For years, doctors and nurses have recommended the BRAT diet for children who are suffering from diarrhea. They are now changing their tune and have concluded that the diet can actually be more harmful than beneficial. The BRAT diet's name stands for the first initial of its ingredients--bananas, rice, applesauce or apple juice and toast. Doctors once believed that the diet was beneficial, because it allowed the digestive tract to rest while the viral infection, that commonly causes diarrhea, ran its course.

The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends the BRAT diet. Nonetheless, said Claire Dalidowitz, team leader of clinical nutrition at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center, health-care providers continue to prescribe the regimen. Instead of BRAT, pediatric groups recommend that a child's regular diet be reintroduced within 24 hours of the first bout of diarrhea -with the exception of spicy or fried foods- until the child fully recovers.

It can actually be dangerous if a child stays on the BRAT diet for an extended period of time. A bright red rash on the cheeks, buttocks and genital areas is a classic symptom of a zinc deficiency, which can be caused by sticking with BRAT too long. Zinc is an important nutritional mineral found in meat, fish, poultry and dairy products, none of which are found in the BRAT diet. Zinc is often an overlooked mineral. It is an important factor in growth, skin development, immune function and in helping the body express genetic information Dalidowitz said that when diarrhea occurs, the lining of the intestine breaks down, and nutrients in healthful foods are important for a successful recovery.

Experts recommend speaking with your child's doctor before changing his or her diet.