think the main thing like I alluded to before is what we mainly espouse and encourage is hydration. So that's really what puts these kids in the hospital or puts them in a bad way when they do have a GI illness or bad diarrhea or vomiting. And then along with hydration, again, reintroducing foods in general that are tolerable to the child and not being so restrictive.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Is there anything parents can do or watch to make sure a kid doesn't get a GI illness in the first place?
Dr Darius Byramji: If we figure that out, we could probably all retire very, very early. Getting viruses is, for better or for worse and frustratingly so, a part of life and actually what our bodies were made to do. Evolutionarily, we were made to be exposed to the outside world. And this is probably the safest way to do so, when children have parents that are so loving and caring and watching over them, that's really the best that the child can receive.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Dr. Byramji, thanks so much for giving us the latest on the BRAT diet and also for giving parents guidance on how to help their children recover from a GI illness. It's been great having you on.
Dr Darius Byramji: Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. Pleasure being here.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Thank you. That was Dr. Darius Byramji, a physician from WakeMed Children's Pediatric Primary Care. To learn more about WakeMed Children's Pediatric Primary Care, please visit wakemed.org. That's wakemed.org. I'm Cheryl Martin with WakeMed Voices brought to you by WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. Be sure to check out the entire podcast library for other topics of interest to you.
The B.R.A.T. Diet and Guidance for Kids After GI Illness
Cheryl Martin (Host): If your child has been battling a stomach bug like diarrhea, stomach flu or nausea, how do you help your kid recover from a GI illness? Our expert today offers some key guidance on the latest recommendations.
This is WakeMed Voices, a podcast brought to you by WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm Cheryl Martin. Joining me is Dr. Darius Byramji, a physician from WakeMed Children's Pediatric Primary Care. Doctor, I mentioned diarrhea or nausea, are there other GI illnesses seen in children?
Dr Darius Byramji: There could be plenty. There are lots of viruses that can cause GI illness in general, even the flu itself. I know you mentioned stomach flu in particular, but a variety of illnesses can cause what we consider GI illness in children.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So what should parents be mindful of when their kids are recovering from a GI gastrointestinal illness?
Dr Darius Byramji: Yeah, that's a great question. So what we actually pay the most attention to is not necessarily the illness itself or even the fever that a child may have, but actually making sure that they stay hydrated even during the worst part of the illness and then into recovery. Along with hydration, of course, comes making sure that they start to eat a little bit more, so they can get the proper nutrients to recover from the illness itself.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So how long does it typically take to recover from a GI illness?
Dr Darius Byramji: So, GI illnesses or just viruses in general, I think an easy way to think about it, they usually last for about a week. The peak of the illness is in the middle of that day four or five. And then, recovery can be the few days thereafter. Everybody is different. Every child is different. But for the most part, our bodies are well equipped to clear out the viruses as we develop them. And then it's up to us to help ourselves and/or our children to recover.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Speaking of recovery, let's talk about the BRAT diet, because it was once recommended for people, particularly children with GI distress. What is the BRAT diet?
Dr Darius Byramji: BRAT diet is actually an acronym for bananas, rice, apple sauce, and toast. And it was previously recommended as soft food, bland food type of diet to help reintroduce foods when kids or even adults, when they are sick, they just really don't want anything to do with food or putting stuff in their stomach. But yes, that was what was previously recommended.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So I understand now that the American Academy of Pediatrics recently shifted its guidance away from this diet. Why did the recommendation change?
Dr Darius Byramji: There have actually been some position papers or case studies or essays, recommending not to do the BRAT diet. And I think as time has gone on, it coming into practice and recommendation, it's been more recently the main reason why is because it was found that that particular restriction of the diet, so only doing those four particular foods, was actually not helpful in recovery and found to not contain the necessary nutrients that a body typically needs or needs during recovery.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So what's the new guidance then?
Dr Darius Byramji: Simply put, the new guidance is actually to reintroduce whatever foods a family or a child would typically eat as tolerated. So, along with the guidance, actually starting off with the BRAT diet, so to speak, so those soft foods, the bananas, the rice, the toast is totally acceptable, but restricting to it specifically until symptoms totally go away or something like that, that's what's not recommended anymore.
Cheryl Martin (Host): What foods, if any, should you avoid when recovering from GI illness?
Dr Darius Byramji: The simple answer is try not to avoid anything as the new guidance would suggest. But I think, foods in general that the child would not typically eat or heavy greasy foods, spicy foods that may cause stomach upset just at baseline might be okay to avoid. But again, if those are part of your typical diet and the child is tolerating it, it's totally okay.
Cheryl Martin (Host): So it's really based a lot on the individuality of the person then, and knowing what works with your child.
Dr Darius Byramji: Yeah. And I think that's what it really comes back to. And the main messaging of don't be so restrictive.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Now, are there any superfoods or drinks to consider for assisting in recovery?
Dr Darius Byramji: There aren't any that are like formally recommended. I think the idea of superfoods also can sometimes be a misnomer or lead you down a path that you can't come back from, but nothing formally recommended that can be like a magic bullet, so to speak.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Well, okay. Any additional suggestions, doctor, for helping kids recover from a GI illness or anything else you want to add about the BRAT diet?
Dr Darius Byramji: So I think the main thing like I alluded to before is what we mainly espouse and encourage is hydration. So that's really what puts these kids in the hospital or puts them in a bad way when they do have a GI illness or bad diarrhea or vomiting. And then along with hydration, again, reintroducing foods in general that are tolerable to the child and not being so restrictive.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Is there anything parents can do or watch to make sure a kid doesn't get a GI illness in the first place?
Dr Darius Byramji: If we figure that out, we could probably all retire very, very early. Getting viruses is, for better or for worse and frustratingly so, a part of life and actually what our bodies were made to do. Evolutionarily, we were made to be exposed to the outside world. And this is probably the safest way to do so, when children have parents that are so loving and caring and watching over them, that's really the best that the child can receive.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Dr. Byramji, thanks so much for giving us the latest on the BRAT diet and also for giving parents guidance on how to help their children recover from a GI illness. It's been great having you on.
Dr Darius Byramji: Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. Pleasure being here.
Cheryl Martin (Host): Thank you. That was Dr. Darius Byramji, a physician from WakeMed Children's Pediatric Primary Care. To learn more about WakeMed Children's Pediatric Primary Care, please visit wakemed.org. That's wakemed.org. I'm Cheryl Martin with WakeMed Voices brought to you by WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. Be sure to check out the entire podcast library for other topics of interest to you.